Family coming

Monday

Today we worked at getting things cleaned up and ready for our NY family coming for the holidays.  Then all of our Alabama grand kids came over for a couple hours also.  Bonnie had bought a flat iron steak and wanted me to cook it.  I seasoned it last night and then today smoked it on the grill for a couple hours and then reverse seared it.  It was really good.  This was the first time I had smoked steak and I think we will be doing it again.

Then it was off to bed early as we have a long day tomorrow.

Tuesday

The alarm went off at 6:30am or 0 Dark-Thirty as I call it.  We got ready and were on the road to the Nashville Airport.  Of course two of our GDs had gotten up at 3am our time and our daughter took them to the Buffalo Airport.  They connected through Chicago Midway and arrived in Nashville at 10am all safe and sound except for one suitcase.  Hopefully it shows up tomorrow.  We headed downtown bought our trolley tickets and parked in a $20 a day garage.  I took a picture in case I forgot.

Then it was off to Acme Feed and Seed as the GDs were hungery.  It turned out to be a good choice and the food was really good and we were all full.

Then we boarded the Trolley and began the tour with Joel.  I need to work on my selfies.

We Rode with Joel until we got to Centennial Park and the replica of the Parthenon.  The girls wanted to get off and look at it so we did.  It cost another $6 to go inside so they skipped that.

We caught the next trolley and Mark was the driver.  First a little excitement.  An older man fell in the grass just off to the side of the Trolley.  Mark got off the trolley and helped the man.  His companion had gone to get the car and he soon pulled up and Mark helped the man into the car.  A very nice deed.  Then Mark turned out not only to be from Buffalo (Lockport actually) but he was a much better tour guide.  He just drove a little faster.  So here are the pictures.

First we passed by Vanderbilt University.

Then on to Music row, I wish I could remember the artists the recorded at all of these.

RCA Studio B Elvis recorded here.

Reba owned this one

An old church now a studio with great acoustics.

Home of the CMA

A beautiful High School

Broadway home to lots of Honky Tonks

Just before the last stop was Nissan Field home of the Tennessee Titans

We were all pretty tired and headed home about an hour and forty-five minutes with one rest room break.  Back home the girls settled into their rooms and then Bonnie took Alexus to subway and Kaylee fixed some of the steak left overs.  They ran out of gas pretty quick and went up to bed.  We are watching the voice and anxious to see who wins so we can go to bed.

Wednesday

I was awake and up at 8 most everyone else slept in, some more than others.  Bonnie asked the girls if they wanted to put up the Christmas Tree and they did.  Here is the start.

The tree is standing

A work in progress

Finished I think

Bonnie and the girls went grocery shopping.  When they got home the local GDs and Millie came for a visit and everyone got reacquainted.  Millie sure is full of energy.

We had Jambalaya supper and then headed to church for the Children's Christmas Program.  Harrison picked up Alexus and she went to his church.  Our kids did a really good job, we all enjoyed it.

This little one kept us entertained between songs.

Then back home to relax and have some caramel corn.

Thursday

Well it was raining when we woke up this morning and we all slept in a bit.  When I got up it was already 9:30 and still pretty dark out.  Kaylee was already up and had eaten.

The girls did not want to do anything today and thats pretty much what we did.  We did call the airlines and found out that Kaylee's suitcase was now in the hands of FedEx.  Checking the app it said it would be delivered by 12pm, here it is 10:30pm and it's still not here.  Maybe tomorrow.

The rain stopped long enough for me to grill hamburgers but I had to change the battery in one of my cameras in the rain.  This evening we played a couple games of UNO and watched Christmas Chronicles on Netflix.

Tomorrow the rest of the family starts there trip down here.

Friday

Still some rain overnight but it was dry this morning.  Still cloudy and a bit windy for most of the day.  Alexus and Bonnie went shopping for a few hours.  Kaylee and I waited for her suitcase that had never shown up yesterday.

Bonnie did some baking when she got home and I grilled pork chops on the grill for supper, Bonnie did a couple sweet potatoes in the instant pot and with a little brown sugar added they were delicious.

I finally called FEDEX around 6:30 and hung up at 6:36 after being assured that the suitcase would be delivered today.  The doorbell rang at 6:41 the wayward suitcase was finally home.

We played some backgammon and watch TV after supper.

The rest of the NY family had left around 1pm our time and they made it to their overnight stop at 7:15 tonight.  Tomorrow they should be here by mid afternoon.

It has cooled off a lot and with the wind chill it feels like 32 outside.  But it should warm up again after tomorrow.

Saturday

NY group was on the road by 6:44am this morning though not necessarily all awake.

Entering Kentucky should be here by 2:30PM

We had a nice visit from the neighbors this morning also, they dropped off a Christmas card for us.  The NY group is in Nashville at the turn for Huntsville.

While we were watching a Harry Potter movie we paused for a bit and Bonnie and Kaylee took a Pear cake down the street to the neighbors that have brought us cookies a couple times last year.  A little while later another knock at the door.  They dropped off this.

And it was full of.

Back to the movie.  Well before the movie ended the group pulled in around 2:30pm and Reagan and Robby pulled in to visit also.  First the car got unloaded.

Then the girls got settled in and visited.  Bonnie and Alyssa made home made chicken fried steak and  mashed potatoes with green beans.  It was very good but a lot of work.  Afterwards everyone chipped in and helped clean up.  The girls all went up to their rooms soon after supper.  Dana sat down and fell asleep and now everyone but Bonnie and I are in their rooms, its nice a quiet.  I think I am turning in early tonight also, the TV has not been on since the news ended.

Well thats a wrap for this week.

Thanks For Checking In!

"Some people try to turn back their odometers, not me, I want people 
to know why I look this way, and some of the roads weren't paved"