Avery Island...and the life changing cinnamon suckers!

So a few weeks ago we made an AWESOME trip over to Avery Island outside Lafayette with Nolen, Ashley & the girls. We stayed the night in Lafayette the night before and we had yummy yummy Masala for dinner! We love Indian and there are literally no good Indian food places in Covington! So it was quite a treat. 

The next morning we got up nice and early and made it over to the Tabasco place before it even opened! I've been there before when I was younger but it was way cooler seeing it with Jacob. He was so excited about all the history & processes that go into making his favorite hot sauce! 

My favorite part was definitely the store with all the fun Tabasco cooking sauces & seasonings & of course...the most delicious cinnamon suckers ever! We bought 4 and I think they were all gone by the end of the weekend! So spicy and cinnamony! Haha - that's not a word I know!

After we finished with the tour & store we drove over to the Jungle Gardens and toured that. Talk about cool! It was a driving tour so we called a number & it talked us through the tour during the drive around the park! So it was still quite "wintery" and not many things had bloomed but it was still a really neat experience. Highly recommend it! We stopped & took pictures at a few of the places but mainly just enjoyed the gorgeous weather and spending sweet time with family.

Jacob's personal favorite picture of Chloe! 

We rounded out the day with an awesome & yummy lunch @ Prejeans before heading back to Covington! So cool that we're so close to so many fun things to do here in Louisiana. This place has sure grabbed on to our hearts!

xoxo, 

Amanda 

Orpheuscapade...round 3!

Monday we worked part of the day (early release for Lundi Gras!) then went down to the city for our big Orpheus night with great friends!

Me rocking Mardi Gras colors @ work on Monday morning...purple scarf, mint (green) earrings
& blonde (yellow) hair!

Soooo proud of Jacob doing the bowtie all by himself! He was so adorable watching
the video in the bathroom getting ready!

Our 3 coolers for Orpheus Ball! Go big or go home!

Me & my stud of a date! He is so handsome in a tux! Also - note the rain jacket I'm wearing as it
was pouring when we walked over to the convention center!

The Weaver's take Orpheuscapade Round 3! 

The boys & their light up/noise making saxophones that they all caught one of! So naturally they are "playing" them!

Absolutely love doing life with this guy! So glad he loves Mardi Gras fun as much as I do!

First jello shot of the night! We had the funnest table there for sure! 

Us & the Kirby's! We are so so glad they've come into our lives!

Jacob & his bffl Brockstar! Him & Cynthia are such great friends of ours!

Round 647 of jello shots that Brockstar & Cynthia brought!

The boys...rocking out to Dierks!

Why yes I do believe this captures the evening for these two!

Zane & Madeline...in their prime!

Dierks Bentley & Lisa Vanderpump were Orpheus' guests of honor!

Madeline captured this gem of our dance party!

Madeline & I showing off our light up goodies!

The ladies...after our fearless leader Cynthia finally arrived!

New Orleans is so magical this time of year! Well I mean not Bourbon of course but the city just seems electric! Everyone's plans are all about Mardi Gras and for the most part - spending it with family & friends which is so what we're about. 

We love the adventure that comes with living in this wonderful city & are doing our best not to take it for granted, had an awesome Mardi Gras season but am excited for the slow, restful weeks ahead!

xoxo
Amanda 

Valentine's Day 2015!

This past weekend Jacob took me out for drinks at the Southern Hotel (which is ADORABLE btw) and then had an incredible Valentine's Day (my first one not rotating!) It was so special finally getting to spend Valentine's Day with my forever Valentine!

So Jacob & I do Valentine's Day a little bit different than most couples in that years ago we decided that we should switch off who plans Valentine's Day! So this was my year to plan so we got up - I made his favorite breakfast (orange [from a can of course] cinnamon rolls, had mimosas, and romantically (and cornyish-ly - yes that's a word) talked about all the things we love about each other! Then we rode bikes to the back of our neighborhood to this cute little park, sat under the gazebo and had a picnic! We drank champagne and played Gin like the fancy couple that we are! Ha! So that evening we did this amazing little meal from Fresh Market with delicious steaks, potatoes, asparagus, chocolate covered strawberries & an incredible bottle of Cakebread we had been saving since we went there this past May!

Look at that sweet hair! So lucky to wake up next to this stud every morning!  

Thank you Pinterest for this idea! Mine of course did not turn out as pretty as theirs!

Also - in between our cute little breakfast and picnic we played with our sweet puppies for a little while so they felt loved on this Valentine's Day! Pictures are 100 percent typical of their adorable little personalities. Raider is all in for playing in the beginning, then he bows out - Reagan doesn't accept that  so she continues to bother him and he ends up hiding (i.e; between Jacob's legs) while she runs around like crazy. We love their little quirks!

If I had a dollar for every picture I have of Jacob doing that face...

Since we don't have a live in photographer - the tripod and timer on my camera was the best we could do for a Valentine's Day dinner photo!  

Jacob did so incredible on the steaks, grilled to perfection!

 

Such a perfect day!

xoxo, 
Amanda 

Covington Mardi Gras with Krewe de Sawyer!

It's been a whirlwind few weeks! My mom came to visit for a few days and we did Covington Mardi Gras w/ Krewe de Sawyer. Our friends Brock & Cynthia seriously go ALL out for this day! Set up amazing food & drinks and we just camp out there for the day. We are so grateful for them & their never ending sweet southern hospitality!

Cynthia made the funniest/cutest signs that were all over the tent! This was our fave!

Just a typical day in Louisiana - climbing trees to get beads from previous parades!

The GORGEOUS ladders Cynthia made for all the kids to sit in during the parade
(she hand paints all of them!)

Cynthia & I - it was her birthday too! 

Cynthia's sweet niece Julia - such an adorable little girl!

Enjoying the gorgeous weather playing some football while waiting for the parade to start!

My handsome husband & Brock catching up (Brock's been rotating so these besties don't
see each other as often)!

Typical pre-parade game!

Cynthia literally THOUGHT of everything - GLOVES so no one would have to
reach into the super cold cooler to grab a drink!

Jacob, Brock & their sweet work friend Mr. Joe - him and his wife are the best!

Feather boa's, light up toys, hats, masks, galore!

Ashley, Mallory & I - notice Mallory's adorable bead shirt!

Love this sweet sweet girl!

Mallory was winning hearts with her cuteness all night!

Brock surprised Cynthia with a birthday cupcake & we all sang to her!

Cynthia made some killer jello shots! Even Momma loved them! 

Our new friends - Sid & Kelly...such fun people!

And we're off!

Cynthia has the best hats!

Jacob & Chloe - they were quite the dynamic duo catching throws!

Budweiser horses, so gorgeous and majestic looking!

One of my favorite pictures - Chloe had just been sitting there like a grumpus
with her fingers in her ears because it was too loud! 

Brockstar...in his stride!

Mallory's face in this picture is the BEST!

These two are too much!

Our friends Zane & Madeline joined us!

So grateful that my mom still lives close enough to come visit for a weekend! It was so awesome getting to share Covington Mardi Gras with her - it was hilarious she just kept saying, "I didn't know Northshore Mardi Gras could be so fun!" Crazy Southshore lady!

We love that we're getting to experience Mardi Gras in the place where it all began...more Mardi Gras pictures to come!

xoxo,

Amanda