Weekend Updates

Remember when I had a blog and I actually used to post?  

Yeah, me neither.

Seriously, though, life has been busy lately.  We've been back and forth to Jackson.  We're nearing the end of school, which means lots of extra things to do.  My sister's bachelorette weekend is this coming weekend!  Lots on my plate right now.

Plus, like I mentioned in my last post, we have big news.  Big news that I will share later this week (and that I am excited to share!).  But I do want to wait until later this week, and so I've stayed off the blog purposefully too (so I don't share too early!).

Side note--would you like to know the reason I'm waiting?  Because my students read my blog.  Yup.  Weird, right?  If you are a student, and you are reading this right now, stop.  Go do homework or take selfies or listen to One Direction.  My blog is boring and lame.  

Alright, back to the post.

Last weekend was my little sister's birthday.  To be honest, her birthday last year sucked.  So this year we all planned to make it extra special.  In fact, she didn't even know that Bech, Jack, and I were coming.  I had convinced her that Bech had to work and we just couldn't come.  

We drove up Friday night and stayed at Bech's parents house.  Then we stopped for a Coke Icee (one of her favorites) and woke her up in the morning.  We had a great day--lots of food, laughs, inside jokes, and shopping.

We finished the day with dinner at Bravos...one of all of our favorites.  Here I am with the birthday girl!

In between, we had a crazy week.

This weekend was jam packed, but very fun.  

Friday night, we had our friends Bess and Julian over to eat.  We love spending time with them, because we can just completely be ourselves around them.  They are hilarious.  We made some yummy mexican food (homemade tortilla chips!) and had so much fun.

Saturday, Jack and I ventured out to join Bess and Julian for the farmer's market.  I can't believe that I have lived in Baton Rouge this long and just now went!  It was not near as big as Burlingtons, but it was a good size.  I got some local grass fed beef (for a better price than Whole Foods!).  Jack and I also shared a peanut butter and Nutella crepe.

When Bech got home from work, we decided to hit up Sonic happy hour and the local park.

We weren't planning on getting in the splash pad, but somehow it just happened...!

Jack was scared at first, but he LOVED it by the end.  We let him run around in his clothes and he had the best time.

About two minutes after this picture was taken, Jack asked to take off his outfit.  We agreed and were just going to let him run around in his diaper, but then he tried to pull his diaper off.  Yup, time to go home.

This picture was actually taken before (notice that he's dry).  I love my little bud.  Also, he needs a haircut.  He has been called a girl many times this week.

We weren't going to go home for Mother's Day (we were just there last week), but my dad asked us to come.  We both decided that we don't know how many Mother's Days we'll be near by for in the coming weeks, so we should spend this day with our family.

We had a whirlwind trip: Faith Pres for church, lunch with my family (and grandparents) in my parent's backyard, dinner with Bech's parents, and back to Baton Rouge by 10:15.

This weekend also included some Bubbie cuddles.  Seriously, Jack may love my brother more than he loves Bech and me.  Bubbie is the favorite by far.  

Also, Blaise is currently single.  Just letting all the ladies know.

Check back later this week for some news!

"You get a line and I'll get a pole, We'll go down to the crawdad hole..."

Tonight was one of those amazing Southern spring nights.  Even though it rained all morning, by mid afternoon the weather was absolutely perfect.  Our church was having a crawfish boil.  We've only had crawfish once this season so far, so I was very excited!

We ended up staying for about 3 1/2 hours, only heading home cause we needed to get Jack bathed and in bed.  I had the best time.  I absolutely love our church.  We are constantly thankful that we get to be a part of such a fun and sweet community!

Bech is demonstrating how it's done.  Crawfish eating is hard work, but it is worth every (little) bite!

We let Jack run around like a wild man.  When he started playing in a big rain puddle in the yard, I decided to just strip him to his diaper and let him have at it.  He had a blast!  Seriously, he loved this afternoon/night so much!

Here's my birthday boy (it's Bech's birthday today!) and my muddy baby boy.  I love these two so much.

Not my best picture, but I wanted to share a picture of our sweet friends Bess and Julian.  Julian and I actually grew up in youth group together in Brookhaven.  We absolutely love this couple!

Yup, he's all boy!  Seriously, this is one little wild man.  

What a fun evening!  We had crawfish, honeysuckle growing in the yard, friends playing music, and lots of good conversation.  It doesn't get any better!

Mardi Gras

I've been ignoring my blog for the past week (oh, let's be honest...the past two weeks!).  But I do want to keep posting, and I need to catch up on some posts.

So Mardi Gras recap!

I great up (mostly) in Mississippi.  We "celebrated" Mardi Gras some, and by that I mean, we ate King Cakes.  And some people ventured a couple of hours down south for the festivities.  But that was the extent of my celebrations.

