NOLA Bound!!

We are heading to one of my favorite cities, New Orleans, this weekend with some friends.  I'm so ready for a long weekend getaway.  My love for the city first developed when I visited during college for the first time with my mom, grandma and great aunt.  We had a wonderful time exploring the French Quarter and the Garden District, visiting plantations and historical homes and of course taking a ghost tour!! We started making a yearly visit for a girl's weekend, but of course the visits were different when my college roommate joined, and we explored Bourbon street more and the bars around the universities! hah  When Jeff and I started dating, we took a trip together as he had never been, and I was eager to show him all there is to love with the great music and amazing food.  Luckily, he also loved the vibe of the city.  I also had my bachelorette party there of course. Duh! Where else would I have it!?  It was one of the best weekends ever - so many of the girls I love in one of my favorite places all at the same time.  What wonderful memories!!!  But since then, I haven't been back, and I'm so eager to get on the road. 

If you've never been to New Orleans, you should definitely put it on your list to visit.  For those of you that have, you know what a great treat I'm in for!

{image via wikepedia}

{image via aol travel}

I'll be back next week to share photos and a recap with you!

Have a lovely weekend,

Tara

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday today to the one I love. 

To celebrate this past weekend we took the boat out for a day of fishing.  We invited another couple to go with us, grabbed some snacks, beer and champagne and hit the waters all day.  There was only one keeper trout caught, but it was still a wonderful day!! The weather turned out to be beautiful after the crazy storm on Friday night.  I know Jeff would've loved to catch more fish, but we appreciated him navigating us through the bay waters all day anyways!

We especially enjoyed the sunset cruise as we headed in.  I was just in awe of these views.

This evening to celebrate on Jeff's actual birthday, we are going to....wait for it....leave work early to.........GO FISHING!  haha of course we are! :)  Just he and I and hopefully an amazing sunset again....and possibly a lot of fish! 

 

Love you. XO,

Tara

Scenes from Our Weekend

This past weekend we enjoyed a rare weekend in town with no major plans, which allowed us to meet up with friends, sleep in late, make breakfast, and spend a day at the beach.  It was a wonderful weekend!

This is at a beach close to Galveston.  There's Jeff (yup that blue dot) out wading in the surf trying to fish.  The wind was really strong, so it was not a very successful fishing trip, but I really enjoyed getting to lay in the sun reading and taking in these views.

 

 This was the breakfast I made on Saturday morning.  I used Hungry Girl's Eggs Bene-chick recipe to reduce the calories per serving...which means you can get two servings, right? Yes, why not?!

Eggs Bene-chick

1 half of a light English Muffin

1 slice of lean ham

1 large egg

For the sauce:

1 tbsp. fat free mayonnaise

1 tsp. Dijonnaise (which I couldn't find, so I just mix some Dijon mustard with the ff mayo)

1 tsp. reduced calorie light butter spread

1 tsp. lemon yogurt

Stir all sauce ingredients together and set aside.  Crack egg gently into a small dish.  Fill a pot with two inches of water and heat to a boil.  Then reduce heat to a very slow steady boil.  Gently pour in the egg and cook for 3-5 minutes depending if you prefer a runny or firm yolk.  While cooking the egg, toast your muffin and cook the ham.  Carefully remove egg and dab with a paper towel to remove excess water if you like.  Heat sauce in microwave for about twenty seconds.  Layer the toasted muffin with the cooked ham and poached egg and then drizzle the sauce over the top.  Delish!

{source link to original recipe}

I'm linking up to Tasty Tuesday's over at 33 Shades of Green.  There are always so many great recipes to look at.  You should go check them out!

and I'm also linking up to What I Whipped Up Wednesday at Sugar and Dots.  All kinds of great recipes and DIY's projects!

Tara