It's a small world afterall.

Sunday Kyle, Hoyer and me went to a baptism in Baton Rouge. The baby is a friend of Hoyer's from London, the mom a friend of mine from London Jr League. She and her husband live in London for his job, similar to me and Kyle. Her husband is from Baton Rouge and she is from Richmond, VA, so as Southerners, we automatically clicked. We were two of the few who had our children dressed in smocked clothing, after all. They were in the States for Christmas and her whole family was in Baton Rouge for the christening. Months ago she told me her parents and brother were going to stay a bit in Louisiana after the christening and she asked for suggestions for New Orleans, I sent her an email with some of my favorites and she forwarded on to her parents, who I met at the christening. I met her whole family and it was really lovely.
Fast forward a few days, and her family is out in New Orleans, enjoying the town, her brother goes off with a friend of his from Virginia who lives in New Orleans. That friend is Thomas Pickeral and Thomas brings him along to a bar to meet friends, those friends were Martin and MK. My brother and Allison's brother met last night in a bar! What a small world. I don't know how they pieced it all together, but I had mentioned to Allison's brother, who is in commercial real estate that that is what my brother did in Costa Rica. Maybe it was that bit of info that set off the light bulb? I don't know, but it is funny and it is a very small world.

2 1/2 teeth on the bottom vs. a large candy cane

This is what happens when you give a 10 month old a candy cane. He sucked it into a weapon.

Go Green...with Envy!

Don't hate us, visit us!

It's Complicated

Where in the world are the Benefields? Over Christmas it was a question I had a hard time explaining. Were we still in London? Where we back for good in the US? My answer, it is complicated!
November 1, 2009 Moved from London to a hotel in Birmingham, AL
November 7, 2009 Kyle went down to Miami to begin work on a short term assignment
December 1, 2009 The tenet moved out of our house and we began the work to renovate
January 7, 2010 The house will be finished and Hoyer, Kathleen and Kyle will all be together
in Miami soaking up the sun, we have a 2 bedroom condo in Miami with roof
top pool. We are thrilled. We have a fun trip planned to Key West.
January 28, 2010 Our house in Alabama goes on the market.
February 2009 Kathleen and Hoyer return to Louisiana for Mardi Gras

February 18, 2010 Hoyer turns 1, we have his birthday on the parade route in New Orleans on
Iris Saturday
What happens after March?

That is the big question and the only answer is we do not know. There are lots of jobs within KPMG that Kyle is up for, one is in Hong Kong, another in Beaumont, TX. We are just waiting patently and keeping our fingers crossed for something rewarding, professionally and personally. If our house sells, we will rent something in Alabama until we know where we are going. It is a crazy time for us.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

Harry and Hoyer

The Princess and the Frog, a great movie and message for all ages, even 10 months.

The Princess and the Frog
You may be surprised that I took an almost 10 month old to the movies on a Monday night. You may have visions of a restless, tired baby, unhappy as can be in a dark movie theater making it miserable for everyone. If that is what you imagine, you haven't met Hoyer Benefield. The child loves movies. This could be because I brought him along to the Electric Scream in Notting Hill every Monday for a movie in London. Or it could be the fact that we don't have TV in our new house yet, just Internet that is mysteriously available, I think I am stealing someone else's, shh don't tell, and so, without TV Hoyer is more interested in movies? Perhaps he loved this movie so much because it was set in New Orleans? Maybe, or maybe he is just a freaking genius, too smart for his own good. Yeah, lets go with genius. I am sure GG and Nan will agree with me on that.
So let me change the image of a 10 month old at the movies for you. Picture a row to ourselves, 6 other families with young children scattered throughout. Hoyer in his own seat, weighed down by the diaper bag. Poor dear, I placed him down and it looked like the seat was going to swallow him, good thing I have so much stuff in the bag, it worked well keeping his seat down. He had his blanket, a little chewing toy and a cup full of animal crackers in his lap, a sippy cup of apple juice in one cup holder and a bottle in the other. Hoyer enjoyed the movie from his own seat for a while. Then the voodoo part was a little scary, he looked over at me and reached out, so I brought him into my lap, he kept on chowing down on the animal crackers, finished his bottle and watched the rest of the movie sprawled out on my knees and chest. Not once did he cry or make noise. The most he ever did was wave his arms in the air when the cartoons sang. He loved it.
It was a treat for me to get out of the house, see the movie and eat candy. Looks like more mother son movie dates are in my future.

House Update

I am in the house. (sigh) I am unpacking and getting organized.
However, there have been lots of barriers in the way....
1. A tree hit the roof while I was in Louisiana
2. The painters had to redo a few spots inside
3. The weather is horrible
4. While putting down the carpet one of the baseboards was cracked

Statefarm is working with me on the roof, it is patched for now and next week they will put down a new roof. The paint job looks awesome, now. One thing though, now I hate the color of my kitchen cabinets... The weather ain't nothing like it is in Miami, I have freezer burn, Kyle has sun burn. Not fair. The carpet company is seeing what they can do about the baseboards....

So now all that is left is landscaping, fixing rotting wood, pressure washing house, painting outside windows and front porch, new front doors and back door with new locks, install a vent in the bathroom, and possibly paint the kitchen cabinets and get granite counter tops and a drop down sink. Who ever said flipping a house is fun is crazy! Those people at HGTV all lie!!

Dear Santa, (a letter from Hoyer)

Dear Santa,
I am sorry I screamed and yelled and reached for my mom when I met you the other day. I am sorry we couldn't get a very good picture together too. I sure hope this won't put me on the naughty list...... Love, Hoyer

Christmas Party, I mean Saints Party.

Yesterday my mom hosted a Christmas party for my grandmother, BB, and her friends. The party quickly turned into a Saints party as we all celebrated 12-0! I never knew 80 year olds and 90 year olds were so into football.

the ladies watching the saints

Project Management and Banker

Next week starts the transformation of our little house on Broadway. The painters come on Monday to repair damaged spots, and paint the entire interior of the house, including the trim. (cha ching cha ching) The color is simple, beige, Natural Tan and the carpet gets installed Thursday, I choose Simply Sisial (cha ching cha ching). Once the interior is finished, I can move our things in (cha ching) with the help of Two Men and a Truck!

wall to wall carpet in bedrooms Paint color
Next on the list:
install a vent in the bathroom replace and fix doors and frames relock the doors replace and fix rotting wood on exterior of house ( cha ching) landscape paint exterior windows and front porch pressure wash house and deck

Here are a few pics of the house before we moved out and to London. We will have a lot less stuff inside this time around, because we are putting it on the market in January!

Three Years Ago Today We Said I do