Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Don't call the authorities

We are now in the midst of carnaval, which means we will not be leaving our house or turning on the TV until Wednesday.

Dancers revel in the street, setting off fireworks and playing samba music loud enough to make the roads shake. The parades, they say, are incredible. But I'm not a fan of naked women gyrating in high heels. It just doesn't do much for me. Or the backs of my eyelids.

If you're too lazy to click on the link, the easiest definition of Carnaval is Legal Sin until Lent. Endless drinking and not taking responsibility for being unconscious for four days, then pious denying-of-all-pleasure for forty days. I believe September is a very popular month to be born.

Carnaval is really into role reversal. The men dress as women and the women ... don't dress. The poor act like kings and the rich act like fools. No one sleeps. No one abides by traffic laws. No one works.

So here at home, where I often forget I'm in a foreign country, we decided to do a little role reversal celebration of our own.
Ice cream for dinner.



Ice cream = dairy. Bananas = fruit. Peanuts = protein. Chocolate chip cookies = primary food group. I see no problems with this.

Revel on, my Brazilians. Revel on.

24 comments:

LisAway said...

Yes, such a lovely tradition, Carnival.

We may have to celebrate your way around here, too. That's TOTALLY a balanced meal.

Brooke said...

I LOVE your way of celebrating! I don't blame you for staying in with the tv off. Yikes!

Debbie said...

An excellent idea! How fun. And I am a little confused by the tremendous indulgence right before Lent.

Sarah said...

Can I come over for dinner?
Your house sounds fun!

Kazzy said...

Carnaval, in its description, kind of scares me. I think I may have been here in UT too long!

Love the ice cream for dinner. I think it meets a lot of the requirements for a balanced meal. Go for it!

Deb said...

I love your way of creating your own kid-friendly carnaval. You might also try Brinner, the wonderful breakfast-for-dinner that makes so much more sense, since I'm always ready to go to sleep after a breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, hash browns, juice, and milk.

Annette Lyon said...

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Much better than gyrating women.

Randi said...

I love how you celebrate!
Maybe we'll adopt your tradition around here!!

Kristina P. said...

Sounds like my kind of party! Goes perfectly with my New Year's resolution!!

Becky said...

Way to party in a non-naked sort of way. Kudos!

Did you remember some chocolate syrup for antioxidants?

Boy Mom said...

Yummmm! You get kids choice for Mom of the year! Cute kiddos! Cute ice cream mouse

Anonymous said...

But you could probably get a FREE lap dance! You know how the church talks about being prudent with funds.

What-- everyone doesn't have a lap dance envelope in their family budget?

Kathy P said...

Way to make your home a refuge against the storm! Love the ice cream! I am trying to think of an excuse to do that with my family. They will love it.

Jan said...

Perfectly exceptable and delightful and yummy.

Aquaspce said...

When friends of mine lived in Vancouver, they had to go down this super bad street downtown called Hastings St in order to go to church. One Sunday, a naked man ran in front of the car and my friends dad yelled: "Close your eyes kids! It's Sunday!"

My sister in Egypt just spent a week walking on blood filled streets not too long ago... I wonder what is worse? Having diluted goat blood hosed on you as you walk by, or loud playing samba music... just keep your eyes closed on the sabbath...

And ice cream for breakfast? You are now my new best friend!!!!

Pezlady Jana said...

Now I know why I like you...you feed your kids ice cream for dinner! Awesome!! Love it! And Carnaval is the freaking scariest time ever in Brazil. Srsly. During my mission, that was our week off. President's orders. And honestly, we were totally OKAY with that!

J. Baxter said...

Good call on the chocolate chip cookies - it might not have classified as "dinner" without them.

Wonder Woman said...

Sounds CRAZY. And scary!! Awesome on the ice cream for dinner.

nikkicrumpet said...

I think your kind of celebration is much more appropriate for kids...oh and adults too! It sounds like Carnaval and Mardi Gras are pretty much the same. A great excuse to act like an idiot and do stupid things with other stupid people. I'll take the ice cream!!!

Lady of Perpetual Chaos said...

That's the best carnaval celebration that I've ever heard of. Hopefully your man gets the two weeks off as well.

Heather of the EO said...

So Mardi Gras would be really really boring for you, I'm sure. Just not quite enough nudity. :)

Elizabeth said...

It's that time of year already?? Where are my high heels??? Sooooo kidding. But I think I'll indulge Mormon style before my non-existent Lent. TIME TO MAKE COOKIES!!! XP

Amber said...

I want to know when legal sin day is for Mormons??

Natalie said...

Sounds like a balanced meal to me.