Southern Living

Our Family decided to take a 6 week trip to Louisiana this summer, Ed and I were both off school so we decided that we would probably never get the chance to do something like this again. As we stepped off the airplane we knew we were in the south, the hot humid air hit us fast. Ella felt it also, she let out a big ohh and patted her mouth with her hand. We knew we were in for a hot humid summer.
                                     June 15- July 30, 2010

Ella looking out the storm door at the everyday animals standing on the driveway.

The first two weeks we didn't do anything big, we did swim in the pool a lot which was great. By the end of our trip both Bronson and Zoe were swimming on there own. I guess if you put kids in the pool enough they will eventually pick it up.

 We did visit most of the local tourist spots:

Avery Island at the Tabasco Factory, you can smell the tabasco as you get out of the car.

We spent a lot of time at Ed's Gan's house, the kids loved riding on her golf cart around her land and pond, which they did many many times.

By the way spanish moss really grows on all the oak trees there.

A lot of the homes are raised way up high that are by the coast. Can you imagine the climb, especially when unloading groceries, ugh!

The kids really wanted to see some alligators, so Ed's aunt Connie and her son and daughter took the kids and I to the Jungle Garden on Avery Island.

We found some enormous tree bugs

Zoe was fascinated by the spanish moss everwhere

One of the many Bayous

A bamboo hut

Inside the hut (by the way there was an enormous spider right behind me we took the picture and got out fast.)

There were a lot of rainy days of which the kids took full advantage of.

                                                         -FISHING-

Ed's sister Jen and I were sitting around one day talking about something fun we could do and I mentioned that the kids had never been to a beach before and Ed's mom can't refuse a trip to Florida, so we packed our bags and headed to Destine that Saturday and spent a week there. The kids loved playing in the sand and in the water.

Zoe and Bronson got to go in these huge balls filled with air and run on water.

Bronson, Zoe and I decided to do a little zip lining 50 ft up in the air I was way more scared then the kids were.

The biggest Crock ever!

The whole gang at the shopping center.

 Florida was great!

The next weekend we spent in good old New Orleans:

Waiting for our Beignets in Cafe Du'mond

Fried doughnuts loaded with powdered sugar mmm...

Ed's dad San and Zoe enjoying a beignet 

Mask Time!

Bronson and Zoe making there mark on New Orleans!

The Saint Louis Cathedral, Jackson Square

One of the many ways people try to make their money there.

Ed Entertaining in the Big Easy

The whole Family together

Pioneers...?

Our family along with our ward had the opportunity to experience being a pioneer, well not fully but a glimpse into a pioneers life. We headed out on June 10th and made the 6 hour drive to Martin's Cove in Wyoming. When we arrived we immediately started to set up our tent but noticed that we were missing something, our rain fly, which covers the top of the tent. I was a little upset as you can imagine, how was this going to work? Everyone was leaving to go down to the visitors center so we had to leave the tent. While we were out trekking up into Martins Cove the rain decided to come, so we were left with everything wet on the first day. When we arrive back to our tent we tried to make a make shift cover using our tarp, we tied and tied that tarp as best as we could. The wind was so unbelievably strong that tents were whipping around like crazy. My kids were running around inside the tent screaming with joy they thought it was so great, while most of the other children there were screaming and crying with fear. That night we ate a warm meal and tried to get some sleep because the big day of trekking was coming.

We awoke the next morning ready for whatever came our way, so we thought. We drove about an hour from our camp site so we could trek over the Sweetwater River. The weather started out fine but shortly down the trail the rain started coming, which made the ground very wet and muddy. There were huge trenches of water along the trail, at times we had to get a running start to keep the hand carts from getting stuck. We were not able to cross the actual Sweetwater due to the rise in the water level but there were plenty of smaller waters to cross that still came up to our thighs. When we came to our biggest crossing a few young men played the role of the three teenage boys that carried all the women and children across the frozen river and later died from frost bite. The spirit was incredible as the boys carried some of the children from our ward including my two girls while a song was being sung. We then turned around and went through the whole trail again, but this time we had a huge hail storm come upon us. The hail was coming down so hard that we all had to stop and turn our backs to it. Toward the end of the trail the men were led away as if they were going off to war or on missions and the women and the children were left to travel on their own. The men had to stand at the top of  a very steep hill and watch in silence as there wives and children pulled their hand carts to the top. I can't imagine how the pioneer women carried on by themselves, they had to of been incredibly brave and strong.

We were suppose to spend one more night there and head out the next morning but the weather would not permit us. The temperature was getting colder and it was expected to get below freezing and maybe snow that night. So in the wind and rain we packed up as fast as we could and headed home and arrived around 3:00 in the morning.

 Our adventure was cut short but our memories will always last. We were given the opportunity to experience what it might have been like to be a pioneer. We were able to walk on the very ground that they walked on, but I can not fathom doing it all without food, shoes, proper clothing and in the dead of winter, they were amazing people. Even though we had our little trials and hardships on this journey, if I was given the chance to do it all over again I would in a heart beat.

 

Frozen!

For some reason I love frozen meals for myself. I have one for lunch and dinner most days. They are fast, easy, taste pretty good and are already portioned in size and calories. What else do you need! I like most of Lean Cuisine's and Healthy Choice Steamers but I have recently started getting some of the Kashi ones and found that they are pretty good also. The Kashi meals are a little more exotic in flavors. Here are a few that are at the top of my list.                                                                                                                                

 Of course I usually eat these with a side of fruit and a big glass of water. I think it makes a pretty well balanced meal.

Drawer Baby!

Little miss Ella insists on getting into the kids cup drawer everyday. For some odd reason she loves just sitting in there. She's not strange at all is she?