Oh man. I love Louisiana and Lafayette for that matter. ALWAYS will! I learned a few valuable lessons while in Lafayette:

• Lafayette will ALWAYS be my home NO MATTER WHAT!  Lafayette and Louisiana in general, will always have a HUGE piece of my heart.
• I have a new “home” now. Whoaaaa that’s a big realization!
• I need to work on maintaining my old friendships, and work on my new friendships in Austin as well! Apparently people in Austin may not like hearing about everything Louisiana / cajun / home ALLLLL the time?!?! Who’da thunk it? haha.
• I have used my Louisiana roots as part of my identity for SO long. It will always be a part of who I AM.  It isn’t everything of who I am. That’s for sure!
• I’m excited about the new friends I’ve made over the past few months. God has brought them into my life at the EXACT moment I needed though! WOW! Amazing how those things work, ehhhh??? 
• I’ve missed cajun dancing and dancing in general in my life. A LOT!!!!  That needs to change MUCH sooner than later!

Days 1 and 2 as captured by photograph —

smiles

A beautiful day for a road trip!

well hello there, Boudin Capital of the World!!!!!

A beautiful sight!

The caaaautest man was sitting outside enjoying his meats!

My hair really is getting long!

best friends = happiness

LOVE her! <3

happiness. joy. peace.

no words needed.

I love the open road.

 

Callin' Baton Rougeeeeee!

 

Tiger Stadium, baaaabbby!

Ben & Dad

what you lookin' at?

 

yeah girlllll.

 

cheeeeeeeeeese

Love.

beautiful ladies! <3

Lurrrrrrve Miss A!

Shan & I .... more BFF love

smiles and awe.

Just a few snippits from my weekend in Lafayette! LOTS more to come posts

For about 4 years, i’ve been wanting a DSLR! I’ve been wanting to do something with my love of photography! I finally started doing more research and decided on what i wanted!

I knew i wanted to stick with Canon, and go with the Rebel series! Thanks to my savings and my glorious federal tax return i could finally get that BEAAAAUTIFUL DSLR! I went with a Canon Rebel T2i! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!!

YAY!

This is Claiborne Hester Flynn Staires! And I LOVE HIM!!! ALOT!

I couldn’t be more excited! I really have been taking pictures of EVERYTHING and EVERYONE! It’s awesome. ha.

I went with the body kit lens 18-mm. It’s pretty good for close up things and people. But as far for the zoom factor, not so much. I’ll be doing research and looking into getting a zoom lens. Any input on a zoom lens would be great!

Here are just a few pictures that i took in Texas Hill Country! <3 <3 <3

One of my favoriteeeeees!

Wildflower Celebration!

:)

something about fences....

Fences & Flowers ... 2 of my fave things!

Texas Hill Country

A smiling photographer is a happy photographer!

Thoughtless Thursdays are one of my favorite kinds of posts! What a better way to get back into the swing of blogging?! And my life is pretty amazing! Gosh i love it A Lot.

Partaaaaaay time!

Boudin Balls at Cypress Grill are always a great choice!

I'm officially a resident of Texas, ya'll.

So i bought the beer for a girls weekend... but let's just say it didn't get dranken / drunken

Jana and I laughing hysterically about tequila and boob was encroaching her elbow space... pahahahah. Love that woman!

PS– Give Jana some blog love, ya’ll!

Miss Amelia Denton has arrived!!!! She was born on March 7th! What a great week to be born on Love her so much already!

Shan, Ben, and Amelia <3

Sister and I! Givers was such a great start to my birthday night! <3 you!

Frost Bank Tower in the rain = a beaut!

Birthday lovin at the SXSW Samsung party! I called it the SXSW hipster party pahahaha.

Ghostland Observatory recording live for ACL Live! We heard about the free concert via facebook! Gotta love social media Finally got my Team Gleason shirt NO WHITE FLAGS! Let's find a cause and cure for ALS!

Amber and I met some random guy from New Orleans! Gotta love cajuns and Louisianaians!

Amber and I kissy faces + cajuns = pure louisiana love!

St. Patty's day excitement + Lafayette friends living in Austin + good beer + Lucy's = so much unbelieveable amazingness!

Bronze Radio Return at SXSW! Amaaaazing! Do yourself a favor and check them out

Tyrone Wells at SXSW!

Miss Amelia Evangeline Denton at 11 days old!

early morning.

getting ready for Mik's birthday party! I love wearing red lipstick

My first flip cup game! So fun We won 3 out of the 4 games. And i learned that the more you drink, the harder it is to flip the cup! pahahaha

My new friend L-awesome, and I! Having boys take pictures after a few drinks = kinda fail.

Saturday drives with the windows down, music up, and singing at the top of my lungs are my faveee!

One of my favoriteeeee people, G! <3

smile. You're always winning!

V, G, and I after dinner!

