Easter Week

This has been a very busy week.   Hit the ground running after the re-entry from a month-long trip to Florida (next post will be the recap of that exciting month).  Then, appointments with clients, my Nail Girl and my hairdresser....I was a mess from cleaning my RV top to bottom, inside and out....getting my house back to normal after being closed up for a month and then of course not having my nails done from a month of hand washing dishes...ughhhhh, I needed some pampering!    By Thursday I was off on another road trip...this time only to New Orleans for an over- night slumber party with two dear friends.  Barbara McKneely from Virginia picked me up on her way down from Alexandria, LA, where she was visiting family and we drove to Debbie Cerise's home in Metairie, LA.  We had the best time catching up and eating, and visiting New Orleans and eating and shopping and eating!  On Thursday afternoon we had lunch at a fabulous seafood restaurant in "Old Metairie" on Metairie Road.  I had the Shrimp Salad Stuffed Tomato.....wow, was it good!
Then we drove around, ending up at Lakeside Mall where Deb took us to a great new gelato and sweets place called SUCRE'.  It is a precious, happy place to have gelato, chocolates, coffee, pastries, cup cakes to die for.....who la la....I have never tasted ice cream quite like that!   Then we were back to Deb's where we rested.  Eddie, Debbie's husband had been fishing all day  and came home with 30 trout from Lake Pontchartrain....cleaned them, filleted them, and then fried them for supper....absolutely awesome fish....couldn't get any fresher then that! 

On Good Friday morning, we woke late, had coffee and more talk...then after getting dressed we headed out the door to Magazine Street in New Orleans...a quaint, "uptown" street filled with shops and great cafes and restaurants.  We shopped a little....then had lunch at GOTT GOURMET CAFE....I had the curry chicken salad....and I can tell you...I usually don't like curry, but this was excellent.  It was cool enough, so we ate on the sidewalk table:

                                                       Mel, Debbie, Barbara
After having dessert at the Magazine Street SUCRE' (you know we had to get more of that gelato) we  loaded in the car and headed for a tour of St. Charles Avenue  and the Garden District and  then on to  Lakeview....to see the progress that has been made since Katrina.  The city is bustling and the weather was perfect!

We drove back to Lafayette Friday night and after saying our "goodbyes" Barbara and her daughter, Maggie were heading back to Alexandria.  We had a busy and fun-filled two days.

On Saturday I got to do some catch up on work, laundry, and shopping for groceries for our Easter Sunday dinner.  The gang is coming over for their favorite:  Roast, Rice and Gravy and all the extras that go along with it.
Natalie and Alicia and their families will be here....and we'll be missing Jena and her family since they are in Nashville.  They have had a busy week, too,  with celebrating Passover, Feast of Unleaven Bread and  then the Festival Celebration today....

                                                                         Asher and Gracie
They dressed up for the celebration!   No they are not Jewish....their  Christian Church celebrates all of the Feasts and Festivals which are in the Bible.  Wish I could have been there with them.

Easter Sunday was perfect...the weather stayed nice....I had a great time in my kitchen cooking and baking...and then the "gang" arrived....none too soon as Wayne (hubby) was pacing the kitchen dying to attack the roast before it could be carved for dinner.  We were to sit down to dinner between 2 and 3 pm...well, I guess you could call that "late lunch", however, since I served on the "good china" we'll call it dinner! :)
                          

Joshua and Julie waiting to open their gifts

                               
                               
                                             Hunter with his

Dessert that was "spiked" and oh so good

 
Easter Egg Hunt in Mimi's yard

It was a good day with family and remembering that we are celebrating the Risen Christ who gave his life for us so that we can be saved to live with Him in Heaven!