Triumphant Thanksgiving... Galveston

A Golden Start

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Disclaimer 
In November 2015 Chris and I took our kids on a Western Caribbean Cruise aboard the Carnival Triumph sailing out of Galveston, TX. We also sailed with my parents, Gigi Shirley and Poppy, as well as my sister, Allison. It was a true family vacation and we were excited to take our kids on their 1st cruise. This beautiful floating resort took us to the following destination: 

Cozumel, Mexico 

Chris and I have been on 5 other cruises prior to this one; 3 with Carnival and 2 with Royal Caribbean. This cruise was all about the kids and showing them what it was like to cruise, Lord knows we have talked about it enough!  This will be a multiple entry blog about not only our 4 days at sea but a food blog highlighting the new American Table menus Carnival offers from each of our perspectives, an updated Shore Excursion rating blog, a pictorial review of The Carnival Triumph and a few more. Thank you SO MUCH to all my followers... without you the blog would not be as popular as it is today!

Our home away from home for the next 4 days! 

Morning- Our Trip to "Buc-ee's"
The day we had been so anxiously awaiting had finally arrived and we were ready to surprise the kids with a cruise. Everyone woke up early this day to be sure we had everything we needed and the cars were packed (we didn't want to forget any bags like we did on the Magic in June). We had been talking about cruising a lot with the kids but decided to detour them from the surprise by telling them we were going to "Buc-ee's" for Thanksgiving. This was true as we ALWAYS stop at the Texas City location on our way to a cruise or Galveston. The kids were so excited and were ready to go. They each grabbed a baby/ stuffed animal and we were out the door at 7:01AM which was almost the exact time I wanted. I know my family put a lot of effort into being on time throughout the entire cruise and I greatly appreciate it. 

Traffic was very light and we made the 62 mile trip to "Buc-ee's" in less than an hour. The kids were really excited and anxious to get a Dr. Pepper Icee and sample some fudge. We made our way inside the store and had a great time just looking through everything and tasting the goodies. I had never seen so FEW people in a Buc-ee's. We spent about 30 minutes in the store before loading back up to make the rest of the 21 miles to the Cruise Terminal. 

Natalie LOVES this place so much! 

Happy Thanksgiving from our BUC-EE's!

We are all loaded up in the car and ready to go...?

We had decided that Gigi would drive us to the terminal so both Chris and I would be able to see the kids reaction to the surprise. We made it all the way to Harborside drive in Galveston and the kids were still clueless. Luke kept asking if we were going to a baseball game/ stadium and Natalie was just taking it all in. Finally we saw the Whale-tail/ smoke stack and started having the kids look around for clues. They each looked out their windows and didn't have an answer until I told Natalie to look out the front window and she saw the cruise ship. She was hesitant to guess going on a cruise but Daddy asked if they wanted to go on a cruise today and they practically erupted in the car. We were able to get the whole thing on video. 

This reaction and video capture the memories of a lifetime. 

We pulled through to the drop-off area of the terminal and the boys dropped us off and all of our luggage and everyone changed into their "Davis- Klingsick Cruise" shirts. We gave our luggage to the porters and headed to the terminal entrance. We had family cruise shirts made that featured the #TriumphantThanksgiving as well as a turkey on a cruise ship on the front, plus each person had the number of cruises they had been on the back. Chris's shirt said "Cruise Runner" and the kids shirts read "Cruise Rookie 1" and "Cruise Rookie 2" respectively. Mine read "Cruise Diva" and the #6. We were very satisfied with the shirts and got LOTS of compliments throughout the cruise. 

My Cruise Shirt!

It was 9:20AM by this time and we had a 10:30AM check-in time. The terminal was still getting all the exiting passengers out so we had to wait outside from 9:30-10:00AM before they would let us inside the terminal to check-in. Because we had "Faster to the Fun" (FTTF) we were able to stand in a priority line while outside and check-in through the same priority line. There were about 100-150 people waiting outside between the main and priority check-in lines. However, it was very well organized and I think the staggered check-in times that Carnival is trying out at the Galveston port seem to be working very well. In fact, I am pondering if with this new check-in system if we even need to purchase the FTTF. 

They now know and are EXCITED!

Our 1st Sister Selfie of the Cruise! 

Waiting in line to get into the terminal!

They opened the terminal at exactly 10:00AM and we were literally the 1st 7 people in the building. We got to the 1st check point and unfortunately, we chose the wrong line as both of the machines were not working and each had new and OLDER assistants working on them. This slowed us down a bit but we were still the 16th-23rd people to check-in on The Carnival Triumph. Not our best record but we will take it. At the end of this cruise Chris and I would have sailed 25 nights with Carnival which would make us GOLD cruisers. We didn't expect to be GOLD until our next Carnival cruise in June but when we checked in we got our GOLD cards and each of us were ecstatic. It felt great to have that GOLD card and we could not wait to see the other perks waiting in our stateroom once we got on board. 

By 10:12AM we were all checked in and waiting in the Captain's Lounge with the FTTF perk. We sat around and took the kids to look at the ship and reviewed the days FUN TIMES. This is the daily newsletter provided by Carnival to let you know about all of the fun things they have offered on board. Check it daily to really be in the know for what is happening on board... or don't and just "chill". It's your call! (I will also be posting a blog featuring all of these FUN TIME from this cruise. Be sure to come back and check that out).

