So I know, I am the worst blogger ever! The day after our Titus 2 day at church, I packed up the boys and we headed up to Tennessee to visit my dad and his wife Tammy. As a bonus, we got to see Tammy's son, Nate. Our family had planned a trip last summer to visit, but we didn't get to go because my dad ended up in the hospital with kidney stones. So this trip was a long time coming. This was also my first trip with both boys all by myself both ways. It was the best trip EVER! And I have a lot to compare. I am planning a post about traveling with the boys and how I do it, but that's coming later. Suffice it to say that some of my worst trips have included spending 2 1/2 hours holding Travis' feet down to prevent him from kicking the seat in front of him. I thought I was going to scream!
We enjoyed the sun and grilled some steaks and enjoyed a fabulous dinner! I think it's good we don't live closer to Tammy and Dad because I would weigh 1,000 pounds from all the great food she makes! She is from Wisconsin, like we are, and everything tastes better with CHEESE!
So, we made it in and the weather was gorgeous! Sunny and warm, and my dad promised Travis a surprise so we stopped at the grocery and picked up a "Welcome to the Cabin" cake for him. (You recall his cake fettish...) It has race care on it because when she asked for animals to be on the cake (you know, like woodsy and all) the woman replied, "Sure, like elephants and zebras?" Not very outdoorsy, so race cars it was!
We enjoyed the sun and grilled some steaks and enjoyed a fabulous dinner! I think it's good we don't live closer to Tammy and Dad because I would weigh 1,000 pounds from all the great food she makes! She is from Wisconsin, like we are, and everything tastes better with CHEESE!
My dad and Tammy live on Parrot Mountain, right up from Dollywood, and the view is fabulous. Excuse the person in front, and you can see what I mean.
Tammy and dad are into feeding the birds and other wildlife in the area, so the deck is home to about 7 bird feeders. I didn't quite get the scope in the pictures, so you'll have to take my word for it. Tammy found a little broom or Travis to help sweep off the sunflower shells after the birds, etc. eat the seeds out. And Justin got into the spirit a little too, when Travis was otherwise distracted.
They also feed the other more "wild" life in the area, like coons and foxes. I wasn't so keen on that, given our run-ins with the varmints, but Travis loved it! Tammy feeds them leftover food from meals, peanut butter sandwiches, marshmallows, doughnuts, moon pies, and apples. She prepared all of this, and then Travis helped throw it off the deck to the area below. He threw it as far as he could, so I think the coons had to do more searching than they even had before. Plus there might have been a few sandwiches hanging in the trees. It nearly killed Travis the first day to see all that "good" food going down, but after numerous assurances that Tammy had more even better snacks for Travis was he convinced that it was okay to throw it down. Travis even decided that the coons ate really well, and so one morning Tammy made Travis a "coon breakfast", which he thoroughly enjoyed. Here Travis is throwing the food off the deck. By the last day he decided that it took too long to throw each piece off individually and he should just dump the whole bowl. Dad and Tammy said that the food shouldn't all be in the same place, but he could throw handfuls instead. So he grabbed and threw huge handfuls and flung it over and then when he saw his hands were all messy he proceeded to lick each one off. When he finished he said, "Oh, was that okay to eat?" I guess it is now!
We also did a little peanut slingshot. Travis enjoyed this game too. He quickly learned that the smaller peanuts are better for the slingshots.
I even got into the action. Do you like the face? Justin doesn't know what to think of me... To give me credit, you try using a slingshot holding a baby!
Our big adventure (before Justin got sick and we had to take him to the Walk in Clinic) was to go to the Dixie Stampede, Dolly Parton's dinner show. Now that is pronounced, Staaaampede, with a little southern drawl. I am not sure you can say it without the drawl. It doesn't sound right. So the theater has the center ring for the rodeo, and they do a little show pitting the South against the North, contests like pig races, lumberjack tree climbing, chuck wagon races, etc. A lot of audience participation too. It was so fun, Travis didn't eat much of his dinner. That's okay, we just took it home to the coons! And Justin ate so much of mine that I had to nibble on Travis'! Dinner was served "cowboy style" with no utensils. So we drank our soup, and then pulled apart our little chickens and ate corn on the cob. Dessert was apple turnovers. And lots of sweet tea to wash it down. Dinner was very good truly. At the end we visited with one of the riders in the show and her horse, Shorty. Now our rocking horse at home is called Shorty and Travis brushes it with my hair brush. Too cute!
We also did a little peanut slingshot. Travis enjoyed this game too. He quickly learned that the smaller peanuts are better for the slingshots.
I even got into the action. Do you like the face? Justin doesn't know what to think of me... To give me credit, you try using a slingshot holding a baby!
Our big adventure (before Justin got sick and we had to take him to the Walk in Clinic) was to go to the Dixie Stampede, Dolly Parton's dinner show. Now that is pronounced, Staaaampede, with a little southern drawl. I am not sure you can say it without the drawl. It doesn't sound right. So the theater has the center ring for the rodeo, and they do a little show pitting the South against the North, contests like pig races, lumberjack tree climbing, chuck wagon races, etc. A lot of audience participation too. It was so fun, Travis didn't eat much of his dinner. That's okay, we just took it home to the coons! And Justin ate so much of mine that I had to nibble on Travis'! Dinner was served "cowboy style" with no utensils. So we drank our soup, and then pulled apart our little chickens and ate corn on the cob. Dessert was apple turnovers. And lots of sweet tea to wash it down. Dinner was very good truly. At the end we visited with one of the riders in the show and her horse, Shorty. Now our rocking horse at home is called Shorty and Travis brushes it with my hair brush. Too cute!
Justin got an early birthday present: a tie blanket to match Travis'. Justin got puppy dogs. It's adorable! Tammy made it! She even made a John Deere one to go in the tractor room in the cabin. Travis napped with it every day.
And this was just a cute pic of my dad and Travis. When we were out eating lunch one day, the waitress said, "Wow, there's no question who he favors!" referring to my dad. This picture catches that look that makes genetics undeniable!
And this was just a cute pic of my dad and Travis. When we were out eating lunch one day, the waitress said, "Wow, there's no question who he favors!" referring to my dad. This picture catches that look that makes genetics undeniable!
We also got to visit Nate at college, eat some fabulous food, and of course do lots of hanging out in the cabin. I am sure there's lots I have forgotten! It was such a great trip and my dad and Tammy enjoyed visiting with the boys. I am sure we will be back this summer! The weather turned by the time we left and we drove out to head back to the airport in the snow! Isn't weather interesting? And beautiful!
1 comment:
Looks like it was a great trip. The sooner the better on the post of how to travel with boys. I'm flying out next week with ours and I haven't done it by myself with both of them since Trey was just a few months old and could fairly easily be satisfied with a bottle. Any advice from the pro would be great! :-)
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