More New Orleans Pictures

I'm sick, so I'm being run off to bed. But I wanted to get some of these up anyway. So... Insert own witty commentary here:

New Orleans is magical at Christmas time

Austin must think it's Mardi Gras

Laissez Les Bons Enfants Roullez

So we took the kids to New Orleans. Mere, my mother, is from there originally, and there are still many family members there. I hadn't been in many years, though we used to go for Mardi Gras when I was little. It was such a treat to go back! Sophie had met a few of the residents last year, but Austin had never met any of his Louisiana roots before. And going at Christmas was particularly great :)

In NOLA, Santa's skiff is pulled by alligators

The first thing in the morning after we arrived, we walked the kids through the French Quarter to meet the river. Austin told me it was "the bay."

We frolicked in Jackson Square, where the carriages wait for fares, and we pet all the mules' noses.

We ate out.

We waited for the streetcar.

And rode them.

And we made new friends at the aquarium

Tune in for part deux tomorrow!

Squeaking In...

In the last hour, of the last day of November, here are the Halloween pictures. Somehow, that still feels like an accomplishment ;)

This was just checking sizes before I got into all the detailed work. And because they begged every day to see them <3

We actually made a second trip to the pumpkin patch, having carved our first ones too early. These things happen.

...in our pajamas. If anyone asked, I said he was the somnambulist. That makes us sound pretentious instead of just lazy.

Big girl had to carry the pumpkins all by herself.

Decorating the house!

Wearing her special Halloween dress!

OK! Here they are... Austin had been very specific about this year's costume, and I thought we'd go along with it because we're probably not going to be able to do theme costumes much longer. He's a big fan of Paw Patrol, a show about dogs who rescue people and drive little cars and whatnot. And of course, he claimed the one human character for himself. Sophie was cast as "Sky", the air rescue pup who has a jetpack. I was "Marshall" the fire pup and Daddy was "Chase" the police pup. They didn't even have any costumes for sale when he planned this all out, so I had to make them. Not that, you know, they ever were going to have them in adult sizes. Sophie has very strong opinions and I'm sure she won't always be so easy going. But that being said, she loved her costume and was super excited about it. Every time her hood slid off she wanted it back up. So next year, maybe we'll be a ragtag group of lion, astronaut, garbage truck, ninja etc... but this year, we were a cohesive group, even if no one knew what the heck we were.

This is art from the show:

This is us.

This is post trick or treating, when Austin was making absolutely sure he didn't miss any candy in his bag.

More shots of Sophie's costume...

And actually, I shouldn't say "no one" knew what we were. We did run into one family, and the little boy was Chase. And his mom was SUPER excited for him to come meet us. It really made my night.

So Happy Halloween! And just because I'm trying so hard to stay abreast of the real dates and all... Happy Thanksgiving!

Halloween Pictures!

Just kidding! I take a lot of pictures.

We went to a pumpkin patch...

With goats

and bunnies

and sunflowers the size of my child's head

And we put up Halloween lights

and drew chalk ghosts

and gave them kisses

I really admire a man who can carve a pumpkin while wearing such a stylish child

And I got a hay bale! Actually, this was half a hay bale.

More than enough