Nashville

Our first night in Nashville we tried some southern BBQ at Hog Heaven.  A friend had recommended this place to us.  It was pretty good--my favorite was the pulled turkey with white sauce.  The kids loved posing for pictures on this trip.

When I pull the camera out this is the face Chet makes.  He anticipates the flash. 

We visited the Grand Ole Opry Hotel.  It was huge and beautiful.  The kids were crazy and wild running around here.  

Chet's first swim at the hotel!  

Downtown Nashville was fun to walk around.  It had the feel I was hoping for.  We walked down the streets and there was live music coming from each restaurant or cafe.

Janie taking a trail mix break outside the souvenir shop.  Blake and Janie each got a guitar key chain.

Here is Chet in the stroller after he woke up from a firetruck siren passing by.  Then we found out his diaper had leaked so we had to air dry his pants until we could get to the car and get new clothes.

Pied Pipers ice cream

Mammoth Caves, Kentucky

We started our Memorial weekend vacation by driving to Louisville, Kentucky to spend the night after Eric got home from work.  It was about a five hour drive.  The kids enjoyed their breakfast the next morning.  An older couple watched us all eat and commented that they were impressed with out kids behavior.  

We didn't have any set plans for the first two days--just head to Nashville and check that area out.  On our drive toward Tennessee we saw a sign for Mammoth Caves ahead.  On a whim we went and bought tickets and did a two hour walking tour in a big cave.

I remember going in a cave when I was younger but this was different.  Different because this was two hours with our four kids.  No other children were on this tour.  It was cold and we didn't have anything warm for Chet readily available so we put him in Ty's pajamas.  

I thought it was going to be so cool and that the kids would love it.  Janie was scared right away.  We had to teach the kids how to be quiet, not climb on the rocks, and to stay by us.  The first half hour was the most painful but then we got in our groove.  Bribing Janie with a treat at the end helped her become instantly brave.  Chet was great and it was a good thing because if he had not liked it and had screamed the whole way a lot of people would have been mad at us. 

No flash was allowed in the caves so the pictures didn't turn out great because I didn't know what setting to use on my camera.  But there were parts of the tour where you had to duck a lot or the path was so narrow you had to form a single file line.  I was so sore the next day from carrying Chet and maneuvering around rocks.  At one point the tour guide turned off all the lights.  It was scary!

But we made it and I think we are glad that we did it?  At the end of the tour a women told me that I was her inspiration to have children and someday bring them back to the caves.  Funny.

Chet - 10 Months

Chet gets around now.  Still doing his funny army crawl but he is faster and goes from room to room finding things to pull up to.  

He loves reading certain books.  A few of his favorites are Brown Bear, Peak a Who, and I Love you Through and Through.  

I love that he knows the word bottle and that whenever we say it he does a panicky cry.

Loves when we sing Wheels on the Bus.  Janie can make him laugh when she sings it.  He will make some sounds like he is singing every time we get to "all through the town."

If he is in his high chair or exersaucer and wants to get out he will hold up usually just one arm straight up with his wrist bent.  It is funny--I will have to get a picture of it.

When he wakes up in the morning he just hangs out.  I don't even know what time he usually wakes up--He doesn't cry or make any noise.  Janie likes to climb in and play with him until I come.

Chet is a total delight.  

Mother's Day 2015

I love being a mom to these crazies!

Here is what Chet is watching: