Will Jump for Toys

Just before we went out of town for Christmas Mike was able to participate in Operation Toy Drop for the 2nd year in a row. Operation Toy Drop is a massive airborne jump and toy drive. Airborne units from all over the world come to Ft. Bragg to for some annual practice time with US paratroopers. During Operation Toy Drop US Soldiers donate toys in order to get a lottery ticket, if their number is called they are able to choose from a variety of foreign jumps (meaning they either use equipment from another country or they jump with a foreign jumpmaster giving the instructions in their native language).

Here's the link to watch a short clip about Operation Toy Drop.

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4455820/operation-toy-drop/

Obviously this event is all about donating toys to children in our community. For Mike it was all about the foreign wings. He spent an entire workday waiting to see if his lottery number would be called. It finally was and he was able to get onto the Foreign jump that he wanted, with the Royal Thai Army (Mike spent a couple of weeks in Thailand after college graduation). He got up very early for the jump, the kids and I had planned to go watch him but unfortunately the weather was not cooperating. After waiting for several hours Mike's jump was canceled so he came home seriously disappointed. He moped around the house all weekend, pouting. He kept telling me it was about the toys not the wings.

The following week Mike announced as we were getting ready to go to a holiday party that he was able to jump after all. Our conversation went something like this.....
M: I was able to jump today.
L: Oh really (as I'm half heartedly listening because I'm scrambling around to get the kids together) how was it?
M: Oh it was good. I jumped out of a helicopter with some SF friends, I got Thai Jump Wings. So should we bring the stroller.
L: What!?!?!?!

On the 12th Day of Christmas

We intruduced Olivia and Peter to Loyola. The kids LOVED running around campus and since it was Christmas Break campus was prety empty.



Mike walking with the kids in "smoker's alley" a popular hang out between classes.



The kids on the Loyola sign.


We took a ride on the streetcar. Mike took this picture of the kids and I waiting for it to pick us up.



On the way downtown the street car was almost empty so we all got to enjoy the ride.



We had lunch and then on the way back uptown the streetcar was really crowded. In college I remember steetcars having a limit to the number of people who could ride. If it was too crowded it wouldn't stop for any more people and we'd have to wait till the next one came along. I guess that has changed because this street car was packed! It was standing room only!

On the 11th Day of Christmas

On the 10th Day of Christmas my true love gave to me, another date night! We went back and forth about canceling our date night in New Orleans but Olivia was doing so well we did end up going through with it (and we were just a short 20 minute drive away). We went out to dinner with a group of my sorority sisters and some of their husbands. We went to the casino for a bit and then headed to Pat O'Brian's for Hurricanes with some of Mike's fraternity brothers. As we were walking back to the hotel we noticed the shadow outline of the touchdown Jesus in the French Quarter. I know that technically it's "Ascension of Jesus" statue but it will always be "Touchdown Jesus" to us, it's a Loyola thing.



In the morning we enjoyed a walk through the Quarter. This street performer was awesome, gotta love his metallic alligator.


We ended with beignets and Cafe au laits at Cafe de Monde. Yum!

On the 10th Day of Christmas

We headed to New Orleans to spend some time with more friends and family. Our trip to New Orleans didn't quite go as planned since Olivia got sick during our drive. She recovered quickly though so we were able to do some of the things we had planned. We headed over to Celebration in the Oaks in City Park. The lights were amazing.

Olivia and Peter sitting on the lap of a giant Alligator dressed up like Santa.



This picture absolutely cracks me up. It may be hard to tell what animal Peter is standing next to but it's an alligator with reindeer antlers of course! Peter couldn't be more excited to stand next to it.