Monday, February 4, 2008
Money shot 2 from new orleans
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Sunday at Mardi Gras
Happy Engagement Anniversary Mike! We got engaged on Super Bowl Sunday 4 years ago!)
Harry Lee was a sherrif in the New Orleans area, and he died recently. He was honored in the parade.
A nice tribute, or maybe a little creepy, was given by throwing miniature Harry Lee doll looking magnets into the crowds. Mike brought some home to share the creepiness with our kids by hanging them on the fridge. I want my face on an aligator float and minature doll magnets to be thrown to drunk people at Mardi Gras. That's hot.
FUN MIKE IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, I like these drinks. Kidney stone? What kidney stone? These beads are fun. Can we go play craps now?
Scary, Mike with a spear at Mardi Gras
Talk about scary. This dude had some issues. He was really excited about this hood that was thrown from the float. He was a pretty cool guy though.
Cool float. Look at all the trash everywhere. It is always amazing to see all the trash and then to see it all cleaned up by the morning.
Gotta love girls walking around with no shirt on and paint on their boobs. Yes, honey, we can still see them.
Annoying bead snatching man and a float. This guy would snatch beads from right in front of people. This is definitely in the top ten list of how not to win friends at Mardi Gras
Gotta love the creative spirit and the all American male
I am sure his momma is proud
LOOK! It's Chandrashekar!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chandrashekar, his friends, FUN Mike at Court of Two Sisters
Harry Lee was a sherrif in the New Orleans area, and he died recently. He was honored in the parade.
A nice tribute, or maybe a little creepy, was given by throwing miniature Harry Lee doll looking magnets into the crowds. Mike brought some home to share the creepiness with our kids by hanging them on the fridge. I want my face on an aligator float and minature doll magnets to be thrown to drunk people at Mardi Gras. That's hot.
FUN MIKE IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, I like these drinks. Kidney stone? What kidney stone? These beads are fun. Can we go play craps now?
Scary, Mike with a spear at Mardi Gras
Talk about scary. This dude had some issues. He was really excited about this hood that was thrown from the float. He was a pretty cool guy though.
Cool float. Look at all the trash everywhere. It is always amazing to see all the trash and then to see it all cleaned up by the morning.
Gotta love girls walking around with no shirt on and paint on their boobs. Yes, honey, we can still see them.
Annoying bead snatching man and a float. This guy would snatch beads from right in front of people. This is definitely in the top ten list of how not to win friends at Mardi Gras
Gotta love the creative spirit and the all American male
I am sure his momma is proud
LOOK! It's Chandrashekar!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chandrashekar, his friends, FUN Mike at Court of Two Sisters
Super Bowl Sunday at Mardi Gras in New Orleans!!! Woo Hoo! We watch parades and hang out on Sunday. We got lots of beads, wandered down Bourbon, had big beers, and loved every minute of it. We ate breakfast on the lovely paper plates at the hotel, and we ate roast beef po boys at Court of Two Sisters on Bourbon (at the quick place off of Bourbon - not the fancy restaurant). Chandrashekar from Gebbs is working on an assignment in New Orleans, and he called to get together. He and his co-workers met us at Court of Two Sisters. It was really great to meet Chandrasheker after spending countless hours on the phone and in email. I always thought he did a good job but that his hands were tied at Gebbs with poor management and shady ethics (trying to hide issues so that they didn't have to re-write things). He said that they would rejoice when Morgan had a dentist appointment or something becasue they knew that they would get out of a call.
After meeting with Chandra, we started walking back to the hotel. We didn't realize there was a parade going on, and we got stuck at Canal and Bourbon. There was a wacky guy there with some sign telling everyone that they were going to hell. The sign was rather large and annoying. I asked him if he would move somewhere else, but he said that is where he wanted to be. I told him that I thought people would get hurt, and he said that it wouldn't be him so he didn't care. Nice Chrstian thoughts. We discovered that being next to him was actually a pretty good thing though as the floats would throw big bags of beads at his sign. We got some of the best beads of the trip standing there. Several fights broke out while we were waiting also, and a man, lady, and little boy were taken away. It must be awful to be a 3 year old boy and watch your mom get dragged away in handcuffs. I guess the man was with them, but I am not sure. One of the policemen said it was a fight over plastic beads, but he did say that she didn't get arrested but was just taked somewhere farther away and warned.
When we finally could cross, we went to the hotel to get rid of some stuff and to watch some of the Super Bowl. I watched in sadness as I realized that none of my super bowl numbers were winners. We decided to go watch the parade down by Harrah's on the canal side so that we could go to Harrah's, parades, and Bourbon street regardless of when the parade was over. We had our big bears in our cajun koozie (the brown paper bag that fits over your beer). :) After a while of watching the parade, we went to Harrah's to play Craps. We ended up playing until 6am, and we both won!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to the Larry school of craps!!! We had it going on, and we were even playing hard numbers. :) We played for the dealer, and we had a great time. My feet hurt SO badly, and I was so happy to get into bed.
