Tuesday's Travel To Do- New Orleans

I have slacked off on my travel to dos and I’m not even sure slacked is the word as I haven’t posted one in like a year. L I know, I’m filled with shame.  Anyways, I vowed last week that I intend on being a better blogger and that’s what I’m going to do. 

ONWARD to this week’s Tuesday Travel To Do! 

Since I’ve come home I haven’t really gotten a chance to do any traveling not even a weekend away but one that keeps popping up in mind is New Orleans. 

I keep thinking that New Orleans would make a great long weekend trip.  It would be a nice, maybe a bit long, drive down so a mini road trip would be involved but once we got there it would be sites, food, and fun.  I have been to New Orleans once after high school because our cruise ship left from there but there wasn’t time to site see or anything so to me it doesn’t really count. 

When I think of New Orleans I think of culture, old, jazz music, mardi gras, and a lot of fun to be had.  That’s why this week’s Tuesday’s Travel To Do is New Orleans.  I am a bit overloaded with homework so I’m going to show a few cool pictures to showcase a bit of the city.  When I think of a long weekend in NOLA I think of an unplanned itinerary while just roaming the streets and enjoying the street cafes. 

After arriving from the drive STAY here! I always try to stay in a Marriott no matter where I go.  I think they are the best hotel chain and you are guaranteed the same exceptional service no matter the location.  They are GREAT!

VISIT these Historic sites!

The Garden District of Historic Homes...bound to be awesome and to transport you back to another era

St. Louis Cathedral. You know cathedrals are always stunning.

Take a walk on the wild and DARK side and visit a couple of these to learn some culture.

Historic Voodoo Museum...freaky but so interesting

Visit one of New Orleans cemeteries and find out what makes them so different from others across the US and I'm sure the world.

EAT

REAL Cajun food....mmm mmm good. And right now is getting to be craw fish season.  Makes me hungry just thinking about it.

The famous and prized Cafe Du Monde a must even though it's a tourist area I wouldn't miss it.

while at the Cafe you can eat their famous beignets and have a coffee

Wholesome FUN

visit the zoo

ride a street car

Be a STREET walker (get your minds out of the gutters people, I'm talking about a leisurely stroll) among the famous streets of New Orleans

Canal Street

Bourbon Street

Festival Fun

Mardi Gras

Well people I hope you saw enough of New Orleans, Louisiana to give it a shot on a long stay or a long weekend, either way your senses will be over loaded with culture and you will submersed in another world. 

Happy Tuesday and Happy Traveling



48 Random Facts about Me

Saw this HERE and thought it would be a fun post.

 1. What time did you get up this morning?  8:30, its hard to sleep in when Lincoln works nights because he comes in around 6:45 a.m. and I always sort of wake up at this point.

2. How do you like your steak? Medium rare. I used to like it like a little dried up charcoal bricket but as I've grown more mature my taste in meat has also. LOL

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Friday I saw One for the Money with Amber

4. What is your favorite TV show? I have a lot of favorites. Some of the current faves are Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, anything Kardashian related, and Army Wives

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?  Germany no question

6. What did you have for breakfast? Cream of Wheat

7. What is your favorite food?  Meat and potatoes.  Nothing beats a good filet of beef. MMM MMM Good

8. Foods you dislike?  not a whole lot but I don't like brussel sprouts

9. Favorite place to eat? I love steak and if I can get a good one at a restaurant I love it like Saltgrass but I also really just love homecooking so I would really pick home over anything else

10. Favorite dressing?  Italian

11. What kind of vehicle do you drive?  Toyota Corolla my truck LOL

12. What are your favorite clothes?  I don't really know because I'm not one of those girls that is all into that.  I'm mostly wear and I am most comfortable in just jeans and boots

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? The world...why limit myself to just one place to visit?  There are millions of miles of ground I need to cover.

