Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler (Let the Good Times Roll)

Yesterday was Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras or just Tuesday depending on your life. Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras events signify the beginning of lent for some religions. For my family it is a chance to celebrate and remember New Orleans and the times we had with my family there. These days memories of our times together are sweeter. The pain of my parent's loss and the stress of the estate issues is slowly subsiding and the good times are starting to roll through my mind.

Here is our King Cake, you can see the baby on top,
this to avoid a choking hazard.

Yesterday we had King Cake a traditional cake in New Orleans that usually has a little plastic baby hidden in it. If you get the baby you have to bring the cake the next year. Here in the state I live there is a tradition of Paczki which is a Polish danish fried and filled with a variety of fillings. I have never enjoyed the Paczki and I much prefer the delicious multi colored frosted coffee cake. Our dinner which my husband Mark made was Gumbo another specialty from New Orleans.

As I chopped the vegetables and helped get things ready for Mark to cook, Avery and I talked about some of our traditions and about the times we had spent with my parents. While for me the memories are still a brightly burning bulb, Avery's memory is not as bright. She was much younger when we would celebrate Mardi Gras as a family and as we talked she asked questions that filled in some missing pieces to her memories.

These traditions while sometimes daunting to prepare for have helped us stay connected as a family and at the same time we have built memories as well as a foundation for our relationships as a family. Even in the most difficult times we have continued to celebrate these special moments and I believe that some years these links from holiday to holiday and Mardi Gras to Valentines and on to St Patrick's day have been the links that have kept us moving forward. Some years our excitement was limited and our hearts were heavy but the tradition propelled us forward.

Today I stand here a bit heavier from my King Cake and Gumbo binge, but my heart is lighter and my memories more uplifting. Thanks to God's grace I am able to remember the good things and release the difficult memories. This brings new significance to the phrase "Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler" and letting the good times roll seems like the best course of action.

We added some beads and coins to our table that we collected
when we went to Mardi  Gras parades with my parents.