Once a who dat, always a who dat! No. Matter. What. So much love! <3

Driving through car washes are still one of my favorite things to do!

work faces of Brittany! I sure am something special

One of my most favorite cajuns, EVER! Can't wait to see you in 2-ish weeks, J!

A new beer that i love, St. Arnold's Spring Bock! St. Arnold's is a craft beer located in TEXAS! woot

Brooklyn Lager FTW, at pint night!

Curls + smiles + free payton tshirt = a winning combo!

Hi friends!

It’s quite a while since i’ve really blogged! But the down time and break has been very much needed! Work has been crazy, but good, and busy. 2 of the girls on my medical team have been having issues, so they’ve been out a lot, and i’ve been working more over the past few weeks! Phewwww. Glad things are calming down-ish.

Austin’s doing great. Late winter/early spring/spring is my favorite time of the year, while besides football season Flowers and trees blooming, grass growing, sun shining, cool air, good times. AHHHH my fave.

This year was the first time in my life i had work on Lundi Gras / Mardi Gras / Ash Wednesday! Gosh that was no fun AT ALL! It was also the first year i missed partaking in Mardi Gras! NEVER AGAIN! No matter where I’ll be living. I want to go home for Mardi Gras! Do one day of cajun/country Mardi Gras, some Mardi Gras in Lafayette, and New Orleans Mardi Gras! So much fun! There is so much more to Mardi Gras than boobs and beads, people! There’s dancing, cooking, eating, drinking, being with friends and family, parades, fun signs, balls, getting dolled and dressed up, the beauty of celebrating life!

I view life as one should celebrate Mardi Gras! Living life the best that you can, with all you have! No regrets. No looking back. Sure life may not be great all the time, but that’s okay. Just do the best you can, with what you have.

Being single sucks sometimes, but other times it’s great! Like if i was married or with kids, i wouldn’t just be able to go for a drive on a Sunday afternoon driving through Texas Hill Country  But like 2 wise friends have reminded me this week, there is a guy out there for me! And he’s been waiting for me for almost his entire life, like i have been waiting for him for almost 26 years! whoa. Crazy awesomeness, but beautiful!

This weekend Austin won’t know what hit ‘em! Some amazing bloggers that i know and love are coming to town! We’re gonna have such a good time! If you’re in Austin, let me know! I’d love for you to come meet us and have some good times too! Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler! I can’t wait to meet Holly, Jana, Megan, Emily, Savannah, and Rochelle! Jenn– we’re definitely going to miss you this weekend!

Two or three weeks ago Holly, Jana, and I started having iphone group text messages! Oh my gosh! So much fun! I love those ladies! They’re so many kinds of amazing and i can’t wait to meet them in THREEEEE days <3

Yes i realized i haven’t talked about food, eating, and exercising! Well those have kind of been at a halt over the past few weeks! I’ll be working on small changes now, making changes stick, and not giving up when i want to, or when i get overwhelmed! Makes life-long changes is something easy that comes with time, and it’s something i know that i can do!

Oh yeahhhh— in 10 days i’ll be 26! Yes i said TWENTY-SIX! WHoaaaaaaa. That’s a BIG DEAL, ya’ll! In case you didn’t know it, I lurrrrrre birthdays! LOTS!

<3

:)

Promise. One of these days i’ll get back to actually blogging! But for now this is it

skype date with the lovely Katie Heddleston

stud.

THIS!

Once a daddy's girl, always a daddy's girl

Colston! Doing what he does best

queso

always!

FAMILY: Because no matter what the outcome, we will always love them!

fat tireeeeee =)

A beautiful day!

red beans and rice

smile it makes people wonder what you're up to!

smiles + beer = a happy Brittany!

No White Flags

Team Gleason! Brees and Gleason! <3

bayou boys

I'm a certified cajun!

fleur-de-lis love

football girls

Saints Fatheads <3

Blue Moooooon I saw you standing there alone....

dance or leave!

<3 <3 <3

Yes i know it’s normally Wordless Wednesday! Well that didn’t happen, so thoughtless thursday it is

the kindle

Kelly-Kell and I!

One of the most amazing moments in my life .... EVERRR!

A black and gold SMILE

Sam Montgomery SWOON!

Filled with Saints and Black and Gold smiles

Jack and LSU love on NYE

<3

Bari, my sweet friend, i love the tattoo

swoon

RB triple threat sans #28

put a ring on it

EPIC!

LOVE LOVE LOVE my smiling quarterback

happy hour!

I'm starting to like coffee! GASP!

<3

SAINTS = LOVE!

Abita Amber... lurrrrrve it

Lions idiot fan with a WHO DAT?! note on his back

:)

QB sneak

Boudin

Sonic Sam and Mo Mo! Mo we'll miss you! Best of luck in the NFL!

I'm a Saints FAN! hahaha

MARDI GRAS!

