Answer Me This (Vol. 2)

Last year, I joined the Answer Me This bandwagon just once, late in the game.  It appears I'm making that a tradition, as this is the last of the 2015 summer series.  Ah well.  Here's to cheering Kendra on and as Baby #8 makes its big debut during this week's roundup! 

1. What's your favorite grocery store splurge?
Hmm... that's a tough one.  Food hasn't been super appealing to me lately so all the typical cravings went out the window.  I used to occasionally splurge on chocolate soymilk but I heard bad things about soy so I dropped that habit.  I guess I'll go with hummus, or sometimes packaged cookies.  When new flavors of Extra's Dessert Delight gum come out, I always buy those (thanks, Kara)!

2. How's your penmanship?
Pretty good, I think.  I typically write in print, but I can do cursive if necessary.  For the record, I still think cursive should be taught in school - even if it isn't used regularly. 

3. Do you have a "Summer Bucket List?"
No...nope.  Definitely not this year.  Too much busy-ness at work in this job to enjoy summers.  Ever since I joined the workforce, summers are not nearly as exciting as they used to be.  I'm one of those people that think everyone should be off all summer, no matter what.  Blame my mom who has worked for the school system all my life - it's all her fault. 

4. What's the best thing on the radio right now?
Uhhhhhhh... wow I feel super lame to not have an answer for this.  I think music this summer has been pretty lackluster.  So, how about we go with the WORST thing on the radio right now.  Easily, hands down, Girl Crush by Little Big Town.  I couldn't stand LBT before this song and now, well...nuff said. 

5. Ice cream or frozen yogurt?
Either really, but those fryo shops are kind of awesome (except for the price, that is).  On the other hand, 1/2 price shakes after 8 at Sonic are totally my jam.  Basically, I don't discriminate here. 

6. Have you had that baby NOW? 
Mmmm...nope.

Enjoyed this little random assortment?  Link up at Catholic All Year to join in before the party's over for the summer!

8-)
-Lauren

Shake What Ya Mama Gave Ya

If you've been hanging around here for very long, you've probably figured out by now that I am super passionate about my Cajun heritage and really enjoy sharing it with others.  While it's fun to remember those weekends out on "The Island" with my family and friends growing up, some of my fondest memories are of the opportunities I've had to share my culture with friends from far away.

Benjamin from Ohio was the first person to get the full Cajun experience, and then Lendy from North Carolina followed suit a few years later.  One of these days, I'm going to get around to sharing the story of Alex's first visit to Cajun country, when we wrangled an alligator and everyone thought Swamp People was fa-real because of it.  But in all seriousness, people were so hospitable to me when I lived out-of-state, that I have always wanted to return the favor.  And even my local friends, enjoy getting in on the fun.

So, while you might be bored of reading about all our visits to the marsh, I can't resist sharing the latest one in which Alex invited his coworker from Michigan to see what Cajunland is all about!

Cam is a fisherman at heart, so when we decided to spend July 4th weekend at home, I knew it was the perfect time to invite him along. He jumped at the chance, and enthusiastically joined us on the 3.5 hour trip south.  The guys spent all of Friday out on the water - first fishing, then running crab cages for our "big" Independence Day meal.

Cam thought he was in a real life episode of Swamp People when he caught this TREE SHAKA!

Except it was really just a tree.

But he did get to see real-life Liz and Justin's foot truck (trailer?) down in Pecan Island, even if they weren't open at the time.

Friday night, our awesome friends, Victoria and Seth, hosted us for Seth's famous homemade wings, complete with real BWW wing sauce and home-brewed beer.  Tori and I spent the evening taking all things babies (their 2.5 year old was born 19 days before our wedding, and they're expecting #2 in September), while they boys drank beer and watched YouTube videos.  Shenanigans I tell you.

On Saturday, the boys cooked up their loot and my friends/former-coworker from Arkansas came over to help us enjoy it.  The neighbors even contributed their own performance of evening fireworks to top off the night.

I really enjoy having people around.  This photo makes my heart both happy and sad, wishing we had more friends in our town.

 

Don't tell me you're not jealous you missed out on those huge, deliciously awesome boiled crabs!

And of course, we couldn't leave town without the traditional "Sunday dinner" at Nanna's house.  :)

Otherwise, that's a wrap, folks!  Hope your Fourth was just as awesome as ours!

-Lauren

What's a Girl to Do

...when she wants to write, but doesn't have anything to write about?

Well, I have something I want to write about but it's going to have to wait a little longer.  So instead, I guess I'll share a cute picture of Little Lauren since it is "Throwback Thursday" after all.

Isn't she adorable?  And that outfit!  Those shoes!  I wonder if that dress still exists in the attic somewhere... 

In other news,  we've been traveling quite a bit this summer (as usual).  The end of May/June consisted of NCAA Regionals in Baton Rouge, Dinner at the Governor's Mansion and "4-H Day at the Capitol" (also in Baton Rouge), a week at 4-H Camp, a day trip to Natchez for a fun photo shoot, a week at 4-H University (huge state competition for teens, held at LSU), and a couple of days at the NE District Horse Show.  As you can see, most of that is work travel, not the fun stuff.

In July, we took one of Alex's coworkers who is originally from Michigan down to my parents' in south Louisiana for the Fourth.  (I'll try to post about that sometime.)  This weekend, we are going to New Orleans to see GARTH BROOKS!!!  Later this month, both of us have short-ish work trips to New Orleans or Baton Rouge, and then we are going to close out July with a weeklong trip to North Carolina to visit Alex's parents.  Side note:  I am SO excited to be flying this time instead of that usual 14+ hour drive!

So, as my mom would say, "That's what's going on around here."

I'll leave you with a sneak peak from our photo shoot in Natchez a few weeks ago.  More of these beauties to come in the next few weeks or so.

Have a good one, everybody!

-Lauren

P.S. Either my computer is being wonky or my design template (background) has gone MIA.  I'll work on getting that fixed ASAP.