Living (big) easy-Mama.

We're still down in New Orleans living it up. We spent most of Saturday down in the French Quarter walking around and sampling candy and chocolate from all the chocolate shops. Mama loved her tortoise (chocolate, caramel and pecans) and papa ate coconut pralines. Later, after a big lunch of muffulettas and fried shrimp, papa still had room for the biggest chocolate truffle we've ever seen. We bailed on the quarter when the thunderstorms set in and headed back to Aunt Lillie's for the promise of fresh salmon and shrimp and football.

On Sunday, we never left the house, except to run to the grocery store to buy cakes, salsa and hummus. We watched football all day and held our bellies.

Today, we ventured out on our own to downtown to visit the National D-Day Museum. It was a very nice museum in a downtown that is still being rebuilt after Katrina. In addition to enjoying the great exhibits and very interesting oral histories from the veterans, we left with a profound respect for the magnitude of all the D-Day efforts on the European and Asian fronts. Here's a C-47 that was actually flown (along with thousands of other aircrafts) in the invasion on Normandy.

We followed up the museum with a trip to Mother's Restaurant and ham and roast beef Ferdi po' boys. Aunt Lillie's friends explained that a sandwich isn't good unless it's dripping down your arm. By these standards, this were the best sandwiches we've ever eaten.

Tonight, Lillie was afraid we hadn't eaten enough during our trip, so we went out for more wonderful southern food (more fried shrimp and crispy onion rings). When we got back, she even had fondue waiting for us, so we filled up with chocolate covered strawberries.

Mama's last New Orleans novelty was drive through liquor. We wimped out of Bourbon Street before we got our hurricane drinks (you can drink on the streets anywhere in the Quarter). But we were comforted when we saw the number of drive through daiquiri stores that fill the city (seriously, we're not kidding). So on our way home from supper, we stopped by for some from margaritas and white russians. Nothing but class down here.

The combo of fried food, chocolate strawberries and 180 proof tequila slushies have just about done me in. Good thing we're leaving tomorrow morning to go back to Ohio to pick up our babies. After this trip, I think I may need to make a pot of lentil soup smooth our greasy bellies. Maybe Aunt Jenni will need a pot too after Ohio's State's performance in the Fiesta bowl tonight (maybe they'll turn it around in the 4th quarter).

Thanks for the great vacation Aunt Lillie! PawPaw and Nama, get ready- we're coming home!