Welcome to N'awlins y'all!

QOTD:   It doesn't matter where you go in life, it's who you have beside you.

Louisiana is definitely welcoming us.

To sum up Louisiana, Bo and I made a list of differences between Louisiana and Utah:

1. Lots of people drink/party here.  When we told them we don’t, they asked if anyone in Utah does.  I just laughed. More of a personal preference based on religious beliefs. You do you and I’ll do me, I don’t judge.  I just can't wait for Mardi Gras and the parades to get started! Maybe I'll wear one of these...

I don't know if you can tell, but there are Mardi Gras necklaces hanging in these trees, pretty common on some streets here.

2. The thunderstorms are phenomenal and shake the whole house.  I’ve never woken up to a thunderstorm at night, but I don’t imagine anyone in New Orleans slept through that thing.  Here is what it looks like outside our window during one...

3. At the stores there are escalators for your carts.

4. Tombstones are above ground, made out of marble, and about double the size of an outhouse. (wish I had a picture... I'll take one soon hopefully!)

5. A couple of weeks ago I was driving through 1-2 feet deep of water. Poor Bruno (my car) took a beating, but is definitely a champ and made it through it! I’m not exaggerating; I wish I could teleport ya’all here to see the roads. The whole neighborhood was filled, people were walking through the street with rain boots up to their knees and the water was almost that high as well.  It wasn’t just on the side of the road where it curves down a little to the gutter, THE ENTIRE ROAD WAS COVERED for about 8 blocks as well and all throughout the neighborhood. If I would’ve opened my door, the water would’ve definitely come in.  The picture below is a street, not a river.

6. Humid. Currently it’s 14% humidity in Utah and 50% here.  Dew Point is 38 degrees in Utah and 70 degrees here. (Not exactly sure what that means, but apparently it’s a big deal) It’s like breathing in an enclosed 50 foot tunnel full of 50 sweaty people.

7. Everyone is super friendly and helpful, if someone says they are going to be there, they will be there, it’s not like Utah where something unexpectedly comes up at the last minute, they’re dependable here.

8. It can be sunny one minute and the next minute a down pour, and if you’ve only experienced down pours in Utah, you can’t even begin to imagine how it is out here. Our first time shopping for groceries together we got home and the boxed foods were soggy… how does that happen? We went from the store to the car and in a matter of seconds it got wet enough through the plastic bags to make the boxes soggy.

9. Gas prices are about $0.50 cheaper J (at least at the time I first wrote this.)

10. They have the most GORGEOUS trees and yards.  Everything is super green! The side of the freeways are green, the tree from the trunk to the leaves are covered in green leaves, it’s beautiful. This tree doesn't say much about the grass, but I promise it's green everywhere!

11. When you ask people what to do here there answer is always based around food, where to eat.  I recommend not starting a food business out here, you wouldn’t last.  I was considering bringing Zupas here cuz I miss it already.

12. The ratio of LDS churches to any other church is about 1 to 50. In Utah it’s the other way around.  13. At home I could walk to about 4 different LDS churches within 10 minutes.  Here it’s about a 10 minute drive, and you go on the freeway. However, we did see the missionaries already. J

14. Whatever religion you are, people are accepting out here.  No one is trying to get you to believe what they believe.  They’re just accepting.

15. Look on a map and you’ll believe this next statement… the outskirts of New Orleans is about 50% water 50% land.  I mean… we drove on a 20 mile long bridge just to come in to New Orleans, and that’s not even the longest bridge out here.

16. Ya’all.

17. Everyone’s houses for the most part are on stilts.  That’s understandable because of the floods, but I don’t believe anyone has basements here. Definitely a change from Utah.  Don’t get me wrong though, I love that houses are unique out here.  People have their own style and creativity.  In Utah, all the new houses look.the.exact.same.!  Rocks on the front and stucco on the back.  Here there are a ton of beautiful brick houses all the way around the house with different accents of bricks and beautiful yards.

18. Lotion is never used anymore.  If you do, you’ll feel slimy the rest of the day.  My ecxema is gone! My skin feels amazing.

19. Down side, there are no mountains. L I definitely miss that.

20. O’s are spelled eaux.  They have billboards that say GEAUX LSU! Instead of Go LSU.  I hope they know the proper English spelling of that word.

21. Snow Cones are called Snow Balls out here (I think it’s the closest thing they get to a snowball down here).  I don’t know what they do to those snow balls, but they are a million and a half times better here. And lucky for us, we have one about a 30 second walk away and it only costs about $1.50! J

22. Red Ants and crocodiles.

25. Rims.

24. Drive through margarita places.  Don't worry, they keep the wrapper of the straw on top of it so it's considered legal.  They also things about natural disasters and food storage!  I found this in the store the other day while Bo and I were walking down Bourbon Street...

All in all, Louisiana is definitely different, definitely not home, but we are getting used to it and liking it more and more. Sometimes I wonder why I’m out here when I left some amazing memories, gorgeous mountains, family, and friends back home. Here are a few pictures we took before we left.

University of Utah

 Family

 Friends

 Grandparents

 Amazing Views/Mountains

My Home... L   Man I miss this place.
       

 Trax... Hated riding it when I did, but it's an amazing way of transportation, connects Utah.

My biggest fear is that my nieces and nephews will forget me… L I love them so much and wish I could be there for them as they grow up and experience life, but I’m just a phone call away and hope they know I’m always there for them! I love them all!

Memories are great, and there are only more to come.  We’ve already met some amazing people and can’t wait to see what’s in store for us here.  God does have a plan for us.

(Only picture I have with anyone here... I gotta get on top of taking pictures again!)

And I'm so happy to be spending my time with this guy!  So cute he fell asleep with the otter pop still in his mouth.

Even if he pesters me sometimes and keeps filling up my cup so that it's almost over flowing.

We love each other and that's all that matters!

 How can you not love this face? So handsome...  I'm so lucky...

Over and Out from Louisiana Ya’all! Keep in touch.  We have already discovered some of our most valuable and loyal friends.  Those who are keeping in touch and have checked up on us, we appreciate it and know it doesn’t go unseen.  We will always remember this time in our lives and who was there for us… J  

PS We’ll be home for Christmas!!!! December 20-January 1 and would love to see everyone!