- All
- Holiday
- LGBTQ+
- NOLA Life
- NOLAPapa Blog
- Parenting and Family
- Recipes
A Guilt’s Goodbye
By Erik A. |
Guilt. I can honestly say I don’t think I have ever really and TRULY felt ...
Read More 
A Mississippi Christmas
By Erik A. |
People often ask me if it was love at first sight. My answer to them ...
Read More 
A Papa’s Promise
By Erik A. |
The recent events which transpired in our country over the racial injustices and oppression towards ...
Read More 
Baby Cakes
By Erik A. |
When it comes to eating, every kid is different. You can never really know how ...
Read More 
Building Our Perfect Nursery
By Erik A. |
So many thoughts flashed through our minds when we were matched with our birth mother. Where ...
Read More 
Christmas Crinkle Cookies
By Erik A. |
The Holidays come in so fast and sometimes it’s hard to find a good fail-proof ...
Read More 
Christmas Metamorphosis
By Erik A. |
Everything that happens in our lives is meant to teach us something. These experiences--good, the ...
Read More 
Circadian Sacrifice
By Erik A. |
If I could offer any advice for someone expecting to bring home their new baby ...
Read More 
Citrus Season
By Erik A. |
My absolute favorite time of year for desserts is citrus season- particularly, Meyer lemon season! ...
Read More 
Climbing Potty Mountain
By Erik A. |
Anyone with kids can probably attest that potty training is literally one of the hardest ...
Read More Dear America
By Erik A. |
Dear America, For the first time in my life, I am able to breathe fresh ...
Read More 
DIY: Xmas Edition
By Erik A. |
This southern boy loves Christmas. I love everything about it! This time of year for ...
Read More 
Experiment: One
By Erik A. |
Our crazy house is in full fledge toddler mode. To make it even more hectic, ...
Read More 
Finding a Happy Medium
By Erik A. |
Living in New Orleans there is always an underlying thickness in the air. It is ...
Read More 
Finding Ella
By Erik A. |
Tonight, I can now tell you that this has been the most difficult and emotional ...
Read More 
Full Circle
By Erik A. |
You can always count on January to be full of New Year's resolution clichés that ...
Read More 
Gay Dads’ Top 3 Tips for New Parents
By Erik A. |
Parenthood itself is the wildest ride you could ever imagine. For some, the process to ...
Read More 
Grin and Bear It
By Erik A. |
I am sure that, at some point, everyone has looked back at their past and ...
Read More 
Heavy Conversations
By Erik A. |
I can’t believe it’s been over two years since I wrote about our ‘Open Adoption’ for Gays with ...
Read More 
High Chair, Bye Chair
By Erik A. |
To you, this may look like the normal night before trash day. A definite score ...
Read More 
Holiday Jump Start
By Erik A. |
With everything going on in our country, I think saying that it has been a ...
Read More 
I Doubt That
By Erik A. |
I'm rushing down the tiring stretch of life, barreling around every corner with one focus. ...
Read More 
I’m not a Sissy
By Erik A. |
Everyone has their own story. Every single sentence of each and every paragraph creates our ...
Read More 
It Gets Better, Part 1
By Erik A. |
️Coming out was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Being ...
Read More 
It Gets Better, Part 2
By Erik A. |
It feels like yesterday that my husband and I were concerned about our tiny preemie ...
Read More 
It Gets Better, Part 3
By Erik A. |
️Coming out was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Being ...
Read More 
Katrina Echos
By Erik A. |
It’s been 14 years and it still feels as if it happened a couple of ...
Read More 
Lead by Example…
By Erik A. |
I will admit, it is an unsettling time right now for a lot of people ...
Read More 
Life Is So Much More Than Just a Blog
By Erik A. |
In my writings, I have always said that each of our paths are connected more ...
Read More 
Love Will Always Win
By Erik A. |
It was pizza and gelato night. We look forward to special nights like these. What ...
Read More 
Mamaw’s Chocolate Pie
By Erik A. |
Spring time may still be a few months away, but I can't help but think ...
Read More 
Meyer Lemon Ice Box Pie
By Erik A. |
If you ever wondered what pie could truly represent the south, this would be it. ...
Read More 
Milestones
By Erik A. |
In the beginning, it was so hard for my husband and I to not get ...
Read More 
My Perfect Cornbread
By Erik A. |
When you think about what a typical southern family eats with their dinner or Sunday ...
Read More 
New Orleans Style Roast Beef Debris Po-Boy
By Erik A. |
I don’t know what it is about spring time but one of my most favorite ...
Read More 
No Packet Tacos
By Erik A. |
No packet tacos are EASIER than opening those impossibly hard packets of taco seasonings! I ...
Read More 
Nolapapa’s Peanut Butter Cookies
By Erik A. |
Life is crazy right now. I know it is the craziest I have ever seen. ...
Read More 
NolaPapa’s Top 5 Ways to STAY SANE During the Holidays
By Erik A. |
The lights. The garland. The temperature change. The shimmer of smiles accompanied by laughter and ...
Read More 
Oreo Bread
By Erik A. |
First things first. Grab your ingredients. Now, lets get to it. For the bread: 1 ...
Read More 
Our Christmas cards were sent out TODAY. #sorry #notsorry
By Erik A. |
Oh yes we did! You know, it’s like finishing a 5k race. You know you ...
Read More 
Our Open Adoption
By Erik A. |
Our open adoption was one of the most serious and heavy discussions Douglas and I ...
