Runaway Retirees!

My mom, Marsha, and dad, Tony, said goodbye to Kansas for a couple weeks to take a well-deserved road trip!

We were blessed to have my dad and mom from Ulysses, Kansas, visit us Friday, September 28 to Thursday, October 4th. This trip was their first visit to our new home AND to Louisiana. We had a great time while they were here and we hope they had fun, too.

Louisiana is so much different than Kansas, so we tried to give them a small taste of our new home.

Saturday we attended La Fete d'Ecologie and the Alligator Festival. We watched Dawson open presents, enjoyed cake and ice cream and then crossed Lake Pontchartrain on the 24-mile Causeway bridge to New Orleans where we took a Mississippi River cruise on the Steamboat Natchez Sunday (Dawson's birthday). We picnicked at Tickfaw State Park where we took a swamp walk and watched the kids play in the water park Monday after I homeschooled the kids. My mom's birthday was Tuesday and we visited the Destrehan Plantation (located in Destrehan, LA) in the afternoon and ate at Don's Seafood in Hammond that evening. Dad and mom got in 18 holes of golf at the Hammond Golf Center Wednesday morning while I homeschooled the kids. We had girly time while Dad watched the three littlest Wednesday afternoon. I treated mom to her first ever pedicure and manicure for her birthday, and Maddie and I got pedicures, too.

We were sad to see my parents leave Thursday morning at 9:00, but their vacation was not over yet! They drove to Vicksburg, Mississippi yesterday to view National historical landmarks. They were still in Vicksburg this morning when they called and they sounded like they were having a great time. Dad assured me when he told me they were getting on one another's last nerve that they were doing it in fun. :) They plan on driving along the Natchez Trace in Mississippi; visiting Tupelo, Mississippi (where Elvis was born); stopping at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee; stopping by Leon, KS to visit my sister Laci and her family and then going on through Wichita back to Ulysses. I am so glad they get to spend some time visiting places they've always wanted to see!

Mom and dad are now fully retired from teaching at the middle school where taught at for years, so I'm sure this will not be their last road trip. I can't wait to hear all about the last leg of their adventure!