Down on the River & Celebrating Mimi

I followed Michael's big yellow Penske truck all the way to Captain Hook & Aunt Connie's house on the river!  Captain Hook planted a giant retirement garden, and the kids had a big time helping with the green beans.

They're so shy and all... the kids were absolutely ALL over Becca, Seth, and Seth's girlfriend Brittney.  They know not about this concept of personal space. Tate on the run:

They were SO excited to see Captain Hook!!!

Snuggled up and ready for bed.  June 27, 2015

Aunt Connie made us a big breakfast and then we got to lounge on the dock and explore the fairy garden.  None of us wanted to leave.  I could have lounged on that dock all day long!  We need to skip the beach and plan our next vacation at Captain Hook & Aunt Connie's River Resort.  Aunt Connie's fairy garden is a little girl's dream!  We loved the airy bridge over the fairy river (below).  We dreaded leaving (especially since once again I had to drive the whole wild tribe while Michael drove the rental truck), but we eventually loaded up and headed back to Florida.

We got in around 9:00 p.m. and Michael and I were up until 1:00 a.m. unloading the truck and setting up all the furniture.  We were tired but it was also so exciting... home has never felt more like home.  So filled with wonderful treasures and all the memories that go with them.  But for the kids, the highlight has been having a super soft and shaggy rug.  They have just positively mourned that ugly green carpet from the old house (that we had plans to replace with hard wood once all the kids were past the crawling phase anyway).  Every single time someone asks them if they like their new house, the kids say, "No, I like the old house better because it had soft green carpet."  I wanted to put Grandmother's coffee table in front of her sofa in the front room, but Anna Kate made me promise not to put anything on the rug and to leave the space open for them.  She especially has pretty much taken up permanent residence on that rug.  She takes whatever toy she is playing with down there.  She's soooo happy to have a soft luxurious place to lounge on the ground once more.  In other random news, this is Tate's current favorite pooping spot:

The day after our drive back to Florida was Mimi's birthday!  We all slept late, took Michael to return the rental truck, and then having zero food at home, I braved Crisper's with all four kids by myself while Michael headed to work.  We had to wait out a complete downpour, so we were there awhile.  I finally had the kids wait at the back door and made a run for it and then pulled up and opened the side door and they all came running and piled in like my posse after a grand heist.

We had to go to Walmart to get groceries, but first we spent a good 45 minutes in Big Deals where they each meticulously chose presents for Mimi.  I had actually planned on footing the bill, but when I said we were going to go shopping for Mimi, Wesley and Carigan both immediately declared that they were broke. Before I had a chance to respond, Anna Kate said, "I'm not!  I have $20 and I'll share with you."  She gave Wesley and Carigan each $5, and kept the remaining $10 to purchase presents for Mimi herself.  It was so very sweet.  All the kids took the shopping very seriously.  Wesley and Carigan were oddly very intent on selecting the perfect greeting card for Mimi, even though Anna Kate kept reiterating my sentiment that Mimi would probably appreciate a handmade card better.  Wesley must have spent half an hour reading cards before asking my help to narrow it down to the perfect one.  The girls each picked out a helium balloon.  They each checked out their own purchases with the cash in hand.  After going to the grocery, we had just enough time to come home and make Mimi some muddy buddies (because there was no time to bake!) and wrap up all her gifts before it was time to meet them at Harry's for dinner.  The kids came running in loaded down with their presents and cards and balloons, just beaming.  Anna Kate especially was so very excited to bring Mimi a party.  Mimi after opening all of her carefully-selected treasures at home after dinner (below).  They sure made her feel special.

Tate was not as enthusiastic about Mimi's birthday.  Tate was not that enthusiastic about anything.  He was a Mr. Grumpus all night.  I actually had to take him out of Harry's before the food even came and I played with him in Munn Park for the remainder of the dinner.  I keep reminding myself that when he is bigger I will miss having a baby, but I look forward to the day that the words "relaxing" and "meal" can go together once more. 

And CRASH.  Carigan keeps falling asleep on the booth in the kitchen before we can even get her up to bed.  We play hard!

Vacation Maniacs

Wesley was waiting on me to get something when I paused at my keyboard trying to think of a title for this post.  I said, "Hey Wes, what title should we give this post?"  He said, "How 'bout Vacation Maniacs?"  He was very pleased with himself when I used his suggestion, but then said, "But don't blog that I said to write that."  He knows me too well.

After the historic cave tour (during which Grandma stayed back at the cabin with the babies, by the way.  Thanks Grandma!), Granddaddy treated us to another lunch at the lodge, and then we were ready to cool down on this near-record-high-temps week at Mammoth Cave.  Granddaddy had reserved a hotel room 45 minutes down the road in Bowling Green so the kids could swim.

