Ahhhh, the sweet sound of rain

I have always loved the rain....especially if I can stay home under a blanket and just enjoy it. Add a great book and a hot cup of coffee and that is bonus. Maybe even pjs and slippers? scrapbooking? You get the drift. Right now, dinner is rolling; a crackling fire is burning; music is on; and I am uploading pics. While it rains, rains, rains. Ahhh!

Since I am uploading recent pics I thought I would share a few:
Mag got a medal for her UIL solo

Sean turned 14

my god-daughter is getting married at the end of April; her New Orleans bridal shower was last week (her fiance, Mike, is from Chalmette - they met in Witchita, crazy, huh?)

the French Quarter on a beautiful 'spring' day 

(this guy was right outside the Cathedral and he was mesmerizing)

There were many days were I stepped off the school bus into a torrential downpour and there was nothing more awesome than heading home to warm clothes and the sound of thunder rolling outside. I am hoping Sean and his friends who are out playing football in this downpour are creating fond memories. A warm dinner will hopefully add to his day. Fritz, however, is not fond of the rain or thunder and needs a Thundershirt.

Good-bye 2013!

2013 has been quite the whirlwind for us overall. I thought I would take some time and make a video montage of our year. I am happy to report that I accomplished TWO of my New Year's resolutions from January.....I did take a photo a day (sometimes capturing the mundane things like dirty dishes but I did it) AND I managed to blog more than I have in almost four years. I will admit to shedding a few tears while I created, edited, rearranged, and added pics to this year in review. Tears of joy shed that remind me how blessed we are with great friends and family whether near or far. Tears of happiness for fond memories traveling many, many miles (and blocking out the random meltdowns after many, many hours of road-tripping).
Our Year in Review (via One True Media)

Looking forward to more travel and memory making in 2014.....hoping to add Mardi Gras and Virginia to our lists along with visiting family in Georgia and an extended CA visit (maybe) in the summer. My new camera is ready for lots of use; I hope to share more our craziness with you in 2014.

All good things must come to an end

Our Ohio vacation is nearing it's end....a visit to Grandma's house always involves lots of time visiting with family, fishing, swimming, and go-cart riding.

And for the past 15yrs, it includes a trek up to Cedar Point if it happens to be a summer visit. We have seen the childrens' area evolve from Berenstein Bear country to Camp Snoopy over the years. And this trip has proven to be bittersweet. I think this is the last time that we will need to visit Camp Snoopy

 

because Ian is the caboose on the family train. While the old coal train is mostly my speed, the kids are all venturing on to bigger (and scarier) things.  Although Ian and I did bail on the GateKeeper at the last minute Even though I didn't make my 9yr old ride the insanely intimidating GateKeeper, he did ride the Raptor. He may have panicked on the way up the click-clacking-climb-of-death, but he admitted that he loved it. I told him that if he paid attention, I did my fair share of screaming and that the Raptor is my LIMIT. There was no GateKeeper,  Millenium Force, Gemini, Wicked Twister, Maverick or the like going to happen for me. He was very happy about that and was pleased to spend his time in Camp Snoopy while adding the Iron Dragon to his risk taking ventures. The 'big' kids are independent, brave, and coaster crazy. Maggie was highly disappointed by the fact that the Dragster broke down. Where have my babies gone? The time flew faster than a speeding coaster.


Yesterday, I ventured over to the Ohio State Reformatory with my sister-in-law and two oldest nieces. It was built in 1886. It looks like a majestic castle.

It is also the sight of where several movies and music videos have been filmed. Specifically, one of my all time favorites - Shawshank Redemption. The Reformatory itself was amazing; yet creepy. To think that 1,000s of prisoners, guards, wardens (and their families) lived here was unbelievable.

The temperature was hot and it was very icky, sticky in there. Contrast that to the bitter cold winters and this place must have been wicked. The ceilings are brick and the walls are THICK.

The 7x9 cells (for two people) were TINY. It is said that many parts of the place are haunted and I can tell you when I wandered away from the family to grab this picture, you better believe I quickly walked ran back to the area where the family was. It's the Shawshank safe!!! So cool.

But THIS gave me goosebumps.....

