Thoughts by Trill: Long overdue Nashville trip, June 2012

Okay. So...there have been some of my TN people that somehow I've not seen in about 2 years (give or take some months). I'm not sure as to how that's happened...but it did. So this past weekend, I tried to change that. Finally.

There are two very special boys in TN, and they both had birthdays this week. So I made this a birthday trip, in their honor.

I left work at noon last Friday (the 22nd) and drove down. Hit a few places in Cool Springs (shopping!) and then checked into my hotel. I don't normally get a hotel...but I had a little extra money on this trip...and I thought it might be fun to have a big room without piles of my life scattered all around. ha ha. Not to mention a big screen TV right next to the bed (although as it turned out, the remote didn't work and the buttons on the tv wouldn't change channels...so I had to watch NBC the whole time...but whatever). Oh... and the fact that I had complete and sole control over the thermostat? Yeah. That was worth the money right there. I spent the night in a nice cold 65 degrees. Pure awesomeness.

So after I checked into the hotel, I headed toward downtown Franklin (my old stomping grounds... well, some of them, anyway). I was headed to the Alabaster house. :) But first, a stop in at Mellow Mushroom to pick up a pizza! Mmmmmmmmm.....Mellow Mushroom! I had not eaten a Mellow Mushroom pizza in almost 3 years. There is something wrong with that. It felt great to be back on the Franklin Square, too. After the jog down Memory Lane and with a pizza in my hand, I headed back to the car and headed West.

I arrived at the house and was greeted by a hestitant Cole and even more hesitant Emery. Bryce, their dad, is a former boss of mine, and I love that he and Erin have remained friends. :) They are the kind (as are all of my friends, really) of friends that no matter how long you go in-between visits....you can just pick right up where you left off. I remember when Cole was born...I remember Bryce bringing pictures into the office shortly after, and all of us (girls) "oohhing" and "ahhing" over them. :) Cole sure was a cute little bugger...and he still is! He's just bigger now. ha ha. I began babysitting Cole when he was about 9 months old, I think. He also served as one of my early photography subjects for the "people" categories in the Fairs. :) This week, Cole turned FIVE years old! I can't get over that. It just seems crazy to think that he will be starting Kindergarten this Fall.

Baby Cole kisses!

Cole, Summer 2008

Cole, Spring 2009

Two summers ago, Bryce and Erin had another baby.... Emery. Now...she's quite the cutie, too. I just don't really know her...and she doesn't know me, since I moved back to IL before she was born. If I had stayed in TN, I imagine that I would have been her babysitter, too. :) She's a fun kid, though, even if I haven't had much time to hang out with her.

The last time I was at Cole and Emery's house, they looked like this... (2 years ago)

2010 - Cole and Emery

While eating pizza, Cole began to ponder... Here is the dialogue...

Cole - Did you used to babysit me?

Amanda - Yes.

Cole - Did you know me when I was 3?

Amanda - Yes.

Cole - Did you know me when I was 2?

Amanda - Yes.

Cole - Did you know me when I was 1?

Amanda - Yes.

Cole - (while slapping his hand on his legs) Did you know me when I was 0?!

Amanda - Yes.

Cole - (giggles)

After dinner, we went outside and Cole opened his birthday presents from me...then the kids posed for pictures for me. It went something like this...

Emery

Cole

After some great visiting, I eventually left for the night. On Saturday morning, after checking out of the hotel, I did some more shopping. Surprise, I know. Then headed over to Lavergne, to hang out with my OTHER special birthday kid, David. David turned NINE this week. He was my first pretend-nephew, and is the one who first called me "Aunt Manda." His mom, Heather, and I were roommates in college, and did a LOT of traveling together in the "old days." :) I stole her away when I got to their house, and we went to lunch and did a little shopping (apparently, shopping is my favorite pastime). Then we had pizza for dinner (after I ran back to town to fill up the Jeep with gas for $3.02/gallon! Woo hoo!!!!!!! Eventually we all passed out after watching a movie, and called it a night.

Here's a collage of pics through the years...the most recent one being from 2 summers ago when they stopped here in IL on their way home from a vacation. That was the last time I saw them, until this past weekend.

And then here is this past weekend. Quite a difference!!

With David and Heather

Laughing! :)

The next day (Sunday) I got up and met some friends for lunch before heading home. I had seen Vanessa back at the end of November, when Ava was maybe a month or less old (at the moment, I can't remember). Now she's much older than that!... Here's a then and now.

Baby Ava

Lunch also included Jennifer! Yay!! I hadn't seen her in FOREVER, so I am exceptionally happy that she was able to join us. :) It was a great way to round out the weekend.