They called for all Diamond and Platinum guests and wedding parties to board the ship at 10:47AM and we heard the glorious 1st DING at 11:07AM. I had the song "Come Sail Away" by STYX playing on my phone as we walked up the gangway and it was a wonderful feeling to finally be taking my kids alongside me on this addicting habit. 

We got on board and went straight to our room to drop off all of our carry-on luggage. This is also a perk of the FTTF option and is the sole reason I would keep purchasing it for a Carnival cruise, especially a shorter cruise. This perk is now $59.95 per cabin but includes ALL guests in the cabin. For the most part I think it is money well spent but I did notice it lost it's exclusivity on this particular cruise. More on that later. 

After dumping our luggage in the cabin we headed straight to Guy's Burger Joint and Blue Iguana Cantina. These are easily our favorite restaurants on Carnival cruise ships and perhaps some of our favorites on any of the ships we have sailed. You just cannot get a better burger at sea. These 2 restaurants are part of the Carnival 2.0 Fun Ships upgrades and are on several ships but not all ships. The kids LOVED the food and were in heaven just taking all of the sights and the sounds in. And of course, Luke began his quest for eating as much ice cream as he could.

Not even PLEXUS can tame this craving!
They really are the best burgers on the high seas! 

Luke eating his 1st of MANY ice cream cones!

Looking out at the water from the Lido Deck!

Afternoon- Time to Explore

After lunch we wanted to explore the ship and learn as much about The Carnival Triumph as we could before we set sail. We decided to go to our room and get our camera and once there we learned that in order to even get into the room we would need to unpack all of our bags. We are notorious for over packing and we did it once again (This was our 1st time sailing in the Fall and with the kids so the over-packing came naturally and was warranted but next time we can cut in half AT LEAST).  

This was a VERY small room and easily the smallest inside room we have sailed on. It did in fact have 3 closets but one of them was taken up with the life vests, which we got 2 additional child's size ones later that evening so there were 6 in there total. That closet also had the safe in it so it was all but a lost space. The other 2 closets were hanging closest and were of good size but neither had shelves like we were used to so a lot of our clothes ended up laying in piles at the bottom of the closets. This was unexpected for us and made for a hassle when finding clothes. The room did offer 3 small drawers by the vanity but they too were smaller than usual. This was a quad inside cabin, category 4E and roughly 150 SQFT.

The kids LOVED the bunk beds! Us... not so much!
There are only so many times you can hit your head in the middle of the night and not get upset!  

After unpacking we decided to go and explore the ship as best we could. We mainly checked out the larger common areas like the lobby atrium, the casino, the lido decks and the promenade deck. While we were out on the promenade deck we saw fuel being pumped onto the ship which was very fascinating. We also went and got the kids registered for Camp Ocean, the kids club on board. 

The smiles on their faces tell it all! 

I love the excitement in their eyes! 

Auntie Allie and Gigi in the Atrium Lobby.

Gigi and Luke on the Promenade Deck. 

Watching the fuel being pumped onto the ship!
I have never seen that before! It was SO COOL! 

Love this little ANGEL!

Hello I am Kellie Davis, your Maitre' D! 

Poppy and Luke exploring Camp Ocean. 

Selfie Time!

After exploring our kids requested to get into the pools and the hot tubs so we all went and changed into our swim suits. Natalie immediately asked to go down the waterside and oddly enough it was open (without a lifeguard on duty at the time) so Natalie and Chris went down the slide a few times. Luke said he wanted to go down but we knew he was too short. Chris took him up to deck 14 and tried to get him to go down on his lap but he chickened out at the last minute. Natalie continued to go down the slide 11 more times while the rest of us waited it out in the hot tub in the 75* Galveston temperatures. Eventually Poppy and Auntie Allie made it down the slide and they all said it was great fun. I planned on going down it in the next few days!

Hello from the Carnival Triumph!

"C'mon mommy take the picture already so we can swim!"

Natalie at the end of the slide! 

Daddy at the end of the slide. 

Poppy at the end of the slide! 

After about an hour of swimming time we headed back to the room to shower and get ready for the evening before the Muster Drill would begin. After getting ready we ventured over to Gigi and Poppy's balcony where the kids found a new favorite place on the ship. 

Hanging out in Gigi and Poppy's room! 

Smiling on Gigi and Poppy's balcony! 

Around 3:45PM they called over the speakers for everyone to make their way to their Muster Station, which is the typical call time but was actually ON TIME for the 1st time in our Carnival history. While our 2 cabins were just feet away from each other, the fire door between us meant we were at separate muster stations so we all went our own way and would meet for sail away. Naturally, Luke said he was hungry after the drill so we grabbed him a Guy's Burger before we met up with the family for sail away.

Gigi found a great HIDDEN place for sail away on Deck 9 all the way to the front. It was wide open and hardly anyone was there. It sat directly above the bridge and was only accessible from the far forward of deck nine. If you didn't know it was there it would incredibly hard to find. It was perfect for sail away. We were able to watch the ship turn around and head out the channel. We even spotted SEVERAL dolphins jumping out of the water and even the kids were able to see them. I am afraid those watching the sail away from their balcony would have missed this. Be sure to find this hidden gem if you ever sail on the Triumph. The Carnival Triumph set sail at surprising time of 4:16PM, which was very prompt in our experience.

