Visiting Alice and Joe

Over Labor Day Weekend we flew to Gulfport, Mississippi to visit Alice, Joe, Grayden, and Audrey. We landed near a town called Ocean Springs, MS, which we visited for lunch. It was having a really great festival that day, so we walked around and looked at all the artsy things for sale, the kids got their faces painted, and enjoyed snow cones and clowns. It was a really cute place and a great introduction to Alice and Joe's new surroundings. After, we headed to the Children's Museum so Sofia and Grayden could burn off a little steam. They both had the best time, especially at the train table. Sofia ended up spending nearly her entire time playing with trains.

We left when the museum closed and headed to Alice and Joe's home, which is so comfortable and cozy. Grayden opened his belated-birthday present from Sofia - a parking garage (Sofia got the same one for her birthday and loves it). Then the kids "helped" Joe make his outstanding pizza. They had a fun time punching down the dough and adding their own toppings. Of course, the pizza was amazing! It was a great first day!

On Saturday we headed to New Orleans and visited the zoo (like everyone else - it was packed). The New Orleans Zoo is one of the most beautiful and largest I've ever visited. It was fun exploring the zoo and we watched the elephant exhibit, rode the merry-go-around, had lunch, road the train and enjoyed all the animals we saw. On the drive through New Orleans and on to Alice and Joe's house, I think we nearly all fell asleep! The kids were out immediately!

The adorable town of Ocean Springs, MS


Grayden and his dinosaur


Sofia gets painted


Ribbit!


Sofia gets a balloon animal (it was either a dog or a lion, I'm not sure)


Enjoying a snow cone. We added condensed milk to our orange flavor, which was surprisingly good!


The only picture I have from the Children's Museum - Sofia playing with trains, of course!


Making pizzas! YUM!


Just out of the oven!


Two very happy kids! YUM!


The entrance of the New Orleans Zoo


On the dinosaur with Grayden


Merry-Go-Around with Papa - Sofia is on a frog, of course.


Looking at the leopard together.


Three tired and hot zoo goers.