Where are YOU from?

Since my job requires me to make small talk with strangers all day long, I answer this question quite often.  My answer usually goes something like this, "Well, I'm not really sure."  This is always followed by a weird look from my patient.  Then I continue, "I grew up mainly in Winston-Salem but both of my parents are from Louisiana.  Besides my parents who live in W-S, all of my family is in Louisiana (except for Aunt Sissy of course who lives in Dallas but that's pretty close to Louisiana).  I've always had to get on a plane or travel a long distance by car to see anyone I'm related to.  I've never known any differently.  So I guess I feel like I'm from Louisiana even though I haven't lived there much because that's where all my family is."  This is followed by a look of relief on my patient's face due to the fact that I'm done explaining it all. 

Disclaimer:  My dad's family is from northern Louisiana & my mom's family is from southern.  This post focuses on my mom's family but I love my dad's family just as much. 

Cefalu family on Christmas Day

I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!  I can't even find words to describe the excitement & anticipation I have towards celebrating Christmas with them.  I look forward to it for 364 days; it is the best day of the year!

This year Jason & I drove 14 hours to Baton Rouge to spend Christmas weekend at Aunt Markey's house (my mom's younger sister).  Aunt Sissy (my mom's older sister) flew in from Dallas to join us.  The time together flies by as we're busy baking, running errands around town, going to church, eating & catching up on the past year.  A highlight of the trip is always spending time with my cousin Christen Lee & her husband Patrick who live in Baton Rouge.  They are just 2 years older than Jason & I.  We have so much in common with them especially our love for traveling!

Jason, Caitlin, Aunt Sissy, Christen Lee & Patrick on Christmas morning

This year was extra special.  Normally Jason, myself, my mom & Aunt Sissy leave Baton Rouge & drive just over an hour to Amite (a small town north of New Orleans where my mom grew up) for Christmas lunch.  But this year Aunt Markey, Uncle Joseph, Christen Lee & Patrick came too!!!  While I've never lived in Amite, just the sound of it makes my heart flutter.  It's where my mom & her siblings grew up on Camille Street.  It's the town that my grandfather was the mayor of for 20 years.  It represents small town south Louisiana.  To me it's everything that is my family.   

Christmas lunch was traditionally held at my great Aunt Helen's house for as long as I could remember.  After she died her son Tom Ed & his wife Irene took over hosting the meal.  They have a beautiful home which makes the perfect setting for our holiday feast.  It all begins with the traditional toasting.  The cranberry juice gets passed around in little crystal goblets.  We stand in a circle & consecutively take turns 'toasting' the current year or the one to come.  I don't know why we do this but it's always entertaining to see what everyone comes up with.  Next Uncle Buck blesses the meal & the feast begins.  All the traditional components are there, my two favorites are Irene's dressing & biscuits.  I'm pretty sure neither have an official recipe, that makes them taste even better.  The dressing is so moist & the biscuits are perfectly crispy from being baked in a cast iron skillet.             

Even sideways it looks delicious!

How long until the next meal?

After lunch we take the customary family pictures, visit a while and then head to Uncle Buck & Aunt Susie's house down by the river.

Cousins!  Christen Lee w/ Patrick, Me w/ Jason & Trey w/ Amber

Down by the river is a grove of oak trees.  These trees have been on our family property for quite some time.  Just looking at them makes me feel Southern and I love feeling Southern.

Note the moss hanging from the branches, ahhhh so Southern

When I see these trees it makes me feel like I'm home.  Strange I know because I've never lived here.  I have lived in 6 states and in about 15 different houses, condos, apartments, etc.  Only a few of these I would call home.  But I guess home is more than where you've lived.  For me it's where my family is.  My heart is definitely in Louisiana so I guess I'll proudly keep my answer the same, "I grew up mainly in Winston-Salem, but my family is all from Louisiana."