My Old Kentucky Home

Since Wesley & Anna Kate were in Tennessee over New Year's, they never got to see Granddaddy's new place. But even more important than that, we were all dying to meet Granddaddy's newest arrival... Bella the wonder dog! We had so much fun staying up late playing with their new Auntie Bella. And then of course we headed straight to Ramsey's Monday morning.

Doesn't get any more Kentucky than sitting on a bourbon barrel on Main Street in Versailles:

 

Root beer floats at the soda fountain counter in Corner Drugstore before heading to Frankfort.

 

A new mural right across the street from where their 'ol mom worked way back before kids.

 

Old State Capitol grounds, where I used to stroll on my lunch break every day.  -BELOW- The best part of any vacation is reenacting a political assassination. There's a shiny new Skyline Chili right around the corner from Granddaddy's new place, and Michael was giddy. He totally broke keto for this. I watched. Romantic date night while Granddaddy kept the kids. 

Tuesday we ventured to Berea to hike The Pinnacle. But first, a mountain serenade in the amphitheater.^  Anna Kate jumped in front of the camera as Carigan was posing for me:

I'm so proud!! All the kids made it all the way up to the East Pinnacle! Michael, Wesley & Anna Kate moved much faster than the rest of us, but we all made it!

 

Michael fascinated the kids with his panoramic photography skills. All the kids were gathered around him checking it out:

 

Hitting Richmond on the way home for dinner with our favorite person! And later (after a quick shower to wash off the hiking glow), I met Bethany for a late night treat at Starbucks and then brought her to Dad's house so she could see the kids. I love how we never miss a beat after 20+ years living in different states!

 

Finally got some pictures with Auntie Bella, our new love. But first Anna Kate modeled Granddaddy's new kids' room decor. He bought a... colorful couch to match the artwork. It's a very original design. That sofa is going to be legendary. 

 

We love you, Auntie Bella! Can't wait to come back and see you soon! So thankful for lots of special memories with Granddaddy.

Post Camp Celebration & Tears

We drove from Chattanooga to Nashville this morning so we could worship at Antioch. They require masks (every single person, even children... Wish they would do that in Lakeland!!), so we actually got to worship together in a church building. It felt amazing!! Erin texted me this group picture when we were getting close:

 

Anna Kate was in heaven - She's AKup50 notches when she's with her Tennessee friends. She made a new friend in Mango Tango (otherwise known as Gracie Whittington) this year. And of course, we all remember Nordista Freeze.  -BELOW- Everyone handed me their phones and I got a group picture after church.  Also, Anna Kate and her crew: Ellia, Carigan, Mango Tango,  & Kylee Peek. 

The Caleb family had their kids stay home due to post-camp exhaustion and COVID concerns. They live in Erin's neighborhood, so AK begged us to drive her over there to say goodbye to Macy. Poor Macy got a copperhead bite and a black eye -among other injuries- at camp. I'm thankful my kids don't seem to be as accident-prone! We got a good look at her copperhead bite on her ankle. Baby Bear was inside, but Tate got to chat with Saffron: 

The elders cancelled the official church post-camp skate party, but quite a few families still went skating on their own. As much as our COVID concerns made us want to sit it out, we knew fighting with Anna Kate was futile. She would fight to her very death to spend an extra moment with Tennessee friends. She refused to skate, which I guess is better than Wesley, who let me pay the full amount for him before walking onto the skating rink and walking right back off declaring the skates hurt his feet. I'm proud of Carigan - she got out there and figured it out! I ended up having to pay to skate so I could go help her. 

We rented Tate a skate-walker, but he still struggled. He had a couple little rage meltdowns before giving up. Carigan and I would take a few laps and then stop to visit with the crew on the sideline. Abby, Ellia, Mason, Anna Kate, Bryant, Carigan, Tate, Wes and Matthew:

 

Anna Kate says she should have been born a Peden. 

Granddaddy called all the grandkids over for a picture. He wanted them to all wear their masks, but half of the kids couldn't find them. After taking the "smile!" pic I told them all to kiss Granddaddy... forgetting about the pandemic. He started yelling, "No!"  

Oh goodbyes are SO hard. I kept giving Anna Kate extra five minute warnings, but eventually I had to extricate her so we could make the drive up to Kentucky. So many tears! She blubbered all over Bryant's shoulder. I know she thinks her life would be so much better if she lived in Tennessee, but I know she's so lucky to have special friends tucked away in a special place. They are such a blessing to each other.

Stomping Grounds

Daddy took us to his childhood stomping grounds today. We saw a steady stream of groups rafting down the Ocoee River. This is the site of the world's first Olympic whitewater event in 1996. Michael said it was very much a point of pride back in his day. 

Daddy trying to freak me out:

Hiking in Cherokee National Forest! Tate thought it sounded like a rainforest and told Daddy to record the sound. It really sounded like a rainforest when it started thundering! We had to run back down the trail to take cover. It's our thing. 

 

So many rafts going down the Ocoee today! When the rain died down we drove to the trailhead for Goforth Creek... Michael said he used to skip school to go fishing here:

Tate was fascinated by the water striders. He was fearless in trying to catch them! The rocks at the bottom of the creek were mossy and super slippery. Daddy wouldn't get down in there, so I took off my shoes and waded in with Tate. We made a great team! I may have slipped and fallen in at one point, but that didn't diminish our victorious hunt.