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! 

It was windy!

 A Traditional Buoy picture for me! 

The Davis- Klingsick Thanksgiving Cruise 2015 can now commence. 

Luke ate all of his cheeseburger and was like "hey, I am still hungry".
Yeah, he caught on to the whole "eat your heart out on the cruise" thing REAL FAST! 

Watching the dolphins! 

Evening- A Thanksgiving Feast 

After watching the sail away we headed back up to our room to get ready for the evening's Thanksgiving Feast provided by the Main Dining Room. We all met at the Taste Bar on Deck 5 at 5:30PM to try out the evening's samples. The Taste Bar is another thing that cannot be missed on The Carnival Triumph. It is only offered on embarkation and sea days but showcases some of the fleet's best restaurants and food options. The Taste Bar also features daily drink specials at only $5 from 5:30-8:30PM.  Chris and I also got one of our favorite drinks of the cruise called "The Cruiser" which is always the 1st day drink special.

Trying out the Blue Iguana offerings at the Taste Bar!
We are ready for our Thanksgiving Feast! 

The kids LOVED dancing while we waited for my family!

Fun times! 

We got to the London Dining Room by 5:50PM and were seated shortly after 6PM. The wait staff was great and friendly but the service was the slowest we have ever had on ANY cruise. At first I thought it was because it was the 1st night and the Thanksgiving Menu but it did not seem to get any better throughout the duration of the cruise. However, the kids did REMARKABLY well and despite the 2+ hour dinner time even Luke did very well.

Cheers! 

Even Luke got to enjoy the CHEERS!

Luke was living it up and LOVING EVERYTHING he ate! 

Natalie got to eat pasta... EVERY night! She was in heaven! 

More ice cream for Luke!

Due to dinner taking so long we were not able to make it to the Welcome Aboard Show but we did catch the last few minutes of it and the cruise director Kirk seemed to be great and funny. We wanted the kids to try out the Camp Ocean kids club offerings so we took them to the welcome party at 8:30PM. Luke said he did not want to go but I told him to at least try it out. I got there at 8:15PM and found a VERY LONG LINE. I ended up waiting in line from 8:15-8:50PM just to drop them off and the party was over at 10:00PM. The workers in the Camp Ocean did not seem to know what they were doing and very unorganized. 

While I was dropping the kids off Allie and Chris played a Movie Trivia and each came very close to winning. However, Chris was able to get onto the Game Show as a contestant by acting wild and crazy in the lounge. He ended up winning the game show and getting yet another trophy called a "24 karat gold piece of SHIP on a stick". He has gotten one on each of our 2 other Carnival ships so he was determined to get one on this trip despite it only being 4 days. He surprised us all and got it on the 1st night. Way to go Chris! Not only did we get our GOLD cards but Chris got his GOLD trophy as well! What a great way to end our GOLDEN day!

It's Show Time!

Chris was SO SMART! I was so proud of him! 

Chris got his very own Carnival Triumph "Ship on a Stick"! 

While Chris was on the game show the Camp Ocean people called me on the cell phone they gave me to inform me that Luke had been crying for 10 minutes and had requested his mommy. So I headed back on up to the 11th deck to get my babies who just didn't like the kids club. Luke said it was too dark and too loud but Natalie said it was just boring. We would try again tomorrow.

We all went and changed clothes and got more comfortable before trying to walk on the outside of the lido deck. But first the kids wanted to try on their life jackets for size. I think Luke wanted to wear it all the time. 

Our 1st towel animal of the cruise!

Time to put on the life vests! 

And now go show Gigi! 

We finally made it to the Lido Deck and it was WINDY! Luke did not like the high winds and got very frustrated. The winds were unbelievable and I can only imagine how the 38 pound little guy felt because I too felt like the wind could whisk me away at anytime. Chris and I sailed on The Magic during a tropical storm and it was BAD but this was just as bad WITHOUT the storm. It made for a VERY long and ROCKY night!

We calmed Luke down and got some lemonade and popcorn and watched the Dive in Movie, Night at the Museum. All 7 of us enjoyed this down time but after about 30 minutes the kids ASKED to go to bed and were tired. We were in our room by 10:45PM and they were asleep by 11:00PM. This is not our typical cruising style but I have to be honest, we were tired too. 

The Dive in Movie was a big hit! 

Everyone had a great and relaxing time... But we were ALL tired! 

The room was unbelievably hot. I think they looked at the Galveston weather of 60* and thought "lets turn on the heater". I asked our steward for a fan and he was able to get us one, but my parents stewards was not able to get one for them. Once again, take a fan with you if you are traveling on any Carnival ship. It was a great night but too bad the constant swaying kept both Chris and I awake most of the night. It was so bad in fact, that my sister got sick in the middle of the night. The boat was "a-rocking" all night!

It was an awesome feeling of surprising our kids with a cruise and it was promising to be a wonderful trip. We were ready and excited for what Day 2 would bring! 

Next up... Sea Day #1

God is good... All the time!

