Wests Around Summer-ep 3

What a whirlwind 10 days! Last time I told you about all of our back and forth beaching before VBC.

We then hopped back on 65 this time headed North to Nashville for a week. We plan this trip every year so the kids can go to swimming lessons. This year we swam every morning then packed every second of the days with summer fun!

We left on Saturday--but first needed to get a new bed for Gus. If you're shopping for dog beds with 3 and 4 year old helpers you should know that this happens.

They literally climbed on half of the beds in the store. We made it out with what we needed then hopped in the car for Mimi's.

Saturday night we just grabbed dinner and got settled in.

Sunday morning we went to church at Pennington, then loaded in the car with Karla, Kelsey and CJ, Mimi, Jennifer and some goodies and made our way to Woodbury.

I really wanted my children to get to meet Aunt Virginia and visit her home. She's 93 years young and is one of my grandmother's two surviving sisters.

We arrived to a TON of cousins and there was enough food to make your head spin. It was delightful.

I ate many meals on this very porch as a child when Grandmommy and Grandaddy would take us to Whyte and Virginia's I am so happy Jay and Lizzy got to enjoy a day there too.

We didn't take roll but there were lots of family folks there and young'uns galore. They played and ran and caught crawdads and the "grownups" visited.

Monday we grabbed lunch after swim, visited Nanny and Cece in the afternoon then got to watch Kelsey play two softball games.

I then took the opportunity to give the kids their first Goo-Goo Clusters. Jay wasn't a fan and Lizzy has a new fave!

Tuesday after we swam we headed to the Splash Pad and humongous playground at Charlie Daniels Park in Mt. Juliet. The kids had a blast and it was perfect. The splash pad helped beat the heat and the playground is like nothing I've ever seen before it is huge. I forgot to get a pic of the whole thing, but its a sight to behold.

After coming back to Mimi's for baths and some chill time we headed to Opry Mills to get dad's Fathers' Day gift and meet KarKar, Kelsey, CJ and Gran at Aquarium for dinner. It was awesome!! If you are in Nashville and have skipped it because its so "touristy" get over it and go. Zillions of awesome fish, pretty good food and a fun outing.

After dinner we rode the carousel at Opry Mills then KarKar treated the kids to Build-A-Bear. It was Lizzy's (and Mommy's) first time and we all had the best time.

Wednesday after swim we headed to Chuck E. Cheese for yet more cousin fun with Lesley, Grant and Drew. After heading back to Mimi's to change it was time to go to the Donelson Train Station to catch the Nashville Star downtown.

So much fun! the perfect way to go out downtown--especially since it was the first night of the Rolling Stones show and downtown was packed! NO traffic for us! (and some amazing people watching.) It was a great way to introduce Jay and Lizzy to Music City!

We loved dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory--it was as great as I remembered!

Thursday we headed to Murfreesboro to visit Patience, Brian, Cadence, Chase and Constance and failed to take one single picture. Everyone had a great visit and it was a great way to spend our last night in town.

After swim on Friday we made a quick stop for prizes since Jay and Lizzy did so well then came back to Birmingham.

We had a low-key weekend of rest and hanging out with Dad. Somehow Lizzy managed to work in this purchase...

Ran some errands on Monday, then spent 5 hours at the McWane Center on Tuesday and never left the Itty Bitty Magic City exhibit. The kids had the best time.

We worked in the garden then grabbed dinner out last night and are beach bound again today! We're having the most amazing summer and loving every minute!

Wests Around- Summer episode 2

I've forgotten where we left off with the last post....oh yes, we were headed to the beach again...then again...and..well, you'll see. 

We decided to all ride in "Monster Truck" since it was to be a quick weekend trip to check on some things. Jay didn't sleep at all on the ride down (which is pretty rare) and Lizzy did sneak in a car nap late in the trip (also pretty rare).

We stopped by the "Stink Store" as Lizzy calls it to get some bait. Lizzy and I took car selfies and people watched rather than going in to partake in the bait buying. 

We did a little evening fishing and Lizzy caught 3 red fish!

We spent the rest of the weekend boating and enjoying the weather. 

Home on Monday, then to the Zoo for a "quick trip" on Tuesday morning. We were the very first on the carousel for the day!

I'd planned on spending the morning at the Zoo then grabbing lunch before it got too hot. 

 Ha! We stayed until 4--riding the carousel several times, the train, catching almost all of the shows and Jay going down the big slide a dozen or so times! Lizzy even went down once, but I was too panicky to remember to take a picture. Once was enough for her!

There's a new Farmers Market right by our house on Tuesday evenings and we tried it out. As usual we left with some the most unhealthy choices they had to offer. 

Cinnamon bread, fudge, some yummy chicken salad, eggs and peaches. 

Wednesday was a big errand day, Thursday we spent the morning at church getting ready for Vacation Bible Camp. 

Before we could say "pack your bags" we were off to the beach again. Separate cars this time. 

We got to the house, quickly changed and met the Bradleys for dinner at The Wharf. 

Saturday brought tons of excitement as we all went shrimping in Mobile Bay!

This was a first for Jay, Lizzy and I and it was fun and exciting and I look forward to shrimp season 2016.

Hopefully then we'll catch more of these--

--and fewer tires and crab traps. 

The kids had fun, the moms managed the chaos, the dads worked hard. We shrimped, we played, it rained, we selfied,  some napped, we went home for dinner. 

The kids and I scooted on back to Birmingham on Sunday to finish getting things ready for Vacation Bible Camp, check on the garden and get ready for this week.

Every day we've had VBC all morning then tons of exciting appointments in the afternoon. 

Dental visits 100%

Allergist !00%

Oil Changes, more farmers marketing, lots of to-dos at home because the three of us head to Nashville for a week next week!