After meeting with Chandra, we started walking back to the hotel. We didn't realize there was a parade going on, and we got stuck at Canal and Bourbon. There was a wacky guy there with some sign telling everyone that they were going to hell. The sign was rather large and annoying. I asked him if he would move somewhere else, but he said that is where he wanted to be. I told him that I thought people would get hurt, and he said that it wouldn't be him so he didn't care. Nice Chrstian thoughts. We discovered that being next to him was actually a pretty good thing though as the floats would throw big bags of beads at his sign. We got some of the best beads of the trip standing there. Several fights broke out while we were waiting also, and a man, lady, and little boy were taken away. It must be awful to be a 3 year old boy and watch your mom get dragged away in handcuffs. I guess the man was with them, but I am not sure. One of the policemen said it was a fight over plastic beads, but he did say that she didn't get arrested but was just taked somewhere farther away and warned.
When we finally could cross, we went to the hotel to get rid of some stuff and to watch some of the Super Bowl. I watched in sadness as I realized that none of my super bowl numbers were winners. We decided to go watch the parade down by Harrah's on the canal side so that we could go to Harrah's, parades, and Bourbon street regardless of when the parade was over. We had our big bears in our cajun koozie (the brown paper bag that fits over your beer). :) After a while of watching the parade, we went to Harrah's to play Craps. We ended up playing until 6am, and we both won!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to the Larry school of craps!!! We had it going on, and we were even playing hard numbers. :) We played for the dealer, and we had a great time. My feet hurt SO badly, and I was so happy to get into bed.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Saturday at Mardi Gras
Hair of the Dog to start the day - Gotta love Big Beers for $4
Hanging with Mike, Beth, and Stacy
Something about seeing the Flag being carried that gives me goosebumps. (Not sure what the dude with the beads is doing)
Hanging with Mike, Beth, and Stacy
Something about seeing the Flag being carried that gives me goosebumps. (Not sure what the dude with the beads is doing)
Ahhh...New Orleans. I had forgotten how fun it can be. We started the morning with breakfast at the hotel. The line was pretty long, but the food wasn't too bad. They had eggs, biscuits and gravy (don't even want to think about WW points for that!!!), cereal, milk, bagels, bacon, sausage. Pretty standard. We ate there, and then we called Beth to see what they were doing. Beth is on her way to the parade, so we agree to meet at St. Charles and Canal.
As the parade is going, we start catching some beads and talking to a local couple. They are kind enough to share the King Cake that they brought from home. It was yummy. They were very cool. Mike and I bought necklaces for the girls that are gold wire bent into their names and then have a hanging heart with their birthstone. Mike and I think that we should learn to make these as we watch Leroy making a ton. Beth and her friends arrive, and we have a good time hanging with them at the parade. We end up walking to Bourbon to eat at the Bourbon House Restaurant. It was really good. We had some oysters and po boy sandwiches. Apparently, I was slurring my words a bit, but it was lots of fun hanging with them. We go back and check out more parades. We run by the room to drop off our loot, and then we head to Harrah's. We hav a great time playing, but we didn't really win much. Beth says that she has some comp meals at Harrah's, and she offers to take us to dinner. We went to Riche, and it was delicious. I had a steak that was very good. Mike and I are fading at this point, and we head back to the hotel. :)
As the parade is going, we start catching some beads and talking to a local couple. They are kind enough to share the King Cake that they brought from home. It was yummy. They were very cool. Mike and I bought necklaces for the girls that are gold wire bent into their names and then have a hanging heart with their birthstone. Mike and I think that we should learn to make these as we watch Leroy making a ton. Beth and her friends arrive, and we have a good time hanging with them at the parade. We end up walking to Bourbon to eat at the Bourbon House Restaurant. It was really good. We had some oysters and po boy sandwiches. Apparently, I was slurring my words a bit, but it was lots of fun hanging with them. We go back and check out more parades. We run by the room to drop off our loot, and then we head to Harrah's. We hav a great time playing, but we didn't really win much. Beth says that she has some comp meals at Harrah's, and she offers to take us to dinner. We went to Riche, and it was delicious. I had a steak that was very good. Mike and I are fading at this point, and we head back to the hotel. :)
Friday, February 1, 2008
Departure to Mardi Gras!!!
My mom, Grams, came to Tampa to watch Morgan so that Mike and I could go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. GRAMS ROCKS! Thanks again Grams.
