...for the first time in 15 years and probably 50 trips back and forth from Atlanta to just passed Baton Rouge, to New Roads and Glynn, we had major drama. FOR 3 SOLID HOURS, we sat still in the summer sun on a bridge not even an hour outside of Atlanta, with 8 hours to go. 4 miles ahead was a huge big rig spill. For the first almost hour, with gas so expensive, we sat still idling with the AC running. It was hot. Then we started to hear news reports and checked the net on our phones, to find out there was no true end in sight. The Jeep went off and we just hung out on this bridge trying to make the best of it and trying to figure out if we should head back once all was clear and start fresh the next day. The kids were amazing and not at all irritable, which helped. I used to always pick on Monique because she would pack so much food and snacks for our trips that we would have while in Louisiana and bring all the way to our pantry in Georgia on many occasions...was so glad for her effort this time. Other stranded folk walked to the next exit to get water, food, and grocery shop. The scene was what I imagine took place as the highways were like parking lots during the Katrina evacuation. We met and befriended lots of people. One lady was one exit from her house...how frustrating! Our Jeep just happened to be stopped next to a beautifully dehydrated flat slice of roadkill...lovely sight for 3 hours( in the middle of the picture above). Once things seem to get going again, people were running up and down the highway to get back to their cars, and we decided to keep on truckin. Packing the kids up and us up with all the kids' stuff and our stuff is no easy task and the thought of starting that again the next day, was just not an option.
Once we got to the country, we found out about all the activities for kids in the area. Here, Quadson runs through water from a fire hose. The local fire department scheduled some water time for area residents and ran their hose for 30 minutes. TALK ABOUT FUN!! Especially the fun that was had after the firemen left and there was a huge, muddy pool to play in.
Quadson and Les met up at the water activity with their cousins, Ainsley, Amelia (not pictured) and Madison.
Monique and her cousin, Gina, a model military wife, are the crafty twins. To support her husband's 600 -soldier brigade in an effort to send them goodies for Christmas while they are serving in Iraq, Gina and Monique created these stone "fleur de lis" coasters and trivets to sell to begin raising the monies for this big Christmas endeavor. This design is very "en vogue" on everything in Louisiana. They were able to set up in front of the busiest place in this small town, Wal-Mart, where they raked in lots of cash in support of the troops.
Leslie helped out!
She insists on wearing sunglasses now, upside down.
Our homeschooling continued during their Independence Day break. We enrolled them for a few projects that took place at the local library branch...here they make patriotic wind socks.
Quadson gets some computer time in at the library.
Here at the grandparents', the kids create a spider, assembled with leaves, twigs, a rock and of course, some glue.
Very cool and almost as big as some of the critters out there.
We also enrolled the kids in an art camp sponsored by the AKA sorority in Baton Rouge. Quadson and his cousin, Madison, attended the art camp for 2-3 days from 8am- noon. They brought home some elaborate project each day.
Leslie was too young to attend the art camp, but she rehearsed to prepare for her time to go next year.
They had great fun at the AKA Art Camp.
The kids get to experience so much that they might not back in Atlanta. Here Quadson, pressure washes one of Pop's old trucks.
Pop made the kids this special playground set attached to a slide that he found somewhere. The kids try it out.
Uncle Richard and Nannie Glynette took Quadson fishing on False River, which is really a lake, a cut-off of the mighty Mississippi.
Leslie and I stopped by to visit the fishers. They were at the riverside camp of world-renowned author, Ernest Gaines, a close family friend of a couple of Monique's aunts. One of his works was made into an HBO movie and was an Oprah Book Club selection. Another of his works about Miss Jane Pittman was also made into a movie.
The English major in me got a little star-struck and snapped a photo of the Gaines' compound across the street from the river and his family's camp. We don't see Mr. Gaines often but we see his lovely and super-sweet wife and granddaughter who always attend the shin-digs we have for the kids in Louisiana.
Les and I had fun checking up on big brother.
Richard fishes while Glynette swings in the shade. Such a nice pier. Very peaceful.
