- A Really Good Find -

From Mandeville, you get on a bike trail for a little over 4 miles and run into a phenomenal playground. Did you catch that adjective? Seriously, it was impressive.
After you are done on the playground....

...you ride further down the trail, about another 4 miles, and run into a quaint town with a wonderful restaurant/brewery. The restaurant has large portions and since I don't care for beer,
we settled for root beer:)

Across the street from the restaurant is a very cool fountain that the boys played in. Do I even need to mention that they had a blast?

It was good family time. We sang, 'the ants go marching' to the ant piles. We talked about Brutas (another post for another day:) We watched dad relive his childhood by popping wheelies. We got to watch a giant dead tree get cut down. A good time! Even our bodies thanked us, but our butts had something else to say about it.
(I guess no family event can be absolutely perfect!)

Thanks to Southern Living for posting an article about the trail and for all its suggestions.

Annie!

Canoeing on Bayou St. John

Once upon a time there were two brother, Iberville and Bienville.......this was an educational AND fun field trip for Athan and his class. The guides taught them some history on how New Orleans was founded, why we call it the Crescent City (the crescent of the river:), and they even had a treasure hunt where they found an "old" map that took them to some "treasure"!!!

Old ruins of the Spanish Fort

When I heard that 25 kids in Athan's class would be canoeing down Bayou St John, I was a bit apprehensive. In all honesty, I did not know where Bayou St John was! All it took was a little googling to find out that it was in our "backyard" Bayou St John runs along City Park into Lake Ponchatrain. (We drive next to it every day taking Athan to school) So, I was relieved that my child was not going to get swallowed up by any alligators!

They had a great time and made some great memories.

I Heart Kindergarten

There is something so special to me about this year. It is a year where our babies become kids, and it is a year where they learn SO much in such a fun way! It is a book end to the many school years to come.


Alf and I got to go share in a Thanksgiving Feast with Aiden and his class yesterday. You can see in the pictures that they made center pieces, place mats, name tags, labels for the food, menus.....Things started off by the kids singing some cute songs and then we dined with two other kids and their parents. The company was enjoyable and the food was yummy!

I chose to bring something simple (veggie plate and corn). My favorite dish that was there was a "pizza" that was made completely from raw foods, even the crust! I am hearing more and more about this wonderful (but tasking) way of eating. Dont know if it is just new to me or it is new all around?

Anyway, look how cute!! The vest where they implemented pattern, shape and color. The head piece had feathers in the back and each one was a different color that symbolized something (red for kindness) and they had to earn their feathers. A bracelet that told the story of the pilgrims and indians! Yes, I did get him telling the story on video:) And of course the necklace that said - He who loves his Brother.
When we were coming home from school, he was trying to figure out what birds all the feathers came from. I had to explain to him that not ALL feathers these days come off a bird created by the hands of God:)
(The picture below is Aiden describing to daddy about the feathers)

Where is waldo??
Aiden is in the back standing up next to the tee pee!
His teacher is the lady to the left, with her assistant next to her. The lady on the right is a student teacher from Tulane that is with us for the semester. (His teacher reminds me of my Kindergarten teacher:)
I have had a wonderful time getting to volunteer in the class and going on field trips. It is an adorable group of kids! There was a kid that told me he wanted to be a paleontologist, one of the boys wants to be a football player (by the looks of his hands, he just might), a little girl in the class reminds me of punky brewster, and I have a serious crush on the red head - oh my goodness!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

45 Life Lessons

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste your time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It is more healing then crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is your brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come....

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.

44. Yeild.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

I got this in an email from a neighbor. Supposedly, a 90 year old wrote this. To celebrate growing older, 45 lessons life taught her. Hope you enjoyed it!