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.

New Orleans...The Big Easy!!! {PART I}

I could kick myself for not blogging this sooner...but what better way to memorialize my 1000TH POST (!!!) than with pictures from one of our favorite trips???

When we arrived in New Orleans on Sunday afternoon, we checked into the hotel and made a beeline for our traditional first stop, Acme Oyster House.  The girls didn't get to sample any of our raw oysters, but they were excited to see them in their shells.  The girls chowed down on crab claws, and then made themselves at home with some crawfish etouffee.

Nothing fancy...but oh, so good!!!

Following our early dinner, we made our way to the Mighty Mississippi.  The girls loved looking at all the boats...and all the interesting people, too!

My jewels of the Mississippi!

And the perfect ending to our day was the girls' introduction to Cafe du Monde.  They'd been looking forward to that for a long, long time...and the beignets did not disappoint!

Baby A, checking out the scene while our table was cleaned.

Behold!  Our sugar-laden feast!

B shows her approval!

A rare family photo...at one of our favorite places, to boot!

The girls got paper hats, and I will always remember the walk back to the hotel...

...they were quite the attraction in their pigtails, powdered sugar-smudged faces, and Cafe du Monde hats!

The next morning, we found an excellent cafe for breakfast, and then headed to the aquarium.

Waiting on the aquarium to open...love this picture!

The penguins are always a favorite!

After the aquarium, we headed just outside the French Quarter for lunch at Mother's.  B wasn't feeling super well, but we still had a nice lunch...more etouffee for the girlies, a poboy for Hubby and me...capped off with some bread pudding for dessert.

Sweetness!!!

That afternoon we all enjoyed a LONG (and much needed!) family nap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And then we headed to Jackson Square for some milling around.

Feeling better!

Walking through Jackson Square

Mommy and her babies!

 The girls found this little pathway through an enormous section of monkey grass.  They got quite the workout, back and forth, back and forth!

Here comes B, with A in the background...finding a "treasure", no doubt.

 Quintessential New Orleans!  A view from Jackson's Square!

We found a gelato shop, which was the perfect afternoon treat!

This kid enjoys every single drop!

The girls were a little preoccupied by watching some dogs on a nearby balcony. :)

After our refreshments, we headed to the French Market to mill around some more.  Of course we had to try on some hats!  (I wish now I'd bought one for myself!)

B thought it was GREAT fun!

Where is Baby A hiding??!!!

We walked around a little more...

Love this scene, with Jackson Square in the background!

 

Such a pretty door...my A couldn't resist touching the lion!  (I don't think she actually knocked...hope not, anyway!)

We rounded out Day 2 with dinner at another favorite, the Gumbo Shop.  The girls split a catfish dish, over a bed of creamed spinach with hollandaise.  (I write that down, because they loved it so much!)

We even scored a table in the courtyard!

Looking back on these pictures makes me hungry...for great food, and for new adventures!  L-O-V-E!!!

Home, Sweet Home, Tuscaloosa!

So we just got back from our longest vacation to date...five nights and six days!  The girls did so, so well, and it was so refreshing for us all to get outta Dodge for a little while.

We left last Saturday morning, about 10 minutes after 8am, and I was really proud of starting out on schedule!  We drove to GG's house and enjoyed a wonderful lunch and some sweet family time, and then we headed to Tuscaloosa.  We have been looking forward to introducing the girls to The University of Alabama campus since before they were born.  We were so grateful for such a wonderful homecoming!

On the way to the Quad, the center of campus, we swung by the business building...HOME!

Unfortunately, Hubby didn't realize that he only captured half of Baby A's face in each of the pictures he took.  Sigh.  Guess we'll just have to go back!

The day was a little on the crisp side, but the trees and flowers were in bloom.  It was gorgeous!!!

My favorite picture!

 The girls loved hearing the bells at Denny Chimes.

And they stopped to smell lots and lots of flowers!

In front of the President's Mansion...

More flowers in front of the main library...

Love this close-up of B!

 And then we headed back to the car for one more stop...

A few months ago, my BFF emailed me a picture of a plaque on campus with Hubby's name, a credit for having started the women's soccer program.  When we pulled up in front of the newly constructed Champions Plaza, we had no idea how HUGE it would be!!!  WOW!!!

One more picture in Champions Plaza...love my Bama Belles!!!

A sweet close-up of Baby A!

We went to dinner at one of our old favorites, Cypress Inn, on the Warrior River.  The girls had their first taste of catfish...they loved it!

The following morning, we headed to breakfast at another favorite hang-out, the Waysider.  I remember the first time Janko took me there, after we'd been dating a few weeks.  It's a place we always revisit on every single trip, so it was really special to finally introduce the girls.  

B gave her breakfast an enthusiastic "two thumbs up"!

Before we packed up to head to New Orleans, our ultimate destination, we made one final stop at The University Club, where Mommy and Daddy got married.  WOW!!!

For a brief time, this building served as the state capitol of Alabama.

Fast-forward a few days, we stopped again in T-town on our way home from New Orleans.  We had a fantastic dinner at our then-favorite Mexican restaurant Wednesday night.  Thursday morning, we headed to downtown Northport, the next little town over, for breakfast at the famous City Cafe.  This place is such a dive...but it's THE BEST!!! 

This picture was taken on the block before the City Cafe.  I love the verbiage on the window..."Real Living"...yes, indeed!

Some of the posters on the walls date back more than 30 years...as do the waitresses!

Heading out after an amazing breakfast...

And I couldn't resist taking pictures of a couple of signs.

Notice they open at 4am!!!

It was such a blessing to be back "HOME".  Pictures from New Orleans to come!