Visit From My Mommy!

I picked her up at the Nashville airport, we had dinner on the way back, and as soon as she got in the house and had unzipped her suitcase, Dutch made himself at home :)

We did lots of fun things, including a shopping day in Nashville, looking at furniture, and picking out paint colors (the fruit of which you're witnessing daily!).

Over the weekend we made the 4.5 hour trip down to see Mimi in Alabama! We went in to town to get Mimi something at the drug store, and I had to show you all the old fashioned snack bar inside the drug store.

The Pig! Whence all good things come.

Except these things: this is various pickled things, including eggs, which just makes me want to totally vomit right now.... you don't see those in every grocery store!

Mmm Beverly's BBQ, SO delicious. It is a must every time we got to Mimi's. Also, I love it because Mimi says "Bahbeecue" and it is cute.

Note that: UNSweet Tea. I just love that the lingo is Unsweet, not non-sweet, no sugar, or...regular.

America! ____ yeah!

The town hall- I was too lazy to get out of the car,
so please forgive me for the poorly framed picture.

My Uncle Doug! Sitting in what was historically "Papa's chair"- my grandfather's. Word has it Mimi is getting herself a new chair, a more comfortable one.

My Aunt Jeanie and Mimi.

Aw! Jeanie, Doug, Ma, Mimi.

Yay! Me, Mimi, Jeanie, Doug!

Here are a few pictures around Mimi's house. This please is such a wonderful world, so full of all good memories and happy feelings.

This is the house- I LOVE the black shudders, and also I'll say that the left part (Left of the door) was added on later in my mom's life, but for the most part, this is where my Ma grew up.

Mimi's Buick, and my cousin Will's little mustang. He is probably flying RIGHT NOW to be stationed in Okinawa for 18 months with the Air Force.

This used to be the most fab swing set. I have great memories of swinging on this with cousines, siblings, aunts... sigh. It has gone the way of all things.

Behind where I am standing to take this picture there is the best fig tree ever,
and also where the corn and blueberries used to grow.

The porch. Ma watering.

The kitchen. THis was here back in the day, and the little table to the right is where my mom and her three sibs sat and ate and tortured eachother. Again, lots of great memories for me too.

The "blue" room.

Mimi and Papa's room.

The little back room. I took a few turns sleeping here over the years.
At times there were two dozen people sleeping in this house.

This room was usually where all the grandkids slept on blankets. The bed and couch priority went to the oldest kids, and since I'm the youngest grandkiddy, I rarely got a couch :) Until everyone was married, and then, well, I did!

This is the "green" room. I guess we identify the rooms by their accent colors.
This one, oddly enough, is green!

My Uncle Joe, and Mimi.

Aunt Cindy.

Uncle Joe and Aunt Cindy at dinner (for Matthew and my 1st Anniversary)

Me and Ma!

Me, Ma, and Mimi!

Ok, now, prepare yourselves to be grossed out.

This is cracklin bread. Cracklin bread is cornbread with cracklins in it. Cracklins are fried pig skin. Yeah. Yeah.

A childhood treat/comfort was cracklin bread and buttermilk.

Buttermilk with Cracklin bread IN it.

She LOVES it. She only eats it in Alabama.
I did try it, after all these years of wondering, and it was even grosser than I had imagined!

My mom wanted a few pictures of her and her mommy's hands.

And so, we had a great time in Alabama.

When we got back, Dutch was all too happy to be played with and loved on. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to Leslie and Heather for checking in on the little beastus!

(in this one, he is dead asleep!)

Ok, so, there you have it! I know, I know, not a lot of detail, but just be glad that I have posted about it! It's so easy to fall behind! It was SO wonderful to have my mom here, and it was HORRIBLE to say goodbye. I am really glad that she came, and the timing could not have been more perfect. I am so glad it was a few weeks after Matthew left so I already had a routine to get into after she left- I think had I not, the goodbye would have been EVEN worse.

I love you Mom, thank you for making the trip out here!