Sculptures and Flying Produce

I have been wanting for some time now, to take the girls to the Bestoff Sculpture Garden to photograph them and I finally got the chance last week.  For those of you who have not been, you really should check it out.  It is beautifully planned and maintained.  The collection is breathtaking and it is totally free.  The is no excuse to not spend at least an hour meandering through this beautiful garden.

Robert Indiana's Love sculpture was the main focus of our trip.  What a wonderful place to photograph my girls!

I did get some great shots, my favorite was the one that is now the header.  I also got one of Kenzie diving face first into the edge of the sidewalk while practicing her new walking skills.  It hurts me to look at it so I will spare you.  The fantastic falls are definitely my least favorite part of this stage!  Though she is walking all over - finally she figured out that walking is much more interesting than crawling.

Mackenzie decided that the yellow side of George Rodrigue's three sided Blue Dog was most complementary to her outfit.

Prior to our little photo shoot, we spent a beautiful day at the Geeck's enjoying the Irish Italian parade.  For those of you who have never been to a St. Paddy's Parade in New Orleans, such as myself, they throw produce.  From a float.  AT YOU.  Cabbage, potatoes, bell peppers, onions, oranges, lemons, you name it.  We even saw some Ramen noodles and macaroni and cheese.  It was awesome!

See - cabbage.  The potatoes and onions seem to be the most dangerous - produce missiles aimed at your head!

Don't we look nervous?

But this?  This had to be the funniest and strangest part of the whole parade.  I have no IDEA how they did this, and that poor truck. Ha!  Man I LOVE this city!!!

February

February is typically a pretty busy month and this year was no different.  There's Valentines Day, then Tre' and I's anniversary (SEVEN years - Happy Anniversary Babe - it has been amazing!)  Then Mardi Gras of course, and the weather is exponentially nicer than in January so we try to spend as much time outside as possible!

This month Mars had two parties at school - the first was Valentines where she gave and received her first Valentine's cards!  I wish I would have took a picture of them, we made the cutest cards using my trusty cricut!

Well the treat bags were loaded with all sorts of fun valentines stamps so needless to say when I wasn't looking, Marley took the liberty of "tattooing" herself.

Oh - don't worry, she did not forget her face.  Go big or go home, right!

Kenzie got to watch Sesame Street for the first time - as he does with all children, Elmo bewitched her.

She also got to enjoy her first Mardi Gras Parade, it didn't take long before she was waving and yelling HEY!!!  Very cute!

Up next was Mars' Mardi Gras party and then they paraded around the gym and threw beads to all the parents and siblings.  While most kids loved it...

Marley threw a handful of beads and then decided this was just not for her.  I guess it was all of the strangers hollering at her to throw me somethin' Mister!

We also got to enjoy some mommy - daddy time at Endymion with the Geecks.  They camp out on the neutral ground of Orleans Avenue pretty much all week to reserve the best spot to watch the parade, it's a family tradition that has been going on for nearly twenty years!  Thanks for letting us crash your party - we had a blast!  Oh that guy above - that is Nunc...if you can spot him!

Here is Kid Rock, he was the Grand Marshall.

This one is for Mama Geeck, she loves a guy in uniform.  But then again - who doesn't.

Maids.

Bands.

Siblings.

Floats.

Flambeauxs - Ok, for those of you who don't know - this is a Mardi Gras tradition.  Groups of these guys walk in the parade carrying these torches with propane tanks strapped to their backs.  If you are lucky you will get to see one who is really into it and dancing and parading about.  All along the way, people throw coins to the flambeauxs and they collect them off the street.  I wonder how much they collect by the end?  And no, this was not started because of the recession.

Marley started out Mardi Gras day as Snow White but that didn't last very long.  My bumblebee though can't talk well enough to tell me to take this junk off so she stayed in costume all day!  This is Marley's bounty.

I LOVE THESE LADIES!!!

At least Kenzie looks a little like me when she makes this "what the heck are you looking at" face!

Buzzing about with PawPaw.

Begging for throws like a pro.

Our good friend Landen needed a break from the festivities.

Kenzie thought that was a great idea and enjoyed a fantastic nap, fully costumed, firmly grasping her cup, and she didn't even lose her antennas.  This girl has got this down pat!

Here comes Grela!

Our good friends Lauren and Laine.  My girls LOVE these girls!  Hope everyones February was as wonderful as ours.  Now on to our FAVORITE time of the year in NOLA - Spring!

One year

One year exactly is how long it took for me to FILL my ENTIRE hard drive on my new MacBook.  It is so full that I have to delete files just to update my hardware.  Uploading all of the adorable Mardi Gras pictures from my camera?  Well that is out of the question.  Now I have to weed through this puppy, makes sure everything is saved to my external hard drive, and clean house.  These pics are the last ones uploaded and since I have been a lazy blogger I am just getting around to posting them.  I hope to be able to post some new pics in the next few days!  Wish me luck!!!

THIS is what happens when Mackenzie gets a hold on our favorite peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  If she is within eyesight of someone noshing on one be forewarned - she will yell at you until you share!

HERE is my bebe practicing her walking skills and playing dress up at the same time, my little multi tasker.

My SWEET Marley Grace is now properly trained to pose whenever she sees the lens pointed in her direction.

A picture THEY  will love one day.

Purchasing ice cream at the ice cream stand in OUR backyard.

FLASHING those pearls.

Well HELLO.

SEE first picture, insert the word oatmeal.

PaPa Goose and yet another one of his GIRLS.

SHE buys hugs and kisses at the hugs & kisses store and gives them to ME whenever I ask.

A PERFECT day at the playground.

WELL trained.

BULLYING small children at the park.  These two are TOUGH.

What have we been up to?

Well, first Mackenzie showed off her beautiful toothy grin.

Then she paraded around her delicious chubby cheeks and I had to restrain myself from pinching them, though I do get in an obnoxious amount of smooches each day - hey you never know how much longer they will be so lucious.

Next she practiced honing her dress up skills. This little one LOVES all things girly and princess, especially the Sleeping Beauty vanity that Mars got for Christmas. Macks will stand there as long as I will let her and look in the mirror and put pretend makeup on Sleeping Beauty - it's pretty cute.

Then Marley made an ad for ritz crackers - oh, and we changed her name to "The Great Hamboni".

After that, Mackenzie got a fancy new forward facing car seat, so now she can check out the scenery instead of the back of the seat. She loves it.

When we got home, Papa took her for a cruise in the magic basket. No seat belts required.

Oh, then we finally got around to Christening Macks. And Grammy made her this AMAZING cake. . . 

Yeah, that's a cake.

So that should catch you up, though I do still have a camera full of pictures. When I get around to uploading them I'll catch you up some more, then I can resume your regularly scheduled posting.