The rest of the story

We had a ball when our kids and grandgirls were here! (If you're wondering if grandgirls is a word, it is. This is my blog, and I say so.) The thing the girls loved most was going swimming!! I think they could go to the pool every single day. The thing that was number one on my list was taking family pictures. (More on that in another post...)

Here's a few photos, in no particular order. Visiting with Mamma (Don's mom). She was really happy to see her great-granddaughters.

And the rest of us too.

There was a lot of violin playing...

And time to sit and open presents.

Kirra immediately latched on to Uncle Chris. She wanted to stake her claim. The girls both adore him.

We went to Dairy Barn and had fun looking at all the cool stuff. And eating hamburgers and ice cream...

There's an elevated train on a track, and pulling the cord to blow the horn is a big deal. It is. I dare you to go there and not pull it. It would be un-American.

The memorabilia is fascinating...Coca Cola, Disney, Beatles, TV, music...they have it all.

Kirra, the five old with a smile that lights up her whole face.

If Alahna and Kirra look happy here it's because they just held baby alligators. And they got plunked down in old wood chairs in a little Cajun house and the curator (she must be one) gave them coloring sheets and Mardi Gras beads and calendars. What's not to love?

Alahna loves rolls. Ditto for Kirra although I didn't get a shot of her eating them.

It was an awesome visit. Love, love, love....

This Pawpaw is always happy to see his grandgirls.

And to all a good night.

Chateau des Cocodries ~

We had a fun girl's day when we went to Chateau des Cocodries...the House of Alligators! It's a cool place in Jennings located at the Louisiana Oil and Gas Park. You can see and hold baby alligators, and see big ones too. Alahna and Kirra were JUST in all their glory...it was like holding baby dinosaurs that couldn't run away. Or eat you. ;)

The smallest baby was a girl (not named yet) and the bigger baby was Bubba. He gets very nervous if anyone flips him upside down. Not a good idea.

They have 2 big gators in a pool that you can see, but not touch (naturally). Sometimes you can watch them eat though, if you get there at the right time. After we finished seeing the gators, we went next door to a little Cajun house with tourist stuff. The lady there gave us beautiful Sparrows of Louisiana calendars. The girls sat on the wood floor in front of the Mardi Gras tree. :)

The park is really cute. Alahna & Kirra were glad Aunt Jennifer was there to play with them, since she's the coolest aunt (and the cutest).

If was such a fun day. And free! I love it when free things turn out to be fun!

See you later, alligator...

Joyeux Noel, the series ~

So it's the middle of January and I'm uploading holiday pictures. Santa brought me a Macbook Pro and I'm having fun trying to figure out how everything works. It's only been a couple of weeks but already I know...this computer rocks. ;)

More pictures of Christmas #1:

Everyone was interested in the new Mac (Chris too). Sam had a field day pawing the wrapping.

I hadn't blogged about the holidays because they weren't over...we had an extended Christmas this year. No brag, just fact.

1) Christmas at our house was on December 24th. Justin & Barbara and Jennifer & Chris, plus me & Don...and Sam (of course). Food (Surf and Turf...Shrimp Gumbo & Ribeyes) presents, and fun for all.

2) The "Little Christmas" we celebrated on January 5 with Jason & Wendy and Alahna and Kirra, Jennifer & Chris, me & Don and Sam. Food (Chicken Fricassee, boudin and Popeye's chicken) presents, madness, mayhem and fun for all!! No murder took place though Kirra did bop her sister a time or two.

3) Mardi Gras Christmas on January 6, when we went to Twelfth Night Revelry at the Civic Center. Technically this wasn't Christmas, but celebrate we did. Fun for all!!

4) Our first Duplantis Family Talent Night and Caterpillar Christmas was celebrated on January 7, following a family photo session and dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Justin (Barbara had to work), Jason & Wendy, Alahna and Kirra, Jennifer & Chris, me & Don and Sam. Food (snacks and Jo's Party House cupcakes), presents (CAT Diesel Power stuff) madness, mayhem, and fun for all!! Again, no murder except when Kirra protested (earlier) about her cupcake server. But all's well that ends well, and cupcakes were eaten (later). Many, many cupcakes.

5) The Deer Hunters Christmas we celebrated on January 8 with Justin, Hector the dog, Jason (who provided the deer, this deer that is...Don's already gotten 2 himself), Wendy, Alahna and Kirra, Jennifer & Chris, me, Don and Sam. Food (backstrap is delicious), madness, mayhem and fun for all!! No murder, but Sam and Hector had a couple of snarky moments. Kirra was an innocent bystander.

6) Christmas, the finale, on January 9. Jason & Wendy, Alahna and Kirra, Jennifer & Chris, plus me, Don and Sam. Food (Smoked Turkey, King Cake and cookies) madness, mayhem, and fun for all!! Games were played...Pirate's Dice and Swap. Presents were saved for the next morning, right before our grandgirls boarded the plane.

Joyeux Noel, to be continued...

Happy New Year's ~

New Year's Day is a cool holiday. You don't have to cook (at least I don't, and I don't think you should either). You don't have to dress up. You don't have to give anyone a present. If you're not into parade watching or College Bowl games, you can skip TV. I do. It's not like Thanksgiving where watching the Dallas Cowboys is the highlight of our afternoon.

My mom believed in eating black-eyed peas and cabbage on New Year's...you know, for good luck. Her mother believed in that too. I don't. I'm a fairly lucky person, no peas and cabbage needed.

What do I believe in for New Year's?


Well, I believe in Dillard's. ;)

A few years ago I stumbled on the huge sale at Dillard's on New Year's Day and my eyes were opened, I saw the light. The 50% off Christmas sale to goes to 75% off. And here's the most important part... (listen closely, grasshopper): ALL the clearance, the pink-ticket items, are an extra 50% off! Crazy-good bargains, available for that day only. The stuff legends are made of.

I heard that our store here had the highest one-day sales of any day since they opened. I believe.

Happy New Year's!!!