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?  As in the way I look at things I have to go with 1/2 empty but my current cup runneth over with greatness

15. Where would you want to retire?  My dream home with lots of family and friends and farm animals around

16. Favorite time of day?  Night or those long days of summer where it's still light at night :)

17. Where were you born? Mt. Pleasant, Texas, y'all.

18. What is your favorite sport to watch?  Basketball

19. What is your favorite fragrance? None. I'm not really into perfumes and fragrances.

20. What is your favorite face cream? I don't really know what constitutes as face cream but I use Mary Kay moisturizer

21. Favorite baby/kids products? Ask me again in a few years. ;)

22. People watcher?  Not really I work at a bank I get enough people there that I don't want to watch when I don't have too. LOL

23. Are you a morning or night person? Night. No matter what time I wake up, it always takes me a while to get going in the morning.

24. Do you have any pets?  Hercules my 15 month old boxer

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?  Ummmm I don't think so. LOL

26. What did you want to be when you were little?  A vet

27. What is your favorite memory? 

28. Are you a cat or dog person?  Dog

29. Are you married? No

30. Always wear your seat belt?  always as a driver but sometimes as a passenger I don't

31. Been in a car accident?  yep a single car with ME the single driver I over corrected and wrecked...ever since then I wear my seat belt.

32. Any pet peeves?  People with bad table manners.

33. Favorite pizza toppings? Pepperoni

34. Favorite flower? Tulips

35. Favorite ice cream? Not a big ice cream person but I guess if I have to pick then Rocky Road

36. Favorite fast food restaurant?  Subway

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? None.

38. From whom did you get your last email? Erika The Fairy Blog Mother, on POSSIBLY my new blog design

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?  oh geez idk Lowes

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? No not really...I'm more of a planner not a fly by the seat of my pants kind of gal

41. Like your job? I do now!

42. Broccoli?  Yuck

43. What was your favorite vacation?  That's easy.  Thailand with my cousin Mia.  Once in a lifetime and totally unforgettable
44. Last person you went out to dinner with?  Amber, Friday night after our movie

45. What are you listening to right now? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 on TV

46. What is your favorite color?  idk I really like all colors but I love coral

47. How many tattoos do you have?  4 butterfly on my back, heart on my hip, a solid heart on my foot, and love is patient in Arabic on my wrist

48. Coffee drinker?    Yes but just a one cup girl.  That's why I LOVE my Keurig


***************** There you have it folks 48 random facts about Megan ********************

My First Garden

Good Sunday morning, I am up and going at 8:30 this morning and have several things that I want to do around the house but over all I think its going to be an all day pajama day.  LOL  It's been a while since I've had one of those.  Yesterday was a different story and my main goal was to get my garden area fenced off and tilled up so it's ready for me to plant things when that time comes.  I am happy to report that is exactly what happened and this morning I potted my seeds to get them started.  I have always wanted a garden and now that I am home for good have some space to do it....I thought why not?  I am really excited to get it going and I just hope and pray that its a success.

I have all my plants started as seedlings, as of this morning, except my really summery ones like watermelon and musk melon.  I plan on growing okra, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, sweet red peppers, jalapenos, cayenne peppers, onion, and cucumber.  Not a whole lot of things but to me I already am feeling skeptical like maybe I got in over my head. LOL 

I really felt like that after I saw the finished garden space.  I was like hhmmmm I hope I can handle all of this.  My Dad & Patricia came over to help me fix it up. 

I found the spot I wanted to put it. On the East side of my house.

Dad getting the boundary set and I drove the post.

Used chicken wire to keep all the critters out and I ran some just along the barbed wire fence as one side of it.  Here attaching the chicken wire to the post.

Dad taking a break

securing more wire to post and Hercules is intently watching so he can help the next go around. LOL



Rigging up a board that I'm gonna use for part of my gate

Got our gate installed and now finishing the wire attachment

Dad was tired since he did almost ALL the tilling so I got in and made some rows.  That is HARD work.  Don't be fooled!

