Hello September

Today the girls and I celebrated the beginning of September by taking a trip back to Cheekwood Gardens. Lucky for us, they have free Tuesday art classes that have just started up for the season. The girls drew on a paper with markers, then added strips of tape, and then painted over the tape. Later at home, we took the tape off to reveal their masterpieces. The girls really enjoyed working with the paint. I should have worn a smock myself because I ended up with some painted pants due to an experimenting Noelle. After art, the girls discovered scarecrows that were being put up all over the gardens. I tried to get the girls to pose with some, but it appeared that the scarecrows don't just scare the crows! Natalie bravely stood next to a gigantic monster (not really a scarecrow but it was there). The girls snacked on strawberries and watched the butterflies. It was a gorgous morning in the gardens.


Monster Scarecrow

A moment of Sisterly Love

The Final Products

Family Reunion

We had a Family reunion this last weekend. The girls were excited to see everyone. They had a blast at the Nashville Zoo playground with their cousins Claire, Lindsey, and Will. We were happy to have Aunt Caroline stay with us at the house. On Friday night went to Grandma Sharon's for dinner and had yummy pork barbecue. On Saturday we took some pictures and just let the kids play. A good time was had by all. Unfortunately, the Hawkins Clan couldn't join us this time due to a stomach virus but we look forward to seeing them soon. We were glad that Grandma Diane and Grandmpa Ted could join us as well. There is nothing like watching the kids enjoy their cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and Grandparents. I hope that this is one of many fun memories to come with all the relatives together.

Old School Playground

We visited an old church playground the other day. The girls had a blast on the vintage structures and Natalie collected acorns. Just as we got in the car, a massive thunder storm hit. It was a perfect summer morning in Nashville.

Fun Times at the Fair

This weekend I took my girls to Williamson County Fair. With me, fairs bring to mind countless memories of showing rabbits in 4H and many other happy memories built from carnivals, festivals, and agricultural fairs here and there. I would like my girls to have the same wonder and love of summer fairs. Their favorite part of course was the animals. The girls loved feeding carrot slices to goats, sheep, ponies, and one large camel. We also got to see a litter of pigs, baby chicks, and dogs doing tricks. I was happy to see that a good chunk of the fair was indoors where they had shows going on nonstop including a "Battle of the Bands," and performers of all types. Natalie enjoyed the men flying off the ramps on their bicycles. We also got to pet the greyhounds at the beloved greyhound rescue tent (we are big fans of them). Noelle spent almost the entire fair in the jogging stroller since she is recovering from a virus. It worked well because it forced her to rest all day. We enjoyed fair hot dogs (not fried ones!) and shared a gigantic lemonaid. The girls watched the rides with wide eyes. Perhaps another year we may attempt a ride but for now, we simply enjoyed watching the excitement that comes with the fair.

Recent Natalie-isms

"My straw is throwing drink into my mouth."

(On a play phone) "Hello? Oh hi Cherry! Yes I have taken a bubble bath today! Oh great!"

"Hey Noelle, I think my brain is pink and blue. What color do you think your brain is?"

(Regarding 4H) "There is also a 3H and a 2H in Nashville Tennessee."

"Momma, I realized it wasn't a good idea to argue with you.. I'm sorry."

"Momma, when I open my belly button, I see my bones inside myself!"

"Sometimes in my dreams I see hot air balloons flying up in the sky.. and then they fall down on the ground and break."

"Momma, what would you do if you didn't have any feet and I put my cape on and flew up in the sky and gave you feet? Would you then put on your cape and fly around the sky with me?"

Water Play Day at Warner Park

Today Chris and I threw some swim suits onto the girls and drove over to Warner Park's Water Play Day. The Parks and Rec people had thrown together quite an array of activities for the kids. The girls got to blow bubbles, slide on a slip n' slide, and most importantly, inner tube in Little Harpeth River. Both of the girls really embraced the tubing which consisted of a recreation intern helping each girl into the tube and then letting them float down stream and be caught by another intern. The river current was just fast enough to be fun and not scary. I was surprised that Noelle loved it since she seemed to be the youngest child tubing. To Natalie's joy, her "buddy" was at Water Play Day as well. Her buddy is a recreation intern named Will that Natalie befriended during the campfire night last month. Once she met him at the campfire night, she sat with him all evening. It was quite cute! The minute I mentioned that he was there today, Natalie was all giggles and bashfulness. My it starts young! I decided we needed to get a picture taken with Will so that Natalie can remember him. I am happy to report that Will appears to be a very wholesome and polite man. I am hoping that he is a clue as to whom Natalie will pick for future boyfriends (in many, many years from now)!

Hike at Montgomery Bell State Park

Our family decided to do a day hike at Montgomery Bell State Park. The girls were very excited about every leaf, stick, rock and bug. Dada kept Noelle on a short leash..literally, due to poison ivy. A highlight of the hike was when I spotted a tortoise in the folliage off the trail. The other highlight was Dada showing the girls how he can skip rocks in the creak. We may come back here some time and camp. It was a beautiful day.

Current Style Trends in our Household

"The Frilly Diva"


"The Pampered Principessa"

A Magical Day of Blueberry Picking

Today we went blueberry picking in Murfreesboro with our friends, Jackson, Gavin, and Zoey, their parents, grandparents, and other friends. Instead of being a hot humid summer day, it was a cloudy but still warm day; perfect for picking blueberries. I have a special place in my heart for blueberries since they remind me of my overnight summer camp days in New Hampshire where the campers romped down countless trails while picking and eating wild blueberries. The bushes we saw today were quite a bit larger than the ones I was used to seeing.




My girls were entranced and immediately took to picking blueberries. Natalie was especially good at picking the blue ones while Noelle's bucket held pink berries, white berries, and several sticks. All of Noelle's blue ones went directly into her mouth. All the kids searched high and low while the adults talked and picked berries themselves. It was a lovely afternoon. Tonight I made the girls some blueberry pancakes. If this is what living in the South is all about, I am all about it.

All American Baseball Game

Last night Chris got tickets for all of us to attend a Nashville Sounds game. They are a minor league team here in Nashville. It was fairly empty and perfect for Noelle's first baseball game and Natalie's first baseball game that she can probably remember. We got the hot dogs and sodas and had great seats with Chris' Nashville Teaching Fellows friends behind home base. The girls' favorite part by far was the team mascot "Ozzie," which appears to be a mountain lion. To both the girls he was simply known as "Big Cat." He would come out on the field and dance and then reappear later elsewhere. Noelle constantly inquired as to the whereabouts of "Big Cat" and got anxious when he stayed away for too long. Finally one inning, "Big Cat" showed up in the stands and Natalie was overjoyed to get her picture with him. Noelle appeared excited as well but as Dada carried her over and set her down at his feet, Noelle let off a piercing cry like she was in pain and clung to her Dada like a baby spider monkey clings to its' Momma. Apparently "Big Cat" is best viewed from afar; at least if you ask Noelle. We ended up staying 6 innings and probably would have stayed longer except that a spectator got hit in the head with the ball in the 6th inning and the game stopped until the paramedics could take the teenage boy away on a stretcher. It did appear though that he was awake so hopefully he was OK. All in all it was a success of an evening. I had forgotten how fun baseball can be, especially the minor league games. There aren't the crowds and the intense yelling from the spectators like there can be at the major league games. I threw in my "pitch" for the girls trying softball in a few years. Time will tell if that becomes something they enjoy some day. We could have many ball games to come!