Trying to entice Jax to get in the pool, but he wanted none of it.  Much happier counting little piggies with Granddaddy:

Mean Mom will only let them put their feet in the hot tub.

The little ones wore out, but Anna Kate & Abby swam for hours and hours (and hours).  I took the little ones up to the hotel room... Air conditioning has never felt so luxurious!  Tate kissing "the baby" that is bigger than he is.^  :-)  Granddaddy and Aunt Erin went to find food and brought back Taco Bell, which we ate in the fancy hotel courtyard at dusk as the girls continued to run back and forth from the swimming pool to their tacos.  Anna Kate & Abby perfected their synchronized swimming routine, which Erin videotaped.  I hope the videos manage to survive over the years!  Abby, AK, Carigan, Tate & I decided to stay at the hotel with Grandma that night.  They were torn because the cabin was so fun, but they were also really really tired.  Nobody had trouble sleeping that night!

This is as good as it gets when attempting to get a photo of ALL the grandkids (except for Caleb who was on a youth grip with Andrew).  We met up at Cracker Barrel and told the Sowards goodbye before heading back to Grandma's house.  Granddaddy's mini-me:

Grandma actually left Thursday morning for Myrtle Beach, but Granddaddy took off work to play with the kids so I could shop for the new house with Jerri Ann.  I gave him our Lakeland children's museum pass, remembering that when Wesley and Anna Kate were babies, the Lexington children's museum honored reciprocal admission.  That was way back before Carigan was born though, so they didn't remember it.  From what I hear they had a big time and Granddaddy emailed me photos while I shopped with Jerri Ann. 

Thursday night Granddaddy watched the kids again so I could go to dinner with BOTH of my BFF's from high school!  We haven't all been together at the same time since I moved to Florida!!  Megan has been in Colorado for a long time and Bethany was in Connecticut and then California, but is now back in Kentucky.  Megan happened to be in town for her little brother Job's wedding, and the stars aligned and we were all in Kentucky at the same time!!!!  I love these girls.  Being with them feels like being home.  No matter how long it's been, it's as if it's been no time at all.  We went to Atomic Cafe and talked for hours.  Can't tell you what these friendships mean to me.

Friday morning we went to Georgetown for a playdate with Julie's crew.  It seriously doesn't feel like that long ago that I was sitting on a bench outside of Body Wars at Epcot (those were the final days of the Wonders of Life Pavilion) waiting for Michael to finish riding with Tony and Susan because I was pregnant with Wesley.  I remember pulling out my flip phone and answering Julie's call and sitting there talking about how she was really feeling ready for a baby.  And then you blink and our kids no longer fit on one couch.

From Julie's I drove to Lexington to stop by the shops where Jerri Ann had taken me the day before to pay for the things we had picked out.  Tate mercifully fell asleep and transferred into his stroller without waking, and I got multiple compliments on how still and quiet my other three sat while I shopped.  I know that just sounds like bragging, but I record the memory because it was actually a very big deal to me!  Being the mom wrangling a baby and an increasingly large posse for the past solid decade, I always feel like a walking circus.  It was such an encouraging thought to realize that just taking the toddler out of the equation made running errands so feasible.  As much as I have loved my baby years and will  no doubt mourn not having a baby anymore, in that moment of peaceful shopping and behavior compliments from strangers, it felt like there was light at the end of the tunnel!  I was able to go to Room Service (one Jerri Ann's favorite places) and run around tagging everything I wanted to pick up the next morning with Michael and the rental truck.  Then we went to Lexington Furniture and bought the blue chairs and art for the living room.  So exciting to finally see things come together in our new house!

We went straight from shopping to meet Granddaddy and Corey at the movies to see Inside Out.  First time I've been to Hamburg in awhile and they now have full recliners and you have to reserve your specific seats when purchasing tickets.  Fanciest movie experience ever!  It was Tate's first movie and he got a little wiggly at the end, but thanks to our recliners and fancy theater, he had room to roam and lasted the whole movie.

