Ty and I have been crazy crazy! The day school finally was put to sleep I raced down to the UC to spend the day with my mom for mothers day. She was leaving on a cruise to Bermuda on Sat and I was taking my baby sisters back with me to Lo to babysit while the parental units were away. Mom wanted to shop, and eat delicious food and hang go to a movie....so we did. I love family time with just the girls! Especially when it is something I have to do. Then I don't feel guilty thinking about all the other things I should do! So I raced home to lo, sisters in tow and had a mad rush of a weekend. An all day wedding, guests at the b and b, baby sisters, primary stuff for church and packing for our trip to New Orleans! I swear it screamed by in a second! We drove home to the rents house and spent the next day in chaos again...seeing broseph before he moved away for the sum sum, getting sisters situated for the forthcoming week, and Ty had some work stuff to do. Bleh.

Finally Tuesday morning at 4 am came!!! My super awesome bro took us to the Aeropeurto and we were off, after Ty mailed his Leatherman home because apparently lover boy thought that Security would be totally ok with him carrying that on....no biggie right? 2:20 pm we arrived in a hot mess. I was so excited I could not even speak...I went pee like seventy times in anticipation! Meags came and got us...a little late..which made me feel good, because I am late to everything, always. Its hot and muggy there. Which means two things......gross hair and the constant feeling of hot breath all over your body. Nothin makes you feel sexier than that!

First thing we did was go to the French Quarter! Its so fun and very quaint.

Its like pa rousing the streets of a french city. We had Po boys for dinner....translation: sandwiches on sandwich roids. So so good!

Over the next two days we did Graduation stuff for Meags and Luke. Each festivity was followed by again more fabulous eating.

Including cream, deep friedness, sugar or all of the above. We spent lots of time with Meagans totally awesome family, we had a great time with them!

Meagan little miss over achiever received 4 awards totaling $1,550.00 if that's not incentive to be a wacko stress case all the time...I don't know what is.

On Friday we went on a swamp tour. SCARIEST EVENT EVER! I think people who think its cool to be in a boat a foot away from live alligators are retarded. Especially when the 12 ft Alligator thinks it would be a great idea to swim up and down the side of the boat to watch the crazy red head lose all sense of control.Then the boat driver man...brought out a baby alligator and was letting everyone pass him around and touch his devil flesh and stuff. Reptiles suck.

Well after our little swamp adventure and my heart stopped beating a thousand miles an hour, we went and hung out in Luling, Where Luke's parents live. They went all out Louisiana style on a kick butt Shrimp boil. It was BOMB!! I seriously ate so much I was sick. Sick but Oh so satisfied! Saturday we went on a walking tour of the garden district, which is like the beautiful old houses from the 1800's.

Kate, Jan, meags and I went. Right as mother earth decided it was a great time to dump the annual amount of rain for the amazon on us! Exciting, thrilling, freezing, and crazy are all applicable here. I was wearing a gray t shirt that was so wet that by the end of the 2 hour tour of the rain forest it was see through... HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? Even my butt was pruney! We finished off the day by making breakfast for dinner, and going to a movie. Sunday we went to Lukes Bros homecoming talk in their branch...awesome experience! Followed by more southern comfort food. Again ate till I was sick. Monday Meag and I were finally able to hang out alone and went to an Old Plantation house called Oak Alley.

There are 28 Oak trees that line the walk up to the grand house...this equals awesome! We had Mint Juleps on the veranda, and strolled the beautiful gardens. We may have even pulled out a couple ANTM shots.

We went home to have awesome dinner with their friends Sam and Justin. Who at first I thought I would rather poke my eyes out with a toothpick than be with, but turned out to be really funny and very nice. We had a great time laughing and playing games with them. Tuesday we went on a canoe trip up the bayou. Another bright idea involving alligators and dark brown water. I am sure you can imagine how that went for me. despite the white knuckled fear and excessive anxiety it was very beautiful and a really cool experience. I would recommend it to any and all!

We got all gussied up and went out for our last nights dinner and had snow balls to cap the evening. It was perfect.

Wednesday we ran around the french quarter, bought souvenirs, ate more beignets (our second time that trip) hung out in the cemetery and drove around the 9th ward.

The 9th ward is where the levy's broke from Katrina. It was humbling and beautiful all at the same time. So sad to see the ruin of what used to be peoples lives, and homes. However the cycle of rebirth was inspiring to say the least. Fresh foliage, housing construction, and people enjoying the afternoon breeze on their front porch left us with a feeling of hope and faith.

Upon arriving home I instantly was grateful for the dry air in which my hair returned to its normal consistency and no longer resembled that of a 1970's experiment. But my heart missed the charm. New Orleans is an extremely fun and down right charming city! We had a fabulous time. I could not have imagined a better trip if i tried. not to mention that I totally overcame my fears and canoed next to alligators. Gross. We had so much fun hanging out with Meag and lukey and their hospitality was unprecedented. Best things eaten: Eggplant Perogue and Jaque Imo's, charbroiled oysters at Acme Oyster house,

Shrimp and grits at Mr. B's, beignets at Cafe du Monde, Po boys at buddy's and snow balls at Sal's. We also had the best homemade jambalaya, barbecued shrimp (foodgasmic...not and exaggeration) and shrimp boil at Luke's parents house! If you haven't already guessed I gained like 5 pounds in a week of being there...not a joke. People in the south definitely know how to eat and party, my kind of people!
So while I chomp on my celery stick and wish longingly for it to magically transform into a Praline and I shutter against the SNOW falling outside my window....my heart warms at the thought of NOLA and I am counting my pennies for a return trip!

Thanks Meags! Miss you too much already!