Mardi Gras 2012 - Part 2

What a difference a year makes! This is our family last year during Mardi Gras....yikes (my purple hair is really scary)!
Here are some pics from this Sunday's uptown parades.

Benjamin, Owen and Virginia in the ladder
Mommy and Mary Elizabeth having a snuggle in between parades
Seth and ME
Owen giving Ben a big hug...these two play really well together now. And if you ask O who his best friend is, he says, "Ben!"
Emily and Virginia...Virginia was a serious parade go'er today - she literally sat in that ladder for hours...no breaks.

Family pic after all the parades...both kids were excellent! Mary Elizabeth LOVES the bands...the louder, the better! She fell asleep again during the parade and slept for 2 hours in her stroller while parades were floating by! This is a big deal, cause she refuses to nap in her bed (in the peace and quiet)...maybe we should get a band CD and play it while she naps. Seriously.

This is a video of the 610 Stompers...they are always the highlight of each parade for me (they are in multiple parades uptown). Check them out - www.610stompers.com
They actually got to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade this past year. I love the shorts...I love the socks...I love the mustaches...I love it all!

Mardi Gras 2012

We are having so much fun this Mardi Gras season already...and it's only Friday! Last weekend we met some friends at a parade uptown...it was freezing! Mary Elizabeth and Benjamin both loved the loud music and the bands!
Last night we went to the Muses Parade. My friend Adrienne was on one of the floats this year! Seth, Benjamin and I had sooo much fun!
family shot
Adrienne
my wonderful catch!!



Mary Elizabeth enjoying the parade with her Daddy
my pics are a little out of order...this is from last night (Thursday) getting ready for the Muses parade.
Me, Adrienne and Colette, and Mary Elizabeth snuggling to stay warm.
Mary Elizabeth took a great nap (of course, cause I was holding her!) during the end of the parade. She rode the entire way back to the car asleep in her stroller.
Today (Friday) Benjamin's school went to a parade at St. Catherine of Sienna (school 3 blocks away). ME and I got to go and help chaperone. Wow! I think those kids in their "wagons" threw more than Muses did last night!!

Baby Girl's 1st Birthday Party

This weekend we celebrated Mary Elizabeth's first birthday. We had a wonderful party with our family and friends.

This is ME on her actual birthday with her petit four
Mary Elizabeth's pink pinwheel party!!




Nana enjoying some snuggle time with Owen
Uncle Mark and ME
Sarah and Leighton
It was so nice to have my Paw-Paw come to the party...we didn't get to see him at Christmas, and I was missing him!

Mary Elizabeth (and the other kids) had sooo much fun swinging outside! She laughed and laughed - the higher, the better
Owen also likes to live on the edge...jumping off of the porch
Benjamin was very serious about blowing this pinwheel...he sat there in his own world for at least 2 or 3 minutes blowing and blowing. It was very funny!
time to sing Happy Birthday

playing in the cake...with a little help from Mommy, Daddy and even Aunt Emily
Benjamin eating a cupcake
Mommy and Mary Elizabeth having a snuggle...this is her second outfit since her first white one was covered in PINK icing (and surprisingly, it all came out in the wash!)
Aunt Scotty and ME
Mary Elizabeth, ready to open presents
playing with balloons
Daddy getting a little love from his baby girl
Ashton and Miller
Isabel, Laurel and Benjamin
Nana and Mary Elizabeth playing with one of her presents.
We have been soo blessed with Mary Elizabeth, our sweet baby girl. She is extremely strong-willed, laid-back (when she wants to be); she has a great sense of humor (she thinks it is hilarious when I fuss Benjamin for anything), is happy and in love with her Mommy, Daddy and big brother. Praise God for trusting us with this special little girl.
We love you Mary 'Lizbeth (as Ben would say)!!! Happy Birthday!

Mardi Gras Madness

Now that we are in the Big Easy, we get to celebrate one of my favorite holidays - Mardi Gras! Today, we had some friends over for a party to get in the Mardi Gras spirit. We made king cake t-shirts for all of the kids...and then decorated our own personal king cakes. Then the best part...we got to eat them! Delicious!
Benjamin enjoying his king cake
Sarah and Miller
Leighton
Owen and Virginia
Jacques
Adrienne and Colette
sprinkles!

Mary Elizabeth

the finished product

PS....I know it has been ages and ages since I last posted. So much has happened that I almost gave up (on blogging). But I think I am ready to begin again. I will probably not fill in the blanks from these past few months - too much. I will say, however, that they have been good for the most part. We have been living our lives, being SUPER busy and enjoying our family and friends. Mary Elizabeth is progressing in her therapies - she is a joy! Thanks to everyone for your support and prayers ... keep 'em coming!