Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Good news! My WHOLE family is coming down for spring break!!  I know we just got back from Iowa a month ago, but I can't wait to see them again!

This is Mardi Gras week/weekend! Woo Hoo!  And here in Corpus Christi we've been planning the third annual Mardi Gras in DTown (downtown).  Thursday night the party kicked-off at House of Rock with the coronation of the royal court and some live music.  It was also a chamber of commerce mixer which meant food and beverages were provided. Yum!  We didn't get to stay very long though because the LOST premiere was on that night so we had to make sure to be home in time for it.  

Friday was the first official MG in DTown Street Party.  The weather was a little chilly, but it was a really good time.  Budweiser provided beer (awesome), and we had an array of street performers roaming around.  There were mimes, belly dancers, a magician, tarot card readers, and a caraciture artist.  It was right in front of a bar called Bourbon Street (fitting, I know) which has a balcony that is perfect for bead throwing.  

Saturday Nate and I went to the pub crawl with Monica and her husband, Ryan.  We were sure there was no way we were going to make it around to all of the bars, but I'm proud to say we did it!...but it makes it a little easier to finish when you don't actually have to buy a drink at each bar in order to get stamped.  The Regional Transportation Authority recently gave downtown an old tram that we used to cart people around.  There was also a band of some really awesome old guys playing music that made you feel like you were actually in New Orleans.  I kept thinking "it's midnight, these guys have got to be exhausted," and I'm sure they were, but at least they got to ride the tram around instead of walking from bar to bar.  Check out the video of them below.  I love these guys.

Nate's birthday was yesterday...super bowl Sunday.  Happy 27th!  We didn't do anything too exciting since we'd pretty much spent our weekend budget during Mardi Gras.  But we did go to Cici's Pizza in celebration. If you haven't had the privilege of eating at a Cici's I'm slightly sad for you. You should find one soon.  We watched the super bowl down in the club house of our apartment complex.  They, of course, served pizza.  And although I am totally capable of eating pizza for two meals in a row (and loving every second of it), it really doesn't do much for your self-esteem.  So we've decided that we need to get in shape before my family gets here.  

Tomorrow our friends from Kingsville are coming to town to look at apartments.  There's a possibility that they'll be moving to CC.  I know they're wanting to get out of here and head back up towards Dallas, but I'm crossing my fingers they come here for at least a little while.  We'll be heading out to meet them for dinner and then Nate and I may end up going to the Fat Tuesday Tram Crawl...besides that not much else is planned this week.  Let the good times roll!

These guys were so much fun.

Me after the pub crawl with my shirt and shot glass I designed.

Nate with his prizes too.

A close up of the shot glass.  It lights up!

Me and Nate on the tram riding around downtown.

The front car of the DTown tram stopping at House of Rock.

The pub crawl band playing at the House of Rock.

The king (Larry) and queen (my boss, Monica)

. 

Me at the street party.

A bearded butterfly.

 

One of the signs I designed for the street party.

Some glitter and a clown/mime.

Casey, one of the owners of the House of Rock.

Nate and a bunch of other people throwing beads off the balcony.

The belly dancers dancing around some random guy.