GEAUX Tigers and Home Sweet Home....

This past weekend was a first...  My first LSU football game!  I was beyond excited about the game, but the weather was less than ideal.... 50 degrees and rain.  

"I love to get ready with full make-up, hair, outfit and walk around in the misty rain when it's 51 degrees and windy" 
- SAID NO GIRL EVER. - But I was a trooper.  

Thank the lord for the last minute Target stop for a $9.99 hat!  Major save...  (Brad was happy - no griping/whining about the hair.)

Even during the crazy weather conditions, LSU tailgating was like nothing I have seen.  I have been to a lot of Big 12 tailgates and even The Grove at Ole Miss, but this was an experience.  The crazy outfits, the Winnebago's complete with stages and flat screens built into the sides of the campers, endless flow of drinks, food and Southern hospitality!  Such a fun experience....  We headed to a new friend and her husband's work tailgate for a couple hours and then headed into the game....

 Weather on the way to park.  Booo! 

 Brad and his best bud Mike that was in town visiting from Dallas.

 You CANNOT imagine the rows and rows of Winnebago's!  It was a complete sight.....

 This just cracks me up...

And every, I mean every camper had a stuffed animal tiger(s) laying in the front windshield, but this camper took it a step further!

 Our seats were in the south end zone on the front row.  We were so close....  Sean Payton and his adolescent girlfriend walked right beside us with an escort to the suites.  I was too slow on the pic...  DARN.  

It was so fun to see the players up close and personal - Some of those guys are HUGE!

Johnny Man!  He was much shorter than I thought... 

These Hunter rainboots were a FAB purchase a month ago!  Every girl needs a pair of these 

boots!

  I do not have any purple in my closet, so my purple Kendra Scott's came in handy too.  Three of my dearest friends gave me these during my wedding weekend for the upcoming Louisiana move....  Love them!  Thank you Brandi, Ralna and Cass.  They were perfect with my (non-committal to either team) black outfit....

Sitting down, shivering - Had to get a selfie with the Corp in the background.  They sat right behind us - right behind us.  Brad would say that in itself was another experience (or a nightmare - his words!)...  On the other hand, I liked it.  Such tradition.  

"Mike" the tiger!  He had had a long day....

 

And here I am....  So excited at 5:55 this am going home to my parent's house.  The WHOLE gang will be here by Wednesday and I am so excited - especially to get my hands on my two nephews and niece... - Knox, Briggs and Marlowe!  Complete.elation.....   

 

A snow covered Thanksgiving with some beloved Tex-Mex and the whole Hodges family and I am one happy gal!

 

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone....  We all have so much to be thankful for.

 

Love

 

~H

 

Birthdays....

What a fun weekend it was to have Brad's mom Debra in town!  She flew in on Friday and we were so excited to see her.  We haven't seen her since the wedding, so it was time for a visit!

It was a weekend FULL OF COMPLETE GLUTTON!  Why do I feel like I have to eat, eat and eat when visitors come into town?  As I eat breakfast and I always wonder where to take them for dinner - RIDICULOUS! - I blame it completely on Louisiana and the DELICIOUS food here!

Friday night we went to Zea's here in the burbs...  If you don't know about Zea's you should.  (Sorry Texas friends....)  Holy moly - two word..... CHEESE GRITS.  I could eat my weight in these things.  I could bathe in this dish.  Simply heaven.....  Do not even want to know the nutritional value of these puppies! 

Saturday was a full day starting with breakfast at our favorite spot in Covington and then into NOLA.... 

Walking around, shopping, and the WW2 Museum.  (Just what Brad wanted to do I am sure - on his BDAY.  He was a great sport!) - What a great museum!  The actual museum was good, but we all three loved the documentary "Beyond All Boundaries" narrated by Tom Hanks.  It was a 4-D movie/documentary about the war of all wars....  It was simply amazing!  

 Brunch with his two favorite women!

 WW2 Museum

Train Station Replica

Love this guy...

After all the museum fun and non-football watching Brad could handle, we walked all the way to Jackson Square for dinner at Muriel's.  On the way, I saw this debacle......  INSANE!

The Grand Opening for the new H&M in New Orleans.  Ummmm - there is NO WAY that anything in that store is worth standing in a line like that.  Negative....  It looked like a complete zoo!  

Love the balconies...

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Brad and Debra (11/19) - I am so sneaky...

And to the end the night, I kicked some bootie in the Logo Game! Is it bad that I love beating my husband.  Love.it...  We are both so competitive and I rarely win.  He is the worst loser ever - a guy thing? - I think so.  He said "You got all the easy cards".....  Always something folks...  Girls dominated some Brad - WOOHOO!

What a great birthday weekend and so happy Debra was here to celebrate, eat, visit, shop, and eat some more.

Have a great week all - 4 more days - that statement makes me oh so happy!

Love,

~H

Field Trip, "The" Bus, & Deb...

We had such a fun field trip this past Friday!  We went to the Maritime Museum in Madisonville.  What a great time learning about the Tchefuncte River, Lake Ponchartrain, and Louisiana's first settlers.

 

The kids watched a short video, learned water safety, learned how to tie different knots, played vocabulary bingo and roamed throughout the museum.  WITH all that, I am sure if you asked them their favorite part, it would be the 10 minutes of free time they ran wild through an open field for a mini-recess.  They were in heaven!  Who knew 10 minutes in an open grassy field who be the HIGHLIGHT of their day? CHEAP entertainment I tell you!

Let me just tell you about "THE BUS" of all busses!  Mr. Jim, is one of Woodlake's bus drivers and WOW - It is DECKED OUT! - He is a huge, I mean huge LSU Fan.  The majority of Louisiana bleeds purple and gold.  They love their Tigers.  

Here is his bus - Even non-LSU fans would be impressed!

The top-front of his bus!

The top of his bus!  A replica of a football field.  So cool!

And on the way back from the Field Trip - Here's what went on...... 

This CRACKS me up!  All the kids knew the LSU Fight Song and were in heaven.  Thank you Mr. Jim for winding them up EVEN more...  

Now on to some much needed ADULT TIME....  Our dear friend Deb was in town for a medical conference and we took her to one of our favorite places in New Orleans, Irene's!  We love this restaurant.  So intimate and quaint.  

Our favorite - minus the onions - Good lord!!!

Miss you Deb!

Brad and I just love Deb!  She has a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone....  SO SO glad that we were able to meet her for a night in NOLA.

Thanks again Deb for you and Brad wanting to go to Harrah's.  FABULOUS decision.....  :) - Ugh....

Have a great week everyone!  Brad's mom Debra flies in Friday and we are so excited to see her and show her the sights of LA....

Love~

H

Date Night with the Pelicans

One of Brad's vendors gave him some free tickets to the Pelicans game last night, so we thought - "What the heck - Let's go!"  (The Pelicans are the NBA Team here in New Orleans - for those of you that have no idea!  They were originally the Charlotte Hornets....  and the Pelican is the state bird of LA - so here they are...)  Interesting name for a Pro bball team, I know.

We had so much fun.  When we got to our seats, we realized they were in a small, private suite with 4 chairs.  It was just Brad and I with Ivy, our waitress.  We were a little confused,  but enjoyed the food and drinks!

The Pelicans lost, but a good time was had by ALL -

 

Our fun, little mini-suite!

 

 5-Layer Dip - YUM!

Cannot be serious at all....

 

Delirious - Time to go home... School night!

 

 

Hope everyone is having a great week!  

 

Two more days - Well one - FIELD TRIP on Friday!  Nothing like wrapping up the week with 100 wild 8 and 9 year olds at a museum for 5 hours....

 

Love All~

 

H