Click on the link and check out our Past Cruises: 
 Carnival Magic June 2015


Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas March 2015

Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas August 2014

Carnival Conquest July 2013

Carnival Conquest June 2006

Stitch Fix #5 Review

Stitch Fix #5 Review 

October 2015

It’s time for Fix #5 and I am excited. I knew I would want a fix in mid-November as I would be going on another cruise over Thanksgiving Break with my kids and family but I couldn’t help myself… I decided to throw in an extra fix in October. Fix #4 kind of left a bad taste in my mouth for whatever reason (You can read about that fix HERE) and I just wanted a “re-do” so to speak. So I scheduled one for early October to see if there were some great FALL items in this fix. This fix was also a small disappointment as yet again, the minor issues (mostly sizing) made it difficult to keep most of them.

Noelle Lightweight Chevron Stripe Cardigan ($48)

My stylist really listened (THANK YOU) and sent me a size small in this standard high-low style cardigan. I had asked for a small since the Jade Draped Open cardigan in a medium from Fix #4 was way too big. This fit nearly perfect and I loved the overall look of this cardigan. Plus, it was lightweight and I felt like I could wear in Houston in the fall/ winter without burning up from the added weight and heat. The arms were a little tight and I realized only a tank top would work with it. I tried many styles of under layering shirts like long sleeve and short sleeve but each of them would bunch up underneath the cardigan because the cardigan itself was too small in the arms. Despite asking for a small in this particular cardigan a medium would have been better. I feel bad because I did specifically ask for a small but I should have been more specific…

1.       Open/ Draped Cardigans- Small BUT

2.       Regular/ Form fitting Cardigans- Medium/ Large.

In addition, this one kept laying funny on the left hand side of my chest, as if it was made wrong or something. I tried everything to get it to lay down properly but it just kept bothering me. I sent it back with a frown because I really liked the style.

See how it laid on the left shoulder kinda weird?
I just was not comfortable so why spend the money? 

Marson Wide Leg Denim Trouser ($78)

These jeans were so comfortable and I really liked the style. They were black and I would have preferred denim or blue color but I did like the style very much. Once again, my short person genes came into play as these were WAY too long. I was stepping on the last 3-4 inches every time I would walk and even with wedges or heels they were just not going to work. The price point was much better and the wide leg style is EXACTLY what I want… I just need a petite. I sent them back!

I really did like this pants... A LOT! But need at least 2 inches shorter. 

A whole ensemble look with the cardigan and the jeans!
I loved the look but just couldn't pull trigger. 

Kira Printed Maxi Skirt ($58)
This skirt was perfect and I loved everything about it. It fit great and once I rolled the waist over a few times it was even short enough for me. I was able to wear it with a casual blouse and a cute jean vest for a more "hip" look and then i was able to wear a dressier blouse and wear it that way too. It was a great find and buy. Honestly, it was still pricey for me but I went ahead and kept it!

I LOVE this one!

A complete look with the skirt, a solid tank and my fancy jean vest!
I kept this one and I am glad I did... It is AWESOME! 


Grove Lace Panel Knit Top ($48)
This shirt was very cute and I really liked the look of it on the hanger but once I got it on I felt like it just did not fit the way I wanted it to. It was sort of tight in the arms and the main thing I did not like about it was the length. It just seemed too short for me. I felt like I would ALWAYS have to wear a long cami underneath it. That and the high price tag made me pass on this one. I sent it back. 

A larger size and I would have kept this one too!
Love the lace detail. 

Leighton Metal Bauble Necklace ($34)This was a simple yet elegant silver Bauble necklace that could be worn with so many things from dressy to casual. I really liked it and now wish I would have kept it. I returned it solely because I kept the silver one from a previous fix. Again, I now wish I would have kept it! 

I really liked this necklace... Should have kept it!

Fix #5 was a good fix and despite only keeping 1 item I still enjoyed this fix. I went ahead and placed a fix to be shipped the 3rd week of November. I am headed on yet another cruise with my kids and I am interested to see what items my stylist will send for that. I also would like to see more open cardigans (following the guidelines I described above) as well as layering shirts for the crazy fickle Houston weather. I am pleased with this service but I think I will take a hard look at it after this next fix. I really would like to see more budget friendly items in this fix and the rest of my fixes going forward. 

Would you like to get FIXED up? Click on the link below to get started! 

Stitch Fix Referral

Fix Me Up!

God is good... All the time! 

Stinky Socks and a Very Intuitive 6 Year Old

Countdown to #TriumphantThanksgiving

Tuesday, November 10, 2015 

It is mid-November and it is time to start thinking about the holidays and especially Thanksgiving. This year we are taking the kids on their 1st cruise with my parents and sister. However, it is a SURPRISE to the kids. We are sailing out on Thanksgiving day and we all cannot wait.  Chris and I are addicted to cruising (literally, we have 4 more planned/ booked after this one) and my parents are avid cruisers as well but this will be the first cruise for not only the kids but my sister as well. There has been a lot of talk amoungst the adults the past few weeks and months but we have kept Thanksgiving and the whole holiday week pretty low key at our house. 

So this evening at dinner Chris and I were discussing Thanksgiving with Natalie and what we would do on our days off of school. We discussed food preparations for the big meal (Thank you Carnival) and other things but Natalie says she wants to go to the beach.  