Bech's mom grew up in New Orleans, and his parents recently bought an apartment down there.  They are getting back connected with all of her family and friends.  In fact, Bech's mom even joined a Krewe!

Bech's mom is a member of the Krewe of Nyx, a fairly new, all ladies Krewe.  In late January, Bech and I got to go to the Krewe's Mardi Gras Ball.  His dad was traveling, but Hunter, his brother, filled in.  We got to wear long dresses and tuxes...and masks!

Hunter and I in our masks.

Miss Karey and I...aren't our masks great?  I want to wear mine all of the time!

My cute date.  

Some family friends--Sheryl is also a member of the Krewe.

The ball was so much fun.  We arrived at 7 to an open bar.  At 8, they introduced the court and the queen, and then we ate dinner.  After dinner, there was lots of dancing!  Bech and I are old folks, so we left at 12:30.  Bech's mom and brother stayed until 2...they are way tougher than us!

A couple of weeks later it was time for Mardi Gras!

***Sidenote:  I always thought Mardi Gras was wild.  Media always makes it sound CRAZY.  And it can be crazy.  But most of the parades and parade routes are totally family friendly.***

We weren't able to come down for Bech's mom's parade because it was in the middle of the week.  But we headed down the Saturday before Mardi Gras and spent two days in NOLA.  We had the BEST time, and I think Jack enjoyed it too.

The kids at Mardi Gras all sit in "ladder seats."  I was nervous at first, because they are really high!  But kids are never in the seats without tons of people in front and someone standing behind them on the ladder.  Plus, the seats are really sturdy.  This way, Jack was able to get lots of beads!

At the Krewe of Tucks parade.  Bech and Hunter caught these hats.  Floats don't just throw beads.  They also throw hats, stuffed animals, light up toys, cups, and doubloons.

Mr. John ("Farfar") got a Tuck's hat, too.  Everyone got to take a turn standing behind Jack.  It was pretty fun--the floats love to throw to kids!

I loved these guys--they all had recliners set on wheels!

A "Dr. Who" float.  All of the parades have themes and each float goes along with that theme.  This parade's theme was "Time." 

Penguins!  Obviously this was my favorite float.

These guys were great, too.  Dorky white middle aged guys with too short shorts and hilarious dance moves...what's not to love?

Most of the parades we went to that weekend were day time parades.  Bech's parents apartment is a block from St. Charles, the parade route.  We set up our stuff in the morning, headed out for the parade, and were able to walk back for drink refills, snack breaks, and nap breaks (for Bech and Jack!).  There was lots of family and friends, so lots of help with Jack!

Also, I feel like I need to let you know that I am now an expert at catching beads.  I decided, through advice from Hunter's friend Peyton, to go with the eye-contact, groveling method.  It seemed to work pretty well.  But now I have a massive amount of beads.  I did not consider the repercussions midst my bead groveling...

Saturday night, we ate oysters and hung out in the patio of the Evan's apartment building (it's really an old, beautiful New Orleans house).  Lots of friends dropped by.  Jack and his Farfar spent some quality time together.  Jack was pretty overwhelmed the whole weekend, but I think he loved all of the grandparent attention!

I'm not a raw oyster fan, but I think they're a pretty fun Louisiana food.

We enjoyed the whole weekend...I am now a fan of Mardi Gras.  I can't wait for next year.  I already got Jack a monogrammed shirt for next year's Mardi Gras!

Randoms...

A random post...my favorite kind!

* Friday night before the concert, we got to eat in Lafayette.  Ohmylanta, this town is amazing!  There were so many cute looking restaurants.  We ate at Social Southern. I want to go again soon!  I had a grass fed beef burger and sake aged cheddar mac and cheese.  I also had the best drink I have ever had (seriously--the best).

It's hard to get grass fed beef in this state!  I felt like I was back in Vermont, eating at Farmhouse Tap and Grill.  All I was missing was a glass of Citizen Cider.

* My parents watched Jack this past week from Wednesday night until Saturday afternoon.  Even with the concert, I still had a good amount of free time on my hands.  What'd I do?

Reorganize our linen closet.

I had been wanting to reorganize this closet for a while, but didn't want to spend a lot of money on baskets.  Thanks to Ashley's post about great finds at the dollar store, I checked out our local store for some storage baskets.  Score!  Reorganized closet for $6!

I also used the extra time in the morning to grab a Diet Dr. Pepper with Vanilla from Sonic.  

I know, I'm such a wild child, right?  Sonic and reorganized closets?  Whoa!

Bech's parents are watching Jack later this month.  Who knows, I might even break out the label maker?!?

* Last week was not a great cooking week.  I had a ton going on, plus we ate out (either restaurant or a friends house) a couple of nights.  So I decided to get back to my planning this week.

First up, frittata!

