A Beginner's Guide to Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras... Fat Tuesday... Carnival... If you aren't from Louisiana, these terms might not be familiar to you. Growing up here on the bayou, this holiday is practically as big as Christmas. If you aren't from the South, I can understand how this might seem like a goofy holiday, but it's a season full of traditions, sparkles, and fun.

So let me try to break it down...

The season kicks off with 12th Night, which falls twelve days after Christmas (shocking, right?). The Epiphany is the day when the Wise Men made it to baby Jesus, and was always a big celebration with so many Catholics in the region. From the Epiphany until Ash Wednesday, everyone celebrates and feasts (since Lent is supposed to be a time of fasting). 

There are lots of parties leading up to the big day, and parades fill almost every weekend up until the big day, so that's why I say Mardi Gras is a season.

My dad and I share the same opinion on parades ("throw me something, mister" or "so done" ?). 

There are parades all over the state, in big towns like Baton Rouge and New Orleans and small towns like Thibodaux and Labadieville. Being a quiet shy child, parades were never my favorite (what part of waving and yelling and occasionally getting smacked in the face with beads is fun?), but now that I'm older, I can understand how the drive-thru daquari shops and open container drinking laws might have some appeal. 

But before the parades, there's the most sparkly part: the Mardi Gras balls! Almost all the krewes will pick a royal court and keep them secret until they are presented at the ball! 

My little was the queen of a krewe in Slidell last year! I'm so excited to see her crown the new queen at this year's ball. 

I was almost a maid senior year for the Krewe of Christopher here in Thibodaux, but decided that all that money (thousands of dollars, yikes!), would be better spent on something else. Do I regret turning them down? Not very much anymore. 

This is my roommate when she was a maid for Terreanians. Maids get to wear beautiful sparkly dresses and insane headpieces. 

My favorite part of the season? Hands down, the king cake. Second favorite part? The three days off of school! 

I'm already looking forward to the break and we still have a week left of our winter break! 

Mardi Gras is definitely a celebration in this town. Will you be celebrating this year? 

"Gotta' Send My Love Down to Baton Rouge"

If you follow me on Instagram, chances are you saw that I went to my first LSU game last Saturday! 

My amazing roomie who gave me a ticket and took me to the game! Love you, AC! 

I have to say, it was everything I imagined it would be and then some. Seeing my friends I hadn't seen in months was more exciting than the actual game (which turned out to be a bit of a let down, thanks a lot Mississippi State).

 I may have teared up when I saw some of my "mission friends."

I will admit that by the end of the third quarter, I was thoroughly exhausted from the long day of tailgating in the heat, and was glad when my friends announced they were ready to go home. We knew a comeback was just wishful thinking at that point, and I was happy to beat most of the crowds out of the stadium. 

I also have to say that while the tailgate and game was so much fun, I don't think I could deal with the giant campus and so many people all the time. I had a flashback to senior year when I was dead-set on going to school there. I'm so thankful that my roommate shared her extra ticket with me, and let me tag along with her to the game. Visiting was so much fun, and I hope I can go to another one soon, but I definitely don't regret my decision to go to Nicholls. 

Blessings on the Bayou

I mentioned that I was on a hometown mission trip last week, and I'm absolutely bummed that all of the amazing missionaries are back in Baton Rouge. (I've been so caught up in my post-mission funk, that this Monday-post turned into a Wednesday-post. Sorry!)

Telling all of these beautiful souls goodbye had me even more bent out of shape than I was when I said goodbye to my sorority sisters for the summer.

My church started hosting this mission trip five years ago when it wasn't safe for another church group travel to their usual mission-trip country of choice. I think it shows how easy it is to help people - no need to travel across the world, just look in your own backyard (literally!). 

200+ high-school missionaries, both local and from the Baton Rouge area, come together to grow in their faith while helping our community. 

New friends, old friends, and even older friends. Such a blessing. 

I worked along with these fabulous ladies and some of the world's most charming gentlemen as a "mentor". Not-quite-kids, not-quite-adults, we were spread out in different small groups, but grew so close by the end of the week. 

Some of my favorite parts of the mission? 

Seeing my small town through the eyes of a stranger. 

Bonding with my small group when there weren't enough paint brushes to go around… 

… And meeting some colorful native folks in the process.

And, of course, the inside jokes, late-night charades tournaments, and McDonald's and Sonic trips with the other mentors. 

I wish I could replay this week, Groundhog Day-style for the rest of the summer!

Has anyone else gone on or is planning to go on a mission trip soon?