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. :)
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