(I am not sure why these first photos are messed up, but I don't really have the time to fix it now).
It is a pretty decent car ride, 7-9 hours depending on how often you need to stop for potty breaks and food. Lily started asking if we were there yet about 10 miles from home. But she had DVD's, her ipod, and tons of books and toys to keep her occupied. Here she is snacking on a bagel and watching Cinderella.
As soon as we arrived, we headed out to our first Parade, The Muses. We went to the same spot in Uptown to watch all the parades, the corner of St. Charles and Napoleon. The parades don't roll through the French Quarter and it is way too crazy to try to hang out there during Mardi Gras, especially with the kids. Lily and Emily were loving the parades. Lily had her hands up the whole time waiting to catch some beads!
Friday morning we all woke up and headed out to explore the city. Patti and I rented a mini van, so we could all ride together which was SO great -- it would have been terrible to navigate the city traffic and parade parking with two cars. Our first stop was the Camellia Grill for brunch. It is an old diner with delicious omelets!!
Unfortunately, it was a bit of a rainy weekend, but that really didn't stop us. Next we waited to ride the St Charles line of the Street Car -- just like Tiana in Princess and the Frog!!
It was a great way to see some of the city. St Charles is a beautiful street lined with huge southern style mansions. We were lucky enough to have Patti's mom with us and she was a great tour guide -- she has lived in New Orleans her whole life and loves the city so much. We got all the history and the gossip!
Since things were getting busy and roads were being closed for the Friday night parades, we got off the Street Car lines and took a driving tour of Downtown and the French Quarter.
After the parades we went out to dinner -- it is hard to find food there that is not seafood or stuffed with crab (I hate seafood!). But it was yummy. We were out pretty late and I was SO proud of Lily for going to bed like a good girl for Mimi and Donna. We were all staying at Donna's house -- which is a big deal for us. We usually don't like to impose on people and even stay in hotels when visiting friends and family in California. But we all felt so welcome and had such great time at Donna's. It was obvious that Lily was pretty comfortable there too.
........
Sunday night while Chip and Bryan were riding in their parade, Lily, Patti, Emily, Mimi and I went to Cafe Du Monde for Beignets and Cafe Au Lait. YUMMY. They were scrumptious and after 4 months without coffee, my (decaf) Cafe Au Lait was like heaven in a cup!!!
Watching TV with Emily on Monday morning while we were packing up the car to go home.
While desperately trying to find parking, Lily had to pee. They had porta potties all over, but for some reason they were locked. So I caught someone coming out of this closed bar and asked in my sweetest voice if he had a bathroom for a poor little 4 year old girl. How could he say no? There is nothing like Southern hospitality, and he let us use the bathroom in the back office since they bar hadn't been cleaned yet from the night before. It was a disaster. But kinda neat to see what a bar looks like the morning after a Mardi Gras celebration!
As soon as we arrived, we headed out to our first Parade, The Muses. We went to the same spot in Uptown to watch all the parades, the corner of St. Charles and Napoleon. The parades don't roll through the French Quarter and it is way too crazy to try to hang out there during Mardi Gras, especially with the kids. Lily and Emily were loving the parades. Lily had her hands up the whole time waiting to catch some beads!
Friday morning we all woke up and headed out to explore the city. Patti and I rented a mini van, so we could all ride together which was SO great -- it would have been terrible to navigate the city traffic and parade parking with two cars. Our first stop was the Camellia Grill for brunch. It is an old diner with delicious omelets!!
Unfortunately, it was a bit of a rainy weekend, but that really didn't stop us. Next we waited to ride the St Charles line of the Street Car -- just like Tiana in Princess and the Frog!!
It was a great way to see some of the city. St Charles is a beautiful street lined with huge southern style mansions. We were lucky enough to have Patti's mom with us and she was a great tour guide -- she has lived in New Orleans her whole life and loves the city so much. We got all the history and the gossip!
Ladders all lined up waiting for the parades. These ladders are prefect for toddlers to see the parades! Lily and Emily were a little too big, so we just got them the step stools.
When we went to get off the street car to take ride back to the car, it was raining pretty good, so we waited under the awning of a Rite Aid where the girls ran around like lunatics.
Since things were getting busy and roads were being closed for the Friday night parades, we got off the Street Car lines and took a driving tour of Downtown and the French Quarter.
We'll have to go back someday when it is not Mardi Gras in order to really see the city better. It was so busy and hectic during Carnival.
...............
Friday night we left the girls with Patti's Mom and sister, Donna, and went out on the town with their friends Dana and Tim. We went back to the same spot in Uptown, but to the bar, Fat Harry's, and watched 3 more parades!
We caught a lot of beads and bought these cute flashing bunny ears.
