Tuesday, January 13, 2009

A Chadd Family Christmas Part 3: A Red Ryder BB Gun & Plantations

Cole's Red Ryder (I think, by the smile on his face, he knew what was in that box!)
Notice Justis. Fully clothed and ready for some jumping action. He was SURE Santa was bringing that trampoline!
Laci and Chadd lounging in the chair
The kids had a full-on water fight in the 80-degree Christmas weather. Cole and Chadd can now tell their friends in Kansas that they had an outdoor water fight on Christmas Day!
Dawson and Jillian, the two littlest, felt like big stuff up on the trampoline.
Oak Alley Plantation
Laci, Cole, Chadd and Madalynn under an old live oak.
Nottingham Plantation was one of the plantations we saw while driving up River Road.


Christmas Day was fun and relaxing at our house while my family was visiting. My dad, mom, sister and nephews also got to tour beautiful Oak Alley Plantation and ride a ferry across the Mississippi River for the first time!

Santa left a Red Ryder BB gun for my lucky nephew Cole! Classic. We all got a kick out of seeing a boys dream of owning a Red Ryder play out. He didn't shoot his eye out. Travis took Laci and Cole out to the backyard and showed them how to load, handle and shoot the BB gun. Laci reiterated to Cole that the gun was only for SUPERVISED play.

A trampoline was wrapped up and waiting for our kids. Grandpa and Daddy spent about an hour Christmas morning assembling the trampoline. The 80-degree weather was perfect for jumping and all the kids went out and jumped to their little heart's content. My kids have spent hours on the trampoline each day since!

We ate a big Christmas lunch of things we "normally" eat for Christmas-things that my Grandma and mom always made. Ham, hashbrown casserole, salad, yeast rolls, crock pot corn and cranberry fluff. I forgot pies for dessert, but I think we were all too full to notice.

We all loaded up the 26th and headed to the beautiful Oak Alley Plantation so my parents, Laci and the nephews and could experience a tour. They, along with Madalynn, enjoyed the tour while Travis and I enjoyed our youngest three. We knew the little ones would have much more fun "touring" the perimeter of the plantation home, so Travis and I had fun with them.

A leisurely drive "up" [Mississippi] River Road gave us a good "driving tour" of other beautiful plantations lining the River. We even got an extra treat. We had to get from the "west bank" to the "east bank" to get home, so we took a ferry across the Mississippi River. Fun, fun! I got a kick out of Cole, who said, "That water is DIRTY!" Hence the name "Muddy Mississippi!"

My family's visit seemed all too short, as they had to leave Saturday morning. We had SO much fun, though. Being together as a family for the first time in a long time was so refreshing.

3 comments:

the carlson's said...

I envy you with all your kids! I love having a family and you inspire me to have more kids b/c it is always so enjoyable to look at your blog! Looks like you had a fun Christmas!

We are heading to Panama city FL this summer...how far is that from you? I wondered if we could somehow hook up if it wasn't too far.

sarah

Anonymous said...

LOVE IT!! We got a trampoline for our kids almost 2 years ago and it's been great - even after Clark broke his leg - it's still been so much fun for them.

Cade got his first BB gun this year, but his is a Daisy. I'll have to put up some pics of him when he opened it. He got it from my brother - the real hunter in our family.

JulieAnn said...

Sounds like a great Christmas. 80 degrees...really? I hosted Christmas at my house and I planned the meal and I also forgot the pies! (I'm not much of a pie eater and that may be why.) We made cookies instead.