Happy Anniversary on Fat Tuesday!

To my parents, Happy Anniversary today! 41 years! THAT is something to celebrate!

Of course, many others are celebrating today--just 'cause it's Tuesday!
Here, we had Paczki (pronounced "punch-key") and king cake for breakfast, so we had our own small Fat Tuesday celebration, here!

The kids also had a half-day at school so each one brought a friend home. They pulled cookies out of the pantry for a snack a little while ago but my daughter would not eat the sugar-free cookies that her friend picked out. Though they are sugar-free, her friend kept calling them "fat-free." My daughter replied, "It's Fat Tuesday, NOT Fat-Free-Tuesday!!"

Laissez les bon temps roulet!

As I am nursing our son, I feel like I can't "diet" and cut out too many calories right now -- but I've got to shed these many, many baby pounds.  So--I decided to start exercising regularly again with the new year and to try to cut sugar out of my diet.

I was finally successful in having a completely sugar-free day yesterday.

My husband came home from the store with this last night.  (He found one in Indiana!)

I finished off my son's piece after he went to school this morning so I guess I just shoot for a sugar-free afternoon, today!

Laissez les bon temps roulet!

I hope you all are enjoying Fat Tuesday, wherever you are! Some of you may be enjoying king cakes or paczki or pancakes. I did not plan ahead (surprise!) so I've got regular coffee. Maybe I'll add sugar today! ;)

However you are celebrating--enjoy Fat Tuesday! (Of course, for those really celebrating and attending the parades--I don't expect reading my blog to be on your list of activities today! With the exception of my sister-in-law in Metairie, we don't have any friends left living in New Orleans but maybe some of you decided to visit for Carnival!)

I let my kids wear beads to school today. I'm sure N is behaving but C's teacher is probably cursing my name right about now. It's only for one day!

Laissez les bon temps roulet!

The twelfth day

For my mom, who used to celebrate today, and Ukrainians who are celebrating today---Merry Little Christmas!

It is also the Feast of the Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas and for some people--the beginning of Carnival season! (Put the advent calendars away and start counting the days until your favorite Mardi Gras Krewes start rolling!)

The sun is shining here; there is not a cloud in the sky! My daughter's sleepover guest has gone home AND they actually slept last night! It is a good day!

I hope you all have a reason to celebrate today!

Tuesday's menu

What's on your menu for today? I really do not spend all of my time pondering what I'm going to eat! (I take a break to find out what some of you are eating!) ;)

Last month, I asked if anyone had any traditional meals for New Year's Day and I've discussed other family and religious traditions here, too.

I was hoping for a piece of king cake today but I settled for a piece of my son's Darth Vader birthday cake instead. (It did not even come close!) Before I got to the cake, my mother called and wished me a "Happy Paczki (sounds like "punt-key") day" and apologized for not sending me a jelly-filled doughnut. I had completely forgotten about that tradition this year. I've mentioned before that my mother is half-Ukrainian but she is also half-Polish and this is a Polish tradition on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. (Actually, my online searches have taught me that the Ukrainians have a similar treat but call it pampushky.)
(While I'm presenting my report, it looks like the Polish tradition is actually to eat these on Thursday but the Polish community in Michigan, (where my mother was born) influenced by the French tradition of Fat Tuesday, moved it to Tuesday instead so I guess it is an American tradition now!) ;)

I returned with an apology for not sending her a king-cake but they're hard to come by in Kansas! The king cake is not a childhood tradition anyway, just one I acquired when living in New Orleans.

This made me wonder what others are eating after searching online, I've learned that today is also Pancake Day in a few other countries. It seems the origins behind most of these sweet, sugary breakfasts is a combination of indulging on the last day before Lent begins (where many give up sweets, desserts, etc.) and a bit of practicality--Wikipedia tells me that Pancake Day began as a way to use up eggs and milk before Lent began as they were to be avoided during that time.

Now I'm hungry and I've got to get to the store. (That's a dangerous combination!)
Maybe one year I will meet you at IHOP for National Pancake Day.

Carnival time!

And then there are parties that go on for weeks! One in particular does not end until midnight on Tuesday!

I used to say that New Orleans could find any excuse for a party and a parade but of course, nothing compares to Mardi Gras! Katrina left her mark but even that disaster couldn't keep New Orleanians from celebrating Carnival!

I'm still praying for New Orleans--especially this week. I don't know if they have the resources (hospitals, police, etc.) to keep up with Mardi Gras quite yet but I'm encouraged by their enthusiasm.

So for all my friends from New Orleans: Laissez les bon temps rouler!!! Have a piece of king cake* for me! In the spirit of the season, I've downloaded some carnival tunes and will subject the children to them after school. I would love to share some of these songs with you all but am not sophisticated enough to know how to insert audio into my blog. If one of my readers is techno-savvy enough to give me directions, I'll upload them! In the meantime, I'll just keep singing along to myself...I went on down to the Audubon Zoo and they all aksed for you...


*Looks like Haydel's isn't completely back up and running yet but I'm sure somebody is making king cakes!