Friday, July 31, 2015

Nashville time

Friday July 24 ... early alarm and off we go doing our routine like first cup of tea in the car and stop for breakfast after about 2 1/2 hours. Picnic stop for lunch at the Tennessee Welcome Center. The guitar building across the highway is a clue to where we are.



Helen had to call us every so often because William wanted to know where we were. He probably drove her nuts. She told us that she had to drive over to the TH when we were still one hour away because he wanted to wait looking out the window. It is nice to be loved that much.
We had brought a new child carseat with us which needed to be adjusted right away. That is his Mommy's job.


We all had dinner together at a favorite Mexican restaurant close to their house meeting Ben too. William was happy.
William wanted a haircut and had an appointment Saturday. Papa, Helen, William and I drove together to Smyrna. He knows the place. We have to wait a little.


He picked the locomotive this time.


We made a VIDEO for Caleb who so far still doesn't like haircuts. William says: "Caleb, it doesn't hurt".


Then we had to walk around the corner to CeCe's which reminds William of Sweet Frog in Virginia.


After that William rearranged our living room slightly to show us his somersaults. Yes, VIDEO!


Helen went home and William stayed. We had promised him that he could sleep over. He was very sweet, good having a bath and having his hair washed and going to bed. Asleep in a few minutes.
We put a guest room mattress on the floor in our bedroom which he calls "his bed". He sits up in the morning when he wakes up and smiles at us.
Service at Helen's church starts at 9:30am and we met her there. William is so eager the help the crucifer to carry the cross forward (and bring it back at the end) and help with the offering at the outside aisle. I love that nobody minds his "help".
I love the quilted wallhanging.



In the afternoon Helen and William bake cupcakes in my kitchen for Mops, his other grandma. They are going to visit her tomorrow to celebrate her birthday.


Since Helen and William had plans anyway it was perfect for James and me to drive to Paducah, the town where we used to live for about 30 years. We had an appointment for 10 am which we made in good time.
After that we had to visit Grace Episcopal Church of course. We still have ties and feel connected. We had been very involved. Judy the organist happened to be in the office and it was a big hello. Had to visit my father (Vati to me and Opa Heinz to the girls) in the Memorial Garden too.



After going back to our car in the shade we still had time to stop at the Quilters Alley to pick up a Row by Row pattern (the strip with the four boats) for Helen. More hellos there because the owner Pat and I go back many years when I was very involved in the lace guild.


We had arranged to meet our friend Sara at Kirchhoff's for lunch ... and said hello to more people we know who were just leaving. We had a great time together which was much too short. Together we also popped into the Market House office where Barb was working ... and where we met more people we know.


I must say that it was wonderful to cross paths with so many people who seem genuinely happy to see you. It does the heart good!
Our last stop was the National Quilt Museum. I had seen in an email that there was a special exhibit and I wanted to see it. I thought James was going to have a coffee somewhere but he too paid the entrance and came to see it.
Of course photography is never allowed which is a shame because all the things you see are such inspirations. I found some photos though on the museum website.




I googled on "Caohagan Island quilts" and got to THIS LINK
It shows some of those of which I really would have loved to take a photo of! Yeah! Get to see a photo after all!

The 2+ hours drive back were easy and thanks to the cell phones we were told to go straight to Helen and Ben's house. We were invited for dinner. We had a great time there. William told us about Mop's birthday. He so much loves her and his great grandma GeeGee too.



Ben is such a great and fun Dad.


Tuesday
Helen had to work and it was William's last day at Glen Leven. Papa had promised to pick him up. We picked Helen up and went. When we arrived at the school the sky looked very ominous and we were almost blown into the school by a strong wind. Bye-bye to his teachers.
We went to a Popsicle place to celebrate. It must have really stormed when we where in the school because many tree limbs were down and ambulances and police on the roads.
The popsicles were quite delicious.




Wednesday
Where could we go for William to have fun? Helen knew. There is a huge church with an indoor playground. Non-members are welcome.
Helen is signing us in.


If I wouldn't have seen it with my own eyes I would not have believed it. I had to take this upwards panorama photo to get all in the picture. A maze of at least 4 levels. He was a bit shy in the beginning. A lot of the other children had come with siblings or friends and older ones where quite wild.


He liked it when I waved at him and I suggested this or that to explore ... and waved. Soon he was running all over the place.





Eventually it was time to put the shoes on again and leave. On the way back we stopped to buy Ben's birthday cake.


Helen went home to go out for dinner with Ben. James did some grilling for us and William. We were quite surprised that it was working without any problems because we have not used the grill in a long time.


After their dinner Helen and Ben came back to celebrate a little.



And then William spent the night again going to bed happily.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

My baby has a birthday

Yup, the younger of my two girls has a birthday in July. I remember well being highly pregnant with my almost 10 pounder (that's what the Doc said when he caught her) in the hot Kentucky summer.
This is the day we celebrate Sarah's birthday. She had to work but stops on her way home to pick me up.


We had received an email that an icecream truck would drive through the neighborhood giving away free icecream. All we had to do go to the curb when we heard the familiar music play. Sarah happen to be with us at the right moment and she too enjoyed one.


We had to hurry a little so I could help her with the food shopping and preparations. James went to the daycare to pick up Caleb. Wade was picking up a birthday cake.
Sarah quickly fixed some delicious appetizers and Wade grilled hamburgers which went very well with the arugula/watermelon salad. Another young couple with a toddler had joined in the celebration.



The toddlers were entertaining us. Caleb really enjoyed the cupcake. I think no more words are needed.







Sarah shows the toddlers how to crawl through the tunnel. Well, Caleb has done it a number of times and HE didn't get stuck.



But what would a birthday party be without this? VIDEO!




More entertaining by the toddlers. Well, in this case by Wade too. Words has it that the cat door is part of one of their games.


Getting ready to visit our Nashvillers. William told us very often that he misses us. The flowers at our front door look very nice right now. Hope they will do well why we are gone. James had been very good with watering.


The Sweet William is looking great again too but I can't wait to get a hug from my sweet William.



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When I wrote my last blog, I couldn't find a video Sarah had taken earlier. I really want to share it because I have to laugh every time I look at it.
Here it is!