We spent a majority of our weekend in Lafayette going to Mardi Gras parades. This weekend was the official Mardi Gras weekend before the actual Mardi Gras Holiday on Fat Tuesday. I think it is kinda fun that Mardi Gras is celebrate so many times before the actual day, kind of like Christmas I guess!
Dan and Mike before the parade.
Dan's parents dog, "Miss Princess Pandibella", is spoiled enough that she was part of the family for the parade. I have to admit, she has stolen my heart as well as her mommy's and daddy's.
Donna and I right before the parade. I couldn't help but get into the spirit by buying a Mardi Gras Boa:)
Everyone trying to catch Mardi Gras beads. Donna and the boys would stand on the fence and lean over as far as they could in hope to get the best beads.
Us during the parade!
Posing for the camera. The little girl in front is Olivia. She is Donna's Sister's Grandchild (not sure what the correct term is for how she is related to us???). It was really fun to have her at the parade. She would get so excited to see a single necklace come her way that you couldn't help but smile.
I had an obsession with counting how many beads we got after each parade. As I counted I would put then onto Dan's neck. I think this picture could definitely qualify as blackmail if it ever needed to be! Lol...just kidding Dan! We caught 105 beads at this parade plus 70 more that Mike gave us.
We got to the parade location right before the parade started, so this time we did everything in reverse! We ate and visited afterwards. Mike ate so much meat he could barely walk afterwards! He said he hadn't had as good of meat since his mission in Argentina.
Dan playing with the kids while everyone else visited. It's fun to watch him play!
Us after the parade.
This picture looks a little funny but it reminded me of Twilight for any of you fans out there. It almost looks like Dan is trying to bite me instead of kiss me. Lol...I don't remember why I was moving away from his kiss?? I think it was because he had just eaten venison or something??? Can't really remember.
Mike showing off some of the beads he caught for "His Ladies" back in Utah!
We decided to come back for another parade that same night. It had been pouring for like an hour before it started but we just waited it out in the car. We figured if it continued to rain once the parade was to us we would just go back home. Luckily, it stopped just in time. I think Donna was sure glad we stayed! Paul caught her the best necklace we saw between all the 3 parades we went to this year! Micheal was very jealous that he gave it to Donna instead of him!We got a TON of beads at this parade. I think they had planned on the crowd being a lot bigger but since it had rained there weren't as many people. At some points during the parade they were throwing the beads by the handful! There were so many on the ground too that no one wanted becuase there were just too many!! We got almost 300 beads...Crazy!
This is a picture of all our "loot" from the parades. I was hoping it would all fit in this box...but I guess we went a little overboard on bead catching! I can't remember the exact number now (but I did have an exact number that day!!!) but we caught over 500 beads between the two parades in Lafayette and the one in Shreveport the weekend before . Crazy I know!
Our favorites by far was my froggy necklace, Dan's New Orleans Jazz, the big gold one, and the HUGE white pearl necklace as well. I was so excited when I caught that one. It has pearls the size of gumballs and went all the way down to my knees!
This is a picture of all our "loot" from the parades. I was hoping it would all fit in this box...but I guess we went a little overboard on bead catching! I can't remember the exact number now (but I did have an exact number that day!!!) but we caught over 500 beads between the two parades in Lafayette and the one in Shreveport the weekend before . Crazy I know!
Our favorites by far was my froggy necklace, Dan's New Orleans Jazz, the big gold one, and the HUGE white pearl necklace as well. I was so excited when I caught that one. It has pearls the size of gumballs and went all the way down to my knees!
8 comments:
Holy cow!! That picture with dan and all those beads!!! That is so crazy....it's crazy to think about all the things that go on in the USA in different states that i don't even know about. This parade is definitely something i want to see someday!
I know! I told Dan that we are coming back each year for Mardi Gras!! You and Mike will have to join us!!
That looks like SO MUCH FUN!
So fun! I didn't know you got that much!
This was our second time going to a mardi gras parade and it was awsome because my younger brother who just returned from his LDS mission to Argentina was there as well. We got so many beads, it was crazy. I never thought it would be so much fun yelling and screaming for beads. The picture with me and all the beads, that was just for the picture, i wasn't high on drugs or anything, i save that time for monday night. Just kidding. dan
So is Mardi Gras as gross of an event as what I have heard? Or was it pretty chill and family friendly? Never been, don't really have a desire to, but was always curious.
Ya know, I never thought we would go either, but since living in Louisiana and now going my opinion of Mardi Gras has TOTALLY changed. There are gross things that CAN happen, don't get me wrong, but that is mostly in New Orleans.
Here in our hometown they have a family area, where no drinking or anything gross is allowed. When we went to Lafayette we went to a strictly family parade as well as a night one with no restrictions. But I have to say, we didn't see anything, I am sure there was a possibility, but we didn't.
I thought all three parades we attended were very family appropriate and an absolute blast! The kids had the most fun out of anyone!
Thanks, its good to know that there are non-nudity, drinking and drug festivities available for those a lot less naive and more intelligent, I suppose it would be fun after all.
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