Audubon Zoo

Last Saturday, after much rigmarole  we spent the day at the Audubon Zoo.  We were supposed to go to the Aquarium downtown, but the NFL was taking over the parking lots and closing streets a full week before the super bowl.  Bummer.  We will hit the Aquarium next month instead.  

After being stuck in some foggy traffic on the interstate, we met our friends and went into the zoo (all 73 of us!!)

We had great weather and spent a good day there.  

Daddy and the boys learn about the Sun Bear

Peter and an elephant. 

Andrew made me take a picture of the lion.  

Daddy and Matthew

A turtle!

Matthew pets a turtle.

Peter pets a guinea pig.

Andrew and Peter in a log house.

Looking at poisonous frogs. 

Gorilla

The otters are so cute!  

Look!  Mice! 

Me and some of the kids.  

This is why you don't go into the swamp after dark. 

Outside of the swamp exhibit was something interesting.  

A large net hooked up for the kids to climb through.  

Peter loved it!

Andrew liked it too!

Matthew got his shoe caught and it fell off underneath the net.  

He was done after that. 

Yeah - he didn't like it so much.

Matthew listens intently to Daddy. 

Andrew

Team Smith

Jon yelled "I'm king of the jaguars!"

 Then Peter said, "Look, Mom!  Look!  It's the KING OF THE DUCKS!"

So I took a picture of the King!  

By then we had seen most all of the zoo.  It was time to leave. 

The Superdome - where the Super Bowl will be played next weekend.  

Finally on Siegen Lane back in Baton Rouge.  Matthew is sooo ready to be home!  

Days 6 & 7 At Sea

Days 6 and 7 were at sea.  

Breakfast

After breakfast we climbed the rock wall. 

We lost at trivia and then had lunch. 

Mine

For Brian

We had a nice sunset that day. 

Then the second formal night.

Mushrooms in puff pastry

Lobster

Dessert Sampler

We went to a show and then another late show.  

Our last day at sea.  

We had a lot of things to get done before we got home.  

Mostly goofing around.  

The Make A Wish foundation partners with Royal Caribbean to grant wishes for sick children.  Every sailing they do a Walk for Wishes to raise money to fulfill the wishes of the kids.  There was a Wishes family on board with us this week.  

$10 for a t-shirt

And I got to walk behind the captain.  

We walked one mile - 5 laps - around the top deck

We did a bunch of other random stuff like learning how to fold towel animals 

and playing shuffleboard.  

Later that day we caught a great sunset.  

Then we headed for dinner.  

Brian had steak

I had roasted turkey and apple stuffing 

For dessert we both had chocolate cake and ice cream.

It was all delicious.

We hit the mouth of the river and it was very, very foggy.  

I think we arrived in New Orleans late because of the fog - not too late though.  

This is a Carnival ship passing right next to us.  You can barely see it.  

We carried all of our luggage off so we could be one of the first ones off and not have to search for our bags.  

Made it home to the kids and Grandma and Grandpa. 

The whole crew! 

It was a great trip!  I hope you enjoyed the pictures!  

Special thanks to Mary and Randy for staying with the kids while we were gone - they are still talking about all the fun they had and we appreciate it so very much!!