Friday, December 5, 2014

Southbound Oct-Nov 2014

Wednesday October 22nd, 2014
We left out at about 3am. Our goal was to make it to Madison by dinner 
and spend the night there.

Minnesota? Maybe Wisconcin? So sad I can't even remember.
(Pretty sure Minnesota.)

Thursday October 23rd, 2014
We arrived in Franklin, Tennessee that evening and spent the night in the hotel.
The next morning we would go see my friend, Jade!

Outside of a gas station in Kentucky.


Nashville evening traffic.

Friday October 24th, 2014

Thankful I was able to visit my friend, Cynthia.  <3

One of my dearest friends, Jade. I am blessed to know her.




This and the next few pics are all from Tennessee. Beautiful.





Me and Dana, my Ivory 100 Sister (it's an inside thing). 

After Dana, we stopped by and saw my dear friend Kati who I've known since I was 16. Didn't get a picture. :(

When we arrived at my mother-in-law's house, she had really gone all 
out decorating for Halloween!








First night back and I was able to see these two briefly; Sheree and Amber.

Macie just chillaxin'.

Saturday October 25th, 2014
Today we met friends at our fave park, Coal Mtn. Park! We were able to see the Otts, Davis', and Seymours.

Meredith, Bri, Kaitlyn, and Zeke.

Macie looks up to Meredith.

That evening we went to dinner with the Otts and Davis', then we all went to the fall festival at the Otts church.

Macie.



She rode this a couple times...she loved it!

Miss Rylie.

After the festival, we rode back to Sheree's. Kiddos in my car!






My kiddos with Bri, Kait, Desirae, and Rylie.

Gurlfran passed out!

Sunday October 26th, 2014

My mother in law, Lisa, saved some of Perry's childhood toys and 
my kiddos LOVED playing with them!!




Macie was ready to use the bow & arrow with the boys and Papa Dane!

Grandma helping her.







Papa Ross stopped by for a quick visit.

Macie wasn't thrilled about taking a picture.


Papa Dane, Papa Ross and I took the kids to Party City to pick out Halloween costumes.

Macie trying on her Halloween costume.

That evening, the Seymours had us over for dinner!!

Me & Crystal.





Monday October 27th, 2014
Today we were able to visit our good friends, the Isbells.


Love these guys!



These precious girlies were born just weeks apart. Farah and I met when we were about 12 weeks pregnant with these angels. TREASURE this family.




Me & Farah.

Tuesday October 28th, 2014
Finally got to see the Tallant family! April and I took our kiddos to Kinsey Farm.













Wednesday October 29th, 2014

Our old house!!


Today we went to Concord Baptist Church fall festival with the Otts and Davis'. 
We ended up meeting April and her kiddos there, as well as seeing the Isbells and some other friends from Cub Scouts! (It felt SOOOO good to be back on old stomping grounds.)








Zeke & Dax. <3


Macie & Korwyn.

No pics of it, but the hayride here was pretty awesome. It was dark out and chilly,and he took us down a road and was going so fast. 
I love hayrides on chilly fall evenings surrounded by your kiddos and dearest friends. <3

After the festival, we went back to the Otts where the kids played for awhile.





Thursday October 30th, 2014
Lisa, my mother-in-law, and I took the kids to Burt's Pumpkin Farm. 
MY ABSOLUTE FAVE PUMPKIN FARM EVER.














Everywhere - everything there is just breathtakingly gorgeous! I LOVE TREES. I LOVE MOUNTAINS. I LOVE NATURE. Thank you Lord for creating such wonderful masterpieces!

























Kids really enjoyed feeding the fish.



Because I just couldn't get enough of this beauty.

That night it was time to carve pumpkins!



Macie and Papa Dane were instructing the rest of us. ;)
"Talk to the hand."









Finished products!




Friday October 31st, 2014
Halloween!
Lisa came with us this year, so it was extra special.
We met at the Seymours for dinner. Then at the subdivision we met the Otts, Tallants, Davis' families. It was the biggest group we've had!



Our families have gone trick-or-treating together since 2009. <3


Most of the kiddos!

On our way back to Lisa's from trick-or-treating, we stopped by my friend Chantell's house to say hi and give her a scarf I knitted for her that took me almost a year. ;)

Saturday November 1st, 2014
Sheree's baby shower!





Amber, baby Paisley, and April.

Sweet Bri.

Me with my Mace-Mace.

Sheree opening gifts.

After the babyshower, I took Bri and Kaitlyn to the park with me and my kiddos. Then we met back up with Amber and Sheree for girl movie night! 
We watched The Other Woman.

Sunday November 2nd, 2014

Kids and I grabbed breakfast and then went to church with Sheree and her kiddos. Macie and Asher were even able to be in their old classes! Zeke's old small group leaders aren't doing it anymore. :( Sheree and I were able to sit with Chantell! After church, Amber and Sheree went shopping with. Because I have awesome friends who will tag along to do something so boring just so we can spend time together. <3


Yes I photographed two of my favorite stores that do not exist in the current 
state in which I reside. Don't you judge me.


Me & Lisa.

Monday November 3rd, 2014
Playin' hookie. ;)




\

We spent the majority of the day with the Seymours. After school, we
 went by and spent some time with the Isbells and said goodbye. 

Monday was "goodbye" dinner at El Rio. Lisa watched my kids.
 I was able to meet little miss Sophia.

Me & Sabrina.

Me & Hilda.

So thankful that Sabrina,Crystal, Hilda, April, Amber, and Sheree all went out of their way to be there! I seriously have the greatest friends. Sheree gave me a bunch of snacks for the kids for our trip back. And she bought Perry a bag of his favorite flour that he just cannot find up north. After dinner, I went to the store to pick up last min items for our trip and Crystal and Amber tagged along. We were lingering and treasuring every moment we had left! Before leaving the parking lot, I called my MIL to check in, kids were sleeping soundly and so I was able to spend a little extra time with Crystal. 

Tuesday November 4th, 2014
Saying goodbye.


There's a story here. Macie has always given Michael a hard time. He is always trying to get her to warm up to him. So, he told her she could put make up on him. I won't post all the pics, but it was pretty entertaining! That's a good friend to do something like that! Macie had fun instructing Meredith on how to apply the make up.

After leaving the Seymours, we had dinner with the Otts, and then swung by Sheree's briefly. I cried a lot. One of my boys got pretty choked up. It's so hard saying
 goodbye to our favorite people. 
Amber & her girls were able to stop by later that evening as I packed since our time saying goodbye was so brief. The kids ran wild outside. "Mus-terd." ;) 
They know what that means.


Wednesday November 5th, 2014
We left from my in-laws place at about 4am.

And got stuck in Nashville traffic again.

We stopped somewhere in Illinois to let the kiddos stretch their legs.





Our hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. 
The kids handled this trip so well. 1600 miles one way, folks. 
I'm so proud of them.

Thursday November 6th, 2014

This was taken on a bridge crossing from Wisconsin to Minnesota.
Including our state, we went thru 7 states on this trip. I've decided Tennessee is just gorgeous with the mountains and trees. With that being said, I love Minnesota. Specifically, Minneapolis. Granted, I didn't go inside the city but drove around. Regardless, it's clean and nice and it offers so much. Plus, ya got your cold weather and snow. It's just a win-win in my book. :)

I'm sure I'm missing a few details here and there, but that's the jest of our trip. It was uh-mazing. Ya know, that place will always have a special place in my heart. It's where I met and married my husband, it's where I delivered my children, it's where my most favorite and bestest (I know not real word) church in all the world is, and it's where our best friends live. Georgia, you will always be special to me for those reasons!