I know......it's a movie prop. And they had Andy's escape tunnel too. But in this setting with the REAL jail all around, it was awesome. We had a really nice time and it was topped off by a grown-up dinner at Olive Garden. Sarah and Ann head to college soon; Sarah- a junior at College of Wooster who will soon be doing a semester in Russia! and Ann - a freshman at Dartmouth. Gone are their years at Camp Snoopy too.

 

Today we made our traditional visit to Downtown Mansfield for a ride on the historic carousel and a meal at Coney Island Diner.

They may get older, more independent and sillier but I'm hoping that there are some things they will never outgrow. Good times with family never come to an end.

 

If you can't bet 'em, join 'em :)

Aaaaahhhhh, vacation in Ohio. It's really green.

And it's unusually cool too. Slight breeze and not much humidity. This year the farmer's field is soybeans and not corn so we have a really good view of the deer that come out to graze daily.

 

I've been fishing in the neighbor's pond with the boys and caught a bass :)

They are liking the fireflies too. Now, they are anxiously waiting for the grass to dry out some more so they can enjoy Grandma's go-cart without destroying the grass.

 

We went to a rib fest (small town rib fest but nevertheless delicious) and tonight we are probably going to hit the drive-in. Because there isn't much to do in small town Ohio. Except relax. And be on your computers.....

Sarah is working on her internship writing; Annie is wondering where her tranquilty went and where all these crazy cousins appeared from; and Kim is exploring all of the options for the most cost efficient way to get us to Cedar Point.

 

Really? I have to get in the car for an hour ride to a crowded amusement park in the heart of summer. Yes, I do - because we can't wait to hear "enjoy your ride at Cedar Point, America's Roller Coast" one more time. I can't promise that I'll attempt the Dragster

but I might be brave enough for the GateKeeper.

Keyword: might......don't count on it.

 

Maybe I need to go with what Sean says all the time, YOLO! Or, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

 

On the road again......

How is it possible that I haven't blogged yet in July? Well, I've been busy. Busier than usual. You know, summer busy that involves juggling kid schedules/ working your part-time job/ and keeping them from getting too booooorrrreeeed. We had friends visit near the end of June and then shortly thereafter we hit the road to New Orleans. We spent the 4th of July weekend with tons of friends (and some family visiting too). If someone had told me last 4th of July that I would be spending 2013's celebration in a campground in Covington, LA with my best friend and her family I would have told you that the notion was impossible. I'm learning nothing is impossible. We shared lots of laughter; enjoyed plenty of food; cooled off in the waters of a Bouga Falaya tributary; and loved every minute. Golf cart ride anyone?

Now that Maggie is finishing off her summer testing, we are heading toward family in Mansfield, Ohio. Yep, another road trip. Just me, four kids and the dog.....oil change, check; tire pressure, check; wash and detail, check; full gas tank, check. There is more laughter to share; food to enjoy; and cool waters of Grandma's pool -- along with cousins to hang with; a pond to fish in; and go-cart rides. So while affording a trip to Hawaii or the like is impossible at this point (much to the kids dismay), vacations and memory-making are possible.

Praying for safe travels as we add three more states to the ones we have navigated --- adding Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky. First Stop - Jackson, TN here we come

TX Camping -the New Braunfels edition

Or maybe I should call it 'the camping trip that almost wasn't.'

 Last Friday, we packed up the trusty Suburban and headed south five hours to New Braunfels. First stop Mountain Breeze Campground....."um, no -we don't have a reservation; the guy on the phone told us "first come, first served." And you don't take dogs???? There is a dog on your LOGO!" Oh crap. Things got tense as we discovered that dogs aren't allowed as a general rule. (GAH.....we have no problem boarding him or getting a dog sitter had we known.) So we decided that we would check every single area as we drove back toward town with a hotel stay as a last resort.

Rocky Beach had a spot! (time noted: 6pm) They made it clear that about 1000 people would be loading into the river steps from our spot but we were low on options so we simply said yes. Employees strolled by and saw the dog and the first thing we unloaded and tied up was Fritz. We didn't hide him. We unloaded everything in the HOT buggy camping spot and started assembling tents. THEN, the lady comes over and says "oh, you have a dog? we don't allow dogs. You have to leave; we will give you a refund." Did you feel the earth stop spinning????????? Collin had to turn around and decompress before he went postal; I stood there frozen with the tent poles; the kids were SILENT; somewhere an explosion happened because somehow we handled it calmly and simply started tossing things back in the Suburban as Collin started tying gear back onto the luggage rack. What a blessing in disguise.

