Throwback Thursday

So it's not really throw back, but since I am back to work and it's Thursday I thought I would finally get around to showing you our home sweet home while we were in Chattanooga. That seems like so long ago.......

We stayed in a Residence Inn by Marriott and when you walked into the room this is what you walked into. The sitting room with a bedroom off each side and the kitchen and dinning nook.

This is was our kitchen.

This was our room.

And this was our hallway from our bedroom to the bathroom.

And this was Lil Hoff's room. I love that we decided to get a suite with two rooms. It was nice to put Lil Hoff down for the night and still be able to sit up and watch TV and not worry about waking the baby up. He actually got the bigger room since in our room there was no where handy to put the crib. Which was the other really nice part of our trip, everywhere we stayed had a crib so we didn't have to put up our pack and play anywhere.

SO this wass our little paradise away from home, our oasis away from reality, our habitat away from the "norm"

And all too quickly reality smacks you in the head like a two by four. Welcome Home.

Continue Reading...

Live from Music City...

We said farewell to Chattanooga with not one.....

But two loads of luggage to the vehicle.

I said "OK, you two look at me and say cheese" and then snapped this picture. At which Farmboy goes "Was I in that picture" Yes darlin', you was.

The plan for the day is to travel to Nashville and take in some sights there and then stay the night. We got all snuggled in for some traveling and then before I knew it, we were pulling into Nashville.

I had Lil Hoff situated for the long haul. We had Micky Mouse playing, and Elmo, and blankie. I envisioned a nap and a well rested boy for the day ahead. Instead Lil Hoff wanted to play. 

With stickers......

and more stickers. We had a book for the tractor stickers to go into, but he prefers to put them on himself and  I have learned on this trip, if he's happy then I am happy. Very rarely though are all three of us happy at the same time. Something else I have learned on this trip.

I am a Nashville (the show) junkie, so when Farmboy asked if there was anywhere I wanted to go in Nashville I instantly replied "The Bluebird Cafe"

It is nothing like I thought it would be. It's amazing how in the show it looks like it is in a dark remote part of town, but in reality it is on a very busy road that is populated with malls, banks, and other upscale businesses. It is in a strip mall with a child clothing store on one side and a hair salon on the other. Not the Honky Tonk setting you would imagine.

We then headed to the County Music Hall of Fame. It was a fun to walk through and see where country music originated from and who were the scene changers along the way.

This is Elvis Presley's gold Cadillac. It really is gold on the inside and out.

The set from Hee-Haw

Their featured artist exhibit was "Reba" and had a lot of her dresses she had worn from concerts, award shoes, and even some of her t.v. shows on display.

My two stars infront of the wall of Gold Records. (which at this point we realized Lil Hoff had soaked through his diaper and with no bathroom in sight we had to hunker down in a corner between exhibits to change the diaper and clothes. I think we may of offended a couple of gawkers)

They had a whole wall dedicated to the costumes that Carrie Underwood had worn on her blown away tour. It is amazing they can perform they way that they do while wearing these costumes. The heels, and spikes, and slits, and tight fitting. Geesh.....

After finding a place to eat lunch and walking around the downtown area of Nashville we ended up by the Grand Ole Opry with our motel. That night we ventured out to mall that was close by and ended up at the restaurant that Farmboy and I ate at while on our honeymoon. Two totally different experiences.

Same restaurant.

Same aquarium with probably the same fish ( I don't know what the life expectancy of a fish is?)

New person.

Same couple that said "To Have and To Hold"

Continue Reading...

Trains and Falls

We have been gone all day and are all tired but I feel like we haven't done much. Does anyone else get that feeling on vacation? We started our day at the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway. Which is a train that runs up the side of Lookout Moutain. It is about a mile long ride and there towards the end you are looking straight down.

Up we go....

And your starting to lose the track.

At the top of Lookout Mountain there are some of the breathaking views. This is Chatanooga that you are seeing.

And the Tennessee River.

On the way down we went from Wheeee

to Zzzzzz in no time at all. (the lady in the background was having some issues of her own and I hate when I get people like that in my pictures cause now she will forever be part of my vacation)

After we left Lookout Mountain we went to Ruby Falls which is known for the "Falls" inside a cave. Before we ventured into that we ate at their cafe and let Lil Hoff play on the playground they had there.

He loved it!

He kept saying "U Ready?" before he slid down the slide and I would say "Yes" and he would come

This time he said "U Ready?" And then something caught his eye and he tumbled coming down face first. I then asked him "Was you ready for that?" and he said "Nope". Too funny!

