Our trip began very early on a Sunday morning, leaving so that we could attend services in Saraland, near Mobile. We did make it down there just in time, and as soon as we walked in Casey Grey met us and talked all about our whole family. Yet none of us knew who Casey Grey was...but in this new age of facebook closeness and stalkerdom, everyone can know you well. But besides the strange awkward greeting, the service was great, and we were glad we made it down early.
After church, we started watching Life 360 to see our projected pathways into New Orleans against the Sartins, who had also gotten up early to be in Pedal, MS for services. They had a similar experience, with everyone knowing everyone, but this time in a much smaller setting as I think the Sartins doubled the size of the congregation.
We visited a sketchy KFC where it was pretty good, but we really did not know who was working on this day. Magan got a KFC bowl, which she once craved during Sam's pregnancy, but I think on this day decided she never needed to eat ever again. And then we were off arriving at the New Orleans zoo shortly after the Sartins.
It was here that we found out that New Orleans swamp heat is much worse than Alabama heat. Wow, it was so hot at this zoo. We slowly made our way around to the animals that were all slowly trying to stay inside and out of sight because of the heat. Ruby got to see her favorite elephant area, and Mom kept laughing at the gorilla with his legs up on his back. We all tried some taffy that was guaranteed to rip our braces, crowns, and loose teeth. Wow, stickiest taffy ever. Then in a pool of sweat, we finally made it back to the front of the zoo. Favorite parts to me were the open air bird display where you walk through while the birds are flying all around with you. They also had a deceptively large reptile area where Ruby and Stella were impressed with the naming of the creatures...One frog was named officially "Big Headed Frog".
Into our cars, all the kids laughed as I ran over a concrete structure thinking I could go straight and forgetting the obstacle directly in front of me. Waters were passed around, and we headed back to the hotel. We stayed at the Embassy Suites, and since I booked directly after hearing about this conference last year, we had a large 2 bedroom, 2 bath, living room and dining room apartment almost, so our room was the hangout room. But I passed out quickly at the hotel. The rest of the boys climbed the stairs to the top of the hotel and took pictures and looked around at the hotel. But apparently they were running up and down the stairs, because back in the room, we got a call in our room and Davis answered it. They said that there had been reports of kids running up and down the stairs. Davis quickly lied and said it was not him.
Then we all met for supper in the lobby, and Davis was telling Eli about the call from the front desk. Then Eli and James just cracked up, as it was them that called. Davis was completely scared and the prank worked perfectly. We all ate at Mulates that night which was only 1 block from our hotel, and the place we had visited last year while down here. It was good food again, but the bread pudding was magan's favorite.
That night, 3 cute little girls talked me into taking them to the pool for a bit. It was kinda sketchy, so about 45 minutes was all they needed, but it checked it off the list. Sam and Eli went to the gym, and while I was getting some towels for the girls, I notice that they both thought you work out better without your shirt on. The confidence and cockiness of high schoolers...oh well, for those two it is combined with the maturity of a 5th grader. But I think they are slowly "working it out". And that was day one, a hot hot zoo, a long long drive, but we were in NOLA, the family destination.
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