NOLA

My sweet Andrew took me on a 2-night weekend getaway to New Orleans.  I had never been, and since it is not too terribly far from home, we decided to go try it out.  We actually got to leave Thursday night, so we took it easy at the Hyatt Place (Thanks, Priceline!) in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and dined at one of our faves, PF Changs.  We got there late and barely in time for supper.  Andrew had it timed perfectly so that all that fabulous shopping was closed by the time with arrived and not yet opened the next morning!

The swamp views in Louisiana

We stayed in a New Orleans-y hotel called Le Pavillon.

I was excited to get to stay in a authentic, >100 years old New Orleans place.  We always fall for these little extra touches.

Cool rooftop pool that we did not visit.  We DID visit the fitness room.  I heard you burn twice the calories when you exercise on vacation.  Boy, did we need to exercise after eating so much!

My first look at Bourbon Street

Right away, we found some seafood.

Photographed this for my Mama...didn't know this side of you!!

Fun to see the interesting street artists

French Quarter

Jackson Square

Cafe Du Monde!

With our beignets and cafe au laits.  The place is covered in powdered sugar, but PACKED with people, and so good!

Outside Cafe Du Monde seating

Mississippi River

Outside shot of our hotel

Lobby

Big dinner night out at Mr. B's.  The "Brennans" seem to own a lot of restaurants in New Orleans, and we heard you couldn't go wrong.  Took a tip from NOLA-raised friend Laura Kellum, and it did not disappoint!

Nightlife on Bourbon

We party animals were back in the hotel at 10PM for the PB&J snack!

At the famous Mother's Restaurant

Glad we were there early- see the line now!

Riding the streetcar in the Garden District.  Notice the years of Mardi Gras beads hanging from the streetcar wires.

It rained a little as we were riding and cooled things down.  We had wonderful weather for July!

I thought it was cool that you just turn the seats around at the end of the streetcar line.

People gathering for a street performance

Dey love doze gatas!

We wound up in the middle of a watergun (fun) fight.  On the street.  Random.  Guy with masked and goggled little girl with watergun in carrier pictured.  You just never know what you'll see!

Eating at Cafe Beignet on Bourbon Street.  This time I got my OWN plate of beignets.  And an iced cafe au lait!  Ahhhh!!

View from Cafe Beignet overlooking Bourbon Street

For dinner: Deanie's Seafood!  So so so so yummy!!  More food than I could ever imagine consuming!  Hint- go early!

One more pic back at the hotel.  Another awesome meal- our hotel's Crystal Room brunch.  Had a great, relaxing time with my honey!  Could not have possibly held another morsel of food.  Thanks, Mimi and Pop for keeping EB girl one night, and Momma Lin and Daddy Don for keeping her two nights.  (Sorry about those traumatizing bathtub experiences!)  We REALLY appreciate the break :-)

July 2012

Fun on the Fourth

Our families are such a blessing.   We all gathered for some fun and lunch on the Fourth of July.  We all love a good excuse for a party!  Andrew's grill is broken, so we opted for a Fourth of July Fiesta this year, complete with white chicken enchiladas, rice, and beans.

Thanks to the Crosswhites for sharing their family dinner with us... and then their VIP view of the Ballard Park fireworks display.

Eva Brooke wasn't too sure about the fireworks at first, but she has been talking about them EVER SINCE!

VBS 2012- God's Bible Safari
I was the VBS teacher for Eva Brooke's class this year, and those kids were precious.  Eva Brooke really got into it this year, and her excitement just warmed my heart.

We were so glad to welcome our sweet neighbor friends Annelise and Alice

Eva Brooke was even the Star of the Day one night for bringing the most visitors to VBS

Rolling her gospel chariot...

An action shot of EB and Charlie

Playing on the church playground on the last evening of VBS

EB actually cried when I made her go home on the last night!  She had a blast!

Grandmother's 89th Birthday Celebration

We traveled to Decatur, Alabama, to my cousin Frank's house to do some celebrating for a super-sweet red head.  Frank, his wife Tracie, and twins Dylan and Lindsie have a new beautiful house that they are always willing to share for family gatherings.

Wishing you many, many more!

Lindsie was so sweet to show Eva Brooke her very-cute-pink-room and share her toys.  EB wouldn't even look up for a pic.  Again, had to make her leave.  My girl usually tells me, "home Mommy, home," whenever we go somewhere.  Lately she's found she can have fun some other places!

Snapshots from July

Yep, found her like this.  Smart girl.  Nothing is safe anymore!

Pool day with Angie, Hunter, and Emily.  Thanks to Angie's awesome mom who brought us pizza to the pool!  So much fun!

Apparently having some sort of discussion about the water dripping from the shower.

Again, EB likes the shower as much as the pool!

 

Often stands on her tiptoes (like her Aunt Beth used to do).

Well...she's not using it, so the puppy might as well :-)

My little mini-tornado!

The child LOVES ice cream

First Pull-Up.  Thought this would be the groundbreaking answer to potty-training, since they are supposed to have a cool effect when wet.  Didn't phase her.

My sweet Andrew unplugging the drain during a downpour.  Now I know why they say FLASH FLOOD.

Thanks to the folks building a house two lots down, we got some extra topsoil...  P.S.  Due to some heavy duty drains, everything was back to normal within minutes.  Whew.

All into Gilbert (cat) and her babies.

She loves Pop's Sunbeam bread!

Having a little cupcake treat at Gigi's.  We were ordering EB's birthday cupcakes!!

After a sugar-rush, I took my baby to Kohl's.  I'm sure most of the shoppers that day wanted to kick me for giving her that cupcake.  She has never been that terrible!!

Imagination at work

FIRST PIGTAILS!

Eating chocolate pudding like Caillou

After another drawer-emptying session, I told her she must put them back in the drawer.  Well, she kind of did what I asked...

So excited that she put her shoes on by herself...on the wrong feet :-)

Thanks for reading,
Ginger