The Mardi Gras Mambo

This year as Hannah helped me take out our Mardi Gras decorations, while we were putting up our Christmas stuff, she and I started talking about parades. To my horror my little Georgia peach didn't remember anything about the Carnival season. She was three years old when we moved to Georgia and we haven't taken the kids back in for Mardi Gras since we moved.
I immediately text message Mr. Johnson, we need to get to Louisiana ASAP.
Well not really ASAP but before Mardi Gras.
Is something wrong? he asks.
IS SOMETHING WRONG??? Only the fact that my sweet angel faced baby doesn't remember what it's like to hear the sound of the marching bands drumming to "OH WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN" (you know the same Saints that WON THE SUPER BOWL:) or what it's like to stand on top of an ice chest and scream for CUP CUP CUP, and actually catch one, and lord knows every child has to experience getting pelted in the face by a big old pair of white pearls! WHAT KIND OF MOTHER AM I.......
All righty Heidi, I will see if I can take off before Mardi Gras.

Last Friday we loaded up the beast and drove through crazy sleet and snow and headed on down to the Carnival celebration. Our area in Georgia ended getting over 5 inches of snow, but we were to busy eating po boys and dancing the Mardi Gras Mambo to notice.

It was a very quick trip, but we had a blast.

 somewhere in Alabama when the snow started.

this was our house while we were gone.

 the famous Blue Dog

 waiting for the parade to start

WHO DAT!!

 throw me something mista!!

 Jakob was channeling his inner Mr. T

 Hannah, me and Toni (the 3 Marie's)

my baby LOVES her boas (like mother like daughter)

 the crowds

 my favorite marching band

 they were about to tear it up!

Flambeaux carriers

 Captain Endymion

the owner of the Saints (you know the team that won the SUPER BOWL!!)

 Hannah, Alex, Jakob and Patrick

I was hoping this picture would come out better but sadly it didn't. This was a beautiful sunset in City Park, this area is truly one of the most beautiful in New Orleans. The way the Spanish Moss drapes the giant Oak trees, couldn't be any more perfect. This evening when we were walking back to our car, the sun was setting through the trees; my baby girl was skipping through the shadows, my boys and baby brother were talking about the footballs they caught at the parade and Brian and I were home, at least for the weekend :)