Tuesday, August 3, 2010

New Orleans' Trip Recap

I think it would take me days to write in detail all that we did during our trip to New Orleans.  I would absolutely love to do that, but I'm sure most of you don't truly care for all those details, and I don't think I can afford the time to do it so extensively (like I did for the NYC trip).  So, I thought I would try to do a condensed trip and post pictures now and in a few other posts.

As usual, we had a wonderful time!  I just love spending time with my family, and even though we absolutely love Knoxville and aren't going anywhere, there is just something about driving across Lake Pontchartrain as I make my way into New Orleans.  It's home, and a part of it will always be home.  I am so thankful that I can go there several times a year, walk into the house I grew up in, have my kids play in my old backyard, bang their little fingers on the piano I grew up learning on, climb the steps I did as a child, and sleep in my old bedroom.  It's so amazing to watch Nora and Liam play at the Louisiana Children's Museum and in Storyland at City Park, riding the same old-fashioned carousel I did as a girl.  It's even better watching my parents and sister interact with my babies, watching  my kids fall in love with their Nana and Grandpa and Aunt "Heel" (as Nora would say in her Tennessee accent).  I love introducing them to things they can't experience here in Knoxville: snowballs, beignets, fried shrimp, french fries and gravy.  New Orleans is such a neat place.  I truly wish I could take each and every one of you on a personal tour of all of my favorite places, restaurants, sites, etc.  If time would allow, I would!

Our days were quite busy!  As I mentioned, we tried to do an activity or so with the kids each day.  One day we went to the Children's Museum.  One evening, we did the rides and Storyland at City Park.  We went to the Monkey Room, Story Time at Pottery Barn Kids, lunch with friends at Chickfila, and we even spent Sunday morning at our old church, Lakeview Christian Center.  We got to visit with my grandmother, my uncle and aunts, and great, lifetime friends.  One of my best friends from college, Suzanne, even drove down from Jackson, MS, (a three hour drive, mind you), to spend the day with me and the kids.  I got to go on a girls' night dinner with some of my closest friends, many of whom were in my wedding!  We also did dinner with one of my dearest and oldest friends, Brigette, and her little boy Eli!

It was a blast!  The kids had a great time, and even though we were busy a lot of the time, we tried hard to stay in and not overdue it.  Nora and I shared a room which was.....interesting!  She slept on a pallet on the floor right next to my bed.  I think she was just a tad excited about the pallet and the fact that she and Momma were sharing a room, so she would often wake up just to make sure I was there.  Liam practiced his walking a ton during the trip, and even though he's not fully walking all the time, I believe his grandpa's encouragement while we were in NOLA was a huge help!  I'll post pictures of the different things we did in coming posts!  Till then.....

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