NOLA

Way back at the beginning of July, I took a solo trip down to the Big Easy for a family reunion of sorts with my mom and siblings.  The special occasion?  My baby brother had just gotten back from his mission and it was the first time we've all been together since I don't even know when!  Our arrival and departure times were all kind of staggered, but for 3 total days, the seven of us Hansen sibs and my mom painted the town red.

 The firstborn and the lastborn.

Fellow INFJs.

 Hail, hail, the gang's {almost} all here!

 Brothers don't shake hands...

 Brothers gotta hug!

I was actually the first to arrive on a Thursday morning, and got to spend my day with the ones who live there -- aka Amy, my mom, and Jacob -- while waiting for Emily and Freddie to arrive that evening.  Sarah and Laura rolled in Friday morning, and we went all out to make sure that we had the best time possible!  Eating out at lots of delicious restaurants?  Check.  Dreaming big for the future?  You know it.  Hanging out?  Obvis.  Playing cards and other games?  Yep.  Deciphering all of our personalities and the accompanying characteristics via Myers-Briggs profiling?  Of course.  Visiting extended family in Shriever and getting the best jerky ever from the famous Bourgeois Meat Market?  Yes, yes, and yes!  Hahahaha.  Add to this exhausting list a few separate stops for snow balls, an Audobon Park morning run with me and Amy, some late night beignets at City Park, and a recreated family Christmas picture from way back when, and you've got yourself the reunion of a decade!  The cherry on top of  it all was hearing Jacob speak for his homecoming talk at church on the Sunday morning before we all started to trickle home.  I was so touched by his sweet and genuine testimony of Heavenly Father's love for all of us and his message of Faith.  He's always been such a good kid, and his mission has only made him good-er.  :)

 Rummy!  Which apparently Amy and Jacob claim to have never played before, but as I was looking through the blog from several years ago when we were at Sarah's house, I found pictures of us playing this very game.  Hahaha.

 Amy's super chic apartment.

 First meal out with the whole entourage!

 Bananas Foster for dessert.  NOM.

 Pre-French Quarter jaunt.

 And Post.  I tried to tell them that a storm was forecasted to start any minute.  But at least they snapped the pictures of Jackson Square that they wanted before the downpour began.  Hahaha.

In all honesty, it was one of the best weekends of my adult life.  There was just something special about having all of us OG siblings together without the distraction of kids to take care of or the futility of trying to explain all the inside jokes and shared family lore with spouses who have no idea what we're talking about.  Hahahaha.  My mom and sister Amy were the hostesses with the mostest, and willingly welcomed us into their apartments for the long weekend that we were there. 

 My order EVERY single time I eat at Camellia Grill -- BLT and a chocolate freeze.

 Waiting in line at the Market.

 Half cajuns up in the house!

 My Paw Paw Bourgeois took over the Meat Market from HIS father, who started it way back in 1891.

 {My great-grandfather}

 My grandparents' house is right across the street from the Market and not only did my mom grow up there, but my Paw Paw grew up there, too.  In fact, I believe he may have even been born there.  I'd have to double check that fact, though.  ;)

 My uncle and cousins now run the Market and their jerky and boudin and hoghead cheese is the best.

 Here we are with Paw Paw and my sweet grandma.  So many of my happiest childhood memories took place at this house.

It was such a fun time.  As soon as I got back home, I told all my kids that they better do a sibling reunion for ME in 20 years time, once Isaac gets back from HIS mission.  ;)  As fun as the weekend was, I can only imagine how awesome it will be the next time we're ALL together.  Because one of these days we're going to get around to doing a BIG family reunion with all the siblings plus their spouses plus their kids and it's going to be epic.

 {Imperial Woodpecker Sno-balls -- our new favorite.}

It was sad to say goodbye, but life moves on and the nice thing about family is that it's forever.  Whether it's another year or another 5 years before we're ALL together again, it's comforting to know that we'll be able to pick things up right where we left them off.  And that's a beautiful thought.