Cambodian New Year

Cambodian New Year
Originally uploaded by carladallas

For years we've been fortunate to be invited to the Cambodian New Year celebration at a local Cambodian Church. It's a joy filled, delicious, fun event with so many great memories for the girls. This year Sofia brought her boyfriend Elliott and they all participated in various games and activities and enjoyed the great food! I'm so grateful to my dear friend Sophana Kim for always including us in this wonderful Spring celebration.

Crawfish Town USA

Crawfish Town USA
Originally uploaded by carladallas

I went to Louisiana for a conference and added a weekend with my family--it's the first time in years and years I'd gone alone. I had a great time visiting with my friend Renee and family in Baton Rouge, then with everyone at "home" in Lafayette. On my drive to Lafayette, from Baton Rouge I stopped at CRAWFISHTOWNUSA! May I say, it was absolutely delicious--I ate a super fresh fried crawfish po'boy, and drank an ice cold beer, woo hoo! It's the Henderson exit, 1/2 mile off the highway if you ever get the chance.

Our personal college tour

Our personal college tour
Originally uploaded by carladallas

My parents were in town this weekend. We had a chance to spend some time together so long as we worked around the busy social calendar of two teenage girls. On Saturday morning, before the girls could slip off we took a little drive to see UTDallas and walk around the campus. We pulled up and it looked SO different from what it was when I took classes there. It seems a lot less "commuter school", especially now that they are building a dorm, 700 freshmen will be moving in to the state of the art residence hall in Fall 2009--including my little girl. We're so proud of and happy for her--UTD offered her a 4 year full tuition and fees scholarship, and $2,000 on-campus housing allowance. It will be nice to have her close by, yet on her own too. May will be here before you know it!

Thank You Mom and Dad!

I'm not much of a shopper. About the only time I dedicate to shopping is during the holidays. Once I'm out and about though I seem to find all sorts of goodies that I'm secretly hankering for. It was so much fun to go back to one of my favorite stores after Christmas (Whole Earth Provision Company rocks!) and buy something for moi! No heels, no pointy parts, just earthy crunchy comfortable cuteness! May I add that they are very warm and pretty much match everything I own!!!! Thanks Mom and Dad!

Book with Wings

Book with Wings
Originally uploaded by carlamarieweir

I got a bunch of books for Christmas!!!! I already finished the first one, The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb. All this free time after Christmas allowed me to do a lot of relaxing, ie reading. Shawna gave me two books, I've already started one...it's about a knitting club and I'm totally into it already! All you booklovers, check out the website goodreads.com, and if you enroll let me know and we can add each other as a friend. It's a cool way of learning about new books, rating books, seeing what your friends are reading, etc. www.goodreads.com/review/list/902823?shelf=currently-reading

I did make time last Sunday to have an art date with myself. I went to The Modern Museum in Fort Worth, where I snapped a pic of one of my favorite pieces there (Book With Wings, Anselm Kiefer). I've been getting out and about snapping pictures, and enjoying the cool weather.

To see my most recent pics, as well as shots of the girls, family, etc. check out my flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlamarieweir/

THE HALLACAS ARE READY!

THE HALLACAS ARE READY!
Originally uploaded by Shawna:)

Yesterday we had an Hallaca marathon--from 9am-2am this morning we were knee deep in plantain leaves and hallaca makings. The hallaca heroes are Sofia and her friend Kim, who worked from dawn til dusk! The final count was 107, including 12 vegetarian ones and 15 "bollos". The bollos as the hodge podge of what's left of the ingredients, made into a mixed up batch at the end. We had helpers in two shifts and really appreciated everyone coming out to lend a hand! Today Gloria came to clean the house and we're officially ready for the party tomorrow. All we have left is to buy the champagne and make the chicken salad. My goal for tomorrow is to enjoy the evening outside, by the fire. It should be a perfect and chilly evening. Happy New Year everyone!

Reconnecting

Reconnecting
Originally uploaded by carlamarieweir

One of the things I love about the holidays is seeing people you love, who live far away or you don't get to connect with often enough. Ricardo called the Baques when we were in Lafayette and we had a nice visit with them on Christmas day. It had been over 20 years since Ricardo saw them. He and his sister Lica were sort of adopted by them when they were in college. In fact, they were the ones that took Ricardo out for a celebratory meal after attending his college graduation. All those years past and when we went to visit it was as if it was only yesterday, that's when you know the friendship is genuine. I also got to visit with Renee and her family in Baton Rouge. I did have a regret though, our neighbor Judy LeJeune died after Thanksgiving. She was one of my "grownup friends" during high school, the kind you could talk to and know she would give good advice without judging. I hadn't see Judy in years. Over Thanksgiving I thought about her one day while walking the dog around the neighborhood, but we were only staying two days and I knew time would run out, so I thought "I'll visit with her over Christmas". When we were leaving the Baques and I heard Ricardo tell Don and Cookie, "Thank you for your friendship. It meant so much to me when I lived here." I thought of Judy and how I never made the time to tell her that.