Y'all, this was so good!  I cooked up some diced red potato, added eggs, sausage, cooked spinach, and goat cheese.  I put the whole pan in the oven and baked it up.  Everyone was a fan, even Jack.

Tonight, Bech made breakfast for dinner.  I came home late from a faculty meeting and errands and was expecting pancakes and eggs--you know, the norm.  Instead, Bech made homemade cinnamon rolls.  They were delicious!

Let's hope I can keep up my menu for the rest of the week.

* I felt really weird last night not watching Downton.  I miss my time with the Grantham family.  

I will just have to make up for it with the Bachelor.  Oh wait, that ends soon.  

The Office?  Again, about to end (FOR GOOD!).  

At least I still have Ben and Leslie from Parks and Recreation.  

*  Did I mention the fact that I met and took a picture with one of my favorite musicians?  

Yeah, just thought I'd remind y'all.

Weekend update

We had a wonderful (and warm!) weekend.

My sister and her fiance came to Baton Rouge for the weekend.

We cooked burgers and just hung out Friday night.

I had to eat one of Jack's treats from KK--Janie's cookies.  I don't know how they do it, but these Brookhaven cookies are the best!

Saturday, Bech worked during the day, so Katy, Dave, Jack, and I headed to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to register!  Katy has registered for china and such at the local stores, but hadn't done all of the appliances and gadgets yet.

We came home and Jack took an epic nap.

After he woke up, we headed out again.  Katy and I wanted to check out Anthro and Urban, so the boys played with the train table at Barnes and Noble.

We finished up the night with dinner at Sammy's Grill.  Crawfish season just started, and Sammy's is supposed to be the place to go in Baton Rouge.  And it was SO good!  Bech and I are wimps, though...we could barely split 5 pounds!

Sunday was a beautiful warm day.  We had a long service at church (communion Sunday), and Jack did not take a great nap when he got home.

So what better way to cheer up a grumpy boy than snowcones!

This was Jack's first official snowcone.  He tasted some last year, but this year he got one all to himself.  He was a fan.  But very serious about eating.

I got the usual...strawberry shortcake with cream.  So good.  Every time.

We headed to the park for some swinging, sliding, and walking.  

Then Bech dared to ask if we were going to watch the super bowl.  

Really, Bech?  The Crawley's are in mourning.  Does their grief mean NOTHING to you?

Needless to say, I opted for Downton instead of the Super Bowl.

I think it was the better decision.

Missing Vermont

We have had a crazy week of weather in Baton Rouge.  Sunday was so warm.  After church, we had a potluck picnic.  Everyone was running around with short sleeves and bare legs.  Then, mid week, it rained, and the past couple of days have been chilly (well 60 degrees chilly!).  This strangely warm weather made me think (well more than I usually do) about Vermont.

We are loving being back in the South.  And we were so excited to move back down here.  But I am realizing lately how many things, both expected and unexpected, I miss about Vermont:

1.  The Food

I knew this would be the case, but I didn't realize how much!  Vermont is all about local food.  Bech and I try to eat organic.  We try to only buy free range or grass feed meat.  And that is hard to find here.  Luckily, we have a Whole Foods in Baton Rouge.  It's a "big business," but it does sell meat, milk, and cheese that we like.  Plus, they have a bulk section for flour, sugar, and spices.

But I often find myself dreaming of City Market...

(side note, I found this picture online, but we know that girl!)

Or American Flatbread

Or El Gato's, or Tiny Thai, or the Burlington Farmers Market...This list could go on and on.

2. The Snow

Yeah, I know, I am crazy for saying this.  And I don't miss this everyday!  But sometimes, when I can wear shorts in late January, I wish for a little snow.

I mean, that's pretty beautiful, right?

3.  The Library

While I was in grad school, I worked at the UVM library, Bailey Howe.  And I miss it!  It was such a fun job...being around books, organizing books, getting to know all of the wonderful workers.  

I absolutely love my job now, but I did love that job.  

4.  The People

(my good friend Chris and two of my favorite professors)

(The Amazing Angeline and her brother Jeff...he's not a Vermonter, but he's in the picture already, so he'll count!)

I think I was prepared for Vermonters to be really rude and not very kind.  I mean, isn't that what all Southerners believe about "Yankees?"  

(our friend Renee...seriously one of the sweetest people you will ever meet)

But I LOVED so many people in Vermont.  They were amazing.  We had friends that just loved on us so much.  And I miss them.

I think I am a nomad by nature.  I like to move.  I like to live in different places.  But one of the hardest things about that is that a piece of my heart stays in those places.

I still have dreams that we are back in Malawi.  That I am shopping at Foodworths, eating at Nando's, teaching at the Academy.  I always wonder if I will ever get to go back and actually do those things again!

And that is how I feel about Vermont.  Will I ever meet friends for tequila margarita's at El Gato's?  Even more, will I ever get to see my friends from there again?