Crystal, who lived with us for a minute while she was in college in Atlanta, got her dream car, a Honda Element, a great corporate job and her first mortgage. In their rural town, there are no apartments, so professional folks starting out usually get themselves a mortgage and a trailer. The garden tub in her master bedroom is a swimming pool!! We are too proud of Crystal.
Crystal had great food, tent and THE FAN that is like a typical appliance for a Louisiana native. Everyone has a fan this size for all the outdoor functions they have in the bayou heat. And they work!!
Crystal even had a jump apparatus for the kids. Leslie loved this.
One of Crystal's guests had these donned on her bosom. Blew my mind...had to ask for a photo op. New news is she is expecting another...where on earth will it go!
We attended a 50th wedding anniversary reception. What a great couple.
Leslie making friends at the reception.
Leslie poses with her cousins.
Monique poses with her cousins.
We always thought that casinos posted fake people up on their hall of winners, until we saw Monique's cousin framed up along the wall. The casino was a fun time...Monique's folks won kinda big!!!
On one Sunday, we took a drive with Monique's folks to pay some visits. We took the ferry for one visit, which is always fun and different for us Atlantans, where there is basically no body of water.
We were able to visit with Mama Alva in her nursing home. We had a great visit. She suffers from slight senility but was "all there" for her visit with her great-grands, of which she has many.
The cutest thing was Leslie taking over Mama Alva's bed and actually pretending to sleep. She has a great fake snore.
We have to see our buds, Lorren and Tommy (pictured in the center of photo), whenever we are in town. We attended the opening gala of a production of The Producers. She and her fellow Junior League members put on a silent auction. It was a very hoity-toity event with a video message from Louisiana First Lady Jindal, and attendance from Baton Rouge's VIPs and their celebrity news anchors all decked out in tuxedos and shiny gowns, with yummy catering. The play/musical was too crazy.
Monique and Tommy chatting it up. We were so glad that the clothes we had just worn to a wedding in New Orleans were in decent enough shape to be recycled for this event.
Only in the country can you get a Paul Mitchell-trained stylist to do her thing on your front porch. Cousin Monica actually gave Monique a layered trim, but of course mini-Monique had to get something done too. Monica pretended to use scissors in her hair letting her hear the scissor noise, then put a little smell-good in there. Les was most content.
Quadson actually got a trim.
At the beginning of our 10-day visit, we and Monique's folks had a double date to New Orleans for the wedding of Elijah and Mindy. Mindy, Monique' s cousin, was the matron of honor in our wedding 15 years ago. We are so happy for the newlyweds...they are quite the good-looking couple.
The evening nuptials were in this beautiful, old mansion that serves as a library of sorts. New Orleans is one of America's best and most unique cities.
Elijah's groom's cake was the coolest I have ever seen... a crawfish boil!!!
There was a candy bar where you bag up your own goodies. Very cool...Monique loved this!!
The very informal and brief, yet beautiful nuptials were done on the grand staircase while hundreds of folk looked on. Monique was in tears. They included their children in the nuptials with presentations of symbolic jewelry. Just beautiful!
Monique and Mindy.
During one of our many visits, Leslie meets one of her newest cousins.
Monique's cousin, Tracey and her hubby, Jeff had just closed on this gorgeous home near Baton Rouge. What a great home!! Go Tracey!
We take in a little hibachi experience for lunch after the last day of Art Camp. The kids HATE the fire show.
What a summer it has been...and it's only halfway over!!!
We were able to attend a fine dining brunch at Monique's restaurant. She runs the front of the house of a fine dining restaurant, which is actually the class she teaches, on the top floor of her school building. They mostly prepare dinners, but for the summer quarter, they offered the community a Sunday brunch. It was superb!! Leslie sports mommy's name badge.
Monique's cousin, Heather, her 4 year old girl, Madison, and her friend, Paul picked a great weekend to visit us. They truly enjoyed their time and this Sunday brunch watching Monique run her class.
The kids hang out on the window ledge before we leave the brunch to take our guests out to see a bit of Atlanta.
The kids enjoy a tent we picked up at Ikea, during our outing in Atlanta. Les and Quadson had fun with their cousin from Louisiana.
