Thursday was pampering, touring the city, rehearsal and rehearsal dinner day - another full day running into friends and family in the hotel lobby or out and about downtown, it made me realize how much fun a destination wedding can be. Heff took the girls on their own adventure in the morning and wore them out (like we had to hold their eyelids open worn out) and after naps and the church rehearsal they got to play with babysitters back at the hotel while we went to a fun rehearsal dinner at the wax museum...

The ladies all went to get our nails done outside of town Thursday morning- I love that the nail salon had a full bar inside! Mimosa please :)

and while we were getting our nails done- Brian took Francie and Maisie to the water to see the ships and they found the NOLA Aquarium and Insectarium- what a find! They loved it and came back so tired we were practically pinching them to stay awake at lunch to eat something and get back to the hotel before they crashed

Walking above the alligator pit

Francie's Favorite- Bat Rays NOT Sting Rays

Walking back after lunch- a stroller on the streets of New Orleans isn't the easiest thing in the world but we managed (only a little grumbling from Heff, a stroller is like my security blanket but he prefers to haul three kids on his back and isn't so fond of my love of baby mobiles with wheels)

ABA and Pat arrived around 2pm- we met at the "Carousel Bar" in the lobby that actually spins! ABA got to met her goddaughter Janie for the first time

And of course we had to find a little pooltime in this weather while the stinkers napped

Maisie says Happy St Patty's Day after she woke up- little goof ball

Rehearsal at the Church- it was beautiful!

ABA came along for baby holding duties- she earned her keep as godmother this trip taking care of Janie while I had bridesmaid duties

Mom and her girls - trying to bribe them any way I could to behave and walk down the aisle like little ladies

Luckily there was a big girls there, Maison, who was 6 for Francie to look up to and want to be like… much more likely the walk down the aisle happens with a big girl around

Jen and Zach going to dinner after church rehearsal on the mini bus

The Rehearsal Dinner was in the New Orleans Wax Museum, a really cool venue for an event!

all kinds of godmother-goddaughter connections in this picture (Ann is ABA's, ABA is Janie's, Jannie is Ann's - and I'm just tagging along - are you confused yet!? :)

The place settings were so pretty- they had irish blessings tied to everyone's napkin

A date night for us with the girls and all the kids in the wedding back at the hotel with babysitters! Heff was nice and let me go straight to the dinner, he took the girls on the mini bus and got them all settled with two slightly overwhelmed babysitters :)

and lot's of good bonding-I-mean-drinking time with my siblings!

Janie and Jer enjoying the dinner - it was all served family style and cooked by a celebrity chef (but of course I forget his name now…) really good food

Jen and Zach brought each bridesmaid and groomsman on stage to say a little about them- it was really sweet and gave all the guests some background on why they choose us to stand up there with them on their wedding day

Texas Longhorns Groom's Cake for the native Austin, TX UT fan Zach!

There were a few other "St Raymonds" families we all went to school with - it was great so many people made the trip out and fun to catch up in a new place with old friends

One of the bridesmaids, Jodi, had a really cute game for them to play where they had to hold up a "face" to answer questions about each other - great idea!

It was such a fun night - and even better I got to eat dinner and listen to toasts with two hands! The wedding planners passed Janie around in the back and then a few friends rocked her to sleep, I love how popular newborns are :)

and we had to get a passing shot of as crossing Bourbon Street walking home after dinner… It was CRAZY! But we passed on the Bourbon St party on St Patty's day to go get a good night's sleep and be ready for THE big day Saturday.