Louisiana

Next stop was Louisiana. 6 hours further from home, to visit Mimi (great grandma). It was wonderful. The weather was nice that many days we didn't need coats. We loved the sunshine that was still out even in January!

Isaac spent many hours in this tree stand. Didn't get a deer but I think he enjoyed it (mostly) anyway. And to be fair- we he crawled up there at 5 am, he DID need a coat.

Madeleine is standing on the edge of the gravel pit on my parents land in Louisiana. It was too chilly, but I can imagine some fun summer days spent at the edge of the water in the future.

Here are Isaac and Max with my great Uncle Virgil. He and my Pawpaw were brothers- Our Maxiel is named after Uncle Virgil's father-(my great grandfather) Maxiel Hunt.

On Dec. 31st we were picking fresh satsumas and lemons off Uncle Virgil's trees. (satsumas are awesome- a relative of clementines) Maxiel LOVED them. He was cramming them in his mouth so fast it was ridiculous.

Great memories

Maxiel and Pops

Madeleine got to feed Uncle Virgil's goats and love it. She also enjoyed shoo-ing away the donkeys.

Max and Gran checking things out

One day Isaac and I took the kiddos to New Orleans. We didn't have a lot of time, but we did enjoy it. (Minus my losing the ticket to the parking ramp and having to pay $40 to get out. Don't ask me how I managed that.)

We enjoyed beignets and coffee while sitting in the grass enjoying live music in the french quarter. It was a lovely as it sounds.

Cheese!

It was really fun to show Madeleine the Mississippi River at the end of the river. Here in MN we spend a lot of time near the MS river during the summer. We often talk to Madeleine about how it goes all the way south to Louisiana near mimi's house. It was fun to actually get to show her.

Isaac and Mado near a massive Christmas tree in New Orleans

We were also able to meet up with another old friend from Louisiana, Lou, her husband Taylor and their son Caleb (he was born about two weeks before Max!) Lunch was fast, and my kiddos were driving me nuts that day, but it was wonderful to see Lou even if brief.