Beads by the Ocean {Celebrate Mardi Gras South Texas Style!}

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I love Mardi Gras.  I love New Orleans.  To this day, I have never been to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  Mardi Gras Parade at the Beach- Corpus Christi Moms Blog

Honestly, it looks awesome and crowded.  I think I love the idea of it more than I would actually want to be in it. I do not want sweaty, drunk men bumping into me offering beads for personal peep shows.  (However, I love those plastic bead necklaces and so do my kids.) And just because we’re not in New Orleans doesn’t mean we can’t take part in the fun. Here are some local happenings including…

Enjoy the Best Part about Living in Corpus Christi  

Yep, THE BEST PART.  We have our Mardi Gras parade on the beach! You can take your kids, and it is not crowded.  Repeat, not crowded.  The beads are free, no boobie baring needed.  – Now, don’t get me wrong, if you go to the parade and feel the need for breeze on your breasts, I won’t stop you or be offended.  My kids won’t be scared or even think a thing about it.  I’ve nursed my children, and they know what breasts look like.

Anyway, the Mardi Gras Parade is called Barefoot Mardi Gras.  No shoes required because it’s the beach, and we are lucky.  There is a gathering afterward at Briscoe King Pavillion in Bali Park on Padre Island. I’ve not been to this part of the festival, but there is a kid’s area.  Admission is $5.00 cash at the door, and kids 8 and under are free.

Mardi Gras Parade- Corpus Christi Moms BlogMake Mardi Gras Masks

Harte Library & The Rockport Center for the Arts

You can keep the Mardi Gras momentum going by making Mardi Gras Masks. Laissez les bons temps rouler! Janet F. Harte Public Library will host a free family-friendly craft event on February 25th at 2 p.m.   

The Rockport Center for the Arts has tentative plans for Mardi Gras Mask making for their Free Family Saturday Art Time.  Check their website for future times/dates.

Art Center of Corpus Christi- Upstairs View- Corpus Christi Moms Blog
Art Center of Corpus Christi-Upstairs View

The Art Center of Corpus Christi says that they usually theme Family Art Time around popular holidays.  So, please check their  Facebook page for updates.  They upload flyers for Family Art Time on  Fridays and Tuesdays with the project for the week. Family Art Time is pretty wonderful!  Definitely check it out, if not for Mardi Gras, then for any given Saturday or Wednesday.

Bake this Easy King Cake Recipe

I’m almost positive HEB makes King Cakes around Mardi Gras, so you could pick one up there or at a local bakery.  But, if you want to make one with your kiddos, I found an easy recipe.  This recipe is yeast-free because my daughter is allergic to yeast.  It uses Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, so it is really easy.  Here is the recipe I’ve amended to only use half of the filling, so the bottom can actually cook.  (My 6 year-old likes the full-filling version, so I guess it’s a personal preference thing).

Half-Filling Recipe:

2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Filling:
2 oz of Cream Cheese – softened
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 Cup soaked raisins – Soak in hot water for 5-10 minutes to plump them back up.
1/4 Cup chopped pecans 
Icing:
1 ½ Cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 Tablespoons milk
Food coloring to make purple, green, and yellow or gold

*This makes too much icing, but it is great for pouring over pieces of cake when your kids request more colors.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F, bake for 20-25 minutes. 

*There are step by step pictures here.  King Cake- Corpus Christi Moms Blog

Ok, now if you are like me this song may be stuck in your head.  It’s the clean version. Dance with your babies!

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Bethany
Bethany is a stay-at- home mother of two high-energy daughters, ages 5 and 2. Her husband is a busy ER resident. In addition to the two kids, their family consists of two demanding dogs, two demanding cats, and some laid-back fish. Bethany develops curriculum online during nap time or when the kids (finally) fall asleep for the night. She has a Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instruction in Children’s Literature. She loves yoga and used to be able to do yoga every day. Now, she tries in vain to get through a couple sun salutations, before the girls laugh and climb all over her.  Bethany has been a vegetarian (sometimes vegan) since 1989, and her kids are being raised vegetarian, too. She has a healthy addiction to lilla rose hair clips and works as a stylist.