Santa flies a C-17

Last weekend was the annual visit with Santa aboard a C-17. It's a fun way to see Santa every year, even though this year it was the coldest I ever remember it being! Brrrrr! Luckily, once we were on board, it was warm and toasty.



Santa touched down just after noon in his C-17 (the reindeer are taking a little siesta before the big day!), and taxied down the runway...


See Santa? (This year he didn't open the window and wave his arm outside...you'd think Santa is used to the cold by now!)


Once on board, it was funny to see Trey's former plane, the C-130, just out back:


Then we waited our turn to see the big guy. Thomas had no problem going to sit on Santa's lap.


Parker, however, could not be convinced. Eliza, my niece easily went to Santa's knee. We didn't even try to make Parker go this time. I still need to share the picture of the boys on Santa's lap at the Festival of Lights. Talk about "Naughty and nice"! Or maybe "Happy and Sad!"

Anyway, after that we stepped up to the cockpit. I'm pretty sure this is what trouble looks like...our two boys at the controls of a plane that costs a number with more zeroes behind it than I can count...


"Trouble? Who, me?!?!"


The boys and their Daddy...

One last picture, the inside of the plane as seen from the little window up in the cockpit (well, in the bunkbeds up there):


We were just about the last people off the plane! At one point, that plane was completely packed. I think I heard someone say there were 100 kids receiving gifts from Santa this year. It was a good time.

Of course this week, every time Thomas sees a C-17 flying around Charleston (which has been quite a few times this week!), he hasn't been saying his usual, "That's a plane like Daddy flies!" Instead he keeps saying, "I think Santa is on that plane." :-)