New Orleans

This 4th of July we visited Nonny and Poppy in New Orleans.

Ira found little statues all over town of dogs made out of giant Mardi Gras beads. He found this one in Algiers Point, as we were about to board the ferry to cross to the French Quarter.

Riding the ferry with Mommy.

We had a lot of fun in the French Quarter but we were too gross and sweaty to share the photos. 

We managed to get a couple cute pictures the next day at the Audubon Zoo.

Cat nap.

Learning about snakes at the zoo.

Louisiana is HOT in July. Fortunately the zoo had a great splash park to keep us cool.

Ira was the train conductor on the zoo train. "All aboard!" 

First stop, the swamp to see the white alligator.

Gator wrestlin'

This guy was a beast.

Exploring the Jurassic Period.

Digging for fossils.

Later that night we celebrated the 4th at Nonny and Poppy's house before watching a great fireworks display over Lake Pontchartrain.

Playing with fire with Daddy.

Smoke bombs!

Tofu Dogs!

God Bless America!

Sparklers,

sparklers, 

and more sparklers!

We took it pretty easy the next day. We got really lost on a streetcar ride and spent some time climbing trees in City Park.

We went to the Louisiana Children's Museum. Ira made the largest bubble I have ever seen!

He had a lot of fun shopping in the kid sized grocery store,

learning about plumbing,

and driving the streetcar.

The next morning we took the ferry again but this time we saw these awesome dudes.

Why wouldn't you wear that outfit in July?

On the ferry with Nonny and Poppy.

Another Mardi Gras dog. This one was in front of the aquarium.

Ira thought it was very cool to watch them feed the fish. We stood at this tank for quite a while.

They would be fierce if they weren't so cute.

Feeding the birds...

and petting the stingrays.

Sadly, our trip had to come to an end but we did have time to eat a beignet 

and pose with a beignet fish?