Read More 
Our Story…
By Erik A. |
It is so hard to wrap my head around at what this past year has ...
Read More 
Oven Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Feta Dip
By Erik A. |
As much as I like to serve sweets, I do make it a point to ...
Read More 
Papa’s Sloppy Papi
By Erik A. |
Everyone loves a Sloppy Joe. This is different than the ole’ lunchroom sandwich. This takes ...
Read More 
Papa’s Broccoli & Chedda’ Pasta
By Erik A. |
Finding those veggies that our kids will eat is OFTEN a struggle bus. I have ...
Read More 
Papa’s Potato Soup with Hunny Butter Rolls
By Erik A. |
One of the most gratifying feelings I’ve had in life is when my kids ask me to ...
Read More 
Picture This
By Erik A. |
Picture this- Two people that have committed their lives together decide to grow their family. ...
Read More 
Pride of Fatherhood
By Erik A. |
Since Father’s Day is right around the corner and Pride month has just officially kicked ...
Read More 
Pride Reflections
By Erik A. |
As we look back on Gay Pride 2017, let us take notice at just how ...
Read More 
Resolutions
By Erik A. |
As Im inching closer and closer to 40 now, It's so easy for me to ...
Read More 
Shane’s Story
By Erik A. |
Sharp turns in life can rock you. Unspeakable pain and heartbreak can make us feel like ...
Read More 
Silver Linings
By Erik A. |
The past year and half have been some of the best moments Douglas and I ...
Read More 
Southern Pecan Pralines
By Erik A. |
Some of my fondest memories growing up were the smells coming from my grandmother's kitchen. ...
Read More 
Stand Up and Speak Out, Part 1
By Erik A. |
Four years ago we received the phone call that changed our lives forever. We were ...
Read More 
Stand Up and Speak Out, Part 2
By Erik A. |
Twenty years ago when I came out, it was unbearably hard. As I have written ...
Read More 
Staying Confident
By Erik A. |
Some people in the south usually do not get the gravity of being different unless ...
Read More 
Strawberry & Poppy Seed Salad
By Erik A. |
This is one of my all time favorite salads! The guilt free feeling of eating ...
Read More 
The 6 Year Pattern
By Erik A. |
I had the most interesting conversation with our priest the other day. What he had ...
Read More 
The Bravest Knight
By Erik A. |
A couple of months back, I posted an article about a new and progressive cartoon ...
Read More 
The Importance of an Open Adoption
By Erik A. |
As hours turned to days, I am left with an empty feeling regarding our country. ...
Read More 
The Unicorn Effect
By Erik A. |
I was working at a night club on Bourbon Street and stepped into the back. ...
Read More 
Then Came Pride
By Erik A. |
What would I say to the ones who were brave enough to divert the raging ...
Read More 
This House Was a Home and It Was Ours.
By Erik A. |
Picture it. The momentum was building as you heard chatter of the Supreme Court’s decision ...
Read More 
Traditions
By Erik A. |
Some of my fondest memories growing up were the smells coming from my grandmother's kitchen. ...
Read More 
Tummy Troubles
By Erik A. |
So much information flood your mind when preparing to bring your new baby home. All ...
Read More 
Turn it Off
By Erik A. |
It is so easy to get sucked down the rabbit hole of the world’s social ...
Read More 
Unapologetically Xmas
By Erik A. |
With everything going on in our country, I think saying that it has been a ...
Read More 
Valentine’s Finale
By Erik A. |
A Crepe Masterpiece For Valentine's day one of my most favorite things to make for ...
Read More 
Vegas with Kids?
By Erik A. |
Vegas with Kids? Um - YES! I didn’t think Las Vegas would be the first ...
Read More 
Vegetable and Beef Soup
By Erik A. |
Anyone that knows me, knows my favorite weather is the coldest of winter with overcast ...
Read More 
Viral Circus
By Erik A. |
COVID-19 has shaken the whole world to it’s core. From one part of the globe ...
Read More 
We are Having a Party!
By Erik A. |
I made a sweet birthday banner using the month stickers we have taken pictures with ...
Read More 
With Dreams in Our Pockets
By Erik A. |
Love is a magical thing. It often comes out of nowhere and bites us in ...
Read More 
World’s Best Peach Crisp
By Erik A. |
Oh y’all. Summer is HERE! And you know what that means? FRUIT FLIES! Omg- they ...
Read More 
Valentine’s Finale
A Crepe Masterpiece For Valentine’s day one of my most favorite things to make for my husband’s dessert are delicious crepes. With…
Read More
Staying Confident
Some people in the south usually do not get the gravity of being different unless they are actually different themselves or have…
Read MoreDear America
Dear America, For the first time in my life, I am able to breathe fresh air of change- A fresh breath of…
Read More
Citrus Season
My absolute favorite time of year for desserts is citrus season- particularly, Meyer lemon season! I have had Meyer lemon trees for…
Read More
Our Open Adoption
Our open adoption was one of the most serious and heavy discussions Douglas and I had in our whole adoption process. There…
Read More
DIY: Xmas Edition
This southern boy loves Christmas. I love everything about it! This time of year for me is special because- I know I’ve…
Read More
Resolutions
As Im inching closer and closer to 40 now, It’s so easy for me to get distracted from my personal health. Since…
Read More
Tummy Troubles
So much information flood your mind when preparing to bring your new baby home. All the books you read, the advice you’ve…
Read More
Traditions
Some of my fondest memories growing up were the smells coming from my grandmother’s kitchen. We were always so excited after Halloween…
Read More