New Orleans and Grandma's Birthday...

Warning:  This post is enormous!

We had a very productive trip in New Orleans.  Or I should say they were all productive.  There were 15 of us total, 5 adults and 10 high school kids.  The first night we were there the preacher was telling us about how it was somewhat dangerous and we needed to be on our guard.  They told the adults (the kids don't know unless they are reading this now) that the area we worked in there have been 25 murders in the last 6 months.  Me being the paranoid person I already am, the info made me freak out even more.  But obviously it went fine.  We stayed at the Carrollton Avenue Church of Christ.  To tell your their story in a nut shell, their building was filled with about 8 feet of water for several weeks after Katrina.   They decided they wanted a bigger vision for the church after Katrina.  They purchased a building, and two houses around it in the Hollygrove area for $180,000, obviously very cheap, right after the hurricane.  They are planting a church there at Hollygrove.  The amazing thing is that they are spending their money on Hollygrove before they have even finished their own building.  They spent the week sheet rocking the auditorium of the Hollygrove building.  The first day the heat index was 107 and there was no air in the building so they said it would be about 15 degrees warmer.  The air was so humid in New Orleans, I will think twice before complaining about Oklahoma heat again.  Clay would not let Avis (an older lady from church) and I go to the work site because of the heat.  We stayed at the church and made breakfast and lunch and did some work in the kitchen for them.  And I will have to admit I did sneak in a few naps.  I didn't get very many pictures since I wasn't at Hollygrove.  And I didn't get before and after pictures.  Hopefully I can get some from the kids to post on here.  Here are a few that I got...

Lunch break.... Those sandwiches look great.  I wonder who made them?!

We couldn't have a trip with all work and no fun!  Here is our group (and some random people they decided to have join us) at Juan's Flying Burrito.  

This was one of my favorite parts of the trip.  We went to the famous Cafe Du Monde and had some beignets, which are French donuts.  To me they are like miniature funnel cakes.  

I bought the mix to try and make some at home.  I know they will taste nothing like the real thing but I will have to try sometime!

We got home Thursday evening.  I sure did miss my bed!!  On Saturday we spent the day at Cedar Lake (near Hinton) for my Grandma Jane's birthday.  It is tradition that we get together every year for this occasion.  There aren't many times except for holidays that we are all together so I really enjoy the time.  

Marlee (Todd's girlfriend), Todd (my brother), Cassie (Trey's girlfriend), Trey (my cousin who is 10 days younger in me and he is in med school at Tulsa)

My mom and Deegan (my cousin Tricia's son)

Clay and I enjoying the hammock

Almost sinking the paddle boat

Singing happy birthday to grandma

Watching grandma open presents

Grandma and LeRoy live on Cedar Lake and they have a wave runner, two four wheelers, paddle boat, fishing equipment etc. so it is always fun to go out to their house.  My grandma is 72 now and she still looks great and is in excellent health.  I sure hope I have her genes in me!!