please slow down

Remember that time that I bought a house in Houston while I was in New Orleans for Jazz Fest?

That's how I feel about life right now. Just STOP. I cannot handle anything else. 

Let's review. 

A and our amazing realtor went house hunting on Wednesday. He liked a few, but didn't love anything. On Thursday they went back out and he found the one. The pictures online we SO bad (seriously - pay someone to do that!!), so I had him go back on Friday with my sister and to FaceTime me as he was going through it. 

I FaceTimed him from the courtyard at Brennan's - gotta do what you gotta do. 

The man has good taste - so of course I loved it! My sister gave her stamp of approval, so we put it an offer. (I signed the offer contract while at lunch in the Quarter.) We offered below asking. They countered and then A stood strong and countered back. Annnnd...we got it! I signed the final offer contract while we were at dinner at Muriel's. Maybe New Orleans food is my good luck charm?

We have the inspection on Thursday morning and I'm crossing my fingers and toes that the appraisal goes well. The inspection should bother me, but it's less than 5 years old so I'm not too worried about that. 

Yes - this was fast, we know. The area we want to be in (The Heights) is an INSANELY hot market right now. My sister lives right across from The Heights and her house got 4 offers on the very first day...and the one they went with was way above the asking price. I looked on HAR (a Houston real estate site, and a life saver) every day and consistently noticed houses that one day were active and the next were pending. So you HAVE to move fast. We do know for sure that this is the house for us - we love it. 

Enough about that - let's talk Jazz Fest now. 

I started the day with one too many French 75s at Pat O's. Hey, I was celebrating...

Did you think I was joking about the vodka in the breast milk bags?

Jazz Fest 2013? NO. Mud Fest 2013. IT WAS SO BAD. I fell and ruined my monogramed hat. I'm still so sad and upset. I think I listed to two Marc Broussard songs before leaving. Leaving...without my shoes. And without kisses from Adam. It was traumatic. Clearly I'm not over it.

Friday I night I maybe has a little bit too much to drink. I was drowning my sorrows...you would have too. Maybe I should try out for America's Next Top Model?

I started off with a Mint Julep on Saturday in honor of the derby. Too bad that shiz was disgusting. Maybe it's because I got it at Pat O's...I should probably stick to bloody's there.

And then I found Helene. So glad you could join me in your fave city!

Saturday night I was walking into The Beach and I had left my ID in the hotel. I had a fight with the door guy (I'm 25! I'm married!) but he wouldn't let me in. I may have called him a dumbass. I went back to the hotel to get my ID...but the bed looked super comfy. So I went to sleep. Best decision ever - those hooligans stayed out until five am and we all left at nine am. I WIN. 

So there you have it. My adventures in house buying and jazz festing. Now cross your fingers that everything goes well. 

go your own way

aren't my mama and daddy so precious? my pose/face can be blamed entirely on whoever kept the champagne flowing in my glass all night.

You're reading this at 9am-ish, right? Well you're reading this as I'm arriving in New Orleans for the weekend. In about two hours we will be loading the limo bus to head to the fairgrounds for some jazz festing. I mentioned it in detail here, but I'll go over it again. 

Now, I'm no music festing pro like my girl Helene is, but Jazz Fest is one of the best weekends ever. Maybe I have a skewed view of it because it's completely all expenses paid...but I am preeeety positive that you would love it if you had to pay for it. 

First of all, you are in New Orleans. Which automatically makes is amazing. Mainly because of the food. Crawfish Monica (basically butter + pasta + spices + butter + crawfish + butter), crawfish bread, crawfish enchiladas...sensing a pattern here? I'm trying to be good and not eat any of those things because they make my tummy go crazy. Not a good combo when you're in a place with disgusting portapotty's. Anywaysssss....

