Boating - Lake Pontchartrain

Destin Trip

Kyle goofing off in a gift shop

Some beach and pool pics

On our way back we stopped at NAS Pensacola.


Naval Aviation Museum







Lighthouse - we got there too late for a tour but it's supposed to be haunted so I am looking forward to a tour next time.



Fort Barrancas - Kyle thought it was boring but I thought it was one of the most interesting forts we have been to.





We had a really great time. :)

Brownie Bites

I made brownie bites and some cupcake bites for Kyle's Pre-K Celebration. These are similiar to the cupcake bites in that the candy foil cups are filled with chocolate candy melts. Bake brownie mix in a mini muffin pan and push brownie into center of chocolate filled foil cup. Ice with more melted chocolate and add some sprinkles. This was really easy.

I also did cake pops again but found that chocolate cake and buttercream icing didn't work as well as the red velvet and cream cheese. It required more freezer time.

Boating - Blind River, Diversion Canal and Lake Maurepas

We finally made it out on the boat! Either our schedules or the weather has prevented us for weeks. It was a great time.

A sea plane right by the Blind River Bar!

Blind River Bar

Yes, this is actually Kyle driving the boat in Lake Maurepas and he did quite well. Unless of course you work for Wild Life and Fisheries, then no he wasn't driving it. ;)

Schools out for summer...

I know finishing Pre-K isn't some monumental accomplishment but I am filled with incredible pride for how much Kyle has grown as a person and learned this past year. I had no idea how different Pre-K in an elementary school would be from a pre-school program in a daycare/pre-school environment. If it was this different for me as a parent I can only imagine how different it was for Kyle. I am constantly grateful that he is in a school that not only excels academically but also nurtures the student's creativity, treats them with warmth and gives them the tools to further their knowledge while not in school.

I wonder often which memories of his childhood that he will cherish later and which friends that he is making could be lifelong friendships. I am proud of him every day for being such a caring, gentle soul and I am constantly in awe of how much he absorbs and understands. On a few occasions after a school activity we walked home from his school and stopped to get snowballs or another snack. It's moments like this that I treasure where we have one on one time together when nothing else matters.

It means so much to me when I am able to participate in school activities so I can see him interact with his classmates and get to know his teachers, classmates and the classmates parents. I have never wished more to be a SAHM so I could take every opportunity to volunteer at his school. Being a parent to a school age child is really a completely new journey filled with so much joy, amazement and opportunities for personal growth.

The end of the year celebration for Kyle's class was wonderful. The class sang several songs (videos of two below), the Principal handed out completion certificates and then there was a breakfast. I cried through most of it! I can't believe how much he has changed this last year and that soon he will be in Kindergarten.

Last Weekend - Lafreniere Park and WWII museum

Just some random pics from last weekend. We went to a b-day party at Lafreniere Park on Sunday and then to the WWII museum last Sunday.

Honey Butter Rolls

Kris picked up some Country Crock honey spread from the grocery and we both thought it would be like the honey butter that restaurants serve with hot rolls. I decided to make some rolls to go with it but I didn't like any of the recipes I came across so I winged it and the rolls came out great. They were moist and really flavorful. I probably could have cooked it tad longer so I plan to re-heat the leftover ones in the oven to brown them a bit more. The honey spread tasted like chemicals so I just whipped together some softened unsalted sweet cream butter and honey. Much better. The recipe that I threw together is below - it's pretty basic so it leaves room to customize it.

Easy Honey Butter Rolls
Ingredients:

1.5 cups bread flour

1 cup baking mix

1 tsp. yeast

1 cup water

4 tbsp. honey

4 tbsp. softened unsalted sweet cream butter

Procedure:

(I used a bread machine but ingredients could be mixed in a bowl and left to rise in a warm place for one hour.)

Add dry ingredients to bread machine sifting to combine. Add wet ingredients. Set bread machine to dough setting. My machine is set for an hour and a half but I removed after an hour. It will be more like a batter so it's not necessary to roll out and cut dough. Preheat oven to 350 degress. Grease a muffin pan and use a spoon to drop 3 tsp. (about 3/4 full) for each roll. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Use a tablespoon to loosen sides and slide under roll - they should pop right out.

Yields 12 rolls.