Then the rest of the conversation went like this: 

Me- I want to go somewhere warm. 

Chris- I want to go someplace where I don't have cook. 

Natalie- I want to go someplace where I don't have to do homework. 

Me- I want to go someplace where I don't have to clean.

Natalie- I want to go someplace where I can sleep in until it's daytime and not nighttime because I am always tired when you wake me up before the sun comes up. 

Luke- (loudly interrupting with food still in his mouth)
 hey, it's my turn... Stinky socks.

We all laugh at our little "Class Clown" boy!

Natalie- I want to go someplace special that we have never been to. 

Chris- I want to go someplace where I can eat anything I want. 

Natalie- I want to go someplace and sleep like in a hotel. And I can swim in a pool. 

Luke- ...and a hot tub! Oh and stinky socks (seriously, it literally happened this way)

Me- I want to go someplace where I can do whatever I want, whenever I want.  

Chris- I want to go somewhere to get away from my fam... (He didn't get to finish before Natalie interrupted) 

Natalie- I want to go on a cruise! 

So then there was an awkward silence and Chris and I's faces turn bright red... Meanwhile, Natalie is looking back and fourth between Chris and I and you can tell the wheels are turning. Then... 

Luke- Hey, hey STINKY SOCKS

We changed topics real soon but let's just say... I think she has an idea at the very least. This is going to be a LONG 15 days of keeping this crazy exciting secret. 

God is good.. ALL the time! 

Death Valley on a Saturday Night

Our First South Carolina Home Game 

October 10, 2015 

It was a typical Wednesday afternoon of chaos and craziness at school and around 2PM I get a text from Chris saying "Because of the hurricane in South Carolina, the SEC has moved the game from Columbia, SC to Baton Rouge. Tickets might be easy to get... Wanna go?" Amidst my students playing percussion instruments at stations and the noise that goes along with that I stood there looking at my phone and thought "Why Not"... I mean could it get any more chaotic than 2nd graders banging on a drum? That evening we began to research the game and tickets and sure enough we were able to score some tickets inside Death Valley Stadium in Baton Rouge for $40 each, which is well over 1/2 price for an SEC game. We spoke with Gigi Jackie and Grandpa who gladly took the kids for the weekend and we headed east. 

We decided to leave Saturday morning around 6:30AM because kickoff wasn't until 2:30PM. This would allow us plenty of time to make the 4 hour 30 minute trip to Baton Rouge from our house in The Woodlands. The drive was easy and the traffic was very light. We made it into Baton Rouge around 11:30AM and started to look for parking. We were able to find parking very quickly near the Tiger Band Hall and it was actually free since this game came into fruition so late. Another $20-40 saved just by not having to pay for parking. 

One of the primary parking spots on campus that was not only NOT full but not even busy or open! This was NOT a true SEC experience. 

Once we got parked we headed up towards the central area of the campus, the parade grounds, where a FREE tailgate party was being offered by the university to both LSU and South Carolina fans. We got to the tailgating tent around 12:10PM and unfortunately, the seafood gumbo was already gone and most of the side dishes were as well. We got some bags of chips and some water before heading out to see more of the deserted campus. I had been to one other LSU home football game back in 2008 which was a game against North Texas so it was not a typical LSU home atmosphere. This was much like that is not worse. The campus was deserted and the fans were not as rowdy; however, they were very gracious and hospitable to the South Carolina fans who made the trip in from Columbia. I was highly impressed with their friendliness towards South Carolina in general. In fact, the SEC was a "class act" with the whole situation. I hate to say it but WAY TO GO SEC!

A panoramic view of the Parade Grounds... It was EMPTY! 

My hubby at his favorite place on earth! 

We went back up to the main area of the campus where the drumline was playing. Chris went over to the Greek Amphitheater to listen to the drumline while I found a tailgating tent with a TV and watched my Sooners trail going into halftime of the Red River Rivalry Game (OU vs Texas). This did nothing but make my blood pressure higher as I knew that would happen since OU had played outstanding the weeks leading up the game and saxeT had not won a single game. I knew we would go into the game with a big head and that would make us lose. Yep... Called it! We lost... in fact, we didn't even show up! Gosh I hate saxeT. 

After we heard the drumline warm-up we waited outside the School of Music for the band to form and lead the parade to Tiger Stadium. While we waited Chris ran into someone he knew from Baton Rouge many years ago and someone he went to LSU with. That was a cool moment for him and I was happy to meet someone from his past!

The Saxophones getting ready for the march to Tiger Stadium. 

The drum major calling the band to the attention position. 

The saxes marching by us on their way to the Stadium. 

The policeman brought up the rear of the parade. 

We are ready to cheer on the Tigers! 

It was about 1:00PM and the Golden Band from Tigerland formed along the street and began marching towards Tiger Stadium. This was a lot of fun as thousands of fans followed the band down the trail to the stadium. After the parade we headed towards Mike the Tiger's habitat, He was up and walking around and was absolutely gorgeous.

Outside of Mike's habitat getting ready to go into the game. 

Such a PRETTY campus! 

Soon after that we went into the stadium and headed up towards our seats in the upper section of the stadium. We made it to our seats just 9 rows from the very top. Both Chris and I had never witnessed a football game from that high so it was a very pleasant experience. Since it was still a South Carolina Home Game they played the SC intro video and introduced all of their players and the LSU band even played the South Carolina Alamatar which I thought was very classy.