Here we go into the cave. I know many of you have been shaking your head at my vacation with Lil Hoff. Things I was not prepared for, items I thought he would love and he did not, time allocated  that did not work out. But on this I will not be to blame. I read the brochure and there was no mention of what was to come. I really believe there needs to be a brochure printed on EVERY tourist attraction that is written by a  parent of a toddler that is impartial and you can then make a informed decision. I expierenced my biggest fear as a mother today. We are deep into a cave and Lil Hoff starts throwing a tantrum. He does not throw tantrums, he isn't that kid, but he picks today in a cave when his voice naturally echoes to throw a fit and be determined to get his way. Betwen Farmboy carrying Lil Hoff, Farmboy holding Lil Hoff's hand. Me carrying Lil Hoff, me holding Lil Hoff's hand, giving him a drink, taking the drink away, making sure he doesn't play in mud, making sure he doesn't sit in mud, making sure he didn't venture off into the cave, making sure he doesn't bonk his head on the cave, and overall making sure that we all have a very good time for the mile round trip hike, we was all exhausted by then end of the cave. Farmboy and I were both ready to split from the group and find our own way out. (NOTE: there was no mention of a mile hike to see the waterfall, that you got 1 minute to look at before the lights went out and you had to leave)

Pessimist hat off, Optimist hat on

Lil Hoff did like all the rocks.

And it is always amazing to see God's natural craftsmenship.

And my picture does not do this justice. The waterfall was breathtaking!

And like I have said before, this scene always makes me smile. (and Farmboy is carrying my Vera Bradley purse..hehehe)

And we survived.

Continue Reading...

Choo Choo and a Quack Quack

Off to the train we went today. It is just a local train that makes a 6 mile run which lasts about a hour. Which was perfect for both my men. 

She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes...She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes..CHOO CHOO. The Tennessee Valley Rail Road is the name of the train and it was air conditioned which in 90 degree weather is all I ask for.

   *** Side note, I believe we have brought all the rain we have been having at home with us. It has poured every day since we have been here, but then the sun comes up (and besides the humidity) and it makes for a nice day.

Both my boys ready for the train ride.

Oh if looks could kill (but isn't he the cutest conductor)

That's my child.

The perfect setting for some father/son bonding.

So you go three miles and then you get out at the other train depot and watch the engine turn around. The man there that looks like Santa Clause is our conductor. The next spot we got to go look at made this the "it" activity for Farmboy.

We got to go tour the "Backstop" or shop where they work on the trains. Lil Hoff and I was bored senseless but Farmboy held onto every word that the conductor said with great excitement and anticipation.

After the train, we all relaxed some and then took a rid on the Chattanooga Ducks. Which I thought Lil Hoff would love. He loves boats and Donald Duck is one of his favorites. So you mix the two together and what do you get?? Disaster. The ride starts off on land and then goes into the Tennessee River and lasts about a hour. Lil Hoff was interested in about 3.5 minutes of it.

Here is our boat/duck.

Let me interrupt this story to bring another one. I have noticed with my child that he does not know strangers. He likes to touch people, get in their faces, go up to other children and hug them, no boundaries what so ever and here is evidence. He is grabbing the lady that is sitting in front of me. She tells me it is no big deal but you know that it is. No one likes to pay money to do something to have a child bug you the whole time. The other thing I have noticed is that I wonder what the desk clerks thinks of us. We have made friends with all of them here at the motel (mainly because yet again he pushed the "alarm" button in the elevator and we went and shamefully apologized) But here is a typical day scenario for us. We leave in the morning all chipper and happy and ready to go, come back and I'm the pack mule carrying everything, usually red faced and sweating, and Farmboy is dragging or carrying Lil Hoff with him kicking and crying and screaming. Then we leave again not so chipper but more determined to have a good time on our next outing and then we come back all relieved to had made it through another day.

OK Back to our day.

The highlight of our hour long duck ride came 5 minutes before it was done and lasted about 2 minutes. Our captain Bill, let other people drive the duck and Farmboy took Lil Hoff up there to drive the duck. Don't let this face fool you, He.is.thrilled. What your sensing from this face is his attitude through out the whole ride. I have never had such a plan fail miserably.

This is daddy helping Lil Hoff steer the duck. 

After our never ending ride on the duck we walked around downtown for a while and went into some shops. We stopped at a "Moon Pie" store.(I guess they were first made in Chattanooga) Only the second one in the nation and I got my first taste of a Moon Pie. I really don't think I have been missing much. 

We then finally made it to a cupcake shop. Oh my word! Cupcake stores are like jewelry stores. There are so much glitz and glamour that you can't make up your mind. But I settled on some chocolate covered strawberries and tiramisu and Farmboy got a red velvet cupcake and a peanut butter cupcake. 

Then we took in some more local culture and went to a restaurant called Tony's it was delicious. Our duck captain said that they make their own bread and noodles. 

Then on a whim Farmboy decided to ride a bike around town and wanted me to pick him up. They have these bike depots that you can pick a bike up at one and then drop it of at another. Lil Hoff just kept saying "Dada, bike?" "Dada Bike" 

He ended up riding a couple of miles before he called me to come get him. He said and I quote " Between the bike ride and the train shop, this is the best day of vacation!"

From our quacky family to yours. Good Night

Continue Reading...