Then Granddaddy took us to Wesley's new favorite restaurant we discovered when we were in Nashville for Spring Break.  We don't have them in Florida so he couldn't wait to hit Cookout!  Wes made sure I texted Daddy pictures so he could be jealous.  I picked Michael up from the airport late Friday night and Saturday morning we went to pick up the rental truck, and then made the rounds picking up my purchases in Lexington.  Then Michael took the truck to Jerri Ann's to pick up Grandmother's sofa she had recovered, and the rest of us headed to Richmond.  We got to enjoy a meal with Grandmother at Bob Evans, and Michael was able to join us after picking up the sofa: 

From there we headed to Grandmother's house to pick up the grandfather clock and other treasures I'm so honored to have in my home now.  While Michael and I loaded the truck, the girls had gotten into Grandmother's collection of dolls and bears.  I actually gasped when I came into the room and saw this, because when I was a kid I was NOT allowed to play with Grandmother's dolls.  It's kind of sweet that Grandmother no longer minds, but the Little Hannah in me was still panicked and I quickly instructed them to put everything away after snapping this picture.  Like she did last time, Grandmother let them both girls pick out a doll.  Carigan picked out one of the big baby dolls (she picked it because it had a pacifier and gold earring studs), but Anna Kate wanted one of the small table-top dolls on a stand because it had roller skates.  We said goodbye and headed out with me in the van following Michael in the big yellow Penske truck.  It was hard to pull away knowing treasures in the truck had not left 102 Southland Drive in 50+ years.  It's hard to let go of Grandmother & Granddaddy's house, but such a comfort to hold on to the memories and even get to bring some home to our house to spend the next 50+ years at 700 E. Walnut Street.

Being all Historical

Tuesday was slated for Mammoth Cave's Historic Tour, but first we made our own little bits of history... I love watching these kids making memories that they will look back on half a century from now with a surge of warm fuzzies in their hearts!  Donuts and chocolate milk for breakfast!  The family in the cabin next to us was up early with an elaborate setup... hammock, camp stove, eggs, bacon, sausage, the whole shebang.  Wonder if they could tell we're novices at this semi-camping business.

Chocolate milk, straight up in the bottle!  Jax is SO on vacation. 

Wesley and the girls loved getting to spend time with Bella and Jax.  And Tate was much more tolerant of sharing the baby spotlight this time.  Even though he still guarded me protectively, he did not seem to constantly view Bell and Jax as competition as he has in the past.  It's very possible he even enjoyed them a bit.  Giant grate was almost as fun as a real playground:

The beauty of staying on site is all we had to do was walk across a parking lot from our cabin to the visitor center.  Carigan was SO all about prepping for another tour of the cave.  She was very proud of whatever stamped passport card she received for free in the gift shop, and proceeded to exclaim over every exhibit.  Frequently requesting I take her picture. 

Watching a brief history of Mammoth Cave.  Michael told me way back when we were dating that his family used to own all of the land where the Mammoth Cave is located.  My mother-in-law's maiden name is Flatt, and as this article confirms, Mammoth Cave was once known at Flatt's Cave.  The National Park's own brochure states that Michael's ancestor John Flatt sold off the deed to the cave on July 9, 1812.  So we have a very cool historical connection to Mammoth Cave.  Too bad Michael was at a leadership conference in Minneapolis and not here being all historical with us!  Resident spelunking dummy above the theater in the visitor center:

We walked outside to meet up with our tour group, and Carigan was positively squealing with excitement.  I love how she gets so excited about everything.  I don't remember much about the last time I toured Mammoth Cave as a kid, but I do remember it being very cold inside the cave on a very very hot day.  We came prepared... Erin and her crew, not so much!

Sweet cousin love.  Heading down into the historical entrance of Mammoth Cave:

The first thing we saw when we entered the cave was the remnants of the saltpeter mine established inside Mammoth Cave during the War of 1812.  The cave was never viewed as a potential tourist attraction until 1838. 

This is the area where "Lost John" used to be on display.  My dad remembers seeing it when he was a kid.  Human remains found in the cave in 1935, "Lost John" was a male approximately 45 years old. His remains had been preserved by the dryness of the cave since about the fourth century B.C. when he appeared to have become lost in the maze.  Many people in our tour group remembered seeing him on display here.  He was re-buried in a secret place in the cave in the 1970s when it became illegal to display human remains at National Parks.  My favorite part of the tour was all the historic graffiti.  We saw some even older than this, but it was very hard to get pictures at all in the darkness of the cave:

Very hard to get a picture!  I had my kids all pumped for that moment that they turn out the lights... I've told them what an impression it made on me as a kid.  The darkest darkness I've ever experienced!  They still turned off all the lights at one point, but seeing as every person had a glowing phone in their hand or pocket, it was slightly less awe-inspiring. 

It was a long tour and Carigan got tired, but she was a trooper!  I really couldn't get my camera to snap anything in the darkness.  I tried but failed, even in the coolest places like the Bottomless Pit and the 155 steps up Mammoth Dome.  We finally ended up back where we started, at the old saltpeter mine.  So thankful for making our own history in this historical place!  Thanks for the memories, Granddaddy!