Fun with Roller Bags

For our trip to New Orleans I hope to keep from checking any luggage. To do that, I bought the twins their own roller bags to carry on the plane.

I had no idea how excited the twins would be about roller bags. The first night we had them they ran all around the house with them.


Let's just hope they continue to think the bags are fun and keep up with them at the airport.

One note of caution with the roller bag. If you have a big head, don't stick it through the handle.

Gotta Have A Plan

So I've been called out on my post about taking the twins to Mardi Gras. That if planning a Disney trip was mostly for my enjoyment, isn't the same true for a trip to Mardi Gras.

Well, yes, but maybe not the way you're thinking. It's the planning. Disney is just more and harder planning.

Not unlike a lot of moms I know, I'm a planner. I've always been a planner but you hit a different level or maybe a different mode of planning as a Mom. I'm more of a ninja planner now. I share the broad strokes of my plan with the family, but try to be as flexible as possible to account for the inevitable changes. 

For the stage of life we're in now it means a change of clothes in the back of the car and always lots of snacks ready to go. Sometimes I even have a couple of bags of unknown gummy snacks for when I need to break out a bribe or reward. Usually a bribe.

The other day I was making a list of restaurants near where we're staying in New Orleans. Everything is close enough to walk and I don't plan on making reservations since I don't really know our schedule. I think that will work out fine.

To go to Disney on the other hand, requires strategic family vacation planning with detailed execution of the tactics. You can't simply look up a few restaurants you'd like to try, you need to know where you want to go and specifically when you want to go. You can't decide this a week before you head out either, you have to get up a 5 a.m., exactly 6 months before you plan to go to call in and "try" to get your preferred restaurants. And this is only the dining part.

You could try to go to Disney without making a big plan, but if you do, you're probably doing it wrong.

So is trip to Mardi Gras more for me than the kids? Sure, but also because it's a lot less planning and more fun for all.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Toddler Book Club: Eric Carle books

I'm really lucky that both of my kids like to read. Well at this point, they really like books and like us to read to them. 

There are a few books that we got when they were first born that are still favorites, particularly the Eric Carle books.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is great for colors and counting. I think the twins also enjoy it for all the food. Connor likes it so much he's decided he can read it to us now even though he can't officially read yet.

Gotta love a good book!

Not Quite Disney

We've been talking about going to Disney for awhile and what age is best for the twins. Some of our family, with a cousin the same age as the twins, are taking their kids to Walt Disney World this year. 

I got really excited just thinking about going. I got a book on Disney, started reading and planning our trip. I was so excited it was as if the trip was more for me than the family. And it was. Carl and I discussed it and we think the kids are just too young to appreciate a trip like that. We'll do it, but we'll wait another year or two. 

Our cousins are going to Disney World during Mardi Gras since they're from Louisiana and they have the time off. It's a little bit of a bummer for us because I know they'll have a blast at Disney but if we headed to Louisiana for Mardi Gras we would want hang out with them.

So at dinner a few weeks ago Carl and I we're grumbling about wanting to go to Mardi Gras and he remembered his aunt has an apartment in New Orleans. She also happens to be going to Walt Disney World during Mardi Gras too. We were surprised and thrilled to learn that no one else was borrowing the apartment and she'd let us stay there.

We've booked flights, rented a car, made a plan for JoJo to drive up and meet us. Yes, we're taking four-year old twins to New Orleans for Mardi Gras and we're excited about it. Not missing out this year.

We have tried to take the twins to Mardi Gras before. 

2011 shirts from Aunt Marlene. The truck banner on Connor's shirt says, "Throw me something Mister!"

2011 bibs from Aunt Marlene. She was so smart because that this age they drool and need a bib all the time.

When the twins were 1, Aunt Marlene sent us adorable embroidered shirts and bibs. This got us so inspired that we took a trip to Lafayette for Mardi Gras. We made it to the party, but the twins napped through the parade. At least they got in some good cousin play time.

I think they'll just fit in the cute shirts Aunt Marlene sent us last year again. The lady who makes them isn't doing it anymore.

I'll supplement with matching Gator King shirts from Dirty Coast for the whole family.

I know some of you are thinking I'm crazy and I may be, so place bets now: Super family fun OR Major parenting fail.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

"Missing Out" Dream

I have always had pretty vivid dreams. Like most people who remember their dreams, I have the standard "naked in a public place," "late for final exams," and "everyone speaks a foreign language" stress dreams.

Lately I've been having a dream that makes me feel like I'm missing out on fun. I'm at a restaurant or the airport and I know there is a Mardi Gras parade about to start, but for some reason I can't get up and go to it.

I think it's rooted in all the fun I've had at Mardi Gras in the past. For those who have never been, it's not a drunken, boobs for beads fest. As a matter of fact, every time I've been to any sort of Mardi Gras celebration I have neither shown nor seen any boobs. I've been lucky enough to have had some wonderful Mardi Gras experiences mainly because of my dear friend Holly.

