BOOM BOOM

Bennett's school has the cutest little Mardi Gras parade for the preschoolers.  Last year Bennett's 3K class chose zoo animals {he was a monkey} and we decorated our wagon as his "float."  In 4K, the kids are a letter and wear a decorated cardboard box as their float, walking themselves.

We chose the letter "O" for "outdoorsman."  I figured nothing would be easier or more fun for this outdoorsy family to construct that something the head of it does, in some capacity, every season of the year.

However, said "head" of the family happened to be out in the outdoors being...outdoorsy...the week of Bennett's parade so momma was left to design and construct this year's float {which was OK...Stephen did the float last year and we do have around FOUR more parades to do between Emory and Jacob.}  La and Pop and my sister Erin were able to come by and support Bennett aka help me with all my kids ;).  {the parade had changed dates due to weather and therefore other family, including Stephen, could not make it. ;( }

Bennett was so excited and threw all his throws to people as he was walking to the beginning of the parade and therefore spent the rest of the 20 minute parade walking to the onlookers, apologizing that he didn't have anything left to throw them.  Sweet buddy.

He must have found or borrowed a banana moon pie though because on their second pass through the parade route he ran up and chunked it right at me.  Later I heard from a friend that when he got the moon pie he started telling everyone he was "saving the moon pie for my mommy."  I want to frame that moon pie.

It was Emory's first parade that she could actually participate in and, once she figured it out, she couldn't get enough of the beads.  It was amazing she could even hold herself up, with all that weight around her neck!

This past Thursday Stephen and I experienced Mardi Gras to the New Orleans capacity, thanks to an invite from a colleague of Stephen's who is originally from New Orleans and a member of the Hermes Mardi Gras society.  My mom and I headed over early to do some shopping on Magazine Street

Which I've decided I enjoy if I am looking for something specific, specifically in the antiquing category.  Honestly for clothes and jewelry and shoes and the like we always seem to have much more success at Canal Place or random shops in the Quarter.

The ball was a lot of fun and quite a stretch for this old momma of three...champagne was served at 7pm, followed by call outs and toasts and ceremonies and dancing and finally dinner at 11PM.  Looking around I realized most people there either were a)young and unmarried/without children OR b)parents whose children had all left the nest and therefore had plenty of stored up energy for such festivities!  I'm serious I felt so OLD..and have decided on vacations such as these I need an extra night before said festivities to get a goooood long uninterrupted nights sleep to unwind and FUEL UP! ;)

The next day we had a fantastic lunch at NOLA's...I will definitely be returning on my next New Orleans visit. 

 Then it was off to Antoine's for the start of the Hermes men's walking parade. 

 After that it was the quick drive home and a good night's sleep....or so we thought.  We have come home to a stomach bug that has taken a mean hold of the two youngest.  We are PRAYING the rest of us have somehow miraculously escaped the virus' wrath...but considering our track record with these things I suppose we will be down for the count all too soon.  YUCK!

Our kitchen demo is scheduled to start on Wednesday so looks like this first part of our Mardi Gras break will be spent either cleaning out/packing up the kitchen or huddled around the toilet.  Hoping and praying it's the former.