New Orleans

Cody's job, like any job has good things and bad things. One of my favorite things about it, besides the great people he works with, are the trips that the company offers to those who qualify for them. My husband being the kind of man he is can't not qualify for something once it is offered. We feel very blessed to have these opportunities with his job...and as I have been told-yes we do feel very spoiled as well!

The Hotel we stayed at. It is right in the French District and right in the excitement....some I could have done without! It is a very old hotel so we were all a little surprised when we checked into our rooms and they were just big enough to hold a bed and have a bathroom. It was a little bit different-but at least we had a window in our room, unlike some of the others!
(Also this picture and I think two others I stole from my friend Tami..I hope that is okay!!)

Getting ready for our swamp ride...it was sunny but FREEZING.

What the boats looked like...one of the other groups of Old American people.

The trees were covered in this cool moss-that they used back in the day to stuff beds and furniture...it added softness and bugs I'm sure!

Because of the cooler weather we didn't see any of the big alligators that hang out in the swamp we were in, but we saw a few smaller alligators. I loved watching them swim with their little legs paddling next to their fat bellies.

He just looks like he is trying to not flip over. Our boat driver was this young, nicely tanned boy. He spent at least twenty minutes trying to catch this alligator by throwing marshmallows to it to eat, and then trying to corner it with the boat. Only a boy would spend that much time trying to catch something! Eventually he did though...and we all got to hold it.

More swamp life-now when I watch Princess and the Frog I feel like I could have been in that movie.

Cody with the alligator.

I wasn't too excited to hold this little guy-but I did it because when else will I ever get the chance to hold an alligator. 

This is right by the Mississippi River along the river walk. It is a fun area (especially in the day)
The first night we were in New Orleans we walked down to the River. We were staying in the French Quarter and had to walk through some allies and "fun" little streets. (the architecture down there is awesome and somehow I didn't manage to take any pictures!) There are a lot of drunks there because of very relaxed laws with alcohol, homeless people, smells....stuff that makes Las Vegas look tame-we got a cultural experience to say the least!
There was also a concert going on that night, down by the river that attracted a lot of hippieish type people with awesome hoola hooping skills....lets just say while I was on that adventure I was glad my hubby was with me and that he is a big guy! It was an eye opening experience and the kind of welcome to New Orleans that I will never forget!

We went on a tour of Ft. Pike which was neat...you might think that it is the sun coming through the window but it is really just Cody's sparkling personality!

Ft Pike

Some of the wives from our office-getting to hang out with these ladies is seriously the best part about these trips!

The plane we rode in...its a little small, and I was a little nervous but we did it. It wasn't bad until the end when my stomach decided it wanted to be on land again-but we made it with no exciting vomiting story to add to this adventure.

We got to wear these awesome headphones so we could talk to the pilots and each other.

Flying over the swamps...there is water EVERYWHERE there-it is crazy.

I'm not sure what this is...maybe the 9th ward...one of my favorite things about this trip was talking to the people. They are very proud of their history and the culture in this area is so rich. It was also very interesting to hear about their personal experiences with Hurricane Katrina-they are very hardy people down there who were left with little to nothing but they are just picking up the pieces and starting over.

Downtown New Orleans.

The Mighty Mississip (as my brother calls it)

(My next post will be pictures of my house I promise...I just need to make sure it is clean so I can take pictures!)