A view of South Baton Rouge from our seats. 

Welcome to DEATH VALLEY! 

Geaux Tigers. 

Chris and I enjoyed the game and despite talking about changing seats and going to a lower section since the game was only at 40% capacity we stayed in our seats so Chris could talk football with the fans around us. 

The last time I went to LSU I had some of the best stadium food I ever had and easily the absolute best BBQ pulled park sandwich of my life. I was hoping for much of the same and I was not disappointed. I stood in line for about 10 minutes getting $3.50 hot dogs only to find a Tony Chachere's stand offering all kinds of Cajun goodies. I got a bowl of seafood jambalya and a Crawfish pie for Chris and I to share and let me just say... it was AMAZING! The jamabalya was perfectly cooked and delicious and the crawfish pie was just as tasty and so unique for a football game. Later in the game I got a special piece of LSU cookie cake offered by Great American Cookie company. Once again, the concession stand inside Tiger Stadium did not disappoint.

The seafood jambalaya was INCREDIBLE! 

The crawfish pie was also VERY GOOD! 

Real Great American Cookies INSIDE a Stadium?
How cool!

This is what the cookie looked like. I will be honest, I was expecting a little bit more decorating and icing like the ones you would find at the mall,,, but it still was very good! Worth $6? Maybe not! 

LSU ended up winning the game and it was a GREAT experience. We were able to make it back to our car and get back on the road and get back home. We thought about staying the night but honestly our weekends had been completely packed with events and duties since the beginning of school and they were only going to get worse as the rest of October and November came so we decided to just make it a 1 day trip. We had to stop a few times along the way for gas and food but made it back around 12:15AM. It literally was an ALL DAY trip but we had a BLAST!

Welcome to our 1st South Carolina HOME game!

The things we do for LOVE... I do love you Chris Davis, because that color just does NOT look good on me! 

Selfie from our seats 9 rows from the top. 

Chris has always wanted to take me to LSU for a SEC game and really get the "Tiger Bait" experience as he calls it. While this game was not the experience he was hoping for, it still was a LOT of fun and I am really glad we decided to make the long day trip and experience this together. I still hope to be able to go to a sold out crowd of LSU fans and watch an LSU vs Alabama or LSU vs Florida game some day but for now... I got my "Geaux Tigers" fix! Purple may look good on me but I prefer to wear Crimson and Cream! BOOMER SOONER!

God is good... All the time!  

Stitch Fix #4 Review

Stitch Fix #4 

September 2015

This fix came just in time for me to get ready for the 2015-2016 school year. I was not able to do a lot of shopping over the summer for whatever reason and I had not gotten a lot of “teacher” clothes this year so I was ready for this box to arrive. This box had some AMAZING pieces in it and I liked all of them but once again the price tag for most of them was just too high.

Black Top ($48) 

This was a basic black top but dressed up a bit with burnout style sleeves and a longer short sleeve style. It fit very well and I was in need for a simple black top to wear with skirts and pants. This was an automatic keep!

I love this simple yet classy black top! I much needed item in my closet right now! 

Black Ankle Pants ($76) 

These pants were made of a very comfortable cotton material and were a wide leg fashion like I requested in my note to my stylist. Once again, the short person struggle became apparent as I was not sure if they were capri pants or actual pants. I tried them on several times and I felt like I would not be able to wear heels or any type of raised shoe with them in fear of looking like I had high waters on them. And even with sandals they just fell at a weird location. I did ask my stylist for a “petite” length this time and this was a disappointment because in this particular pair of pants I need them to be longer. This was my 1^st true frustration with the service as I really liked the pants. I sent them back!

It is hard to tell but look closely on the right leg (left screen) and you can see the pants are a little short! Maybe they were supposed to be capris but on me they just looked like high-waters! This was so very frustrating! 

Jade Open Cardigan ($54)

This cardigan was open and had a cap like feel to it. Even looking at it on the hanger before trying it on I knew it would be too big and look sloppy. I realize this style is very “in” right now but I just felt like I was wearing a moo-moo. I think if I would have tried it on with a large black belt I would have felt more comfortable. My stylist sent a matching 3 layer necklace as well and the entire ensemble (Pants, black shirt and cardigan/ necklace) would have been a fantastic buy but this piece in particular I was just not sold on it. I sent pictures to great friends who told me that I honestly looked larger than I am. I made a note to my stylist about maybe exchanging for a smaller size (She sent a medium) since it was a draped open cardigan. I like this look but I just felt larger than life, and not in a good way. I sent it back! 

So on the hanger it looks cute and not too big but as I wore it I felt like I had gained the 80 pounds I had lost back! I felt like it looks sloppy! 

3 Layer Jade Necklace ($38)

This necklace was very beautiful but I felt like it would only go with the cardigan they sent me. I looked through my closet and just didn’t see anything that it matched. I think if it was all silver or all black I would have gotten it because I liked the longer length and 3 layers but the jade color made it difficult to match. I sent it back.

The whole outfit with the matching Jade necklace... Cute Cute but not as versatile as I would have liked a jewelry piece to be!