FINISHED

YAY I am so glad that this task got accomplished this weekend and now I'm on my way to being Ouiser Boudreaux. LOL  You know from Steel Magnolia's, one of the best movies of all time.  I'm like Ouiser in the fact that I don't like tomatoes but I'm growing them anyways because DUH that's what you do when you have a garden you grow tomatoes....among other things. :)

Happy Growing!

What's in YOUR laundry room?

Washer- YES
Dryer- YES
Worm compost---------BREAKS....WHAT

Yep, I have worm compost in my laundry room or the makings of compost anyways.  So as I told you a few weeks ago I attended a gardening seminar in Pittsburg and it was over compost.  NOT what I expected but I did learn something and I have put that knowledge to good use.

Today, I finally got my worms so I could put together my compost bucket. 

It is really easy and they pretty much take care of themselves.  All I have to do is feed them about every other week.  In approx 2 months I will should have about 5 gallon size bags full of VERY fertile soil that I can use in my garden.  (more on that later)  Worms like to stay in dark places and also need to be kept in a neutral temp like a house, barn, or shed the point is they just don't need to get too hot or too cold.  Now don't worry because they can't get out of their container and there shouldn't be any odor. (if there is your doing it wrong)

You will need:

• container- I used a Rubbermaid tub I had on hand
• drill
• newspapers
• 5 or 6 cups of yard dirt
• a couple handfuls of leaves (optional)
• worms
• fresh food scraps like potato peels, egg shells, raw vegetable clippings, coffee and tea grounds
• water

What you do:

• Drill holes in the top of your container around all the edges so your worms can get air
• Layer the bottom of your container with newspaper

• Add in dirt and leaves on top

• Dump in worms on one side of your container

• Put your fresh scraps on the other side

• pour water over it just to moisten (NOT TOO MUCH)
• Let your worms do the rest

TIPS:

• Only use newspaper nothing colored or shiny like magazines
• NO cooked food or meats only raw veg
• They are supposed to love cornmeal also so you can sprinkle some on top
• Next time you feed them put the food on the opposite end of the previous feeding so you keep your worms moving and eating some that they might have missed

Friday Night Movie

Last night, Friday, after I got off work I raced to MP to meet Amber at the movies.  She had invited me earlier in the day and seeing I had no plans I accepted.  We saw One for the Money and it was surprisingly good.  I had seen the previews for it a few times and it didn't really strike me as something I would spend money on.  Amber wanted to see it and I am glad i didn't protest.  I loved the movie, it was funny, had some action, and the ending was just what we were hoping for.


After the movie we headed over to a TRUE Mexican restaurant and stuffed our bellies with tacos.  I headed to Wal-Mart for a few things after we ate and Amber had to go help a friend study for a law exam.  It was great having a little girl time and was way better than the alternative....sitting at home alone on a Friday night seeing Lincoln had to work. 

Truck Shmuck

Lincoln is a pickup man...of course I could never date someone who drove a Honda or something like that. LOL  Anyways at least twice a week we talk about vehicles and its mainly like this:

Lincoln "BABE you should see this truck I found on Craigslist!"

Me        " really what did it look like"

Lincoln commences to tell me all the ins and outs of said vehicle

Then we have the occasional conversation where its ME telling him what I would like in a new vehicle. Mostly I lean toward an SUV but there are days where a truck looks and sounds really nice.  Either way I go I will be going Toyota when the time comes but that's neither here nor there. 

Lincoln always sides with me needing a truck. 

1. so he can use it too

2. so I can help him and we can take my vehicle hunting, hauling things, etc

3. so I don't have to use his truck for things. LOL

This weekend was going to be a number 3.  I had a million things to do on my list this morning and a few of them were:

• get chicken wire
• get t-posts
• buy worms

As you can read...I needed to use his truck for some of these things because it would make my life a whole lot easier, but also on my list were:

• clean car
• get oil changed
• go to feed store

SSSOOOO I decided to just suck it up and take my car.  The list dealing with my car were WAY more important and HAD to be done so instead of me doing all this extra driving and vehicle changing that's what I did. 

