Being creative in the kitchen can be quite exhausting. Now that my children are getting older, I find myself spending less time in the kitchen and enjoy quality time with them OUTSIDE the kitchen. But I do make exceptions for the holidays! Carnival Season in Southeast Louisiana is BIG. In fact, I would rather by pass Valentines and start counting the days until our 1st local Mardi Gras parade rolls into town. Today I am sharing a fun way to incorporate Carnival Season into our meals without Continue Reading
Visit Your Own State Parks – California State Parks #BayouTravel
Today we include California into our A Walk In the Park, State Park Spotlight. For those of you not familiar with our 50 week series, Blogging Babies and the Bayou will take readers into a new state every week and feature local State Parks. My mission is to open the eyes of many readers and give a small glimpse of what your own state may offer. Having lived in California for 12 years of my life, as a child I visited several State Parks through the Girl Scout Program. Enjoy our Walk in the Continue Reading
Mardi Gras Inspired Cream Cheese Filled King Cake Muffins
One of our favorite parts of Mardi Gras is finding the perfect king cake. Locals are constantly looking for the BEST King Cake sold in their area and some will take great lengths to recreate their own DIY king cake recipe. While others are looking for the perfect combination of sprinkled sugar, icing and flavored fillings I am on the mission to find the perfect cake flavor. Today I share (in my opinion) the best of both world- single serve cinnamon cupcake flavor with a cream cheese filling. I Continue Reading
NYC with Kids on a Budget #BayouTravel
If your travel plans have you landing in New York City don’t wring your hands at the thought of how expensive this vacation could cost. It’s true that NYC is notoriously expensive, but that doesn’t mean you have to pay top dollar to have the best experiences. There are a lot of free and inexpensive activities for families to enjoy in the city. When you begin planning your vacation, take some time to do some research and make a list of everything your family wants to see and do. It might make Continue Reading
Mardi Gras Flavors – Traditional New Orleans Hurricane Recipe
You can not visit New Orleans without trying a traditional New Orleans Hurricane. If you can't make the Mardi Gras festivities this year, perhaps you can enjoy a New Orleans Hurricane in the comfort of your own home. Aside from being economical, many of the ingredients needed are already in your home bar cabinet. Perfect for entertaining and a quick cocktail to prepare with few key ingredients. Hurricane Recipe 1 shot amaretto 1 shot light rum 1 shot dark rum ¾ cup orange Continue Reading
6 Reasons to Visit St. Augustine Florida #BayouTravel
Florida isn’t all about Orlando or Miami, there are lots of great cities up and down the coastline. In 3 weeks my family and I will be traveling to St. Augustine, Florida in hopes of adding more excitement into our educational, family travels. St. Augustine is one of the most historical cities is the Gulf Coast area and a short 8 hours drive from the New Orleans, Louisiana area. The area offers traditional tourist attractions, yet infused with historical elements your family is looking for in a Continue Reading
Cruise Chat: Souvenirs Worth Bringing Home #BayouTravel
Souvenirs Worth Bringing Home Embroidered sombreros and traditional dresses are alluring souvenirs when you’re on location in somewhere new. There’s a whole industry that’s dedicated to turning out kitschy souvenirs that tourists just can’t “live without.” But, chances are once you arrive home you’ll be scratching your head and wondering, why in the world did I buy this? It’s ok, we all have done it. But the next time you’re visiting somewhere new consider these souvenirs Continue Reading
Visit Your Own State Parks – Arkansas State Parks #BayouTravel
Today we include Arkansas our A Walk In the Park, State Park Spotlight. For those of you not familiar with our 50 week series, Blogging Babies and the Bayou will take readers into a new state every week and feature local State Parks. My mission is to open the eyes of many readers and give a small glimpse of what your own state may offer. My daughter was 7 years old when my parents brought her to her 1st Arkansas State/National Park. My daughter, now a teen, frequently recalls that same trip with Continue Reading
Top 5 Romantic Travel Destinations
It's fun to take vacations with the family or on your own, but sometimes you just want to get away from it all with your significant other. You and your loved one need to be able to get away together so you can refresh and rejuvenate your relationship. This will help keep you two close for many years to come, making it easier to recommit to each other every day. Europe Europe is a great place to travel if you're looking for a romantic vacation. Many of the major cities and towns on this Continue Reading
Living in Louisiana – Visiting Fort Pike State Historic Site
Living in Louisiana is like stepping into a time machine. Louisiana is so fortunate to have lived and survived some of our Nations most difficult times. Fort Pike is an example that survival mechanism that New Orleans still carries on today. My grandfather instilled in me a love for Louisiana History. Because of this, I find myself constantly trying to engage my own children with Louisiana history. Last weekend Fort Pike had their annual Historic Reenactment. I found myself bracing the Continue Reading
Gulf Shores Mardi Gras + Free Download Mardi Gras Printable
When I was 12 year old I had my very first New Orleans Mardi Gras Experience. It was actually a Metairie Parade, but 23 years later this blogging mama has had her fair share of Mardi Gras moments. Now that my children are older, I struggle to find ways to incorporate family vacations into the kid's school and social schedules. Do you have a teen? Trust me, that girl will NOT miss school for anything. I find myself using Mardi Gras Break as the perfect time to take a few days off of my full-time Continue Reading
How to Stay on a Budget When Friends and Family Visit #BayouTravel
No matter how good we are about staying on budget, there are times when we entirely blow our whole budget for the month. Family and friends that are visiting, or even friends that we ordinarily spend time with, can sometimes talk us into spending more on activities and shopping that we would if left on our own. With the Mardi Gras & Easter holidays approaching, and more visits with family and friends that you are normally used to, this is a great time to go over your finances and arm yourself Continue Reading