A few good books I've been reading along the way

These are a few of the books I've been reading on this trip.  Too bad I've only finished one, so far.

 My sister-in-law sent this book to me just before we left for our trip.  I'm so glad she did.  I had never heard of this book, but I loved reading it.  It's about a Harvard educated couple who finds out that the child they are expecting has Down syndrome.  Going against the advice of their peers, they decide to have their child.  Martha Beck is smart, funny, and lets it all out for all of us to see.  The heartache, and the hope.  She says that she had to "unlearn everything Harvard taught (her) about what is precious, and what is garbage".  I loved it so much that I think I'm going to have to get my own copy, so I can loan it out to my friends.  

 I've learned a lot about the food of New Orleans, and the wonderful spirit and heart of the people who live there.  Only halfway through, but looking forward to the next chapter.  If you love food and history, you'll also like this book.

I first spotted this book at Destrehan Plantation some time ago, but bought a different book instead.  I bought the Times-Picayune Creole Cookbook, still one of my all-time favorite cookbooks, on that visit to New Orleans.  The next time, I bought Memories of the Old Plantation Home, by Laura Locoul Gore.  This time, I went looking for The Plantation Mistress in an old bookstore in the French Quarter, and what do you know?  They had one copy left.  Yay.  Not that I wouldn't have liked to drive out to Destrehan again to look at their bookstore.  Just started it, but it looks like a book I'll enjoy reading.

week 4 - part one-b Boating on the Atchafalaya Basin

The Atchafalaya Basin

Most of these pictures are for our son, Jordan, who is our outdoorsman.  He loves to fish and hunt, and I know he wished he could go out into the Louisiana Swamps with us again.  We saw many different herons, an osprey, and it's nest, an alligator nest, and a duck blind you would love to see.  It had a little cabin nearby for hunters to stay in.  It looked like something you would love to do.  Love you , Jordan!!  You, too, Jeffrey!!! 

Sunday - We packed up and left the French Quarter, and headed to the Atchafalaya Welcome Center, where we met our guide, Kim, from The Atchafalaya Experience.  

Here is the website that he and his Father have -

  www.theatchafalayaexperience.com

I'm linking up with Scripture and a Snapshot over at   http://www.justfollowingjesus.com/

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 This was absolutely one of my favorite stops on this trip.  It is so peaceful, and beautiful.  It reminded of the feeling I had when I saw the Grand Canyon.  The song "I love Your presence"  came to mind.

 "I will praise You, oh Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High"
Psalm 9: 1 & 2

 Here's the duck blind.  Tyler thought you'd like it, Jordan.


Ty and Emma getting ready to go.

 Emma and Parker enjoyed sitting out on the front of the boat when we were going slow.

 This is what the boat had to get through to get us over to the cypress forest. Dad said they had a apecial filter so it wouldn't tear up their engine.  It is really taking over in many placesin the basin. You can see on the Cypress trees how high the water has been.  Kim said that he only found one alligator nest this year, because so many of them had been flooded.

 Tyler and Trey did a good job with the camera for a lot of these pictures.  I took a few , too.

 The osprey nest.

 Tyler got out of the boat to take these pictures of the alligator nest.

At the end of our afternoon boatride, (it was from 1:30 - 4:30 or so),  when we mentioned to Kim that we were going to drive to New Iberia, which was at least an hour away, to the Boiling Point, he told us about a place that had wonderful food, and was only 15 munutes away, Pat's.  Everything was so fresh, and tender, and delicious.  

 Alligator bites.

Trey and Parker with their frog legs dinner.

 

The frog legs

 

This was the fried shrimp platter.  I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think it was even better than Marin Joe's.  Maybe it was just the fact that I was in Louisianna,

This was the seafood platter.  It includes a cup of seafood gumbo, which we finished so fast, I didn't get a picture.  I have been craving it ever since, because it is the best gumbo , or soup, for that matter, that I have ever eaten.  It also has fried shrimp, fried oyster, fried frog leg, filet catfish, fish pattie, stuffed crab, stuffed shrimp, fried crawfish, french fries, and hush puppies.  If I lived near here, this would be my favorite place to eat.  How could I forget the crawfish boulettes which were an appetizer?  Thanks for  the good advice, Kim!

Time to head toward /san Diego, and Comic-Con to meet up with most of our other kids.  Yay!

I'm linking up with another Kim, at Savvy Southern Style for Wow us Wednesdays.

www.savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com

Week 4 - part one-a French Quarter New Orleans

Friday -
We drove in to the RV park that is within walking distance of the French Quarter on Friday around noon.  What do you know?  It was pouring!! I got soaked just walking to the office to check in.  After resting up for a while, the skies cleared, and we were on our way.  My brother, Greg, recommended the Cajun Cabin, on Bourbon St.  The food was just what we expected.   Catfish Atchalafaya, Alligator Bites, Chicken and andouille Gumbo, babyback ribs with red beans and rice, Shrimp platter with huspuppies and coleslaw.  Every dish was absolutely delicious.  Tyler inhaled his gumbo.  We were just getting started, and he had already finished. 

 Saturday - We went over to Cafe DuMonde, which of course was packed, so went and had some krispy creme donuts instead.  We ate them while we took a carriage ride around the French Quarter.  Cafe DuMonde could wait until later in the day.

Parker with his grillled alligator on a stick at the Flea Market.

More rain...but isn't this balcony beautiful?

 We had lunch at the Gumbo Shop.

Emma loved that it looked like it was raining bubbles.

Tomorrow we're off to the Atchafalaya Basin!

week 3 - part two Disneyworld, and Kennedy Space Center

Our eight days at Disneyworld are almost over, and of course, there is never enough time to see and do everything.

Wednesday - we went back to Disney's MGM Hollywood Studios to see the things we missed last Thursday, because of the storm.  We went on the Backlot Tour, and saw the Lights!Motors!Action!Stunt Show, which was loud, smoky, and lots of fun to watch.

This was taken in front of the new Star Tours ride.  I don't know how many different "scenarios" there are, but the 2nd time we went on it, it was with Jar-Jar Binks, and it was pretty funny.


 

We found a spot to rest where there was a little breeze, and we could cool down.  The frozen banana I had, and, the ice cream sandwiches the kids had didn't hurt either.

The kids wanted to jump right in.

The boys and their fascination with toy guns.




after our day at MGM, Emma, Parker, and I ,went to Blizzard Beach, the other Disney water park.  We were only there for a couple of hours, but it was pretty empty, and we went on all the rides we wanted to go on.  Parker even waited in line at the tallest ride, thinking it would be an hour wait, like the sign said, but he was off of the ride in 20 minutes.  The water was so refreshing after such a hot, muggy day.

This is the light parade that goes by on the water at Fort Wilderness, the Disney campground.  We were also able to watch the fireworks at Magic Kingdom from the beach, listening to the music  that accompanies them from nearby speakers.  That was nice.  Fireworks without the crowd!



Thursday morning, before we checked out, Gene, Emma, Ty , and I went shopping for souvenirs at World of Disney, in Downtown Disney.  I forgot to take pictures, until we were on the bus heading back to our campsite.

Emma bought the bear from Toy Story that smells like strawberries.

Goodbye, Disneyworld!!!


Now, it's on to the Kennedy Space Center.

Back to our home away from home...

 

Then we drove on to Daytona Beach, where we ate dinner at a Cracker Barrel located in front of the Daytona Speedway.  Jordan, this picture is for you.