Red Stick Mom

Mini Mardi Gras Fashionistas Mardi Gras parades - where fun and chaos reign supreme. As a parent, you want your little ones to enjoy the revelry while staying safe and stylish. But let's be real, the weather in Louisiana can be as unpredictable as a toddler's mood swings. One minute it's sunny, the next it's pouring rain. And don't even get me started on the parade debris - beads, cups, and who-knows-what-else can make for a messy and treacherous terrain. So, what's a parent to do? Dress your mini-me in something that's equal parts comfortable, practical, and festive, of course! Here are some tips for creating the perfect Mardi Gras parade outfit for your kiddo: Safety: Our family's Mardi Gras parade fashion strategy starts...

Mardi Gras From the Perspective of a Krewe Dancer It's that time of year we have been working towards all year long. Preparing three to four new dances, practicing 1-2 times a week in the parking lot of a local park, or if we are lucky indoors at a dance studio or a hotel conference room. We spend an hour going over and over the dances we will perform for the Mardi Gras season. There is lots of preparation from the committee members deciding which parades we will dance in, the formation and line up of the dancers, the recruiting of the walkers, the obtaining and decoration of the truck, the hiring of a DJ. It begins at home, putting together...

Confession :: We Don't Do Baton Rouge Parades Mardi Gras season is upon us, and while it is one of my favorite times of the year, I don't exactly "celebrate" it like others in Baton Rouge. I am a hardcore no king cake until epiphany person, I have my favorite king cakes, and king cake adjacent items and I love the fun and reverie of Mardi Gras with school and family and friends all celebrating in different ways. There's just one thing I don't do, and that is Baton Rouge Parades. Despite the fact that I've lived her for over 20 years, I still don't know where Southdowns or Spanish Town parades run or what they're like. I've never been, never taken...

The Homemade King Cake Chronicles: A Journey of Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice Ah, king cakes, the ultimate symbol of Mardi Gras magic. And, let's be real, the perfect excuse to eat an entire cake by yourself while pretending it's for "research purposes." As a self-proclaimed king cake connoisseur, I'm thrilled to share my favorite unique recipe twists with you. And, I'm not alone - my trusty sidekicks, chefs Jack and Jacob, are always ready to lend a hand (and a taste bud) in the kitchen. My sons, Jack & Jacob, stay full of culinary enthusiasm and can't get enough of king cakes. They're like the ultimate king cake taste-testers because, let's face it, they'll eat anything covered in sugar. "We love...

Cost Savings :: Our Favorite Costco Brands It seems that everything is getting more expensive and more and more people are switching to “store brands.” The store brands of today are nothing like they were in my childhood. In fact, many of them are better than the brands that we’ve come to know and love. When it comes to Costco, their Kirkland Signature brand has been long rumored to be some favorite brand names re-store branded. While that theory has been somewhat disproven, there is some evidence that some brands make specific products to be sold under the Kirkland name. Here are some of the things that have become favorites in our family. They taste great and they help us...