Jess
Jess Allain is a mom of two, an attorney, a triathlete, and a yoga teacher. She is a member of the Junior League of Lafayette and serves on the board of The Family Tree. When she isn't swimming, biking, running, reading, practicing yoga, litigating, or cooking something up in the kitchen, you will find her playing with her two beautiful girls. Adventure is out there!
Mardi Gras Cards are a Thing, Right?
I love Christmas cards. Growing up, I always envisioned myself as being one of those people who had it together and would send a perfect family Christmas card every year. The year my husband...
Busy Mom’s Guide to Valentine’s Day Magic
I love Valentine’s Day. In my youth, the opportunity for romance and madness was always very exciting, if not realistic. However, whenever I became a mom, I found the real love in Valentine’s Day....
How to Make a Gluten-Free Gumbo
With the cold weather firmly entrenched, my heart calls for gumbo. But with celiac disease (or other gluten allergy / intolerance / sensitivity), that’s not always an easy desire to quench. When I was...
Busy Mom’s Complete Guide to Quarantined New Year’s Magic
Like many families in our area (and across the country), we were exposed to COVID at Christmas. So now, we are waiting out quarantine, and our New Year's plans are wrecked. Goodbye super fun...
My First Hanukkah: Our Multi-Cultural Christmas
When my five year old daughter asked me if we could celebrate Hanukkah last year, I was surprised. We aren’t Jewish … but she had learned about the holiday at school and was fascinated...
Goodbye, Running … for Now
At the time of writing, I can say that I completed the Bay St. Louis Triathlon for the third time. Previously known as Bring it to the Bay, this was my very first triathlon...
5 Books by Female Authors Worth the Read
At a recent dinner party with our micro-pod of friends, we engaged in a super interesting literary discussion where one friend challenged another friend about his reading list. The challenge was whether he could...
Insomnia SOS: Restorative Yoga to Wind Down for Bed
As life begins to open up again and we resume activities from the "Before Times", more entries on your calendar may be resulting in more anxiety and less sleep. Stress may be running high...
Looking for a Fun Saturday Afternoon Activity? Check Out The Family Tree Art Night!
The Family Tree is a local non-profit that provides affordable counseling services and a number of free educational programs. The Family Tree's mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals and families...
How Many Tacos is Too Many? #notaskingforafriend
A few months ago, my husband texted me out of the blue to ask if I wanted tacos for lunch. Of course I did. I always want tacos. My intense and enduring love of...