Two miles down we stopped at a Mom&Pop campground that had a dog sitting out on the grass. So we were hopeful. Collin went in to ask about sites available and quickly came out to converse with a guy on the porch. I could read the man's lips...."let me see him." He wanted to meet Fritz. Before he even got to pet him, the guy saw Fritz's sweet face and how anxious Fritz was to give him some luvin' and he said "come on in." We set up camp 50yds. from the general store, Koozies bar with bands each night, beach volleyball, and horseshoes. We were able to rent our toobs (spelled correctly) from them and they shuttled us up to the drop off. The friendly couple had just bought it a year ago; re-did the camp sites and upgraded the grounds. They were the nicest people and the staff was super friendly too. So, by 8:30pm, we were set to chill. At a site that was a lot cooler and LESS buggy than Rocky Beach. With fireflies = awesome.

We did away with cell phones and time. Who knew what time it was? We enjoyed hot dogs, smores, eggs, sausage, toast, burgers, and more smores. ('the evolution of the toasting marshmallows' post coming soon). We went through a jar of peanut butter in less than 24hrs. And it was all good. Warm, but good. As rustic as I get - insert porta-potties and no showers. Immaculate porta-potties with sanitizer so it wasn't terrible. And at least we had the river for tubing; it's sorta like a shower, right? Brushing your teeth using a cup of water, no problem.

Tubing was fine. The water was cold yet refreshing and I managed to carry my camera double-bagged in a Ziploc and grocery bag so I was able to get some nice pictures. The scenery was beautiful. I got stuck on rocks a bunch and the crowd was younger than we had hoped (smoking, bad language, ridiculous music) but we took it in stride and had fun.

Amanda's quote of the weekend was "I need band-aids, aloe, and OFF." And that about sums it up. Camping in Texas does involve wearing OFF but I won't complain because anytime I wake myself up snoring in a hammock it is a good day!

Ol' River Hideaway will see us again :)

(.....will post pics soon......having issues with uploading from the camera/ desktop is in the shop)

Sure, why not?

For several years, we joined a large group of friends and headed to Santa Barbara to El Capitan Canyon for Father's Day camping. I called it 'Beverly Hills' camping because you could choose between a cabin (with a kitchenette and private bathroom) or a safari tent. Both came with maid service. Not kidding. If you left and went to the beach or out hiking, they would come while you were out and make your bed, sweep the floor, and tidy up. They also had spa services; they would even come to your tent/cabin for the message. It was a great introduction to camping as a family because the area is beautiful and being with a large group the kids were easily entertained. We haven't done that since 2009.

We have done real tent camping up in Bass Lake, CA and we did an RV trek to the Kern River a couple of years ago. So, Collin expressed some interest in camping/tubing this weekend. It sounded good but we never made any plans one way or another. Until last night at 8:30pm; as in, 12 hours ago. The kids are baffled. Really? Camping? Tubing? On a river? TOMORROW?

Tomorrow is now today and the mad dash is on. I've got the lists rolling and am heading out to the grocery store in a few to get the essentials (ya know, graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate!) and to gas up the trusty Suburban. We hope to hit the road before noon with Fritz in tow because he is always up for an adventure that involves chasing the kids and water.

We plan to go tubing on the Guadalupe River

and have some chill time.

 

Armed with sunscreen, OFF, and Citronella candles we'll see what camping in South Texas is all about. Sometimes you just have to say 'sure, why not?'.

 

Monday musings #3

Another Monday is quickly upon us and I feel the need to blog. Things are rolling along at a swift pace and before I know it the kids will be out for summer and asking the dreaded "what are we doing today?" So on this May 6th, here's a little brain dump...