After the parades we went out to dinner -- it is hard to find food there that is not seafood or stuffed with crab (I hate seafood!). But it was yummy. We were out pretty late and I was SO proud of Lily for going to bed like a good girl for Mimi and Donna. We were all staying at Donna's house -- which is a big deal for us. We usually don't like to impose on people and even stay in hotels when visiting friends and family in California. But we all felt so welcome and had such great time at Donna's. It was obvious that Lily was pretty comfortable there too. ...........
Saturday morning the storms really came in. Chip and Bryan were supposed to ride in the Endymion parade on Saturday night before the big Extravaganza, but the parade got postponed until Sunday night. Normally, it is an all day thing for the guys -- lunch at noon, hanging out getting ready to roll, then a 4 hour parade thought the city before the ride into the Extravaganza (which is normally in the SuperDome, but was at the convention center this year). Extravaganza is a HUGE party where girls have to wear ankle length gowns and guys have to wear tuxedos. The performers were Pat Benetar and the band Train. The grand marshalls for the parade this year were Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos and Anderson Cooper (and Andy Cohen from Bravo was there too for some reason). Since the parade was postponed they still went to lunch and hung out all day before riding into the party. I didn't bring my new fancy camera into the party with 20,000 people (although we had a table and in retrospect I could have). So I'll do another post about Saturday night and Chip's amazing experiences riding in a Mardi Gras parade once I get the pictures from Patti's camera.
But before the storms, and why the guys were at lunch, Patti and I took the girls to the cheesy little Boy Scout Parade in the local suburbs.
They didn't have real floats -- just trucks, but the girls got a lot of beads, toys and candy.
Our loot from this one parade.
Playing with their Leapsters back at Donna's house while Patti and I were getting all dressed up to go out.
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Sunday morning, bright and early -- especially after our late night on Saturday night. We all headed out to the parades again. Patti had friends that were there since 5am saving a big space for everyone which was good since it was SO crowded. Part of the reason it was so crowded is because there were 2 super Krewes rolling now on Sunday night -- Chip's parade and the regularly scheduled one. There are TONS of parades, but there are only 3 or 4 super krewes and you can totally tell they are better. The floats don't even compare. The floats and the parades are bigger and better and they throw better beads and stuff. So everyone was getting ready for parades from 11am - midnight (when Chip's finally finished). We didn't stay all day -- there is no way the girls would have made it. We stayed for three parades and then dropped the guys off at their staging area. Since they were rolling so late and Patti and I had seen their parade the night before as they rode through Extravangaza, we didn't go back out on Sunday to watch -- it was TOO crowded and too late. Especially for just us and the girls. And since they have to wear costumes and masks, Lily wouldn't have even realized it was daddy.
But the parades on Sunday were good. And we had a front row spot, which was great for catching TONS of beads!
On her stepstool in the front row!
Dana's mom bought horns for all the kids! They were loud, but cute.
It was COLD on Sunday morning, so I bought a boa to keep warm -- it worked too!
Chip and his beaded beer purse.
Peter Pan float
I think Lily's favorite part was playing football in the street with the kids in between parades.
The excitement and fun of the whole weekend was really starting to catch up with Lily. She was pretty tired. At one point, she even nodded off during the parade!! She told me to just catch the beads for her. Poor little thing.
Lily and just some of the beads she caught today. But she was SO over having her picture taken.
........Sunday night while Chip and Bryan were riding in their parade, Lily, Patti, Emily, Mimi and I went to Cafe Du Monde for Beignets and Cafe Au Lait. YUMMY. They were scrumptious and after 4 months without coffee, my (decaf) Cafe Au Lait was like heaven in a cup!!!
Not holding back on her Beignet!
She ate nearly the whole thing, which is pretty shocking -- Lily rarely finishes desserts.
Sunday night the girls got another bath together. And yes, the water is actually that dirty -- apparently they got pretty filthy at the parades all day. Gross.
Playing with Donna's masks.
Our room at Donna's house.
Lily had an air mattress on the floor.
Watching TV with Emily on Monday morning while we were packing up the car to go home.
Nothing but tears they whole way. She said she wanted to live with Donna forever.
......
But before we headed back to Texas, I wanted to walk around the French Quarter. How can you not take a stroll down Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras??
Bead covered lamp post.
While desperately trying to find parking, Lily had to pee. They had porta potties all over, but for some reason they were locked. So I caught someone coming out of this closed bar and asked in my sweetest voice if he had a bathroom for a poor little 4 year old girl. How could he say no? There is nothing like Southern hospitality, and he let us use the bathroom in the back office since they bar hadn't been cleaned yet from the night before. It was a disaster. But kinda neat to see what a bar looks like the morning after a Mardi Gras celebration!
Chip and Lily on Bourbon Street.
It was amazing how crowded and crazy it was on a Monday. At noon! Shouldn't all these people be sleeping and hungover from the night before??
We had Po Boys for lunch in the quarter and then began the long car ride home. It was an awesome trip and Chip had the time of his life -- I don't think that will be our last Mardi Gras.
She fell asleep with her headphones on.
Back at home, checking out all our loot on Tuesday morning.
SO many beads!
