.connisonville.: The Mardi Gras Mambo

A bit delayed, here is our Mardi Gras adventure.

After a number of us were sick the week before, I finally decided that I needed to go to urgent care last Saturday morning because we would be in NOLA until Mardi Gras Day. I needed something to kick to gunk that I had so after 1:15 minues, I finally got a steroid shot and some antibiotics and I was feeling like a million bucks. Due to this lengthy wait, we missed the day parades on Saturday but were determined to make them on Sunday with the kiddos. We gathered all our gear (and kids) and headed to St. Charles to catch Mid City, and Toth. It wasn't the best planning on our part, so P and J stayed in the car this time due to the poor nap situations. It wasn't lengthy, but it was just enough for Owen to get excited about the parades. He did a great job of yelling "Throw me something...MIS-TER!!!" Not sure why he liked to pause halfway, but that is how he rolls...

After that short stint, and a long nap back at home, Jen and I decided to bring him back out for Bacchus. This was only possible due to leaving the ladder with Sissy and her friends and Pops dropping us off a block from St. Charles. Owen had a blast, the parade started and he was a little bit standoffish with all the people, lights, and noise, but he got accustomed pretty quickly. He liked the big gorilla that everyone throws beads at, the horses, and the bands. He was a dancing machine up on the ladder. We wanted to catch Drew Brees which we did and stayed for about 10 floats. Sissy's friends kept catching some good stuffed animals and throws and gave them to Owen. He loved it. It was getting late for the O-man, and we finally decided that it would be a good time to leave so we had Pops meet us for the pickup. Well, this didn't go as smoothly as planned. There were more people out there than I had ever seen for Bacchus. It was incredible. We had to walk a few blocks to meet him, me carrying the ladder and Jen carrying Owen, but we finally were rescued. All in all, it was worth it but it sure was interesting managing our way through those big crowds.

On Mardi Gras Day, we went out to catch Rex by the usual spot at Cannon's. This was much easier to manuever this time, with the ability to park the suburban on St. Charles while we unloaded the ladder, wagon, and all the dudes. It was a bit chilly when we first got out there, but it was a gorgeous day. There are some Holy Namers that we got to meet up with along with the Francioni's and their twins. Jen and I strapped up Park and Jack in the backpacks and went walking. Soon enough they were both out as we cruised up and down the street taking in all the sites. Owen hung back in the ladder again with GaGa and Pops. With that little nap, we made it through Rex, and part of the truck parades from 9:45 until 12:30. It was great to take everyone out, they love being outside and we like being out of the house!!

Figures that our camera battery was dead and GaGa just lost hers, so there are only a few phone pics that came out...