• Spring is here in full bloom and we've got the Zyrtec to prove it.
• Ian had his football evals last Saturday morning; they had about 750 kids total on the day for the program. And they have more registration this Sat. THAT is a big football program.  (and it only goes up to 6th grade)
• Maggie turns 15 on Sunday. We are debating over who gets to rule the day since it's Mother's Day.....I say 'I get the day b/c I brought you in to this world!'/ she says 'but I'll only turn 15 once!'
• She starts with orthodontia on May16th....happy belated birthday to her, muhahaha.
• We took a road trip this weekend down to Seabrook to attend a crawfish boil held annually by one of Collin's college buddies. Crawfish, cocktails, lots of laughter, and fresh seafood to take home from Galveston Bay. Simple goodness; thank you for the hospitality Adams Family :)
• The family dipped their feet in the warm waters of Galveston Bay. I think the first comment was 'this is sooooo much warmer than the Pacific.' Fritz was running around like a crazy fool so he loved the water too.
• I filled my car up for $41.75 today. I paid $2.76 per gallon with my Kroger discount. Sweet.
• I exercised today. Yes, you should mark it on your calendar right along with me.
• I am doing a 5K in two weeks. Let's hope I don't embarrass myself.
• Dinner tonight is broccoli beef and fried rice (scratch) with orange chicken (frozen Costco) and fresh pineapple. Tomorrow is gumbo (shrimp, chicken, saus.) with rice. Help - I haven't meal planned for May completely. I did buy fresh basil and parsley plants today, though.
• still doing Flylady; I love having my house clean. Yes - I know we haven't been here a month and I'm not totally unpacked, but my family can make a huge mess in a short amount of time. It was very refreshing to be able to hit the road quickly and come home to a relatively clean house. And the laundry is a lot less annoying since I'm doing small manageable tasks. (and the kids are actually keeping their dishes out of the sink and putting them in the dishwasher, woot.) Small victories.
• I did get a quick fix on my camera lens at a local camera shop (they literally called the guy the lens chiropractor and the lens cracked when he 'fixed' the tweek; it works so I'll call it good for now)
• Things to do....DMV remains on the list; add schedule a doctor's appt for a physical for me; find the hardware for the boys' bunk beds; get the old fridge and gas dryer put on Craigslist.

And to end on a sappy note, go hug your loved ones. Last week I lost a high school friend to a random freak accident (that happened while her loved ones watched in horror and could do nothing). In the blink of an eye she lost her life. RIP dear Paula.  It has been a serious reminder to me that even with all the busy stuff going on (as noted in my brain dump above) I always have time to stop and tell my kids and my husband 'I love you' before they walk out the door.

New blog address/ relocation ramblings, episode 5

I figured it only appropriate to adjust my blog address to reflect our location. So, now it is www.hall6intx.blogspot.com I hope the handful of people who read here can still find me.

SO how is Texas?
I would answer with so far/so good.
Here's a picture of the house from when we first arrived.

and here is a view from the backyard

this was from the first time Ian and Fritz were out there running around.

We really love the view. Tons of birds, squirrels, rabbits, turtles, ducks, an occasional crane, and geese sometimes.

 

Overall, it is really nice. Our neighborhood is located in a nice community and Amanda and Ian are able to walk to and from school. Sean and Maggie take the bus from a stop three houses down. (Can I say the mornings are quite pleasant with different wake times and out-the-door times. Maggie has about 35min on her own with no one to argue with about the bathroom. Small victories.) There is tons of shopping close by so I feel like I'm still in Irvine yet don't know where I'm going most of the time. The kids seem to be adjusting and making friends. Ah, friends. I miss them so much. (especially this little chicklet, Miss Gracie - this is how she said 'good-bye' to each of us/ with nose kisses and forehead rubs)

 I am pretty much the lone ranger. Fritz keeps me company as I unpack and ramble about cleaning. I am pretty sure the friendly folks here think I'm crazy because I'll talk to anyone.....gotta have some adult conversation. The weather changes enough that it always makes for nice conversation, ya know.
I keep telling myself to 'give it time' but I'm not known for my patience.

One of the reasons we moved was to be closer to family. And we already took advantage of that opportunity. Our roadtrip to NOLA this weekend was swift but fun. The kids got to hang out (literally) with my Mom and the cousins for a few. Add in some great food, SNOBALLS, and some time with the Caluda family and I would call it a success.

Collin and I made it to the Theta Xi 50th Anniver. Formal. We got to dress up like grown-ups and hang with some old friends. We even went to The Bulldog (same location/new name), a bar we used to go to in college. So, it was even more fun for me because I had friends :)

So as Ian would say 'life is good!'