I was up, dressed, coffee made, and in MV by 8:30 on a SATURDAY mind you.  I got so much accomplished and got everything that I could marked off my list.  I didn't get the car cleaned but that was about it.  I even got all my necessary fence building materials plus some potting soil, worms, and paint. 

WHO needs a truck when you have a Corolla S?

Me and Lincoln have a running joke about my car, we call it my truck because I use it for everything like it is my truck.  I do this because its my car and I don't have a truck and my car is just so freaking awesome that it can do everything I need it to do. 

This includes but is not limited to:

• hauling chain saws
• gas for the lawn mowers
• groceries
• fence building supplies
• dog
• 55 inch TV

Now you can see why Lincoln agrees I need a truck when I up grade because I just do too much for anything else. LOL

This morning's haul.  and as you can see there is room to spare and a whole other seat that could be laied down!!!!

DIY: Re-do an Antique Lamp

Now I use the word antique loosely! LOL  My Mom and Mike got some new lamps for their living room and my mom was planning on throwing the "antique" ones out. LOL  They were pretty old and gold and ugly BUT I saw their true worth. :)  I confiscated one of them and re-did it today.  I was also so pleased with the way it turned out I just texted her to have her keep the other one for me too. 

I am planning/in the process of redecorating or just decorating for the first time my guest room.  I have some really nice furniture in there and it has sort of a western feel to it.  I don't want a western themed room so I decided to do something light, relaxing, warm, and cozy all in the same decor.  I haven't done the room yet just the lamp so I won't give all my elements of surprise up just the lamp right now.  The rest will come in spurts so I probably won't reveal the rest until the room is complete but the lamp is too good to be true.  I am sad and jealous of myself for doing such a good job because I don't want to put it in the guest room I want to use it so I can see it and be delighted often.  :(  Oh well, I guess I shouldn't out do myself and I wouldn't feel this way. 

ANYWAYS

Without further ado I present to you the before & the after!

You will need:

• Old Lamp
• 1 can appliance paint in wanted color
• lamp shade
• lace ribbon
• hot glue and approx 3 glue sticks

 

I love, love, love my newly redecorated lamp!  Mother you missed out. LOL

DIY: Chalkboard

Back in September on one of me and Kaylynn's Canton trips I picked up some letters cut out of steel and a cabinet front.  I also got some chalkboard spray paint at Wal-Mart and my project was in the works.  I did all the painting and things and Lincoln attached my letters to the front of my board.

I love the way it turned out and it took up a bit of space and added some decor in my laundry room.

You will need:

• 1 cabinet front
• Decor of your choice if any
• Paint of your choice for cabinet
• Chalkboard paint

Mailbox Love

In honor of February & it being the love month and all I decided to take part in a little challenge that I found here!  An author, Mary Robinette Kowal, set forth THIS challenge and it goes something like this:

1. In the month of February, mail at least one item through the post every day it runs. Write a postcard, a letter, send a picture, or a cutting from a newspaper, or a fabric swatch.
2. Write back to everyone who writes to you. This can count as one of your mailed items.

All you are committing to is to mail 24 items. Why 24? There are four Sundays and one US holiday. In fact, you might send more than 24 items. You might develop a correspondence that extends beyond the month. You might enjoy going to the mail box again.

Not only am I going to be showing my love for my friends by sending them a nice note, letter, or whatever I am going to be showing every one's mailbox some mail.  First off, my poor little rusty white mailbox will get to send instead of always receiving and all of ya'lls mailboxes are going to be shown a little love in the form that equals NOT A BILL!  LOL  I get such joy out of the little things in life and checking the mail is one of them.  Even now all I get are the expected bills and the not so expected or wanted junk mail but every great once in a while I will get the save the date or a shower invite and it instantly puts a smile on my face.  I can't tell you what I find so enjoyable but it's just fun.  So I have my list of names and I'm sending out my email and texts to get the proper addresses tomorrow so I can start and finish my Month of Letters Challenge. 

Join me in showing some mailboxes some love!