The Rest of January

Shortly after Thing 1's departure Thing 2's friend from Minnesota came to visit us and not too long after her one of my dearest friends and her sweet son arrived for a long weekend here in Nashy.  Its been a full 2016 and we are not showing any signs of slowing down just yet.  We all love when the house is full.  In between all of the visitors there were orthodontist appointments, chiropractor appointments, football matches for Thing 4, home-schooling science projects and papers, Thing 1 hiked the Grand Canyon and was in LA for a week, there was a work promotion for Thing 2 and then there wasn't, work for me came to an end, (at least outside our home), a trip to Minnesota for Things 2 and 3, a church retreat in which Thing 2 spoke on finding joy in all circumstances, a wicked snow storm for Nashy, some dinner guests and a new book club started.   Life has been chugging along.  We're trying our best to be present and appreciate the unexpected daily.  So here are photos from our fuller than full month.  And in case you're wondering, the weather is great, or if it's not just wait a day and it will be, we have an extra room and we serve three scratch made meals a day.  We'd love to have you join us, anytime.  Really.  Here's our month in photographs.

Thing 2 and Lauren at the tattoo parlor.  No tattoos were inked on this trip but a nose was pierced.  Hint, it wasn't Thing 2's or mine.  

Backyard campfire, complete with s'more roasting and pine cone burning.  

Thing 4's smile after braces.  Still as handsome as ever. 

The arrival of Minette and Kaleb.  Which in this case meant that the boys woke early and began mine-crafting.  

During their weekend visit we toured the Carnton Plantation and the Carter House.  I have done the tours numerous times before and each visit I walk away with a new nugget of history or a story revealed and a greater appreciation for this place I live and the part it played in our American history.  

The boys and Husband Jared went to the Adventure Science Center where they pretended to be astronauts for the afternoon.

My lovely friend on Winstead Hill, reading more on The Battle of Franklin.

Us girls made a spontaneous trip to the infamous Bluebird Cafe; An iconic and unassuming music venue in Nashy for 40 years.  What an experience.  So thankful to have shared it with her.  

Besides exploring historic sites we managed to put together a 1000 piece puzzle in our time together. An impressive feat if I do say so myself.  I have no photos of the day they left.   Mostly because I do not like goodbyes and my eyes were puffy on my way home from the tears.  I am grateful for the weekend with her, it was full of all the good stuff that come from the kind of friendship that feels like home.  

And the following weekend we were in the snow.  Thanks to the scary road situation Husband Jared found himself gifted a four day weekend.  We made sure to enjoy it by playing in the snow and sledding.  Maybe we caught some snowflakes on our tongues and we might have even kissed while the snowflakes landed all around.  

This one, she prefers to eat the snow.  She knows to stay away from the yellow stuff.  

Never too big for sledding!  

He tried his best at snowboard sledding.  This kid misses the "slopes" of MN!

Had to document the perfect pour of Guiness we enjoyed on one of the snowy afternoons in downtown Franklin.  

We had some visitors for breakfast and a footie match that required hot cocoa and craft time with Auntie Leanna.

An afternoon of being the only child meant he chose the lunch spot.  Pizza and wings and watching the Broncos make their way to the Super Bowl!  

Love this photo that Thing 1 sent me from her time in the Canyon. What an experience that was for her.  Stories beyond stories.  And so much beauty captured from behind her lens.

No big deal, just Polo wearing a sweatshirt.  Hey, he was cold and he was part of our January too.  

And not long after the snow we were in short sleeves and bike riding to Main Street.  See what I mean?  The weather is fickle here.  No matter to us, I'll take short sleeves and sunshine in January!  That about catches me up.  At least for now.