(except for the barf that Fritz just blessed me with, thanks pal)

Take me home

Sunbeam bread got me thinking about my home, Louisiana. Here are a few things that cross my mind when it comes to Louisiana....
1) A snoball is NOT a snow-cone. Nor is it shaved ice. It has a texture all it's own and is not easily duplicated. Everyone has their favorite flavor or combination. I'm looking forward to my next chance at a spearmint or strawberry personally.
2) The Holy Trinity is sacred in Louisiana. Many people are strong in their faith. BUT there is more than one holy trinity and the second involves onion, bell pepper, and celery. Don't believe me? Watch a Southern cooking show or ask someone about Cajun cooking.
3) The delicious red crustaceans that people enjoy by the pound are CRAWfish not crayfish. And they are best served spicy with mini red potatoes and corn-on-the-cob (served on newspaper is best).
4) Red beans are not from a can. They come dry in a bag labeled Camellia :)
5) Sweet tea is serious business.

and last but not least
6) Blue Bell ice cream is THE BEST. (My kids go through a gallons of ice cream quite easily)

 

Texas has brought us a LOT closer to all of these things considering I can get all of them here except the snoball. And that makes going home this weekend even more exciting. A long road trip topped off with great food, great friends, and specialty foods that speak to your soul. Yeah you right!

Monday musing (minus the morning part)

Yes, it's Monday but not even close to morning. I'll count the Monday part good and move along with some musings.
--I was so tired for free coffee at Dunkin so I went back to bed and then made my own later. Two nights of crappy sleep will do that to a person.
--Amanda doesn't have strep, thank goodness. She has science state testing on Wed. so we really need this virus to be gone.
--We love the pond.....it is so peaceful and has just enough wildlife to have us take notice. Had a random weird crane there this weekend along with some geese passing through. I'm sure Fritz thinks he has moved to the Great Frontier. Amanda did catch the first fish so that was a sweet surprise for her.
--The kitchen is 'almost' together. I think I have two boxes left. I hate thinking I might want to move some stuff around so for now I'm going to see how functional it really is. Still wondering where the flatware organizer is, guess I should get to those last two boxes.
--Ian is signed up for football. (Sean will play through middle school.) Navigating a new system is a very strange feeling.
--I'm trying Flylady again. I know the basics (shine your sink, etc.) in my head but keeping tasks small and manageable is a good reminder. I tend to do 'if you give a mouse a cookie' style cleaning and then I become a frustrated beast. Two big bonuses - laundry is under control and I LOVE having my bed made and looking purdy.
--Back to cooking again :) Pork loin in the oven slow roasting with orange marmalade across the top, pine nut couscous, and cantaloupe for dinner today.
--Deadliest Catch started last week. I really love those guys. Miss my favorite Capt. Phil.
--We are supposed to be heading to NOLA this weekend for Collin's fraternity formal (50th Anniversary).....excited at the possibility of hometown crawfish and seeing some friends we haven't seen in a long time.
--I bought my children their FIRST loaf of Sunbeam bread, ever! They like Texas even more now. And they are wondering what happened to 'wheat bread Mom'.


Many things remain on the list of things to do (exercise! [I did get out once last week, lol], DMV trip, camera repair).....and several have been added (paperwork for Mag's ortho consult & 15yr. well check, mail assorted things like the old Direct TV receiver, find out about Lone Star Storyteller contest for Mag & Amanda).

For now, I'm off to put out a HotSpot for 5-minutes as Flylady has reminded me. I think I can get one of those boxes done if I work fast.

Relocation ramblings, episode 2

the journey continues:

• it is possible to get the center gum part of a Blow Pop without biting into the candy part. It took me an hour. And much ignoring of the temptation to 'just get it over with' as the kids kept insisting.
• the Forest Gump soundtrack remains awesome
• Jimmy Buffet is not so awesome in the kids' minds, parrot-heads they are not!
• the world is SMALL when you can run into Irvine MTV friends while eating in Deming, NM
• over our 1500 mile trek, we managed to get 40 states in the license plate game - Alaska and Maine included, but Rhode Island and Vermont remain missing
• hotel living isn't horrible
• $3.50 per load of laundry using the hotel machines is horrible
• Collin did a great job with the final selection of the house - it is spacious, in a great area, and the view is spectacular :) I would share video if I could figure out how to upload it
• I feel lost all the time; sort of like I'm on the Amazing Race without the crazy challenges
• there is lots of amazing shopping close by
• there are some buffalo within in a couple of miles of my house too
• I wasn't prepared for th 48* rainy weather we had today. It's April. I am only armed with a sweatshirt. Looks like I need to watch the weather.