Well if you didn’t know, tomorrow is the start of Mardi Gras Season! One of my most favorite seasons in the year! Mardi Gras is one of my most favorite things in life  According to Roman Catholics, Mardi Gras Season begins on the 12th day of Christmas AKA Epiphany AKA January 6th and ends the day before Ash Wednesday, Mardi Gras which in French translates to “Fat Tuesday”.  The last day to go big or go home before the season of Lent arrives!

happy mask

Sad mask of Mardi Gras

Origins

The history of Mardi Gras began long before Europeans set foot in the New World. In mid February the ancient Romans celebrated the Lupercalia, a circus like festival not entirely unlike the Mardi Gras we are familiar with today. When Rome embraced Christianity, the early Church fathers decided it was better to incorporate certain aspects of pagan rituals into the new faith rather than attempt to abolish them altogether. Carnival became a period of abandon and merriment that preceded the penance of Lent, thus giving a Christian interpretation to the ancient custom.

Mardi Gras came to America in 1699 with the French explorer Iberville. Mardi Gras had been celebrated in Paris since the Middle Ages, where it was a major holiday. Iberville sailed into the Gulf of Mexico, from where he launched an expedition up the Mississippi River. On March 3 of 1699, Iberville had set up a camp on the west bank of the river about 60 miles south of where New Orleans is today. This was the day Mardi Gras was being celebrated in France. In honor of this important day, Iberville named the site Point du Mardi Gra

In 1723, the capital of Louisiana was moved to New Orleans, founded in 1718. The tradition has expanded to the point that it became strongly associated with the city in popular perception, and embraced by residents of New Orleans beyond those of French or Catholic heritage. Mardi Gras celebrations are part of the basis of the slogan, Laissez les bons temps rouler, (Let the good times roll) and the nickname “Big Easy“.  Mobile, Alabama, the former capital of New France, also has a long tradition of celebrating Mardi Gras. Other cities along the Gulf Coast formerly occupied and owned by the French from Pensacola, Florida, and its suburbs to Lafayette, Louisiana, have active Mardi Gras celebrations. In the rural Acadiana area, many Cajuns celebrate with the Courir de Mardi Gras, a tradition that dates to medieval celebrations in France.

Mardi Gras has always been such a fun time. Time to play, time to laugh, time to dance, time to celebrate, time to throw them beads cher and as one gets older time to DRINK! 

KING CAKE!

yums

rockin out to your favorite dirty brass band

Drew Brees as King of the Krewe of Bacchus!!! <3

K. Gates!

John Gilliam!

YES! THAT JOHN GILLIAM! The one who played for the New Orleans Saints who for returned the opening kickoff 94 yards in the Saints’ inaugural game in 1967 against the Los Angeles Rams for their first touchdown in franchise history!!!!!!!!

good times with the newlyweds And CELEBRATING THE SAINTS WINNING THE SUPER BOWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CARONDELET! <3

cajun dancing! <3 <3 <3

beignets and chocolate milk

MASKS!

Mardi Gras is something unreal and unlike anything you’ve ever been a part of! You must get to Mardi Gras in South Louisiana at some point in your life! And yes there is more to Louisiana than New Orleans! AND YES there is more to Mardi Gras than Mardi Gras in New Orleans      <3

Yep. You read that right! It was a year on December 6th that this lovely place has been up and running! Who would’ve known that i would have met so many amazing people and had such good times thanks to the blog!

Here are some good posts, you may or may not have missed out over the past year:

• Papa Red
• Pecan Street Fest & Shoal Creek Saloon
• Dear Erika
• Football Season
• Life
• Cajun Sayings
• Meet a blogger and Happy Hour!
• The Plan
• 1st week in Austin
• I got a job
• 5 things I learned while packing
• New Orleans Part 2 —> Speaking of, I need to blog part 3!
• New Orleans Part 1
• Frustrations
• On the cover of a magazine?
• Grateful
• This is real
• Good Times and Vloggin!
• BE AUTHENTIC!
• Fitbloggin Recap
• Vloggin at fitbloggin! >> one of my faves!
• Hot and Breezy
• Festivale Internationale de Louisiane
• Erika’s engagement partayyyyy!
• Birthdays are my favorite
• This year is about me
• Photo blog AKA I just finished NCLEX-PN and i’m exhausted!
• I passed NCLEX-PN!
• Fitbloggin or bust!
• Putting it out there– an emotional heart felt post
• Austin Livestrong Half-Marathon part 2
• Austin Livestrong Half-Marathon
• To my dear valentine
• Accent Vlog!
• Graduation
• Happy New Year

One of the TOTALLY AWESOME things about blogging is that the good times in your life are documented and when i forgot about them…. i can go back and read!  But then there’s those few bad times that are documented too! But i’m more for good times, than bad  2012 is going to be a great year I KNOW IT! Taking life one day at a time is sometimes what is needed, and i’m totally okay with that! I’m going back to Weight Watchers fullspeed ahead at the beginning of the year! I can’t wait to get back to business, and learn about the new changes Weight Watchers has made. Time to get back to the real me

This me: real, honest, open, happy, legit, and loving life!

Let’s DO THIS FOLKS!