short and sweet

My mom and I took the boys to visit my grandparents in Tennessee. It was a short but sweet 3 day trip. I'm so glad we went! Our first stop was at my Nana's house. She cooked a wonderful homemade meal. She asked if we had any request for dinner. At first I said no and then called back to put in 2 request. It was such a treat to arrive with all of our request made and oh it was a delicious! We ate and ate and ate.Why is it that food tastes so much better when someone else cooks for you?

Behind my Nana's house is a farm. They have lots of cows. Andy enjoyed going on a walk with mom and Nana. He came back ready to tell me all about the cows. Nathanael and I stayed and rocked on the front porch swing and talked to Mr.Gene. 

The boys and I spent the night at my Grandmother's house. It was our first time to visit her since my grandfather passed away. We had a few teary conversations when talking about fond memories and things she missed about granddaddy.  Other than that, we laughed and laughed. My grandmother is a hoot. The things that come out of her 84 year old mouth are hilarious! We stayed up to 11:30 each night talking and laughing.

My grandmother grew up in the country on a farm. She remembers having no electricity, no running water, no outhouse-just a shed to use the restroom in, no cars, walking to school, riding into town on horses, etc... I love hearing her stories! The first house she remember living in had 3 rooms: a kitchen, one bedroom for everyone, and a big hall they used for storage. She said that it looked similar to a barn. When it was really hot they would make a pallet on the front porch and sleep outside. When it was really cold they would layer quilts that they had sewn to keep warm and sleep next to the fireplace in the bedroom.  As I was asking more question we went to her back bedroom and pulled out some old quilts my great great grandmother, great grandmother, and she had made. Some of them were lined with old fed bags that they saved for the animals food. Others were made out of scrap fabric, or fabric they had saved up to buy. TREASURES they are to me! I'm sentimental and love the knowing the stories about the quilts and the time it took sew each square by hand! Three of the quilts are not finished. The tops are completed but they have not been stuffed and turned into a quilt. A friend of mine quilts and I'm hoping to finish them for my grandmother.

No trip is compete without eating at Cracker Barrel. Yummy! My mom took Andy to the bathroom and returned with this play camera. It has been the best $2.50 ever spent. Andy has been entertained for days with this little play camera! He took over 5, 000 pictures in the car.

The boys enjoyed going to Woodlands Park. It's neat taking the boys to play at the same park I played at as a little girl. I wish we lived closer to my grandparents and could visit with them weekly. I am so grateful for all the people who help take care of them in Tennessee.