Relocation ramblings, episode 1

A quick post, just as a sort of journal, of our journey:

• the last 15% of your move is the biggest pain in the butt AND seems to take forever. It will be those boxes that annoy me.....you know, the ones that contain the most random things and are completely irritating to unload. Everyone has one or two or three - alarm clock, leftover random towel, ziploc size bag of travel lotions, ponytail holders, bathroom cup, pair of flip-flops, and the entire drawer that you just found and forgot to pack!
• we have 14,000 pounds of house packed in three large containers not to mention the assorted random things overflowing the two vehicles
• cleaning a house that isn't your own REALLY sucks
• anything that goes through Ian's brain comes out of his mouth no matter if it is a word, a sound, or a song
• he knows the words to a lot of songs!
• spending a relaxing evening with great friends is an awesome way to end a long day
• 375 miles isn't that far but it IS a nice start to a long trek
• having your engine light come on 345 miles into that trek isn't a great feeling especially when you just paid close to $2K in repairs AND tomorrow is a holiday

Happy Easter ......may you be blessed with a beautiful day and lots of chocolate. Onward toward Las Cruces or El Paso - at least lets hope so.

Happy Trails To You......

Before I pack up the computer and we make our way across the highways to our new home I wanted to take a quick minute to stop and reflect on our time in CA.

A little over 22 years ago, I ventured to this beautiful place as a 21yr. old student with a boyfriend and lots of hopes and dreams. Many, many dreams have come true. I went on to graduate from Cal State Fullerton and work with kids :) Collin and I have been married for 17yrs. and brought four amazing kids into this world. We have traveled to some beautiful places..........Bass Lake, El Capitan Canyon, Park City, San Francisco, and many more. We've learned how to navigate the adventure of parenting (and we are still learning!). And all along the way we have made friends that have impacted our lives in ways we will never forget. Too many to list here. But you know who you are.....Thanks to the internet we will be able to continue to share with friends and stay connected.

We are excited to start this new chapter in our lives. We'll miss the beach on lazy summer days; amazing sunsets; and all the good stuff SoCal had to offer. We won't miss the traffic, smog, or expense of living here.

I won't say Good-bye just 'See YA'LL Later'
because we'll back back to visit. And remember, there are TWO airports in the Dallas area that we would be happy to pick you up at if you want to visit us.

Peace out, So Cal!

HOME

the places I call HOME; Sept. 2012
Once again, I blinked and a month went by. This is a little sample of what I've been up to. Between Seussical and football for the boys, we've been a little busy. Add in school starting and work for me and it's a controlled chaos. I managed to get home for my 25th high school reunion in the wake of Hurricane Isaac (LITERALLY, I flew there on the day they re-opened the airport). I had a blast visiting with great friends. Even, a rock-a-billy-style Billy Idol made it to the reunion. I got to spend some time with my Mom and my brother & his family. A whirlwind trip made even sweeter by driving a sleek Camaro around for four days.
This year it's odd numbers for school.....Maggie in 9th!!!, Sean in 7th, Amanda in 5th, and Ian in 3rd. Everyone is doing well so far.......IF they could just keep track of their PE clothes. They keep us hopping but we are very blessed.
Enjoy a taste of the two places I call home. (Notice the Fleur de Lis of the NO Hornets on Sean; it might be not home to my kids but NOLA is in their souls hence the Saints gear on the first day of school)

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
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Jumping into Summer

The hustle and bustle that the end of the school year brings has ended. Here is a taste of our last few weeks as we roll into summer. We really enjoyed our mini-vacation to Las Vegas and now we look forward to finishing All Star baseball, VBS with Good Shepherd, and lots of time at the pool and the beach. All too soon it will be time to shop for school supplies, new shoes, and bedtime at a reasonable hour. For now, I'll treasure sleeping in and quiet mornings.

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
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END of the road.......our journey comes to a close --

On Tuesday, we hit the movies with the Caludas. Toy Story 3 --- go see it. Entertaining, funny, and touching all wrapped in one. Then we headed to Bud's Broiler; YUMMY FOOD once again. (although my kids didn't really like it, the heathens) If you ever get a chance to visit one, get a #4 with sauce :)

We returned to my brother's house and I got ready for an evening out with friends from high school. We went to a place called Corks n' Canvas where you paint while you enjoy appetizers and wine. Yes, I said paint. Me. The non-artistic one. It was a blast!!!!! Such good company and fun to catch up with old friends. My painting turned out pretty good. I think Collin & Ron need to add this service to the wine bar on Sunday afternoons.

