First Signs of Spring

Even though it is super cold here right now, little glimpses of spring are starting to emerge. These Japanese magnolia trees are all over our neighborhood. I love their flowers.

Rory and I went for a walk on a tolerably cool day a couple of weeks ago. The sun was out and the sky was a beautiful blue. We were on our way back when I spotted an empty lot filled with purple flowers behind the levee.

True, the flowers were really weeds, but I thought they were pretty just the same. Especially since there were so many of them all bunched together.

I plopped Rory down into a big patch of flowers, squatted down to his level, and started snapping away with my phone.

It wasn’t until we got back home and I had a chance to look through my camera roll that I found this gem. I call it “Deep Thoughts, by Rory.” It’s definitely my favorite of the day.

Although this one of him pointing to an airplane taking off right over us is a close second. Love those dimples.

The temperatures have been in the 40s here all week long and quite dreary. But guess what? It’s going to be in the 70s next week. Shocking, I know.

The sun finally peeked through the clouds yesterday afternoon to give us a taste of the warmer weather to come (even though it was still 53 outside.). And what a show of clouds it was. The sky looked so cool on our way home from school that I had to stop and snap a picture. Riley called this “the blue crack.”

I also captured this beauty on our own Japanese magnolia tree in the backyard. She’s a late bloomer, but she’s still pretty.

The promise of warmer weather is sure to bring even more signs of spring. Which is good because I think I’m just about done with winter.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Ten Things

1. While shopping for supplies for Riley’s float, I tried a colorful feather wig on Rory. He was less than thrilled.

Then when we got home that afternoon, Riley accessorized with beads. You gotta love growing up in New Orleans.

2. Nola and Nopsi gave Erin and I their Saenger tickets for Annie last month, so we had a fun girls night out. Thank you!

 

3. Rory is terrified of the carwash, so I don’t go very often.

4. Valentine’s Day was sort of upstaged by Mardi Gras this year, but Riley and Kate did exchange valentines with their friends at school. They dumped everything out onto my kitchen floor that afternoon and sorted through what they got. 

Valentine’s Day fell on Endymion Saturday, but I did pick up a few things for my three boys. They were happy to discover their sweet surprises that morning at the breakfast table.

5. The little one rocking his cute hand-me-down Carnival Time shirt on the day of Riley’s parade.

 

 

6. Rory loved spending time with Ita while she was here.

7. So did I.

8. I snapped these while heading down to QP’s with Nola and Nopsi to watch the Oscars on Sunday night. Such a pretty sunset.

I see a dinosaur in the clouds. What do you see?

9. Rory has been very whiny lately and very clingy. However, it was hard to resist him wrapping his arms around my neck, holding on tight, and settling in one day earlier this week. All he wanted to do was cuddle. 

Then at lunch he insisted on holding Tiger while he drank his milk.

He was ready for his nap right after. This was the happiest I saw him all morning. He’s been in kind of a funk lately; Kenny and I think it’s very possible his two-year molars are coming in. My poor sweetness.

10. Yesterday, while the rest of us were in my room getting ready for the day, Rory was trying on Daddy’s shoes in the living room. I found him looking mighty proud of himself.

 

Sleepy Sprout, Part Twelve

It’s been almost two months since I posted any Sleepy pics…..have you missed them?

 

 

 

And only two Sleepy Bean pictures for y’all…..

…..but that’s better than none, right?

Video Monday: Uptown Funky Work

I love, Love, LOVE the song “Uptown Funk,” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars. I first heard it performed on Ellen and thought it was just so much fun.

A few days later, I decided to download my new favorite song on iTunes and then proceeded to play it on repeat the rest of the afternoon. As such, Riley and Rory heard it over and over and over again.

Apparently, the wonk potatoes grew to love the song as much as his mama. I’ve heard him singing snippets at various times during the day: while he’s playing, while he’s walking upstairs, while he’s eating dinner, etc.

He doesn’t get all of the words right, which is good since the lyric “uptown funk you up” could easily be misconstrued for something way inappropriate. Instead, he sings “uptown funky work” and “too hot, hot dang” and “Michelle What-a-What.” (That last one cracks me up: he can’t remember Pfeiffer.)

I have been impressed with just how much of the words he knows. Even if he sings them slightly wrong, it’s obvious he’s got most of the song down. I asked if I could take a video of him singing and he surprisingly agreed to perform yesterday morning. Please enjoy.

Happy Monday!

Krewes of Thoth and Jefferson {Mardi Gras 2015}

Our main Mardi Gras parade is usually the Krewe of Thoth on Sunday. We make a day out of it, picking up Popeyes on the way out to the route, walking to our spot just down from Scott’s family’s house, and hanging out all afternoon. It’s a really fun day. This year was no exception.

 

Aunt E, Uncle Jeff, Kate, Margaret, and Daniel came with us, and Kelli and Steve and their family were already out there when we arrived. The kids had fun running around together, we all ate lunch (Margaret’s first Popeyes!), and everyone waited patiently for things to get rolling (they were a bit late but not as bad as last year).

The three cousins sat in the ladder together at the very beginning, but that didn’t last long. Riley was so excited that Jack was there, Rory was non-stop walking up and down the sidewalk (until he got cranky and I gave him his paci), and Kate was able to lounge in her ladder all by herself.

Margaret and Daniel spent most of the time in the front with the kids. They got lots of great throws. Daniel said it best, “Yesterday [Endymion] was all about me and my first parade, but today is all about the kids. And I love that.”

 

We also saw Fred marching with the 610 Stompers. Loved seeing him!

Scott and his two brothers passed by us on Float 24. They went by fairly quickly, but we got to see them and another friend of ours on the opposite side. And then there were about two dozen more floats and lots of bands and marching groups that passed after. Thoth is such an awesome parade.

  

The last float passed us just before 3pm. We watched the clean-up crew and debated what to do next. I offered to take Margaret and Daniel to Bacchus that night, figuring we could walk to where Lizzie and Doug were camped out all weekend on St. Charles. But Margaret decided they didn’t need to stay out. So we went back to Nola and Nopsi’s house for a low-key and relaxing dinner. It was fabulous. Riley was in rare form and everyone had a great time.

The next morning, I helped Daniel and Margaret spread out all of our loot so we could divide things up. I only kept a few things for the boys; Daniel took most of the stuff with him. He was so excited to show his family and his teachers in NC a little bit of Mardi Gras.

And with that, our Mardi Gras season was…..not over. I know I said it was, and I thought it was. Until 10am on Mardi Gras Day.

A super blast of cold air made its way through the area very early on Tuesday, and the city woke up to wind chill temperatures in the 20s. Wow. Aunt E and Uncle Jeff invited people over to their house that day for the Metairie parades, but we figured it was better to stay home in our warm house.

I asked Riley that morning if he wanted to go out to see the last parades of the season with Kate, but he said he’d rather stay home and play with Legos. Fine with me.

An hour and a half later, he came downstairs and asked if we could go to the parades. I told him I thought it was too late, but the two of us ended up throwing clothes on over our pajamas and racing out to see if we could make it. We did!

We saw almost 100 truck floats and came home with SO much stuff. Riley even scored a big stuffed Lightning McQueen from a very nice man. And while it was cold, it was very manageable. Riley and Kate were all bundled up and had a blanket over their legs the whole time they were up in the ladder.

We walked back to Erin and Jeff’s house and hung out for a couple of hours, eating lunch, watching the Carnival coverage on tv, and going through everything we caught. It wasn’t what I thought would happen, but it ended up being a really great day with the wonk potatoes.

And now Mardi Gras is really, truly, officially over. No more parades.

At least until St. Patrick’s Day. :)