Big Fun

So in May we took a trip to see Jason's brother and his family in Texas.  We were gone a week and pawned our kids off on my mom, Jason's mom, Jason's sister and our really good friends.  We decided after this trip that it is getting time to start taking the kids with us.  Don't get my wrong we will still take our little trips here and there, but for big trips, it is just too hard leave the kids.  We miss them a ton, especially when you have adorable niece and nephew that were reminding you of them the whole time.  Here are a few pictures of our adventures!

This is us at a plantation call Oak Alley Plantation http://www.oakalleyplantation.com/.  It was so cool, Jason and his family put up with my fancy to visit a plantation.  We got a tour of the old mansion and ate lunch at there little restaurant there. I love the history of places like this.  These trees themselves are over 300 years old.  Nothing in the west compares to this kind of history!

From there we headed to New Orleans.  We were right next to the border between Texas and Louisiana, I couldn't let an opportunity pass to see "The Big Easy".  This picture is of our cute little "hotel" we stayed at.  it was fun to get a little taste of  the south.

This is The Saint Louis Cathedral in New Orleans it was very beautiful inside.  I have never been inside such amazing Cathedral before (I know go to Europe, right, I'm working on it) it was so different from our places of worship!  Yet, none the less beautiful! 

A little stop at Margaritaville, and some shopping.  Jason was a really good sport, he just followed me around and did what ever I wanted to do!

We went on a little tour of the Garden District, where I took about a million pictures of all the mansions.  I won't bore you with those, but wow!  I was eating this stuff up.  Another stop we made was to Lafayette Cemetery.  I wanted to see tombs, I have never seen in person the above ground tombs they have there.  It is so neat to see them, I learned a little about the way they "bury" their dead, and why.  It was very interesting!

Then back we went to Texas, Orange, TX to be exact. I have to say this little community has a lot to offer!  Thanks to a family named the Starks.  They left behind quite the legacy!  We tour their family home "The Stark Mansion" which is just amazing! This family were philanthropists they created the Stark Museum http://www.starkmuseum.org/The-Collections.aspx  to house there vast collection of art.  They collected cut glass, china, figurines which are all display.  They created the Stark Foundation that has been the benefactor of so many projects there!

We went on  a trip through the bayou, we didn't see any "gaters" though.  We went under this like 27 mile bridge it was amazing that they can do things like that! You call also tell by the bridge and the trees that it was low water.

 Later we went on a tour of the Tabasco plant on Avery Island, and the Jungle Gardens. The Plant was not that impresive, but the Gardens were.  We saw tons of "gaters".  Jason and his brother got a little too formiliar with them for my comfort, but it was fun!

Here is a picture of Jason's brother and his family.  We had a really good time with them.  I was nice to see them, we don't see them that often.  They were wonderful hosts and put up with us for a whole week!  I absolutely loved getting to know my niece and nephew.  They crack me up!  All in all it was a great vacation.  Thanks guys!