Then, it was our last day....sob! I retrieved Sean from the Caludas even though he wants them to adopt him. Then we hit the Black & Gold Store.....or should I say, SAINTS FAN HEAVEN. THANK YOU Grandma Hall for the vacation money which helped off-set the cost of their goodies. It's a good thing we live so far away from this store (I know they have a web-site, but I'm not telling that info. to the kids). Then we headed to my Mom's for some Popeyes and a little family time before heading to the airport. We spent some time playing outside together and enjoying some watermelon.

Then, cue homesickness. We headed to the airport. Landed smoothly at LAX. And immediately felt the rat race of SoCal. The weather is the happy ending.

(pictures updated on facebook)

Day Five & Six--
A quiet morning (if you want to call it that with eight kids in the house) at my brother's house. We attended a b-day party with them and the kids had fun. After enjoying another afternoon thunderstorm we made our way across the Causeway to the Northshore......Mandeville to be exact. And then it was adventures in BOY-LAND. Boys everywhere -- Kathlynn's four, my two, and lots of assorted neighbors. How does the old saying go? "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt"......well, that someone would be Ian. He took a baseball bat to the head; scared the bejeeebers out of us, but he was just fine. With a nasty mark on his forehead. My homesick meter went up a few notches when I got to see the AMAZING homes in the area and the neighborhoods with tons of kids, no fences, and pick-up games galore. Just how it should be. Add in some sweat and a few bugs. Popeyes for dinner was the icing on the cake.

Sunday was more of the same but even better. Woke up to the kids sharing some Beatles RockBand. Add in some home cookin'--BLTs for lunch and Joe's awesome grilled burgers for dinner. Loads of soccer for the boys; Sean was even so busy he skipped dinner. Yes, skipped dinner. Maggie savored every moment at the piano that she could; we REALLY need to get her lessons; she is such a natural. After dinner we took the kids for a quick dip in the pool and then shared watermelon by moonlight.

Can you say perfect summer days! (except for Ian's sore head)

(side note: Sean has asked to move to New Orleans; he said he didn't even mind the humidity!)

Day Four - Part Deaux --

So we arrived at my brother's Sat. evening. My Mom was there and she was able to enjoy seeing all eight grandkids together for the first time. A little crazy, but mostly just plain fun. We got take out from R&O's; heaven on wrapped in white paper, I tell ya........R&O's special = roast beef, ham and swiss, DRESSED, lot's o' gravy. I was just a tad happy. It wasn't ALL about the food, but it was certainly a highlight.

Seeing the cousins together and spending time as a family was really nice. My brother and sister-in-law are so welcoming. That's not easy when you are adding four kids to their four -- kids ages 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 3, 2. So taking a picture was a little crazy.

See, the pictures on facebook b/c blogger is still being a PAIN.

Where was I? Oh, yeah -- Day FOUR, Part One

Cajun country continued -- we headed to Vermillionville near Lafayette, LA. It is a cultural center celebrating southern Louisiana history. It has quiant little buildings showing us what life was like many years ago from the kitchen to the schoolhouse to the church and more. (For all you CA folk, it's like doing a field trip about the gold rush.) We meandered the grounds and mid-way through a spectacular thunderstrom blew in. It was fantastic; complete with pouring rain ("it's raining side-ways") and loud, booming thunder. The kids didn't care. The water was warm and perfect to run in; jump in puddles; and try to catch a raindrop or two. My kids sampled fresh figs right off the tree and we were treated to an old-fashioned Cajun Jam on the way out. Lots of toe tappin' and hand clappin'; we absolutely loved it. Completely soaked, we headed to lunch at Prejean's (pronounced Pray-zhon) for the BEST LUNCH EVER. Sean tasted fried frog's legs and fried alligator; loved it! I had crawfish etoufee and a crawfish pie; holy cow, SO GOOD!

On the road again, Saturday afternoon we bid a fond farewell to the Poynot family and headed back to Metairie to visit my brother and his family. More cousin time. Day Four, part two to come soon.

(sorry Blogger isn't letting me add, yet again, GRRRR!) Check the Facebook album for pics ;)