Mardi Gras and the big 4-0

The whole city of New Orleans celebrated my 40th birthday this year. and they seemed to be having a fabulous time. For presents I received a whole lot of beads (but had to scream "Throw me somethin' mista!" to get them and I got to see a lot of live music (on the parade route), I have to admit I was a bit bummed when I found out my big 4-0 was during Mardi Gras. Kind of put a crimp in the way I wanted to celebrate but it turned out to be very memorable. J and I spent the actual day downtown whooping it up. (You don't want to see pictures. Not pretty. Or maybe you do but I don't want you to see them). The night before we celebrated with the boys. I will show you those photos. Botox here I come!


When the weekend arrived we started full force going to parades. The boys were both VERY into it this year which made for a fun Mardi Gras. J and I went to one parade without them to celebrate another friends birthday. and while we had a blast it felt like something was missing not having Pman screaming "Throw me somethin', Mista! into this hat!" (he got a fireman's hat from a parade). We went to EVERY parade and drank more Mardi Gras Madrases than you could shake a stick at. All of the parades were great. The floats were beautiful. The bands were at their peak. There is one parade that rolled Monday night that was pretty awful. They were stingy with their throws (unless they recognized someone in the crowd) and I just didn't care for it this year but all and all we were all satisfied.

By the time Mardi Gras day rolled around I was kind of done but I put on my tennies, poured up one last Mardi Gras Madras and took to the streets. When it was all over we had our annual feast of Popeye's fried chicken and topped the night off with a Classic Combo from Reginelli's. We watched "The Pageantry" of the Carnival Balls with a glass of wine in hand that took everything out of me to gag down. But hell, it was Mardi Gras day and the debauchery would soon be over. and thank goodness it is! and their faces could not have said it any better than that.

A shout out to our friends R, J and J for giving W the clown idea. That's what he chose as we were painting faces in the morning.