“For a good time call…”

Ah, the phrase best known as bathroom stall graffiti. Crude insinuations about people’s character and professions of love are also common. You might sometimes find some poetry that could be either corny or clever.

Growing up I noticed disparaging graffiti at school or park bathroom or on the back of bus seats. As an adult I generally only tend to see it in barroom bathrooms and typically those of the less fancy establishments. My favorites are the warnings such as, “guess what I did to the toilet paper” or “I am watching you. There is a hole in the wall.” Those always crack me up when I am tipsy.

I work in an office tower and today noticed that the ever popular “for a good time call…” phrase was scrawled on the elevator padding at about 6 feet. So I wonder if a professional adult during the course of their workday decided it was necessary to give a recommendation for an enjoyable outing with one of their close friends. How very kind of them!

Another unusual example that stands out in my mind is a message that was on the wall of the ladies room at a popular pizza parlor for years. The parlor seems to be a family run business. It read, “Keith (the waiter) has a big [male member]”. I wonder if Keith’s mom or sister enjoyed reading that for years every time they tinkled at work? My husband went to school with Keith and said that it was rumored that he performed some pretty special services to his classmates for a Jackson. We always tip him well. After all it seems like Keith really knows a lot about a good time…

WAH-LA, it's Taco & Da Mofos

I used to do bookings of local and touring acts in New Orleans. Even though I am not doing it anymore I still get booking requests on occasion. This particular agency always sends me the weirdest ones.

"What if you could mix the feel good vibes and positive outlook of Reggae with the awe-inspiring power and shomanship of American Rock? Then throw in a healthy dash of Southern Rap with some Latin Percussion to spice it up. Add a touch of Punk Rock and a taste of Ska, and WAH-LA! You have the perfect ingredients for one of the “DOPEST” party bands of this generation...you have Taco & Da Mofos."

Um, okay. I'm not sure what I love the most - the creative spelling of "voila" which seems to be an infectious trend, the bizarre blend of genres or how devastating handsome these fellas are.

Great children's books with a New Orleans flare

Enjoy sharing these lively stories with your little ones as they learn about some unique New Orleans traditions and are tickled by the Cajun dialect.

Goodnight Nola

New this year, Good Night Nola is a quick read with gorgeous illustration. It’s an excellent introduction for young children and it pays tribute to things unique to New Orleans in a rhythmic prose.

Jenny Giraffe and the Streetcar Party

The four-legged artist of New Orleans ' French Quarter takes a ride on the historical St. Charles Avenue streetcar. While attending a birthday party aboard a streetcar, Jenny Giraffe has the opportunity to learn about the history of New Orleans.

Jenny Giraffe’s Mardi Gras Ride

Another great book in the classic Jenny Giraffe series written by a former school teacher. While preparing for her ride in the Krewe of Orpheus, Jenny Giraffe discovers the tradition of float riders, masks, costumes, the origin of Mardi Gras colors, king cake and more.

Cajun Gingerbread Boy

Way down in Bayou LaRouche, a Cajun mawmaw bakes herself a gingerbread boy, who runs away, and is chased by everyone he meets. Told in a rich Cajun dialect, this interpretation has a removable gingerbread boy that easily slips from one page to the next so young readers can help him escape his pursuers. As the Gingerbread Boy attempts his great escape, the reader gets a feel for the lay of the land as we follow him through swamps and bayous, past vegetation and wildlife. The last page includes a recipe for Cajun Gingerbread Boys. A Children’s Choice Book in the International Reading Association Children’s Book Council

Cajun Night Before Christmas

This story is well known as an animated light show display in City Park's Celebration in the Oaks.

Mimi’s First Mardi Gras

Seen through Mimi's eyes, this pictorial tour of Mardi Gras provides an interesting introduction to the holiday. Preparations for the annual festivities include the all-important choices of costume. Though her parents are dressing as clowns, "Mimi had her heart set on being a beautiful princess." The depiction of the parade vividly highlights MG foods and throws as well as the arrival of Rex, King of Carnival. When the parade is over, an exhausted Mimi joins her cousins for gumbo and jambalaya.

Johnette Downing books

This author was recommended to me by my cousin, but I have not read any of the books yet. It looks like she has some great books on her website with titles like 'Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud' and 'Down in Louisiana'.

Nancy's Corner carries several of these great titles. You can also check with your local library.