Mardi Gras & New Orleans

"Laissez les bon temps rouler!"

Mardi Gras is coming up next week. In 2004 my sister and I drove to New Orleans, LA with her two children (2 years old and 4 years old at the time) to visit our cousin Natalie and her family. Natalie and Anthony were living in Metarie at the time (a suburb just outside of New Orleans). Of course we had a great time visiting the Perry family, but the absolute highlight of the trip was Mardi Gras. This well known party is relatively misunderstood. It turns out the Mardi Gras is a time for family parades, fun with friends, food and beads, beads, and more beads. We spent one damp evening catching beads and one entire day cheering on the parades. IT WAS SOOOO MUCH FUN! It actually was one of my most favorite vacations ever. Here are just a few of the photo highlights.

Children in NOLA sit up in boxes attached to the top of 6 ft ladders during the mardi gras parades. From these "box seats" they have a better chance of catching the good beads tossed from the floats in the parade.Kate and Natalie are enjoying all the fun and beads -- despite the drizzling rain.Here are the party goers after all the fun is done for the night. Can you see all the beads around all of our necks...and the stroller is also filled with even more beads. We were all headed home for a good night sleep so that we could do it all again the next morning.The next day it was more parades and more fun! I think this was the Rex parade.Here's Kiki with her kids up in the box seat. Everyone yells, "Throw Me Something Mister!!" and then the float riders throw out beads, balls, plastic gold coins, cups, toys, beads, and more beads.So at the end of the day here's what the kids took home...can you say "BEADS!"The kids had sooo much fun playing "pirate" with all their treasure.

So, if you get the chance go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans...just stay off of Bourbon Street on Mardi Gras night.