The music is AMAZING! There's always the big name bands (last year Zac Brown Band was out of control ridiculous awesome) but there's the small ones too - I particularly like the gospel tent. Last weekend was Billy Joel & John Mayer & Dave Matthews Band. I was only sad about missing Billy Joel...but I heard he kind of sucked, so I'm not so sad any longer. This weekend I'm excited to see Little Big Town followed by...wait for it...FLEETWOOD MAC! AND my boyfriend Adam...that's right ladies, Maroon 5. I'll blow him some kisses for you.

And then there's the going out in New Orleans after the fest ends for the day. Now normally I HATE Bourbon Street, but we stay on Bourbon so it's just easier to go out there. And it gives the clients that ridiculous "OMG New Orleans is so insane" feel - which is probably why I hate it. It is better to go during Jazz Fest than during NYE, I guess. And everyone should experience it AT LEAST once. 

This year we are going to Muriel's in Jackson Square one night and Bourbon House the other - it's a Brennans restaurant and I cannot wait. Also why I won't eat the festival food, so I can gorge myself there and not feel that bad about it. 

In random news - it's supposed to be cold this weekend. IN MAY. Yep, I'm complaining about that just like everyone else and their mom. But that's what Vodka is for...so you don't realize it's cold. I've got three breast milk bags filled with it - I'm ready to fest.

wedding wednesday

New thing - wedding wednesday. Because my wedding re-cap will be way too long to fit into one post. And honestly because I didn't know what else to post today.

I just wrote out three paragraphs about our surprise engagement party and then realized that it would probably be smart to do a post about the engagement first. I promise I'm smart. Ish. We'll probably get to the honeymoon post in about 6 months. Bet hey, that's better than a wedding post every day for two weeks, right? Right.

Here we go. A and I had discussed rings once or twice. And of course by discussed I showed him exactly what I wanted. They can't read our minds, after all. I had no clue when he bought it...until we mysteriously had to go pick something up at fedex that was supposed to be dropped off at a friend's house. (He didn't want it delivered to our place, I have a habit of opening his mail. Whoops.) Anyways - that raised a red flag.

We had a trip planned to New Orleans the weekend of December 16 already. His school (ULL) was playing in their very first bowl game. As in ever. His whole family was also going to be there, so I was kind of thinking it might happen that weekend, but not entirely sure.

We got to nola on Thursday night and had a relaxing night at the hotel. Friday morning he surprised me with a spa appointment and I had my first ever massage. (No clue why I waited 24 years for that, it was heaven on earth.) That raised my suspicions, but I didn't want to get my hopes up any. We then went to Saks to shop visit his sister and then just walked around a bit. It was a perfect 60 degree day. (Yes, in December. Love you Louisiana!)

When we went back to get ready, A left to go see his parents and get the ring, but really just to calm his nerves. It unfortunately started to rain and he was worried it would spoil his plan.

Moving on - once I was ready we took a cab to the riverwalk where Rebirth Brass Band was playing a free concert. Thankfully the rain stopped and he started walking me towards the river...away from the concert. Red flag! Once we got to the spot (the same spot we spent our first NYE together to watch fireworks) he made his speech, I cried, he got down on one knee and voila! Engaged!

The first person I called was my best friend Lyndsay. Lots of squeals there. Then we got in a cab to go the restaurant to meet his parents (I already knew of these plans) and only then did I remember to call my parents. At least they already knew it was happening!

We arrived at Gallatoi's - sidenote, best place EVER and if you go, get the turtle soup - and his parents and all of his siblings were there with Champagne ready! I wasn't expecting his sisters and brother, so that was really fun. We sat at the bar until the table was ready and just before it was ready, in walked my parents and little sister. They drove 5 hours to be there to celebrate with us! And I had no clue! I had always told A that I wanted my family to be included, so this was the PERFECT way to end the night.

And then ULL won the next day so it truly could be the perfect weekend ever. Until August :)

That was a lot of words. And I bet no one is going to read on Wednesday now. So how about some pictures?

this is the first new year's I mentioned above. babies!

right after he popped the question!

 

the ring! he did perfect.

toasts at dinner

 

after dinner - on cloud nine!

 

Tune in next wednesday to read about our surprise engagement dinner!