The Big Easy....

We've been home almost a month and I am just barely getting the chance to post about our family trip to New Orleans!!!!! We had so much fun!! Every year, Cameron has a buying trip that he goes on and the business pays for it. I have gone the last 2 years and it has been great fun. This year we came across a predicament. Cameron doesn't do the whole traveling thing well. So he likes me to come (it is one of probably 2 areas I have more patience in.) Kesslynn is still nursing and so I couldn't leave her. In previous years we have left Kairi with family and we had planned to do that this year. However, I thought that if they are going to be okay with sending the three of us then what is one more? So plans were made and we all went to New Orleans together. We've never traveled with kids and were a little concerned that it would not be enjoyable, but what the heck, you only live once-right!? We surprised Kairi at the airport that she was going to go on the plane. She did wonderfully. She handled take-off and landing and even some turbulence like a pro. Kesslynn was alright. She fussed a bit and slept, but she just couldn't get into the swing of flying as easily. Cameron took drugs and he managed--- I just made sure that all was well. I new going into this that Cameron would not be available to help me with the girls. So I made plans for things to do with them while we were there, including Cameron when he was around. We went to the Aquarium of the Americas and it is one of the top 5 aquariums in the nation. We saw all kinds of fish and aquatic life.They had several different "regions" from tropical to the bayou and we saw it all. There was even a chance to touch a shark (which I did--WooHoo for me!!) We talked with a number of people there and asked about the state of the aquarium after Katrina. One man told that the evacuated the employees and they weren't allowed back until about a month later. Unfortunately, most of the 10,000 fish were dead. I wouldn't have wanted to be one of the workers who had to clean that up. There was also a white alligator there and it had a most fascinating history. It is one of 16 alligators discovered hatching by a couple of fishermen. They rescued them and 14 survived. They would not have made it in the wild because their color would make them easy prey to predators. Anyhow he is not albino, just lacks pigment. Interesting. We also visited the Louisiana Children's Museum. This too, was a highlight. Kairi asked to go there everyday. It was two floors of child-friendly fun and discovery. There were areas for pretend play (an entire grocery store as well as a cafe) Interesting science displays, things that taught safety and much much more. We went twice and had so much fun. Both the girls and I enjoyed ourselves immensely. The second day Cameron came and had a ton of fun as well. We also took a ferry ride across the mighty Mississippi River and went to Mardi Gras World. 80% of all the Mardi Gras floats are built here. They are HUGE!!! I couldn't believe how big they were. We rounded the trip out with a jaunt to Jackson Square, toured the oldest cathedral still in use there and walked through the French Quarter. We also took a street car up to the New Orleans Museum of Art and were wowed by the beautiful works of art. We missed the Mardi Gras festivities by about a week, but that was okay. We still saw a great deal and enjoyed our time there.