a-muse-ing post about shoes

Muses Thursday is one of the most fun nights we have here in New Orleans. There are so many reasons why, but for now let's talk about those shoes. I have had a few people comment about this shoe thing/obsession that takes place as the parades pass by, and while I can try to explain it to you, it's far better to experience this first hand. While I don't know much of the history of the muses shoe, or of it's origin, I can explain why it's the best feeling to have one thrown at you.

Of all the krewes that parade, Muses is my favorite. I mean, besides the Alkreweists. Of the big krewes on floats, Muses for the win all the time. We look forward to this night every carnival season. And since we have lived here, and since our first Muses experience back in 2007, we have always managed to receive a personalized, glittered, bedazzled, feathered shoe. Apparently they limit the number of shoes that the Muses can make so it's never a sure thing. I wish I knew more about this, but all I know is that we love getting them, and we cherish them on our mantle! You can see other shoes HERE!

So let's journey back shall we? 

2007: Our first mardi gras, and our first time really understanding what mardi gras was. The crowds at Muses were minimal. No one was camping out for a spot, nor was anyone pushing their way to the front. To my memory, the floats rolled much slower and you were able to enjoy all the details. After a few floats went by, I was relentless for those big beads. Like, big beads. So I reached up to ask a Muse for "those big ones behind you!" and she reached down to get something of me, and it took a while for her to get it, so I jogged next to the float for about a block, and she hands me a gallon sized ziploc bag with this shoe in it. "But I wanted beads!" I thought to myself. I took it home, and realized how cute it was, but didn't understand how "cool" a muses shoe was until a friend commented on it, "YOU got a muses shoe!!!" 

2008: Ken decided to make a sign to get the attention of the Muses. He wrote, "Daddy needs a new pair of shoes" and boom, he walked away with 3! We kept this one because it's so fabulous, and gave the other two to friends. We realized this year that signs are good, and if Ken makes eye contact, he's sure to get a shoe. 

2009: This is a tap shoe! This sign for this year said, "If the shoe fits, it must be Muses"

2010: This shoe was from their 10th anniversary so we wrote a poem.

Note- it was really cold for this Mardi Gras so our poem was something like this:

You're ten years old!

It's freezing cold!

Our lips are blue!

Now give us a shoe!

This worked, even though it's not funny, and a touch sassy. But we learned that if your sign is too long, you won't get a shoe because by the time they read it, they've already passed you by. 

These are golden tips here people! 

2011: Avery's first Mardi Gras, so I did what any parent would do- I used my baby to get shoes! 

This sign, as you'll read, has been used a couple times: "Baby shoes for a future Muse!"

2012: This shoe, while awesome and seasonal, didn't come as honestly as I would have hoped. My brother had a friend who was riding, so we made a sign with her name and got this tossed to us. I wasn't even there because I had to take Avery home! There's a purity to getting a shoe spontaneously thrown at you. I prefer it that way. 

2013: Eliza's first Mardi Gras, but I ended up taking her home because it was way late for her, so Ken and Avery got this one purely off of good looks and charm! No sign this time. 

2014: Ivy's first Mardi Gras, and Ken's birthday so we brought out the big guns. 

These three shoes are my favorites by far. They're so beautiful! Here are the signs for this year: 

Another New Orleans thing, on your birthday you get money pinned to your shirt. I don't know why, but I made about 30 bucks one year. So Ken had this idea! See the shoe on his shirt? When they read his sign and saw his shirt, each Muse smiled, and three tossed him a shoe. Also to note, I did get an actual baby shoe, which is even more rare.

So, in the world of glittered shoes, we are awesome. It's really something to aspire to. 

And now our house looks like this:

Welcome to crazy town! 

If an actual Muse reads this, and notes many errors in why they throw shoes and such, please correct me! 

People outside of New Orleans want to know of this magic! 

Now Ken has a 4 day weekend so we're going to parade after parade and then more parades. 

Let the good times roll!

(Pictures of babies and the like will return after March 2.)