Black and White Maxi ($68)

I liked this dress from the very beginning. It was exactly what I had requested on my Pinterest boards. I really liked the design and print of this dress and it was very versatile but I was not a fan of the fit. It fell right at the stomach line with an elastic band and this just made me feel pregnant! My husband, and fashion friend Jodi, say it did not make me look pregnant but I felt that way so I knew it wasn't for me. I sent it back! 

I did like this dress but just not enough to spend nearly $70! 

Fix #4 was heading in the right direction but I was not able to pull the trigger on all of the items with the high priced items and small discrepancies. I am hoping my 5th Fix coming in October will improve. 

Would you like to try Stitch Fix? Click on the link below to get started today! 

Stitch Fix Referral

Fix me up! 

God is good... ALL the time! 

Stitch Fix #3 Review

Stitch Fix #3 Review 

May 2015

I am now hooked on this awesome service of having my own personal shopper and stylist. My 2^nd fix in February was PERFECT and I loved every piece. In fact, I nearly kept all 5 pieces but sent 2 back because I just wasn’t ready to make “that” type of statement. See that blog HERE. This was fix #3 and I was ready for yet another cruise! Those of you that know me, know that cruising is MY THING and Chris and I are completely hooked. This time I asked my stylist for summer maxi dresses and specific pieces I could wear on the ship and at the beach. I was anxious to open my box and see what I got.

Cream Lace Top ($45) 

This was an awesome piece and both Chris and I liked but I just felt like I would only really wear it on the cruise ship. It was dressy and nice but I just felt like I was going “clubbing” and that is fine and dandy on the ship but not necessarily my everyday style. I sent it back after a LONG debate. Once again, looking back I wish I would have kept it! I sent it back!

I really liked this shirt but it just seemed out of my league. 

Could I pull this off? 

Olive Capris from Kut from the Kloth ($78) 

These capris were great and casual for not just wearing on the ship but for everyday life as well. However, I was not crazy about the color and despite the tops they sent me matching I assumed it would be hard to match these pants. I just kept picturing a black top every time I tried to piece together and outfit in my head. The most important reason that I sent these back was because I thought they were priced too high ($78) for common everyday khaki style capri pants. I can buy these at Kohl’s or Macy’s for $35-40 and still have money to spare to buy a shirt before reaching the $78 price tag. I sent them back because the price was too high.

They fit pretty well but the color and price tag combo made these capris hard to swallow! 

Animal Print Cross Tank ($40)

This was an AMAZING top and fit like a glove. It was a cross-body style which was nice because even with my “Less than endowed” top half, I was able to have a perfect fit. This was a summer top that I could wear on the ship, the rest of the summer and even put a cardigan over it for the fall and winter. I loved this top and wore it not only on the ship but also several times throughout the summer. I kept this top and love the style and fit!

I love this shirt! It can be wore in the dead heat of summer and layered in the winter! 

Very versatile. 

Grey Chevron Maxi ($74)

This maxi also fit like glove and really accentuated my weight loss and was incredibly comfortable. I really liked the style of the top half of the dress and it highlighted the neckline very well. It was a little long but it gave me an excuse to get new shoes to wear with it. I ended up wearing this dress as one of my formal dresses on our summer cruise. I love this dress and I ended up keeping it!

I LOVED this dress. The fit and style were absolutely perfect! 

I wore it on my cruise and LOVED it!

Silver Medallion Necklace ($34)

This was a beautiful necklace and I loved how it could be used casually or to dress up an outfit. I went back and forth about this one but in the end I kept it but ending up giving it to my mom. I now wish I would have kept it for myself. You cannot go wrong with a pretty silver necklace… they pretty much go with anything. I kept this piece of jewelry!

This fix was a great one and I enjoyed each of the pieces. The capri pants and the lace top were the only 2 things I sent back and that was because of price tag (pants) and the amount of confidence it would have taken to wear them (Lace top). I could have very well kept them all and got the 25% discount which would have practically paid for one of the items. My stylist is doing a FANTASTIC job at picking out styles for me and once again, I am completely satisfied with my fix! I scheduled Fix #4 for September and I hope to get “teacher wardrobe” pieces. We will see what September and Fix #4 hold! 

Would you like to try out Stitch Fix yourself? Click on the link to get your fix today! 

Stitch Fix Referral

Fix me up! 

God is good... ALL the time! 

Stitch Fix #2 Review

Stitch Fix #2 Review

March 2015

Fix #1 had come and gone, all of it, and I was ready to see what fix #2 would hold. I got the box and seemed to be even more excited this time to open the box and see what my awesome stylist had chosen for me. I find this whole system to be fascinating and uplifting honestly. There is someone that has never seen me a day in their life but observes what I like from social media and especially Pinterest and then chooses styles and outfits for me. To be honest, she has been SPOT ON with each and every fix.

Royal Tank Top ($34)

This was a lovely tank top featuring American colors and a great fit but I just wasn’t in love with it. It also would have needed a racer back style of bra in order to not look trashy with the bra strap showing (as you can plainly see from the picture) so I decided to send it back.

I did like this tank but the cost and fit I was not crazy about! 

