Happy Mardi Gras!

If you ever get the chance, you should take a trip to New Orleans to experience Mardi Gras.  It is a fun time to be had that is just so overwhelming that it is difficult to describe.

I have been going since I was a child. First with my parents, then as I got older I went with various groups of friends and sometimes my sister.  I've even been lucky enough to do Bacchus ball. 

The past two years I  have been doing a little bit tamer, more family friendly Mardi Gras with my friend Jenny.  That doesn't mean it isn't any less fun! 

Saturday we went out to see Endymion.  Jenny's husband rides in this parade.  We took photos of him but due to the nature of his job, I am unable to post any pics of him.  However, I can post pics of the family and we had plenty of opportunities for pictures!

Lil Phil eating some cotton candy that Ms. Melinda bought.  (I am a firm believer in filling the kids full of sugar and then handing t hem back to the parents!)

Conner was so overwhelmed.  This wasn't even parade time but he was so busy people watching that he just held his cotton candy.

The Captain float for Endymion. This was as they were staging the parade.  Riders hadn't arrived yet.

Watching the staging of the floats.

Woo hoo!! Kelly Clarkson's float set up right in front of us!

Showing off their  Mardi Gras outfits! 

Our annual picture!  I promise Conner was having fun, even though it looks like he is miserable here.

I think this was one of the maids of Endymion.

Kelly Clarkson!!!

Kelly Clarkson and her fiance.

King of Endymion

I caught a football --while holding Phil on my back!

Sunday we went to Saint Stephens.  This is a church that for its annual fundraiser sells tables in their school's cafeteria that you can purchase for the day.  You are allowed to bring in food and drink or purchase food and drink from them that they sell.  We just choose to buy our food and drink, it goes to a good cause.  And the best part of this is that you have access to a clean bathroom!!  We saw 3 parades that day and I was one tired girl!!!  We watched Okeanos, Mid-City and Thoth.  Bacchus rolls after that but I had to get home since I had to work on Monday.

Jenny and Diane

Jenny and lil Phil

This is how we do it in NOLA!!!  Ladder time!

Some more ladders! 

The Walking Dead seemed to be a theme in the groups this year. 

A little line dancing to pass the time between parades.

Super Bowl

Oh what fun we had yesterday, walking around New Orleans to take in the sites!

We took a cab into the Quarter Saturday afternoon. We were dropped off somewhere at the end of Bourbon and we started walking. We stopped at Central Grocery so Jenny could take in the smells of this delicious Italian deli. Off to Margaritaville then for some margaritas (of course) for the start of our exploration.

We walked all around the Quarter. CBS had taken over Jackson Square. We saw Boomer Esiason and some others recording a segment for CBS Sports. ESPN had taken over the parking lots next to Jax Brewery. We saw them recording some segments for SportsCenter.

Verizon sponsored food, music and activities in Woldenberg Park along the riverfront. They had all kinds of yummy goodness going on! Crawfish beignets, fried shrimp, BBQ alligator po-boys, sweet potato pie, pralines and on and on. I didn't eat one thing. But I did have a margarita, a Mardi Gras mash daiquiri and lots of beer.

The Roman numerals was cool to see on the riverfront. They were brought in on a barge. They were HUGE!! Great photo op!

Quick stop at Harrah's for a bathroom break (call me spoiled but I was NOT going to use a port-o-potty when the casino was less than 5 minutes away walking!!!), then on our way to Sugar Mill for the recording of CMT's Crossroads show. A special "live" from the Super Bowl of Rascal Flatts and Journey. They said it was live and it kind of was, it was recorded an hour before being shown. It was fun. Definitely a must do once. Brett Favre did the intro. And we heard Tom Arnold was there. But that venue was packed. We couldn't move they had so many people in there!! So who knows who was there!!

I can't even begin to think how many miles we walked that day!!! Took us forever to find a cab that night to get us home. Josh pretty much had to throw himself in front of one to get us one. But the cab was the definite way to go. Didn't have to worry about who was the designated driver or paying for parking (which at one garage was $50!!!

It was a great night out. Next up is Mardi Gras!

Below are just my pictures from my phone. Josh and Jenny probably have just as many if not more!!

Krewe of CBS Sports

CBS stages in Jackson Square

This is on the Aquarium of the Americas

Jenny in front of one of the ESPN stages

Me in front of the roman numerals on the riverfront

Outside of Manning's

Bud Light built a walk way between the Wyndham and the Riverwalk parking lot

Jenny and I waiting for CMT Crossroads outside of the Sugar Mill

Celebrity Stalking: Jenny was the look out, Josh was the camera man and I was just enjoying the sights.

Cris Carter (guy on the left), had just found out he was going to be inducted into the Hall of Fame that day.