Spring Break Day 8: Pictures, Papaw's Flowers, and the Porch

After Uncle Eddie (see Eddie Damron Photography link on the right side of our blog) took some AWESOME professional pictures of the family, we all ended up at Papaw and Mamaw's house.  Papaw is ALWAYS growing something and has the greenest thumb around! This week we were lucky enough to see his tulips bloom. I was facinated by the flowers because it is still COLD where we live. Everything in NY is still gray and bare. 

We came full circle: last Saturday (our first full day) we played on the porch and this Saturday (our last full day) guess where we ended up?....yep, the front porch. The reason this is our favorite part of the house is because it is fully covered, so it could be raining and we can still be "outside." It is also HUGE and so nice because there are gates on both ends which is perfect for letting Luke lose without having to worry about him getting too far and keeps him confined, but still with PLENTY of room to run!

Sitting on the porch with two of the most precious toddlers :)

Rough housing with Jared!

Dear Mamaw and Papaw, Thank You SO much for letting us stay with you this week! Thanks for all of your yummy cooking, Mamaw (I wish I had some left over Turkey and dressing this very minute and Daddy's wishes he had some deviled eggs)  Thank you also for my school BUS, I have played with it EVERY day this week! I loved spending the week with you and I can't wait to live closer, so that I can see you more often. Love, Luke

Spring Break Day 7: Great Great Aunt Bertha and My first Krystal

I woke up with a fever this morning and Mom didn't think we would be able to make the trip to Maysville, AL (about an hour and a half car ride). After I got some medicine and my fever broke, I ate 2 bananas and felt much better! Aunt Bertha is Papaw Payne's father's sister and she is 95 years old! She has recently been sick, but she is back home now and was even well enough to cook us all a full home cooked meal. The food was simply DELICIOUS. It was country cooking at it finest: pork roast, turnip greens, turnips, corn, sliced tomatoes, mac and cheese, and the BEST corn bread in the world. For dessert: fig cake. Mom said it was the best cake she'd ever eaten. Too bad, I wasn't feeling good enough to eat. This was right before, another dose of medicine---check out how rosy my cheeks are.  

On the way home, after my fever had broken again, I was asking to "EAT!" So, we stopped at one of my Dad's favorite fast food places and I ate my very first Krystal burger and I thought it was great!

Spring Break Day 6: Chuck E Cheese and Ticket to Ride

We met our good friends, Nicki, Greg, Haylee and Ashlee at the Chuck E Cheese in Hixon for dinner on Thursday night. It was so great to see them, they are ALL so sweet and fun to be around.

This was by far Luke's favorite ride, even though he has never seen a Barney TV show.

Jeremy's determination paid off! He practically played the basketball game the entire time we were there b/c if you got 50 baskets, you won 200 tickets and guess what? He won!

I hit the jack pot of my own..... not once or twice but 6 or 7 times!! I only got 25 tickets each time I hit the jack pot,  but hey, it added up. Our grand total was over 500 tickets. Jeremy says we are saving up for something BIG, lol. This was Papaw and Luke cheering me on. He loves to say "WHOOO HOOO!"

Almost every other day, our nights ended exactly like this: playing the game Ticket to Ride. It is basically a train building game across the United States. You draw certain cards that you are supposed to build tracks for. For example, the line you might be trying to "build" may go from San Francisco to New York. I had never heard of this game until Aunt Christy told us about it. This was definitely a game we played AFTER Lukie went to bed. We LOVE games.

Spring Break Day 5: Dunlap

On Wednesday, we went to the Dunlap nursing home service with Mamaw and Papaw. This was where their nursing home ministry started almost 30 years ago. They used to take Dad to this nursing home when he was my age and there are still people working there that remember him as a baby. 

I was really moved by the spirit today and once they gave me a song book and I decided to jump right in. Even though I didn't know any of the words, I sang my little heart out. Mom and Dad loved it and so did all of the residents. Mom was just sick that we didn't have our flip video camera with us. On the chorus of Love lifted me, I would shout out  "ME!" It was too cute!

Mamaw has a shot of Daddy in this same exact spot in front of the house where they lived when Daddy was my age. 

After the service, we stopped by Luke and Carolyn's house for lunch. I couldn't come to TN without seeing my namesake, Luke Rutherford!

Spring Break Day 4: Coolidge Park

We had a picnic at Coolidge Park with Damron's on Tuesday afternoon. It was the perfect spring day, warm with a  slight breeze to make it just right. See how nicely Emily is sitting down getting her food and I am confined to my stroller at the moment? Otherwise, I would be running halfway to the river by now.

Photo op with my cousin, Madison. Mom and Dad think she is growing up WAY too fast!!!

I wanted to do everything my cousin, Jared, did. Monkey see, Monkey do!

 I loved the carousel. Mom thought this action shot was extra cool.

Do I look like a future baseball player or what?

Mom just had to get close up shot of my shoes and socks. Any guess as to why???

Spring break Day 3: Life Care Service and Old Friends

Today we spent most of the day in Cleveland, TN (mom and dad's old stomping grounds before they moved to NY.) Mamaw and Papaw now do a service at the same nursing home where Mom and Dad met for the first time.  They were both working in the rehab department and met just a few months after Mom moved to the big Cleve and the rest is history. We met Allan, Traci, and Holli at Jenkins Deli for lunch and it was SO good, as always. Mom and Dad always get their chicken salad sandwich on toast...yummmmmm! (Mom was really sad because she forgot to take a picture during lunch of everyone. oh well.)