I am so thankful to be back near Southern friends and families, but I am sure missing my "Yankee" second home!

Movies...

I am so behind when it comes to movies.  I never go see movies in the theatre.  Partly because I get super antsy having to sit still so long, and partly because I hate spending the money.  We used to stay fairly up to date with netflix, but we cancelled our subscription when we moved and still haven't restarted it.

But thanks to Redbox and a local theatre that has $5 movies on Tuesday, Bech and I have seen a few recent movies.  Here's my take on our latest views, from worst to best!

To Rome With Love

Um, not a fan.  The preview made it look good, almost like a Love Actually.  It's not.  It's quirky, but not in a fun way.  The actors are good, and there were a few funny parts.  But overall, we weren't fans.

Zero Dark Thirty

This movie is up for a lot of awards.  Bech really wanted to see this movie, and I was somewhat interested.  

As a movie, it was done really well.  But the story was too intense--there was too much language and too much violence for me.  I felt like, after finishing it, it did nothing good for my soul.  Does that make sense?  Am I thinking too deeply for a movie?  Perhaps.  But I really felt like there was no reason for me to see it.  

Anyone watch it and think differently?

Les Miserables

Oh, this is a hard one for me.  I was SO excited to see this movie.  Les Miserables is my favorite musical. I have seen it once on Broadway and once traveling.  I grew up singing these songs in the car with my dad.

So I approach this movie with a lot of expectation which leads to hyper criticalness.  On the whole, they did an amazing job with this movie.  Enjolras, Marius, and Eponine--absolutely incredible.  I loved the boy who played Gavroche.  I love the way they shot so many scenes.  

But Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe were AWFUL.  Maybe not as actors (although I didn't particularly care for Hugh as Val Jean), but as singers.  If you've never really listened to the Broadway soundtrack a lot, it might not bother you.  But I know what those songs can and should sound like, so I was pretty disappointed in the two leads.

A lot of people have talked about their emotion during the movie.  I'm a crier.  I cry at that coffee commercial where the son comes home.  I cry at Disney movies.  I fully expected to just cry and cry at Les Mis, but I really didn't.  I think it's because I have already cried many times over the deaths.

But the scene that had me in tears was "Lovely Ladies."  My heart was absolutely broken during that song.  The way the director chose to film it was incredible.

Anyway, I will definitely watch this movie again.  I would suggest it to other people.  Was I absolutely thrilled with the movie?  Nah, but it would have been really hard for it to meet my expectations!

Beasts of the Southern Wild

I don't even know where to start with this movie.

A friend recommended it on Facebook.  I watched the trailer and knew I needed to see it.  It is absolutely incredible.  

The story is about Hushpuppy, a little girl who lives in the Louisiana bayou with her daddy.  The movie is chock-full of myth.  The director shot the whole movie from Hushpuppy's perspective.  There are so many beautiful scenes.

I also really enjoyed reading this article about the movie.  If you haven't seen it yet, please do yourself a favor and check out this movie.  Amazing.

So that's what we've been watching lately.  Any good suggestions for our next movies?

Life Lately

We have had a nice, laid back weekend around here.  We had friends over to eat Friday night, I organized all day Saturday, we watched a movie last night, and today was church and lunch with family.  I love weekends like this!

Unfortunately, I have school tomorrow.  The students won't be there, but we have in-service training.  Then a full week of school after that.  Only three more weeks until Mardi Gras break!  Yes, you read that right.  Mardi Gras break.  Apparently the wonderful people in Louisiana believe in taking a week off for Mardi Gras.  And I am NOT going to complain.

Anyway, here are a few random thoughts/updates...

* Seeing as it's Mardi Gras season, I have had a student bring a King Cake almost every single day for the past two weeks.  NOT good for my goal of losing weight!

*  Did you know that King cakes have different flavors?  I didn't!  In Mississippi, I grew up just eating cinnamon flavor.  But there are TONS of flavors--cream cheese, bavarian creme, eclair, strawberry, blueberry.

*  But don't get blueberry!  I got blueberry flavored King Cake for my 7th grade advisory group (10 7th grade boys that I meet with once a week).  They said, "Oh, we can tell you aren't from Louisiana!"  Apparently, blueberry is a "weird" flavor.  Really?  And Bavarian Creme isn't?

*  Did anyone see "Parks and Rec" this week?  They were playing Settlers of Catan!  It made my day.  My favorite show and my favorite game.  Perfect.

* Bech and I have a running joke about my Redbox/Netflix movie choices.  I always manage to suggest the worst movies.  I redeemed myself by choosing Beasts of the Southern Wild.  And then I ruined it again with my choice of To Rome With Love.  We were definitely not fans. 

I hope y'all all have a wonderful week.  I still need to post about the Mardi Gras ball...I'll do that soon!