Fat Tuesday!

Yesterday was Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras! It is a very exciting day, for partying purposes, but Adam and I have our own Fat Tuesday tradition. Growing up in my church, the Presbyterian Church, we had a Fat Tuesday fellowship in the fellowship hall. Church members would bring tons of indulgent food, like pancakes, waffles, cakes, and sweets - a child's junk food playground! Basically, it was the last chance to eat indulgent food before giving it up the next day, Ash Wednesday, for the start of Lent. So, Adam and I continue my church's tradition by going to IHOP on Fat Tuesday. Actually, I think the first time we celebrated Fat Tuesday together, we ate at Waffle House, then the next year we upsaled to IHOP.

This year, people must have caught on to our Fat Tuesday tradition! Typically there is no wait or just a short wait at IHOP on Fat Tuesday, but this year, people were lined out the door, at both convenient IHOP locations, here in Knoxville - or maybe it was because they were giving away free stacks of pancakes to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network! Well, we didn't want to wait, but wanted to keep with the concept of Fat Tuesday, so we went to Cracker Barrel for the Breakfast Menu. I got Mama's Pancake Breakfast: 3 pancakes, 2 eggs and 2 sausage patties (plus I added a side of fried apples - yum!). I didn't eat it all, or at least not by myself, but I made a good dent in my 2 plates of food! Our Fat Tuesday meal was quite yummy, but I still prefer IHOP pancakes.
So what am I giving up for Lent this year? I feel like I have given up a lot, as it is, because I want a healthy pregnancy. I still eat candy from time to time, and I know it has no nutritional value, so I'm giving up candy. Now, lets define candy, to me! Gum is not candy! Candy is candy! I'm still on the fence about my favorite candy/gum - Razzles! It says on the package, "First it's a Candy, then it's a Gum." However, the candy aspect is more like a powder that almost immediately turns into gum, so I think Razzles are okay! Plus, I bought a pack last night at Cracker Barrel, since they are the ONLY place that sells them now, and I didn't finish the package! Lets just say, Razzles are up for debate!