Shortly after Holly moved to New Orleans she invited a group of us to be a part of Krewe of Tucks. This meant not only going to Mardi Gras but riding in a parade and getting to go to a ball at the start of the season. The Krewe of Tucks is a bit more irreverent and not as formal as some of the others so we were able to join, as long as we paid for it. It was worth every penny for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

For the ball we had masks painted on our faces. One of Holly's friends from New Orleans, Amiee, was a maid in the Krewe and in Tucks the maids are French Maids.

The ball was fun but the real experience was a few weeks later during all of the parades. For the Tucks parade we got up early on Saturday morning to prep our float with all of our beads (ready to throw) and get our faces painted, again. I think the theme that year was Around the World, our float was "Made in China," and we were China dolls.

Holly prepping her beads on our float

It's a family oriented crowd

It was really an indescribable experience. I don't know that I ever need to ride in a parade again, but I always get giddy and carried away on the wave of excitement at any Mardi Gras parade.

Mardi Gras day 2001: Holly is cool enough to pull off the wig. I'm a devil in a blue dress

That next Fall I meet Carl and we stayed with Holly for Mardi Gras the following year. Since Carl is from Louisiana, Mardi Gras was nothing new for him, but it was a blast to go with him.

We turned around right after this picture and Carl got pinged in the forehead with a doubloon. I think the Paige threw it at his head on purpose. Carl had a red mark on his forehead the rest of Mardi Gras.

Tucks parade 2002

Mardi Gras day 2002. Holly pulls off a wig again. Carl wears his favorite costume of all time. When I met him (at a halloween party) he was dressed as a nun. He was a big hit at Mardi Gras.

Every year there's another Mardi Gras and I'm not there. 

I know I'm missing out.

Winter Swim

Having a pool is much more fun now that the twins are older. Of course they want to go swimming no mater what the weather. 

So on the first weekend with reasonably warmer weather Carl heated up the hot tub so the kids could get a taste of swimming. It's just big enough you can jump in and swim around.

Now they're too big to smile for me on command, so this is what you get.

It's not a swim party without snacks. Secretly, I think snacks are Connor's favorite part.

Then we do it all again on Sunday!

After Sinus Surgery

When the twins headed to school for the first time, almost two years ago, I was prepared for them to get sick more often. I wasn't prepared for being sick myself all the time. For over a year, I've had an ongoing low level of congestion that would flare up into a cold whenever one of the kids came home with the sniffles.

I finally went to an ENT and learned all eight of my sinus cavities were blocked. The doctor recommended surgery and I went in last Monday for endoscopic sinus surgery.

Below are a few shots from the surgery. I have no idea what we're looking at here, but I think it's the balloon inserted to open up the sinuses. 

Now that it's been almost a week since surgery, I'm feeling pretty good. I still get headaches but that's expected since they were rooting around in my head. 

I have a check up with my doctor week after next. I already feel less congested and can breath a bit better. Hopefully I will continue to improve.

"Go, Dog. Go!" at Dallas Children's Theater

For the twin's birthday, KiKi wanted to provide an experience. So we agreed on the Dallas Children's Theater production of Go, Dog. Go!

We enjoyed the book and KiKi even had the chance to read it to us before going to the theater.

KiKi got ticket for this past Saturday afternoon. The play was really great. 

The kids had a blast and I'm really impressed with how well they behaved. They were completely entertained the whole time.

Before we left the theater, Chloe noticed a poster for an upcoming show of Beauty and the Beast to be performed by puppets. She's mentioned it a few times since, so we may try to make that show as well.

After the play we meet Carl and Uncle Martin for dinner and had a lovely family evening. 

Great birthday gift KiKi & Uncle Martin. Thank you!

Fun in the Snow

We had snow yesterday and the twins were thrilled. This time it was not as much ice and more actual snow. When you have snow you can...

…try to catch snow flakes on your tongue

 ...make snow angels.

...play hard, but try not to draw blood.

Live Action Snow Angels

Sick Solution

Last month I mentioned how I'm sick of being sick since I've had ongoing congestion for over 6 months. 

Last week I visited an ENT recommended by a friend and I learned a few things. First that we all have 8 sinus cavities, 4 on each side.

Then I learn that all 8 of my sinus cavities are blocked. The doctor does not believe it is from allergies although that can frequently be the cause. 

The solution is surgery. I go in Monday to have balloon sinuplasty procedures. It's an outpatient surgery that should last less than an hour with about a week for recovery.

I'm a little nervous about surgery, but relieved to understand what is wrong and have a solution. I have heard from others who've had the surgery that after recovery you feel so much better and rarely have sinus infections again. I feel pretty good about that.

I'll let you know how it goes.

New Hat

Connor has a new hat and he loves it! Thank heavens it's been chilly enough to wear, because I think he would no matter the weather.

He wears it at the dinner table, even though he shouldn't.

He wears it when he's not wearing anything else.

He wears it even when he's grumpy and doesn't want to go to class.

I think he looks pretty cute every way he wears it.