Hello All! First, I would like to thank you for your wonderfully sweet comments on Claire’s birthday and her party.

We left for New Orleans on Monday, to head to the National Title Game, after dropping the girls off at school. I got to see my baby on her birthday and we got super cheap airline tickets to New Orleans! Win for everyone!

We stayed at the Clarion Inn on Canal Street, that is just a couple of blocks from the French Quarter and the Superdome. Our hotel was clean and efficient, but not in the best of areas. And it was at least a half a mile trek to go get something to eat. The walking didn’t bother me, but eventually, it got tiring to walk a mile to eat something. I would highly recommend staying at The Marriott on Canal.. it was super nice and steps away from the French Quarter. I am sure there are tons of other hotels, but that was the only other one I stepped foot in.

When we got there, we went to eat at Drago’s. It was yummy. Each meal was better than the last. People were NOT kidding when they say you can eat and drink your way through New Orleans. We went back to change and get ready for the game. Before heading out, I told J, Kyle and Ashley that I would LOVE to see us blow out LSU, like a 21-0 victory. They laughed at me and said that they would love to see that too, but it was going to come down to a field goal.

If you are my friend, I most likely abused our friendship. I couldn’t decide what to wear to the game. AT ALL. I literally spent at least 5 hours trying on all kinds of different outfits on Sunday, only to say, I was taking them all and going to decide once I got down there. The weather was iffy and I just didn’t know what to expect. Then I got down there and realized that no matter what I put on, it wasn’t crazy enough to look out of place or skanky down there.

Since you can’t really see, my shorts are a black and grey houndstooth.

Since I missed the original match up between LSU and Bama, this felt like that game to me. It’s weird playing someone you always play in a national title game… it just feels like a regular game. As we made our way to the Superdome, I saw our team bus.. and that’s when I realized, “Holy smokes. This is for all the marbles! I’m going to my watch my SECOND National Title game in three years!”

I cannot believe we blew them out like that. I know for most it was probably an extremely boring game to watch, but not for us! When Trent made that TD run and the score went to 21-0 and I said, “I called IT!! I called this score!” Philly was all, “Nah, we’ve got this extra point. It’ll be 22-0.. you were so close!” I said, “Nope! He’s gonna miss it.” And guess who has two thumbs and was right? THIS GIRL!

Is now the time to talk about the obnoxious LSU girl in our section? You know there is always one. Don’t worry, we let her have it when she continued to call for Jarrett Lee and stick her tongue out, when Mosley was laying on the ground hurt. And we most certainly let her have it as she ran down the steps to flee the stadium after Trent scored.

Of course we hit up Bourbon Street after seeing the team back at the hotel. Bourbon Street was cray cray. You couldn’t walk down it. There were a good bit of LSU fans milling around, some still chanting “Tiger Bait” at us while others congratulated us on our victory. We realized we were never going to get in a bar or have a celebratory drink, so we headed back to the hotel… at 1 am, no less.

We woke up the next morning and went to Mother’s for breakfast. I insisted on needing Starbucks, so we stopped at the team hotel, which was the Marriott, and after ordering my coffee, someone passes me who looks oddly familiar. He walked past Philly who was oblivious and I said, “That’s Coach Cochran.” I got nervous because if you know anything about me, my running mantra comes from him.. “If it feels good, you ain’t doin’ it right.” So I finally got the courage to go over and ask him for a picture and he said, “What you doin’ girl? Get those fingers up!”

I was still on cloud nine, and we were walking in the lobby to leave and J said, “There’s Maze.” He looked all sad and I didn’t want to bother him too much, so I just asked for a picture.

I scored a jacket for 50% off and we went to Jackson Square and Cafe Du Monde after eating at Mother’s and got some Beignets.

We walked around Tuesday and looked in shops. It was supposed to rain, so I didn’t bring my camera out and I should have. It didn’t rain and that was the only day we really looked around.

That night we ate at The Gumbo Shop.. it was delicious.

Wednesday morning, we had reservations at Brennan’s.. and man, oh man.. it was a 3 course breakfast. It was absolutely delicious and it is the birth place of Bananas Foster. Which is one of J’s favorite desserts. It was the best one we have ever had too! Along with a bloody mary with pickled green beans.. Yep. Delish!

Wednesday night, we ate at K-Paul’s and it did NOT disappoint. Fried green tomatoes for an appetizer.

I had the drum fish..words cannot describe how delicious it was.

Our final morning, I had to have some more beignets, so back to Cafe Du Monde, we went.

After Monday, we really didn’t do a whole lot. We would peek in shops on our way to and from meals, but we stayed in the room and relaxed. I read, John watched TV and played on the iPad. It was one of the best vacations we have had in a LONG time. Very relaxing and exactly what we wanted to do. It doesn’t hurt that we won another national title game, either.

I definitely think my absence at the first match-up is being blamed for our loss in November. The team just couldn’t dominate without me.