A Brief TN Break

As if we didn't have enough going on, we had a pre-planned trip to TN for Sowmya's wedding.  Thought about trying to get out of it, but that just didn't seem right.  So, let's review: we closed on the house on Tuesday, spent Tuesday- Thursday at the Contemporary and then flew to TN on Friday.  We got back on Tuesday night and we move on Thursday.  Whew!  At least the closing of our Abelia house got pushed back to Monday.  We were going to have to move on Thursday and close on Friday, making for a tight turnaround.

So, off to TN we went.

Very back of the plane next to obnoxious, drunk people

Lots of front porch sitting ensued

Funny how time slows way down in TN.  A nice change of pace.

There was also lots of this.

Don't wake Daddy

Lots of squirrel feeding

Will adores his cousin Allie

More of Steve, snoozing away

Frisbee throwing

On Saturday, by happy coincidence, I was able to go to Laura's baby shower to celebrate baby Averi. Laura and Jason have tried to have a baby for so long and I remember last Christmas, her looking at our little family and saying that is what she wanted.  I was so happy to receive the call from her, right around Mother's Day that they were expecting a baby around Thanksgiving.  Laura looks great and she will make an excellent mother.  I was so happy to share this with her.

We left on Sunday morning to drive to Nashville for Sowmya's wedding.  Her actual wedding already took place and was a small, intimate thing, but she had her big reception on Sunday evening (bc it was Labor Day weekend).  

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It was nice to get away with Steve.  This officially marked our first overnight away from the kids.  

We were right in the center of all of the Nashville action.  I really didn't care about any of it, to be honest.  Not my scene.

Their wedding "cake" was cupcakes in the shape of the periodic table because, you know, chemical engineers...

I always love getting together with Candice.  We are always able to pick right back up.

The old Bearden gang.  We look pretty good, right?

I hadn't seen Sarah in a very long time.  She is now Sarah Merrell, not Blizzard.

When we got back to Knoxville, I wanted to make sure to make a trip to Mamaw's house.  She has not been doing so good lately and as morbid as it sounds, I am not sure if I will ever see her again.
The last time we went to Mamaw's it was raining and we did not get a good walk on the train tracks.

Will loved this little carousel that is on Mamaw's mantel

This kids with their great grandmother

We went to Calhoun's afterward

This is a common scene in TN.  The kids looking on as Pops plays on his iPad.

No trip to TN is complete without spotting the "Muffin Top" billboard.  Will still gets a big kick out of this.

I sat with Livi on the way back home.  She was an angel.

It was a good trip back to TN.  We were able to escape the craziness that awaits us when we return.  Not sure when we will get back.