~Our time in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, part 1~

My Daddy Pastored the Bible Holiness Church in Ponchatoula, LA when I was 13-16 or so. We have a TON of wonderful memories from our years there.  We have A TON OF D.E.A.R. Friends there as well!

We were very honored that they asked Phillip to come and preach for them for 2 weeks the first part of Sept.

Here are some pictures from our WONDERFUL Time being "back Home in Louisiana!!"

~On the way from FL to LA...we Passed St. Augustine, FL, which we have been told is the oldest city in the U. States. ~

 ~Traveling with Abigail.~

 ~Arriving at the Parsonage at 2:00 A.M.~

 ~The welcoming basket.~

 ~Kimberly made us yummy muffins for our breakfast.~

 ~Abigail put Phillip's pillow on Noah's skateboard and rode it around.~

 ~Stuffed eggs...part of our first lunch in LA.~

 ~I Love Louisiana!!~

 ~The first Wednesday night after church Kimberly N. came in and brought ice cream and her yummy hot fudge sauce for a quick snack.  We had a nice visit together.~

 ~On Thursday Noah and Elijah had some friends come by and rip stick and skateboard with them.~

 ~Having Mate even in LA. :-) ~

 ~The girls and I enjoyed some yummy LA snowballs.  ( I used to work at a snowcone stand across from our house when I lived in LA.)~

 ~It was so SAD to see all the flooding that had just happened in LA.  Some people have lost TONS or nearly everything!!~

 ~Abigail pretty much has it made...as she rides down the road holding both of her big sister's hands. :-) ~

 ~Love the neat trees in LA.~

 ~Enjoying Popeyes LA recipe chicken, rice and beans, etc.~

 ~Abigail CHILLING with her feet on the table while she ate.~

 ~L.O.V.E. her....and her little jumper and shoes.~

 ~Phillip killed a black snack that the kids had seen.~

 ~We felt HONORED that Kimberly N. dedicated both of her Fridays to be with our family!!~

 ~Cute house and Spanish moss.~

 ~Kimberly took us to New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood Co.~

 ~Free ice cream.~

 ~And free coffee!~

 ~Then we went to Lake Pontchatrain.~

 ~Trying to get a pic of the bridge...one of the longest bridges in the world.  24 miles long!~

 ~We saw this sign and I took a picture of it thinking of it as a "CUTE LITTLE SIGN!!"...
Then a boy who had been fishing pointed out that right behind us in the water was....
A REAL ALLIGATOR!!!~

 ~That's his head right there!~

 ~Too close for comfort...we're not talking a zoo, nor a fence, ...we're talking just roaming free!!~

 ~The kids swinging while the alligator lurks in the water behind them.  :-}  SPOOKY!~

 ~It was a rather HOT day, so we ran thru the sprinklers.~

 ~Phillip lying on the ground taking a picture of Noah in the tree. :-)  Oh, the things we parents go through to get pics of our kids.~

 ~Kimberly took this fun pic of our family!~

 ~That evening when we got home we took the kids on a bike ride.~

 ~Down 22...because part of the road was CLOSED to cars due to some parts of a bridge being damaged due to flooding.~

 ~Phillip had a birthday while we were in LA!~

 ~I made homemade biscuit beignets to go with our breakfast.~

 ~Abigail loving her baby doll. (Actually Mary's baby doll.) ~

 ~I made ice cream cake for dessert for a snack after church on Sunday night.~

 ~On Saturday evening...on Phillip's birthday, Kimberly and her parents had our family over.  We had such a sweet time being with them!!!~

 ~Such a neat sign.~

 ~A sweet birthday gift from them to Phillip.~

 ~It was a delicious supper~

 ~Abigail playing with a bear that my Moma and I made for Kimberly N. years ago!!~

 ~Kimberly's yummy Mounds cake she made us!!~

 ~Mary carrying Phillip's piece of cake with his candle in it...while we sang Happy Birthday to him!~

 ~Kimberly N. gave our Kimberly a sweet gift for her graduation.~

 ~Kimberly gave me a sweet gift!~

 ~I saw this and thought it was so TRUE!
"A Child's first sense of home is found in a Mother's arms."~

