Tiniseee (and function OVER fashion)

My Tennessee Trip May 2009--Introduction

Yeah. that's right. I'm wearing dark jeans and Joel's big fat ankle socks puffing out of my pink-trimmed tennis shoes (Costco $24--great buy!). I know this is a fashion DON'T, and I know it makes me look as if I've given up on looking good and only care about comfort. The truth is, I went through some painful times wearing flip-flops then under a doctor's supervision I started wearing running shoes from the moment I woke up until I go to bed at night. (also, the flylady told me to do it too--read this, its outstanding!!!) Anyways . . . I tell myself that I'll change my shoes when I go to the store, school, library, etc., but you and I both know that never happens. So I end up looking really dorky, but man, my feet feel great. Now that I've explained that, you won't notice what I'm wearing so much in the pictures--right? I know--what AM I wearing?

Also, I'd like to point out that I spelled Tennessee on the title in an attempt to capture the accent--and I LOOOOVE that accent!

These are ALL the photos I took while Carrie, Alanna, Jay and I spent a fun weekend in the South. We left on Friday morning and flew with Carrie's Buddy passes (thanks again Carrie!!), luckily we caught the first flight to Atlanta. I sat next to a really nice man that loved babies so it was a pretty easy flight.

We rented a car in Atlanta then drove through rush hour traffic for about 3 hours to Chattanooga (I swear 3/4 of the drive was still Atlanta) where we met up with Aren, Ashley and Jackson at the Cracker Barrel. Carrie and I walked in looking for them, I was holding Jay in one arm and a jar of unopened baby food in the other. While glancing around I smelled "diaper smell". At that point a nice lady said in that Southern accent that I love so much, "honey, you've got baby food all over you" (but the baby food was unopened) I thanked her and said woops then immediately Carrie's eyes met mine and we both mouthed "it's not baby food!!". We heard Ashley's voice say, "oh, you're here--I'm going to cry!" we shouted and laughed and smiled and said, "don't hug me--I'm covered in poop." And I do mean COVERED--I'm talking all over my shirt , IN my jeans pockets, and down my legs. Carrie went to the car to get us a new change of clothes and saw a lady in the store/restaurant starting to wipe up "something" on the floor and say, "I don't think that's food I think its . . . oh, dear . . ." What a way to kick off the weekend! And if you MUST know, I ordered the fried catfish that came with fried Okra, hush puppies, and biscuits--HoooWeee! (and then i had to taste Grits off Aren's plate--come on, I've never been to the South before!) I have to say that the Catfish was pretty good and the biscuits were the BEST--We were sooo stuffed! (p.s. Thank you to Henry and Wilma, Ashley's parents, who insisted on treating us to dinner--you are so sweet!) Okay, this is probably getting boring so let's comment on the pictures:

Jackson and Jay playing with the fridge magnets while Alanna slept in the tiny hall closet

Carrie, Me and Ashley standing outside of an Art museum in Chattanooga

"want some?" said Jay. "No thanks, I think I'll just stuff my blanket in my mouth" said Jackson.
"and uh, do you know whose toe that is?"

Jay answered, "Still not sure about the toes, but here, try this". "Ooooo that does smell good!" sniffed Jackson

Ashley in her Mary Tyler Moore dress, and Jackson sharing her "Sticky Fingers" pulled pork sandwich--another Southern MUST HAVE!

Cute Jackson

sweet baby cousins!

OOOooooOOoooOOooOOOoooOooo

Ashley showing off a retired famous Mississippi River boat(how famous? I don't know the name of it, but it really felt important :)--may it rest in peace on the Tennessee River

We loved walking around Chattanooga--loved the bridges, the river, the parks, the stores, the greenery, etc. (could have done without so much rain, but we still had fun and it was pretty warm still) Wow--there's one of them get up's I'm wearin' straight off the runway!

More love, more bridges, more rain!

That's all I've got! Sorry you didn't QUITE make the cuts to be in any pictures, Aren. I forgot to mention that my favorite Southern cuisine is fried pickles--delicious! I also got to see my cousin Elizabeth at church while I was there (she's on a mission serving in Aren & Ashley's area--small world, eh?) We came home on Monday, flying standby, and finally caught a flight at about 9:00 pm after waiting around at the airport for 6 hours (I think--its all a blur). The babies were really good--thank heavens! I miss you Aren, Ashley, and Jackson! Can't wait to do it again soon--and stay for a lot longer.