Of course, the first morning as we are getting ready, Grams goes to help Morgan get her lunch ready while I am upstairs. Morgan, who usually takes a very full lunch, tells Grams that she usually only takes 2 things. So, the morning starts out with Grams saying that she is worried that Morgan doesn't eat enough. I wish Grams could see her normal lunch. Oh well. :)
Grams takes me to work, and it is a pretty good day. We review a few last minute directions, and I think Grams has her lists completed. :) Linda takes me to the airport on her way home. Thanks Linda! Of course, in typical Amy fashion, my flight is delayed by 2 hours or so. I read my book for the several hours at the airport (Water for Elephants is the book). I read some on the plane, and then I collapse into a very deep sleep. I even miss drink service. I had been up pretty late most nights trying to get our release ready for shipping. Mike met me at the airport, and we take a cab to the Holiday Inn Express on Carondelet (much more about this later). The cab driver was a student at Xavier, and he was very cool. A parade is going on, so the traffic is pretty heavy near the hotel. We get in the long line to get checked in. Mike had called the hotel prior to our arrival and was told that we had a room with a good view (501 I think). So, after waiting in the long line to get checked in, we are given room 222. Mike says that we were supposed to be in 501, and she says someone else is already in there. When we walk into the room, it is the smallest hotel room I have ever seen. It has ONE DOUBLE bed in it. The view is of an alley wall and a dumpster if you look really hard to see the street in between the hotel and the wall. We don't so much care about the view because we don't plan to be in the room much, but the King size bed is something we care about. So, Mike calls down, and they say that the bed we have is a queen (hmmm....last time I checked a queen wasn't a double). We laugh because the headboard is much longer than the actual bed. Maybe they don't even know what they have in there. Anyway, the lady at the desk, Ms. Sharice, says that when you book on hotels.com, you get a "queen." Of course, Mike used his frequent stay points to book the room through Holiday Inn (supposedly a thank you for staying with them so much). If this is how they treat loyal customers, we are scared to see how they treat non-regulars. Anyway, Ms. Sharice says that they will probably have openings the next day, and she tells us to check with her in the morning to see if we can move. So, we are careful about really unpacking so that we can move in the morning easily. It is after midnight now central time, but we decide that we have to go look around a little bit. So, we walk down Bourbon Street for a bit, have a few hurricanes (which I found help more with kidney stones than ANY pain medicine I have ever had). It is not as crowded as I remember it from my last Mardi Gras (in 94), but it is getting close. There are girls showing their cleavage for beads, but Mike and I are just in the wander mode. We head back to the hotel and go to bed. Wow, I am so glad that we have a Queen bed at home. A double bed is really not very large. Mike is like a heating pad in bed, so I have no room to escape the heat. :)
Of course, the first morning as we are getting ready, Grams goes to help Morgan get her lunch ready while I am upstairs. Morgan, who usually takes a very full lunch, tells Grams that she usually only takes 2 things. So, the morning starts out with Grams saying that she is worried that Morgan doesn't eat enough. I wish Grams could see her normal lunch. Oh well. :)
Grams takes me to work, and it is a pretty good day. We review a few last minute directions, and I think Grams has her lists completed. :) Linda takes me to the airport on her way home. Thanks Linda! Of course, in typical Amy fashion, my flight is delayed by 2 hours or so. I read my book for the several hours at the airport (Water for Elephants is the book). I read some on the plane, and then I collapse into a very deep sleep. I even miss drink service. I had been up pretty late most nights trying to get our release ready for shipping. Mike met me at the airport, and we take a cab to the Holiday Inn Express on Carondelet (much more about this later). The cab driver was a student at Xavier, and he was very cool. A parade is going on, so the traffic is pretty heavy near the hotel. We get in the long line to get checked in. Mike had called the hotel prior to our arrival and was told that we had a room with a good view (501 I think). So, after waiting in the long line to get checked in, we are given room 222. Mike says that we were supposed to be in 501, and she says someone else is already in there. When we walk into the room, it is the smallest hotel room I have ever seen. It has ONE DOUBLE bed in it. The view is of an alley wall and a dumpster if you look really hard to see the street in between the hotel and the wall. We don't so much care about the view because we don't plan to be in the room much, but the King size bed is something we care about. So, Mike calls down, and they say that the bed we have is a queen (hmmm....last time I checked a queen wasn't a double). We laugh because the headboard is much longer than the actual bed. Maybe they don't even know what they have in there. Anyway, the lady at the desk, Ms. Sharice, says that when you book on hotels.com, you get a "queen." Of course, Mike used his frequent stay points to book the room through Holiday Inn (supposedly a thank you for staying with them so much). If this is how they treat loyal customers, we are scared to see how they treat non-regulars. Anyway, Ms. Sharice says that they will probably have openings the next day, and she tells us to check with her in the morning to see if we can move. So, we are careful about really unpacking so that we can move in the morning easily. It is after midnight now central time, but we decide that we have to go look around a little bit. So, we walk down Bourbon Street for a bit, have a few hurricanes (which I found help more with kidney stones than ANY pain medicine I have ever had). It is not as crowded as I remember it from my last Mardi Gras (in 94), but it is getting close. There are girls showing their cleavage for beads, but Mike and I are just in the wander mode. We head back to the hotel and go to bed. Wow, I am so glad that we have a Queen bed at home. A double bed is really not very large. Mike is like a heating pad in bed, so I have no room to escape the heat. :)
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