Zoo Day

Ever since Lulu gave Charley a zoo membership for her first birthday, I couldn’t wait until the perfect time to activate it.  Lucky for us it didn’t expire, because I waited over a year before we went for the first time...my reasoning was based on the ridiculous hot summer we had last year, and I just wasn’t up to wrestling Miss Priss in the 100 plus degree temperatures.  And just because I tend to exaggerate just a little...last summer was miserable and here is proof!

So when Aunt Tuck asked us to go with them to the zoo during Memorial week, we were finally ready to get our membership activated.  We had a great time with Aunt Tuck, Baby Finley, Miss Camille, Miss Candace, Coleman, his buddy and Baby Crockett.  Momma made a little boo boo and told Charley they had hippos and lions, which they didn’t, but she seemed pretty satisfied with the elephants, giraffes, and monkeys.  I have only really been to one other zoo...THE ZOO...in San Diego, so as much as Nashville zoo is a great zoo, I've kind of been spoiled.  All in all, we had a great day with friends, learned a few zoo lessons, and can’t wait to go back soon!!!

Memorial Day Cookout

It seems like it has been months since we got together with the Goode’s and Steele’s, so a Memorial Day Cookout was a perfect time to catch up.  We went to Gar and Ray Ray’s house, and the girls were so sweet and cute together!  We have planned some more fun things for the summer, and Charley and I are definitely looking forward to it!  We did take a little trip down memory lane and shared great laughs at some of our “finer” moments in pictures.  We should probably lock them up before our girls become teenagers and haunt us with them!  Too bad we all can’t be naturally adorable like these girlies!

Happy Memorial Day!!!!

Sam’s 4th Birthday Party

Sam’s 4th birthday party was at Monkey’s Tree House in Cool Springs, and Charley had sooo much fun!!!!  The theme was “inja turtles” aka “Ninja Turtles” and everything was super cute!

The Strawberry Patch

I have often said, “there is nothing better than eating a strawberry straight from the vine.”  This happens to still be the way I feel, except for now maybe the only thing better is watching your child eat a strawberry straight from the vine.  For the last few years Granddaddy Charlie’s strawberry vines haven’t really turned out, so when I heard about this precious little place called Bottom View Farms, I couldn’t wait to try it.  Charley and I had the best afternoon there a few weeks ago.  We played, talked to cows, chickens, donkeys, goats and a puppy, split some ice cream, and went down a huge slide several times before heading over to the strawberry patch.  We got our basket from the local farmer and headed down the rows to find the perfect strawberries to fill it.  As much as I wanted to slip some in my mouth, I tried to be a good example and didn’t eat any at first.  Miss Priss got the idea on her own that they looked too yummy to pick and not eat.  Once she asked for one, it was over.  She kept saying, “I need some more in my mouth!”  She was covered in strawberry juice and couldn’t have been sweeter.  This definitely goes in the books as one of my favorite outings together....and her little “strawberry fields” Matilda Jane top couldn’t have been more fitting and fashionable for the occasion.

Mother’s Day Weekend

After spending last year’s Mother’s Day at home, Amma and I decided we wouldn’t do that again this year and that we needed to figure out a plan to get us all together.  I used a play from Amma’s book and got every one geared up for a yard work day at our house….needless to say, I must not be as smooth as Amma, because plans changed and we ended up in Kentucky for the weekend.  We celebrated Mother’s Day, Granny Martha and Charlie’s 63^rd wedding anniversary and Lynsey’s Master’s graduation on Saturday night at Catfish Kitchen.  On Sunday we went to church with Granny Martha but left early to surprise Granny Katherine at Olive Baptist for their service.  We packed three rows, and she was definitely pleased and surprised.  I got some of the sweetest Mother’s Day cards and a super cute Free People top that I happened to pick out myself!  As always, we enjoyed our family time, but I am still going to push for that workday soon!!! 

Please note that it is freezing for the month of May!  I have never been more ready to shed the sweaters and jackets...Even though Miss Priss looks so darn cute in her little white sweater from Amma.

Charley’s 1st Haircut

For the last two years, the first haircut is something I have looked forward to and dreaded at the same time.  On one hand I thought it would be so fun to have a pampering day for Miss Priss, but on the other hand I knew she would probably go ballistic. And lets face it, I couldn’t imagine cutting off those dark ends that reminded me of her dark hair as a baby.  Regardless of my hesitations, I decided that after her birthday, it was probably time to make an appointment.  She acted just as I suspected for the haircut….terrible!  In hindsight, maybe we could have played beauty shop and draped a towel around her so she would’ve known what to expect…maybe????   She finally calmed down when the lady was finishing up.  She braided Charley’s hair, gave her some sparkles on her face and hands, and finished by placing a cute crown on her head.  Much to my surprise, she let the lady paint her toes without any issues.  She sat and watched and seemed so big during the “pedi” part of our day.  She ended up with pink toenails with a blue and yellow flower on each of her big toes.  She was so proud and couldn’t stop looking at them, showing everyone and telling every one she saw or met about her pink toes with blue flowers!  Maybe next time won’t be so traumatic…but for now, she still has a hint of dark ends, and I have some of her precious locks in her jewelry box.

Last picture of Charley's hair before it was trimmed. 

Oh the anticipation.... 

Charley’s dark hair on the day she was born...hands down the cutest little thing...ever!

Road Trip to Memphis

During the first weekend of April, Charley and I picked up Ray Ray and Harper on Friday afternoon and headed to Memphis for the weekend.  I had finally signed up for my zumba certification class, and since it was in Memphis, it seemed like the perfect time to make a little road trip to the Sisco house.  We had such a great time being with Ray Ray’s family and to say we were spoiled was an understatement.  We had very yummy, home-cooked dinners both nights and even got to eat at my favorite mexican place in Memphis, On the Border, before we came home Sunday.  Charley warmed up very quickly to Mimi, Kay Kay and Nannie, but GranVan was a different story.  He tried sooo hard to get her to interact with him, but she didn’t out of spite.  On Saturday night when I was rocking her to sleep, we were singing her “song” and she had me sing Momma, Dadda.....long pause, then GrandVan.  haha, she is such a little stinker.  Maybe next time she will play with him a little more!  She was all about Nannie, though.  For a few weeks after our road trip, she would mention Nannie or talk about her like she just saw her.  I didn’t get to spend any time with them on Saturday, but was thankful for the few pictures Ray Ray text while I was at the zumba class...from 7:30 until 5:30!  

From the looks of things, they seemed to have had a great day....and I can mark something off my 30 Before 30 list...now to actually teach one class is a different story!