Lovin' Some Louisiana

I was so super excited to take my kids to meet their extended family in south Louisiana this past weekend. Growing up we went about once a year, and it was alway such a good time. I have such great memories from there, I wanted to my kids to know what it was like.

All my cousins that I used to play with are now all grown up, and our kids are playing together. It blows my mind. It's so crazy. It seems like just yesterday it was us that were riding the four wheelers together.

We had a true cajun gathering- lots of family, good food, and a live Zydeco band.

We stayed at a bed and breakfast with Jessica (my sister), Ben (my brother-in-law) and the kids. Just a little word from the wise...don't stay in a bed and breakfast with a 13 month old wild child. They will go straight for the pretty decorations and rip them all to shreds. Oops! Needless to say, we didn't spend much time there. We just slept there, so we didn't have to acquire another mortgage before we left. :)

Here are some pictures at the bed and breakfast.

After we got out of the house as fast as we possibly could Saturday morning we grabbed breakfast then headed to Avery Island. This is where they make Tobasco Sauce. Can you believe it? All tobasco sauce comes from this little place? The chili peppers are grown on the island, and also in South America. They split it up like that for two reasons. One because of the winter months and two for the health of the crops. There are standards though as to which peppers are picked. The pickers carry a "petite baton rouge". This is a little stick with a red rubber coating on the end. The peppers that are the same color as the red on the stick are ready to be picked and turned into tobasco sauce. Another interesting fact, the McIlhenny's still hand pick the pepper plants from which the seeds are to be extracted and planted. They do this by walking the rows and throwing strings on the plants they feel are suitable. Then the pickers extract seeds from only those for future crops. Pretty neat huh?

Here are some pictures from the tobasco factory.

Here are the kids in front of the Tobasco store.

The grounds were amazingly beautiful. We found some old trees that were perfect for pictures playing!

This little man couldn't be trusted in the trees, so here he is...looking on with great envy!

We then headed over to Uncle Larry and Aunt Helen's for the reunion/gathering. It was a blast.

Here is the band. Uncle Larry even got up there and sang!

The wagon was an obvious hit!

The girls mostly hung out by the crawfish ponds.

They did love the four wheeler too!

And lots and lots of hanging out!

Can't wait to go back!