White/ Black Lace Tank Tunic ($48)

This was a perfect tank top for roaming around a cruise ship and a regular spring day in the great city of Houston. My husband and I both liked it a lot and I kept it without even thinking twice. To this day, I wear it frequently. Even in the Fall/ Winter, I can throw a cardigan over it and it still look fresh and simple. The style and fit are exactly what I like. I kept it!

I LOVE this shirt! 

Black Ankle Pants ($78) 

These pants fit well, especially with my recent weight loss, but they still just made me feel like I was in tight pants. Chris and even my mom and sister said they did not look tight but I felt like they were tight. Also, they were at the weird stage of “too short pants” or “too long capris” and I was not comfortable with that. I sent them back.

Too Tight... I sent them back! 

Navy/ Cream Long Sleeve Dress ($68)

I fell in love with this dress and style almost immediately upon putting it on. The longer sleeves made it wearable into the early spring months and in fall/ winter. It was at a perfect length, just above the knees, which was perfect for me. I also found the pockets to be a great accessory. I may not have chosen this style for myself which made me love this process even more. I did keep this piece and wore it the following week on my Bahamas Cruise. I have worn it several times since then and each time I get multiple compliments on it! This was a perfect addition to my closet. I kept it and love it!

I love this dress so much! So comfy and even has pockets! 

Blue Sailor Dress ($64) 

This dress was very cute on the hanger and once I put it on I did feel beautiful in it. The price tag was just perfect for a dress and as my stylist said “It would be perfect to wear to dinner on my cruise”. However, it was a little too short for my comfort, even with my weight loss. My knees have ALWAYS been my worst part of my body and I am very unsure and not confident with them. To this day I have running and jogging for the sole reason of getting rid of my FAT knees. It is slowly but surely working. I sent this one back but honestly, I now wish I would have kept it!   

Looking back... I wish I would have kept this! 

Fix #2 proved to be much better than #1 and I was close to keep it all and getting that 25% discount. I really liked the styles of each of these pieces and each of them looked good on. I am now “Sold” on this whole process and have scheduled a 3^rd Fix for late May. I cannot wait to see what comes in my box! 

Fix me up! 

God is good...ALL the time! 

Stitch Fix #1 Review

Stitch Fix #1 Review 

January 2015 

I saw a friend of mine, Elisa, from college keep posting about this amazing service that SHOPS FOR YOU! I love to shop so at first I was like “Oh, I can do my own shopping. I do not need anyone’s help”. But then she kept posting SUPER cute stuff! I kept looking at her outfits and thinking “Wow, those are cute. I have not seen that style in Macy’s/ Dillard’s or the mall (The stores I frequent). I may just have to try it”. I did just that and signed up for my 1^st fix in January of this year. I got my 1^st box and I was SO EXCITED I could hardly contain myself. 

My 1st Stitch Fix! I cannot wait to see what is inside this box! 

I opened it and saw a complete array of adorable styles and each of them were perfect and unique in their own ways. I ended up all of the 5 items back but only a few small details kept me from keeping them all.

Floral Sheer Blouse ($48) 

This blouse was AWESOME and would be perfect for Houston weather that is 60* or higher in the dead of fall/ winter. I loved it but it was a little too big in the middle chest area and it just looked like my chest area should have been about 5 inches lower than where it actually was. I tried it on 2 different day and total of 5 times before deciding I would have to pass. I sent it back and requested a smaller size on my next fix.

It is hard to see in this picture but the chest area was too low cut and large!

Boyfriend Jeans from a Kut from the Kloth ($128)

The price tag immediately sent me into shock as this is NOWHERE near what I usually pay for jeans. I am a bargain shopper and hardly ever pay full price for anything and this was not only high but was high for even full price jeans I would usually buy. I really did like them and I was surprised to see they fit me well but I could not justify spending $128 on regular jeans, meaning not a brand name fancy “butt” style of jeans. I sent them back; solely because of the high price tag. If they were even half the price, I would have kept them for sure.

Navy Cloud Sheer Shirt ($54) 

This shirt looked great before I put it on… then once I put it on I looked like I was 7 months pregnant. This, obviously, is not a look anyone wants but I especially did not like it since I had just lost 70 pounds. This was an immediate “NO” from both me and my husband. I sent it back.

These jeans fit well, considering the style, but $128... yeah that high price tag is just not for me!
This shirt... yeah it was a definite "NO" from the very beginning! 

Navy Cardigan ($68)

This cardigan was adorable on and off the hanger and I really enjoyed it. It fit well and really played the part of fall layering. I paired it with a white tank top and the jeans they sent and it was a really cute outfit. But yet again, I just got sick looking at the $68 price tag. Now some of you might be thinking that is nothing for a top or blouse or even a layering cardigan but for me this was high and I just could not pull the trigger. I ended up sending it back too just because of the high price tag. 

I did like this cardigan but again, the cost was a little out of my league! 

For the life of me I cannot remember what the 5^th item was but I know I had to send it back because I ended up losing my $20 style fee for this fix. I didn’t like that but at the same time I was not going to waste more money on items that I was not 100% satisfied.

Overall I was satisfied with my first Stitch Fix experience and scheduled another fix for the end of February as I was headed to a cruise in March. Fix #1 may not have been a HUGE success but it was not a complete turn-off either. We will see what Fix #2 holds. 

Fix me up! 

God is good... All the time!