New Orleans...The Big Easy!!! {Part II}

We woke up on Day 3 to the most beautiful sunrise over the Mississippi!

The view from our hotel room...the girls were smitten!

 After breakfast, we caught the trolley to the Garden District.  The girls had been so looking forward to a trolley ride since we were in Memphis two summers ago!

Canal Street.

We had a nice morning wandering around the Garden District.

Baby A wasn't much in the mood for pictures that morning, for some reason.  I had to take what I could get!

Baby B was much more indulgent.

My A didn't mind stopping to pose on this super-cool tree, though!  She loved it!

The girls weren't super impressed, but we got to talk to Archie Manning's gardener.  HA!

Just before lunch, we headed back to the French Quarter.  B got a really special treat...an opportunity to sit in the driver's seat on the trolley (at the back of the car)!

Proud as punch!  And holding on tight!

For lunch that day, we decided to try another oyster house, known as the arch rival to Acme (where we ate our first meal).  It did not disappoint!  I think we have a new favorite!  And the girls got some long-awaited (chargrilled) oysters, to boot!

Feeling like such big kids!

The afternoon was reserved for a swamp tour.  Daddy had been on a swamp tour many years ago, but this was a first for Mommy and the girls.

We drove to a little town about 15 miles outside of downtown New Orleans.  We were a little early, so we took a walk around the levy.  We were so excited to see a gator, sunning himself.  Little did we know there were dozens of these guys swimming around...some many, many times larger!

What a cute little guy!

 We headed out on the boat...

Look at the moss!

And then we met Winky:

He is estimated to be 110 years old, based on his length!  Yikes!!!

Before the boat ride was over, we got to hold Killer:

He was really cool!  And the girls were super excited to check him out!

For supper that night, we were seafood-ed out.  A burger hit the spot!  Afterwards, the girls posed with this big alligator statue.  Hubby joked how much we looked like tourists...guilty!

He was a little more tame than our friends in the swamp.

After dinner, I had one last treat in store...we went to a little confectionery where we watched some talented ladies make pralines...and then we got one of those wonderful confections for ourselves.

We walked to the river and found a bench to enjoy ourselves.  It was a little bit cool, and a little bit blustery...but I love this picture of A, the remnants of her praline still quite visible with her big, bright smile...the last bits of the day's sun in her eyes.

Wednesday morning, we headed to Jackson's Square for one last visit.  I love this family photo so much!!!

And then we headed to Cafe du Monde one last time, stopping to see the horses on the way...

We scored primo seating, right next to the sidewalk!

The girls loved their beignets...this time, with hot chocolate...extra-super-special, for sure!

Baby A is sold!

 I gave the girls each a dollar, and they put it in the donation basket for this little band, parked right outside Cafe du Monde, right in front of our table.  Baby B was excited to get a picture with them...but A was a little more tentative.

Such a fun memory!

And I snagged this gem, the girls hanging out in the hotel, looking at A's iPad together, as Mommy and Daddy were getting the suitcases packed.  Of all the awesome scenery, this is one of my absolute faves.

L.O.V.E.

What a blessing it was to share one of our favorite places, one in which we have so much history, with the girls.