I loved watching Mamaw play the piano, but once Papaw started preaching I was out the door. Just kidding, Papaw! I loved the whole service! After we went around and I got to meet some of the residents and co-workers that Mom and Dad worked with we headed over to Life Care's competition, where some of Mom and Dad's favorite old co-worker's have migrated to. It was a long day and I was happy to get in my pack and play and call it a night!

Spring Break Day 2: Church, Cracker Barrel and Church again

After going to Sunday morning services at Lupton Drive, we headed to Cracker Barrel for some yummy lunch. Yes, that is me sitting in a Big Orange rocking chair, but don't worry....I still have Bama blood running through my veins! :)

What a group! I ate my weight in carrots at lunch today!

We went to Pine Ridge for their Sunday night services and Mom and I had nice surprise... The Payne family singers were reunited for a one night only appearance! It was just like old times when they traveled for all those years. They even convinced Jeremy to get up and sing and play the guitar! Luke sat in my lap and was mesmerized the whole time. He didn't move a muscle while they were on stage. 

Luke loves watching his Daddy play the guitar. Before the service, Luke got to meet Bill, Papaw's associate who helps him run the nursing home ministry. From the minute we told him his name that was all Luke wanted to say. He pronounced it "Be-uhl" and it was too funny. We went to get mexican food after church and he said "Be-uhl" the whole time. I know what they mean now about the language explosion because it seems like he learns at least 3-4 new words each day. Praise the Lord, I thought this kid would never learn how to talk.

Spring Break Day 1: Cousins, Granny Plank and Jared's party

The only way I can logically get all of the pictures in is to take it day by day and recap the highlights of each day! We had a great time and it was jam packed as always, but we wouldn't have it any other way :)

This is Mommy's favorite place to be swinging on the front porch. Here are my 3 cousins: Maddy, Jared and Emily. I love these guys and they kept me on my toes and royally entertained the whole time!

Four Generations: Daddy, Me, Granny Plank, and Mamaw. Great Aunt Nancy brought Granny Plank down the mountain, so she could visit with us and have lunch. 

Emily and I are only 3 months apart and we had great fun playing together this time. I even learned how to say her name before I got here. I pronounce it Em-ah-ie. My mom and dad love to hear me say it. Em-ah-ie also taught me some new tricks this week...including the word NO. Mom doesn't know what to think about this new found word and hopes the N-O! phase will pass quickly. Yikes!

Awww......Aren't we cute!!!

Jared's birthday was a few weeks ago, but he wanted to wait and celebrate when Uncle Jeremy was visiting, so we had his party on our first Sat. night. Jared loves star wars if you couldn't already tell. Happy Birthday, Jared!

Leaving on a Jet Plane!

We are headed to GA for 10 days during Jeremy's spring break to visit Jeremy's side of the family. We haven't seen this since last September..... WAY TOO LONG! So000,  this will be the last post for a while. Blog ya later!

A taste of spring!

When Mom got off work yesterday, it was almost 65 degrees outside, so we headed straight for the park! It was so nice to get outside on this beautiful day!

Mom made Dad pose for a "non-posed" looking shot.

Our friends, Titi and Katie, came with us. Too bad Katie couldn't slide down  the slide with me.

No trip to the park would be complete without swinging on the swings. Tomorrow it is supposed to be 50 and rainy. I can't wait til spring gets here for real!

Syrup Head!

Yesterday morning after I finished my waffles, I proceeded to put the syrup-y plate on my head. Needless to say, Dad promptly gave me a bath. (These pics were taken with our old camera, since Mom had our new one at work. You can totally see the difference in quality.)

Happy St. Paddy's Day!!!

After Daddy got off for work and we had a bite of lunch, it was time to celebrate St. Patrick's Day! We went to White Plains in search of an authentic Irish Pub and happened upon Dunnes Pub. Mom and Dad said it was like being in Ireland again. As soon as we got in the door, I started yelling "eat, eat" because I had refused to eat leftovers from last night at the house. They had my favorite- chicken fingers, fries, and ketchup. It couldn't get any better than this.....or could it???...

I love to to cheers and clink glasses when I drink my water. I learned how to do this when we were in the city with Mimi and Doc last summer.

I totally tried to steal a drink of Daddy's Guinness, but he was too quick for me. He said I have to wait a few years!

I did manage to get my fingers in the foam and honestly, I don't know how people drink this stuff. I guess it really IS an acquired taste.

The best part of the day was when the beer PR girls got there. They were handing out shamrock beads and rings and little shakers. I thought they were SO cute and I had them eating out of my hand in no time. What a great St. Paddy's Day! I hope your day was as good as mine :)

Dinner with Friends!

Tonight, I got to hang out with my buddy, Connor. He lives in West Hartford, CT now, but his parents came down this weekend for a visit. Doesn't he have the most awesome curly red hair?

We all met at Kim and Justin's town house in Havestraw, NY. It was SO nice and four stories, so keeping us two toddlers from running up and down the stairs all night was a bit of a challenge. Thankfully, Mark and Michelle brought a gate with them. Dinner was delicious and my favorite thing was the cucumbers. I couldn't get enough of them. 

Mark and Michelle were Mommy and Daddy's neighbors before us boys got on the scene, but thankfully Mom and Dad have kept up with them... Another one of the many things we will miss when we move :(