We Were In A New Orleans Parade!

Day 2:

I spent all of yesterday alone - doing whatever I wanted to do - while Corey was at his conference. It was lovely - reading, surfing the net, napping, catching up with a friend on the phone, going to the movie theatre, eating a cookie at the mall, taking a hot bath, watching a movie in my bed.

Then, we 6:30 we were supposed to join the people of the conference downstairs in the hotel for some sort of parade thing... I was a bit skeptical and was certain that it was sure to be the corniest thing ever. It began as a bunch of "computer nerds" and their guests stood in a hall of the hotel waiting for the big event to start... and none of us were even sure what the event was going to be. A minute later, we heard a New Orleans jazz band coming toward us followed by clowns and princesses all dressed in purple, gold, and green handing out gobs of beads. Okay, this was interesting but would have been better with kids to point and say, "Look at the clown! Isn't that princess's dress pretty?" to. (A parade without kids seems like it is missing something to me.) I thought that this might be what the parade experience was to entail for us - simply a "pretend" parade in the hall of the hotel... but no! After the band played for a bit, they took off out the door (still playing) and we all followed. We paraded through the attached mall (even down the escalators) and ended up outside where we were greeted by more clowns on stilts. The band kept marching and playing, and we all kept following. We walked probably a mile or more through the French Quarter as police blocked roads, tourist took pictures of us, and we threw beads to those watching our parade. It was really cool! We were in a real New Orleans parade! We ended up at a restaurant where we were greeted by ladies giving out more beads. This place had a traditional balcony that overlooked Bourbon Street, and we all made our way up to it. The evening was spent there, eating dinner and doing some serious people-watching on Bourbon Street. (Oh, my!) It was definantly a night to remember...

Cafe Du Monde... among other things

After only 2 hours of sleep Thursday night, Corey and I made it to New Orleans a little before noon on Friday. I must admit that around midnight when I still had a mountain of work ahead of me, I had some doubts if I had made a good decision to come on this trip, - it is always so much work to leave the family (not to mention that it is the last week of school for the kids) - but today I can say that I am glad that I am here.

Day 1:

I wonder if anyone will ever visit this city again without the word Katrina coming out of their mouth or thoughts of hurricanes whipping through their head. As we rode in a taxi to our hotel from the airport Corey asked the driver if "this area" was affected by Hurricane Katrina. He simply and seriously said, "It was all affected." He told us how he had taken his 5 children and escaped the storm. On the horizon I saw the Superdome - that place where anger and loss of innocence and indifference dwelt after the hurricane - and the scenes from that tragic summer 3 years ago flooded my mind. I had a newborn baby that summer, and I vividly remember sitting in a rocking chair with him for what seemed like days as I watched the heartbreak and sadness turn into a nightmare beyond belief for the people of New Orleans. I was almost unable to turn my head and not look. Yesterday, as we were driving on the crowded highway that passes the Superdome I recalled the shots on TV of people wandering down that same very deserted road - on foot, with a trash bag full of their belongings, with no help in sight. As I remembered, I cried. When we pulled up to a street light pole that had the normal "So-and-So's Lawmowing Service" signs, I noticed handmade signs advertising house-gutting and remodeling that had joined them. A whole city trying to find a "new normal"...

We reached our hotel, checked in, and headed out to find lunch. There are so many choices. (And from what the locals say, they are all good.) We ate in a beautiful courtyard then headed to what I was informed was "a must" (Thank you, Randi.) ... Cafe Du Mond. Oh, the cafe au lait and beignets! Delicious! We sat on the patio, and enjoyed our dessert, and just as I was about to say, "I wish there was a street musician playing right now.", a little group of them appeared. It was perfect! The lead singer sang several things. "What A Wonderful World" was my favorite... Then he sang "When the Saints Go Marching In". Of course. The guide to the city that I had read had said that Cafe Du Monde is the best people-watching place in the French Quarter, and I think that it was right. There was lots to watch - that is for sure! The thing about this area is that you cannot pinpoint the "kind of people" that are here. There are the yuppies that have bought the near-dilapidated apartments and have had them remodeled that are walking around looking like a page from a fashion magazine, mixed with the homeless, mixed with the hippies, mixed with the tourists, mixed with the old-fashioned southern ladies and gentlemen, mixed with the pierced and tattooed people, mixed with little old flip-flop-wearing me. My mind could not quite figure out what was going on. Then there is the architecture... same thing. There are some of the most beautiful buildings and iron work that I have ever seen right next to the buildings in ruins. Kind of odd and enchanting all at the same time. The trees and flowers are beautiful - probably because of the intense humidity. (yes, pictures to follow when I get home) All in all, it was a great afternoon getting to know New Orleans.


