So Much More – THE JOYFUL PLANNER

Father’s Day Weekend in Paradise

Published on June 30, 2022June 30, 2022 by joyfulplannerLeave a comment

Paradise Ranch RV Resort located in Tylertown, MS quickly became a Father’s Day weekend tradition for my husband’s family a few years back. The 105-acre property offers a relaxing and fun environment for the whole family. The property has cabins, “glamping” tents, a primitive tent location, and plenty of RV sites for rent. For the hot summer days, there is a Blue Lagoon (pool) and Kid Zone with Water Wars and massive Jumping Pillows to help cool down. There is an indoor game room, Paradise Cafe for hot food and snowballs, and the Camp Store with snacks, souvenirs, firewood, and more. You can even rent golf carts to use on property, kayaks to take out on their 20-acre cypress lake filled with bass, or go tubing down the Bogue Chitto River. It truly is impossible to be bored here.

This was my husband and I’s second time going. Our first time we stayed in a very small bunk bed in his parents’ camper, but they have since traded that camper in for an even smaller one. We knew if we were going back, we had to find somewhere to stay.

Thankfully, we were told of Rickie’s Rocking RV Rentals out of Franklin, LA. We rented a 2021 Jayco camper, and the owners were amazing to work with. They responded quickly to our inquiry and were available for questions and concerns throughout our stay if needed. Our reservation included set up and take down at our camp site, and the camper was filled with all necessities- bed linen, bath towels, cleaning supplies, an outdoor fan, and so much more. The bathroom size in this camper was well worth it all! I definitely recommend, as it made our time completely stress free.

We spent our weekend drinking homemade margaritas, playing corn hole, roasting a pig, and feeding beautiful red stag deer that freely roam the campground. Saturday night, we listened to Grammy Award Winner Wayne Toups under their pavilion, wrapping up a great weekend.

With next year on our minds, we already booked one of the two 10-Point Loft Cabins, which includes 1 full bed, 1 bunk bed, a loft area for additional sleeping and a full size kitchen. There are several other cabins varying in size and amenities too. We also looked into their “glamping” tents, which do come with air conditioning, but apparently are still very hot in the summer. If you are really courageous, check out the primitive location for regular camping tents. This campground is definitely expanding quickly with sites popping up fast. We also heard rumors of a lazy river coming soon, so we are definitely excited for next year. Here’s to hoping it won’t be record-breaking heat again next year!

For more information on Paradise Ranch RV Resort, visit paradiseranchrv.com

For more information on Rickie’s Rocking RV Rentals, visit their Facebook page.

Ghost Tours and Italian Kisses

Published on April 3, 2022June 30, 2022 by joyfulplannerLeave a comment

For Christmas, my brother and sister-in-law, gifted me, my husband, and our parents tickets for a New Orleans ghost tour. Now, I am not a fan of history, nor do I believe in ghosts. But New Orleans? On a beautiful Saturday in March? Count. Me. In.

We started our day with lunch at Pierre Antoine Restaurant. It is located on the corner of Royal Street and St. Ann with open-air seating for views of the French Quarter and serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This was my second time here, and both times, the food was delicious. They serve classic Louisiana cajun and creole cuisine. I had the fried shrimp and oyster platter, which did not disappoint. We also had their famous, and yummy, Beignet Fries with powdered sugar.

We then made our way to the start of our tour. The tour we did was the French Quarter Ghosts and Legends Tour with Haunted History Tours of New Orleans. It is a 2 hour walking tour, departing across the street from Pat O’Brien’s. So with a drink in hand from Pat O’s, the tour began. Our tour guide was amazing! He was so lively and animated, and it was obvious history is his passion. A majority of the tour was spent at various sites along nearby streets, as our guide pointed out murder mysteries and rumors of ghost sightings. There was one stop on the tour – a tucked-away bed and breakfast style building, where we could enter into one of the rooms and check for ghosts. While we didn’t see any ghosts, we learned a lot about the history of the French Quarter and thoroughly enjoyed the tour.

After the tour was over, it was time for the Italian-American St. Joseph’s Parade! This parade celebrates St. Joseph and passes directly through the French Quarter, just a block from where our tour ended. The parade is filled with local marching bands, a hand full of floats, and (most importantly) men in tuxedos with plastic roses to trade for a kiss on the cheek. We spent the parade sipping on the “frozen purple drink” from Lafitte’s Blacksmith Bar. I’m not really sure what the drink’s real name is, or what’s even in it, but it was so refreshing on a sunny day and the perfect parade drink.

Overall, I would highly recommend the tour or parade (or both!) to anyone with a love for New Orleans. Food was great, drinks were better, and time with family is always the best.

-Rebecca

For more information on the ghost tour, visit their website at http://www.hauntedhistorytours.com

The Unexpected Weekend Trip

Published on March 13, 2022July 2, 2022 by joyfulplanner1 Comment

On Friday, August 27, 2021, south Louisiana was facing a nearing category 5 hurricane, so my husband and I, along with some of our family, boarded up our homes, packed a weekend bag and our important documents into our car, and headed west to Houston, praying our homes would be spared.

Flash forward to today, almost 6 months later, I’m typing this under our brand new roof, and soon a few interior spots will be repaired. Considering we had just closed on our (first!) house exactly two weeks before evacuating, our Houston trip was filled with worry and anxious feelings, unknown what we’d be returning to. Thankfully, Houston is a big city with tons of distractions, which were very much needed from the TVs at the hotel showing hurricane updates and storm chasers live streaming on Facebook the impact of Ida back home.

Here are a few of those distractions we visited and what we ordered to eat and drink. I know one thing for sure, you definitely won’t go hungry (or thirsty) in HTX.

KARBACH BREWING

2032 Karbach St Houston TX 77092

URBAN SOUTH BREWERY

1201 Oliver St Houston TX 77007

Chuy’s

18035 I-45 S Shenandoah TX 77385

There was a few more places we visited that deserve recognition for great food, drinks, and atmosphere, like 8th Wonder Brewery, Truck Yard, and Ninfa’s. We were just too busy enjoying the company to snap any pictures.

Overall, I will always be thankful for this weekend getaway despite the circumstances. Houston is a great city and holds many memories for us. Plus, spending time with family and friends is never time wasted, but I pray our next visit won’t be for a hurricane evacuation again!