Mardi Gras is one of my favorite celebrations in the year.  I think I have to like it because I’m both French and Native American.  Doesn’t that make me Cajun or Creole in some fashion?

While many times it is celebrated as honoring all thing immoral (or at least indulging in immorality one last time before the penitential season of Lent), I think of it more in terms of an anticipation of the joy we are going to find during our Lenten journey.  We recognize the good things of this world, but look forward to the greater goods that we will receive from a life lived in Christ.

Without further ado, I present to you…  Mardi Gras 2014!

First, there’s no party without a party outfit.

I put on a brightly colored shirt, authentic Mardi Gras beads (Thanks, Shane, for getting them for me from New Orleans during college!), pigtails, eye makeup and sparkly lip gloss.

Properly attired, I got things ready for the evening. After work, I went over my parents’ house and had jambalaya. I like traditions and the idea of making ethnic or special food to mark notable days. Since I’m “Creole”, I like to honor the day with Cajun-style foods. In a perfect world, I’d have more items on the menu, but being a working girl with a limited grocery budget…we just got jambalaya. But it was good!

I did forget to add the shrimp, but it was good with just the chicken and andouille sausage.

Mom added a tomato-avocado salad to the party, and Dad had purchased paczki, which were our dessert. I snagged a blueberry one. Granted, paczki aren’t Cajan, but there’s a strong Polish demographic here in Michigan and that’s how people roll here. A big fat jelly-filled donut for Fat Tuesday. I’m okay with that. 🙂

All too soon, my paczek was eaten and Fat Tuesday was nearly over. Plans have been laid for Lent and I look forward to the journey at hand!

What did you do for Mardi Gras?