When we got back to the hotel we napped for a bit... Awww, napping. I love napping! Then, we went to a reception for Corey's conference. A jazz band played, we looked at the Mississippi River from a veranda, we talked to our sweet kiddos on the phone, and Corey exchanged a lot of information with other computer guys. (It sounded a bit like a foriegn language to me.)

This morning, he was out the door early for his meetings, and I am on my own until this evening. I am not sure what I am going to do today... Read a book or a magazine? Take a long hot bath? Go for a stroll along the river? Do a bit of shopping? Get a pedicure? Go see a movie? Take a nap? Awww, choices! (I love choices too.)

(Hi Allie! I know you're reading this - checking up on your ol' mama. :) Tell the boys that I said hi! I love and miss you all a ton!)

Still Bloomin'

Remember the mystery flower? Well, it bloomed a week or two ago and we discovered a pretty little Amarylis. Then, today I was in the backyard, and I was shocked to see a ton of beautiful red flowers all huddled together. Did I mention that red is my favorite color?

Shot To The Heart

This morning I was helping Jack with his homework - a thank-you letter to the principal of his school.  I wanted to confirm that he had spelled his closing correctly, so I asked Allie (who was also working on a letter writing assignment), "How do you spell 'sincerely'?"  (I just wanted to make sure that I was right.)  Jack was amazed... He exclaimed, "You don't know how to spell that?!?!  Mrs. Sullivan does, and she is a lot younger than you!" 

Oh, the pain!

Makes Me Laugh Monday

Is it really still Monday?  I had to ask myself that when I started this post... it's been a long day.  Good thing there are things that make me laugh!

Recognize this little guy? According to Cooper his name is "Scootlyker"... You know that guy in the Star Wars movies?  (a.k.a. Luke Skywalker)  He had a chunky little "Darff Bader" that he had been fighting with his "lightsaver", but he must have defeated him because "Darff Bader" has been nowhere to be found today.

Did I mention I love chunky little toys?

My Painting Prince Charming

Saturday I was leaving home to go have a garage sale at my sister's house for the morning. (It was a somewhat successful sale with a used electric toothbrush and my 20-year-old cheerleading pom poms being some of the most hilarious things that I sold.)  Corey was going to be home with the kids until noon or so when they were to leave for Jack's baseball game.  As I was leaving he told me his plan for the day... painting our bedroom, going to get a new washing machine, coaching Jack's game, etc.... and I must admit, I thought "Yeah, right." as I walked out the door.  How was he going to watch 3 kids, prepare to paint, paint, get 3 kids fed, clothed, and to a ballgame, go get a new washer, and oh yeah... grill burgers for a "date night at home" dinner on the patio with me?  Well, he did it... That's my man!  By Sunday evening he had done all of the above, gone to church, taken Jack to baseball practice, gone to friends' house for dinner, and had been the foreman on the completed job of painting our bedroom (and most of the hallway too)!  He is amazing!
 

~Our Helpers~

Thank goodness that the pink walls are becoming a thing of the past.

The finished product... 

hanging things on the walls is still on the "to do list"

35 Months!

Every month since I became pregnant with Cooper I have received an e-mail from Baby Center that has ranged from "this month your fetus is the size of a kiwi to this month your infant is starting to coo to this month your toddler is starting to show interest in toilet training."  While I was pregnant I loved these messages - the description of what was going on in the unseeable place where my baby was growing and the little sketch that went along with it.  But after my little one had arrived, I hardly ever took the time to read the update on what he was doing... I could tell without the "your baby may start to experience stranger anxiety this month" reports. As I would scan my inbox, I would skip right over that message... 

Today though, the Baby Center message caught my eye and tugged at my heart.  ~~Your 35-month-old~~  That is what it said in the subject line.

Seriously?!? 

 

35-months?!?

This little one that it seems has always been here and seems to have just arrived all at the same time is 35-months-old?  Amazing! 

I blinked, and he was almost 3!