A Trip Home

Well, well, well.  Turns out we didn't flee the country.  I can't imagine that anyone missed us for the two weeks I skipped out on the blog.  On the off chance that you did (totally kidding), Instagram might be the solution.  It's all I do.  Or so says my husband!  I've found that it's much quicker and easier than blogging and it makes me happy.
It's a win/win!

We made it through recital after recital as well as the last week of school.  I'm still recovering from a zillion sob fests, and my camera is still recovering from being overworked.  After that, we treated ourselves to a weekend on the river with my family.  Perfect timing.  We needed a little break!  My parents just got a new boat that was calling my name.  We left at 4 a.m. Saturday to avoid Memorial Day traffic.  Who wants to waste a whole day by being on the road?  Not us! We pulled into Andalusia at 9 on the dot, just as I told my mother we would. I love going home.  I think more than anything, I just adore childhood.  I had a great one there with more memories than I can count.  It's important to me that my children experience it, too.  That's why I couldn't wait to spend a little time at Granny's house.  I've been wanting this picture for a long time now, and I am beyond excited that I finally got it...

I can't tell you how many hours I spent on the swing that used to be there (that's now at our house), riding a bicycle up and down that sidewalk, and dragging my baby dolls out that front door to set up a "house" on the porch.  Goodness, the memories.  So naturally, I wanted a picture with my babies on that same front porch with my grandmother.  If only my Pop were in it, it would be perfection.  They would have absolutely adored him.  And I have a feeling that he would have been wrapped around those little fingers like crazy!  They played in the pantry where there are lots of little trinkets and treasures to be found, set up an office in the living room just like I used to do, and had the best time exploring every nook and cranny.  

Towns sat down to the piano I learned to play on and showed Granny what she could play...

My grandmother plays by ear, and I think Towns might follow in her footsteps.

It was just what I'd imagined it would be.  I can't tell you how I'd been waiting for them to be old enough to enjoy that. We left with some priceless things that all have a story.  Like my grandmother's measuring cups and a picture of her three girls that I snagged (I'll catch it from my mother and my aunts for sure)...

I got eight of these perfect little dishes that are begging for a scoop of ice cream...
This might be my favorite, though...

It's the lamp from my grandmother's desk that she used for the 20+ years she was a bookkeeper.  With some paint and a little TLC it will be perfect for a certain blonde school girl to do homework under.

We convinced Granny to go the river with us later that morning.  She was reluctant, but she was captive in my front seat so she didn't have much of a choice!  We spent hours upon hours on this bad boy...

Inner tubes have come a long way since my days of growing up on the river.  Big Bubba was like a loveseat on water!  It was a blast, that's for sure...

Towns couldn't wait to ride with Anna Grace and her friend...

And Max wasn't going to rest until he got me on it with him.  He told me that he was a "devil" (dare devil) and to be prepared to get thrown out.  He wasn't joking.  I spent most of the time doing this...

He told me I was pathetic and that I screamed like a girl!

I was relieved when our friend Morgen decided she'd have a turn...

Her hat lasted .5 seconds before it blew off thanks to Steve's tricks.
He was a pro at slinging us all over that river.  I think he sort of likes his new toy!

Cate enjoyed being in the captain's chair more than anything.  That was more her speed...

She spent a good amount of time in YaYa's lap, too.  My mother nearly broke her back tubing the day before we got there, so she had a free pass to strictly be a spectator!
My loves and me on the boat...

I learned something about them over the two days that we were there.  They absolutely love swimming in that muddy, nasty water more than anything we did all weekend long...

They'd beg Pappy to stop the boat just to let them swim...

And when we'd give the boat a break, they'd spend their time on the pier... 

 

Or jumping off of it, rather...

I'm already hatching a plan to go back soon.  Two days was hardly enough!