Mardi Gras 2017!

A few years ago we started celebrating Mardi Gras by decorating with purple,green, and yellow and enjoying some fun (and filling) meals throughout the day.  Both girls are old enough to participate this year and I had fun planning breakfast for them and a tasty dinner for Ben and I.

Breakfast table

(I reuse the same decorations every year)

Elizabeth got a purple mask and purple necklace

Caroline got a yellow necklace and yellow mask

Excited girls!!

Happy Mardi Gras!

The girls got their usual doughnut bites but I added pop sticks to them.

I them filled little bottles with purple and green sprinkles and white icing.

They dipped their doughnuts in the icing and then into the sprinkles.

(I had everything on hand, so it was an easy breakfast)

The girls really enjoyed their doughnuts and bacon :)

I had a surprise for Elizabeth after school.

I baked sugar cookies while she was at school and 

we decorated them in Mardi Gras colors while Caroline was napping.

I iced them for her and she added purple and green sprinkles.

She was a little happy with her final product :)

 Our Mardi Gras dinner.

Ben and I enjoyed rice and Bourbon Street chicken.

It is a really yummy recipe and super easy to make.

Now... I'm off to eat my weight in cookies because I am giving them up for Lent.

Happy Fat Tuesday y'all!

Weekend Review

We had a great weekend around here!  It was very warm on Thursday, Friday, and part of Saturday.  We enjoyed a lot of time outside, hosted friends for dinner, I enjoyed a ladies night out, and started getting ready for my first consignment sale.  Here is a look at our weekend:

 Friday morning we hit up the zoo for the SECOND time in February!

That is so crazy.  When we left the zoo, it was 81 degrees!

 We saw a ton of animals on Friday.

Horses...

 Elephants

 We learned the difference between Asian elephants and African elephants.

 Two bald eagles

 We spent about 20 minutes watching the family of sea lions

 In the Amazonian building we saw a ton of cool animals!

 The children's area is undergoing renovation, so we took the long way around

 They asked me to take their picture, but never look at the camera OR smile

 Orangutan 

 Gorillas

 On our way home, three happy ladies :)

 Friday afternoon we hit up the nature trail while we were getting a new dishwasher installed.  Ben stayed at the house while they were working and the girls and I enjoyed some more warm weather.

 Can you ever have enough sticks?

Of course not!

 Friday night; Shelley, Adam, and Fiamma came over for dinner

The girls did "cheers" for about 10 minutes during dinner :)

 Group selfie before they left :)

We miss them so much but we know they are loving North Carolina

 Saturday morning we headed to Lakeshore Learning Center for their Dr. Seuss craft and to play with some toys.  The girls had a great time (and the parents did too)

 We don't have any of these magformers, but I know Elizabeth would love them.

Maybe for Easter?

 Caroline played at every station!

 Lunch time on Saturday was warm, so the girls enjoyed lunch outside

 The tree in our backyard

 My cute husband...eating chicken wings and Frozen cheeseballs for lunch

 Saturday night we went out to celebrate Kellie and Maria.

It was the best time!!

Sunday afternoon, Ben pulled all these boxes out of the attic for me.

I am participating in my first consignment sale and have a LOT of clothes to get rid of.

Happy Monday y'all!