 ~Bro. Paul got out his guitar and played and we all sang.~

 ~Noah played a song for them.~

 ~Look at Abigail sitting on Bro. Paul's guitar case.~

 ~Kimberly years ago.~

 ~Such a CUTE pic of Mr. Paul, Mrs. Naomi, and Kimberly!!~

 ~A fun pic of Kimberly and Kayla!~

 ~A pic of us taken years ago.  L to R: Heather (Me), Kayla, Kimberly

 ~The girls teaching the kids Sunday School.~

 ~A pic of Mrs. Rachel and I years ago.~

 ~The Lord helped Phillip as he preached 6 times in LA.~

 ~On the first Sunday they had a carry-in dinner.  It was all yummy!~

 ~Sunday evening I invited Ms. Nellie, Ms. Cleo, and Mr. Paul, Mrs. Naomi, and Kimberly in for a simple snack~

 ~My centerpiece.  My Pepsi Box I got for cheap in FL, chicken wire, string, tags, and miniature clothes pins, a cute birdhouse, and candle.~

 ~The girls and I singing.  We provided the special music during the 2 weeks we were there.~

 ~Mary loved sitting with Ms. Kimberly!~

 ~Abigail putting rubber bands on her nose.~

 ~It was so fun to have our friends over for a time of fellowship.~

 ~Ms. Nellie reading to the girls.~

 

~Chris V. gave Phillip a bag of coffee.~

 ~Kimberly's taking up a new type of Skateboarding!!!  HA!!!!
This was a little car we picked up for $5.00 for Abigail and Kimberly was being silly.~

 ~Mary by the cute truck downtown Ponchatoula.  The truck has strawberries in it...for Ponchatoula was once known (maybe still is) as the Strawberry capital of the world.~

 ~The town's mascot "Old Hard Hide" the alligator downtown.~

 ~Kevin, a friend from years ago, brought by a go-cart and a tiny bike for the boys to enjoy.  Phillip enjoyed riding on them a couple times too.~

 ~Taking Mary for a ride.~

 ~NOTICE THE SIGN ON THE FENCE...
"83 Flood" That is where the 1983 flood went up to.  :-(  SO SAD!
A dear friend of ours lost MORE in THIS FLOOD than she did in the 83 flood!! ~

 ~On Monday night Mr. Kendall and Mrs. Elaine had us over for a yummy taco soup supper...and

 ~Strawberry shortcake for dessert.~

 ~Mrs. Elaine letting our girls hear a tape that Kimberly N. and I made when we were teenagers.~

 ~On Tuesday my sweetheart and I got to go on a quick date.~

 ~We had some coffee and beignets at the Corner Berry Cafe in downtown Ponchatoula, LA.~

~Kimberly took me out for coffee and this NEAT place.~

~We had a special heart to heart... over our yummy coffee and pastries...about serving Jesus, what life has handed us, looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, etc.
We laughed together, cried together, and reminisced together.~

~A very good sign to think about after Kimberly and I's chat.~

~A touch of fall.  Candy corn and peanuts, yummy candle, and apples.~

~The boys LOVED catching lizards and frogs in LA.~

~Abigail feeding Elijah.~

~Phillip giving Abigail a ride.~

~Wednesday night after church Ms. Nellie and Ms. Cleo took our family to Cafe Du Monde for yummy coffee with milk and beignets.~

~Delicious!!~

~Kimberly took a selfie of us...and then some lady volunteered to take a pic of us.~

 ~Ms. Nellie took this fun one in the mirror.~

 

 ~Whoever saw a GOODWILL next to Hobby Lobby?  Goodwill must be moving up in the world!!~

 ~ A pretty Louisiana sky.~

~Mrs. Earline made us this yummy popcorn cake.~

~On Thursday Ms. Nellie and Ms. Cleo took the girls and I on a shopping trip.  On the way we stopped by this neat wildlife place.~

~getting fed.~

~Then after shopping they took us to a yummy Chinese restaurant where I would have eaten when I was a teenager.~

~A neat sculpture out of Elephant tusks.~

~Phillip and I in front of one of the appetizers we all shared.~

~Abigail feeding her baby.~

~Then we were invited to Ms. Nellie and Ms. Cleo's beautiful home to enjoy Ms. Cleo's coffee and Ms. Nellie's yummy Carrot cake with Cheese cake in the center, and Durby Pie (Choc. chip and Pecans) with ice cream!~

~We were surprised to see this cute Colombian truck in their house!!  OUR COLOMBIA which we love.~

~So fun to see their pretty home.~

~Mary holding one of their beautiful baby dolls.~

 ~Ms. Nellie's Carrot cake with cheese cake in the middle.~

~Everything was so pretty and yummy!~

~Ms. Nellie gave the little girls each a set of cute little dolls.  ~

Part 2 coming up.
~HEATHER~