Family, Life, Travel

A Much Needed Spring Break in Tennessee – 2015

Kari
We left for Tennessee a few weeks ago to visit Mamie and Papa for a week during the girls’ spring break from school. It had been three months since we saw them at Christmas, so we could not wait to get down there.

Nice weather Spring Break

65 degrees in southern Illinois.
It was 30 degrees where we had left. So we were doing good. Yay us!

We had to drive almost six hours south to get somewhat greener grass—and somehow we were still in Illinois.

Illinois Spring Break

We really don’t get excited until we hit Kentucky. Then I zoned out for two hours…sorry, Kentucky. And then we were in Tennessee. In defense of Kentucky and Tennessee that day, it was really crappy and rainy. As an Illinoisan, there is no defense for Illinois. Six hours of corn and flat nothingness. Someone needs to put a water park down there or something.

After Nashville, it’s the longest drive ever to get to my parents’ house because you just want to be there already. It has nothing to do with appreciating the scenery and everything to do with wanting to be with family at the end of a long damn trip.

Homemade birthday cake spring break

That said, this was waiting for us. My mom made a birthday cake from scratch for Annie. Everything from the icing to the cake was homemade and amazing. Totally worth the six hours in Illinois. You are forgiven, Illinois. Except still, do something about those six hours. Water park. Disney World of the Midwest. Something. Holy cats.

Sitting on the deck Ooltewah Tennessee Spring Break

I was so relaxed once I settled into my mom and dad’s house. It takes me about a day to shake off the Illinois road dust, the soccer schedules, the first-grade homework (they are in first grade!), and my husband’s insane work hours. One night of my mom’s home cooking and I am back in a zen place.

It was also good for the soul to sit on the porch each day after my shower for a half hour with my fuzzy slippers and the dog, just soaking in the Tennessee air.

Walking downtown Chattanooga Spring Break

Lunch with Mamie at Chicken Salad Chick in downtown Chattanooga. Annie was sending pictures back home of her wearing shorts while Chicago was getting four inches of snow. It felt so good to not be there for it—for the first time ever.

Incline Railway Chattanooga Spring Break

Our friends Bernie, Rebecca, and Kelsey were in Atlanta for spring break, so they stopped in Chattanooga to spend a day with us. Of course, we took them to the Choo Choo of Death. Notice the shorts in the pictures? Just so excited to be wearing shorts in March. I did not indulge in the excitement juices; once was enough for me. My mom and I sat at the base of the mountain with the sweet security guard, planning dinner. It was a moment. I didn’t miss going up there at all.

Miss Mamie's Cupcake Shop Marietta Georgia Spring Break

We also went to Marietta, Georgia, for the day. Miss Mamie’s was a lovely little cupcake shop. Not a huge cupcake person myself, but the name alone made it worth it. The town is massive in size, but adorable in the square.

Marietta Georgia Spring Break

Atlanta traffic Spring Break
Traffic? Lots of it.
Bakery Marietta Georgia Spring Break
One more picture of Miss Mamie’s.
Because it was so charming.
On the last full day, we had plans to go to the Smoky Mountains, eat lunch at The Island, and do a little shopping. Saturday would be laundry, lunch with my parents, and then leave for Kentucky to spend the night in a hotel—the highlight for our seven-year-old who rarely gets such treats.
Then Sunday, home by noon. I slept soundly that last night, as did Ellie on the floor next to me. We were excited to get going—until my husband came in during my shower with words I won’t forget: “Your mom is sick.”

What? She was really sick. We decided to leave for home two days early. Traveling 11 hours with two potentially sick kids, plus six-hour Illinois stretches between bathrooms, was not happening. We rapidly packed, wiped tears, and said sad goodbyes from afar. The most depressing goodbye ever.

On the way home, my husband suggested a stop in Nashville since we cut the trip short. I felt like hell no, we need to get ourselves home. But we did stop for a few hours.

Cool garage Nashville Spring Break

We went into the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum but didn’t have time for the full tour. We did explore the gift shops, which were amazing. My favorite was the Hatch Show Print Store, featuring one of America’s oldest letterpress shops. We bought a Dolly Parton print that I plan to frame in my family room. Totally worth the impending doom and proof that Nashville needs a weekend trip, not a stopover.

Nashville on Spring Break

Afterward, a quick lunch and then back on the road. We got home at 10:30 at night. The next morning, I woke up sick. IMPENDING DOOM. Mothers’ intuition is real, friends.

Sick

I don’t remember much else about that weekend other than being in and out of consciousness, with a monkey (my daughter’s neck pillow) in a different part of the bed each time.

Real Housewives of NYC will make me better

Real Housewives of NYC helped me through the morning shift of my crapfest—until day three, when my youngest got sick at school. From there, it all went downhill.

skinny because stomach flu

I ended up at the thinnest I’ve been since my wedding day in 2006. Not proud. I want to be heavier. I hated this diet with every bit of my being. That night, I even ended up at the acute care center getting IV fluids.

Damn monkey.

So that was our spring break. Missing the snow, sitting on the porch, spending time with mom and dad, and getting away from it all for four days? Totally worth it.

Discover more from A Grace Full Life

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

16 thoughts on “A Much Needed Spring Break in Tennessee – 2015”

  1. I just got my first ever cast iron skillet on my last birthday. Skillet cookies and skillet pizza – yum. And, I just realized that the whole of my cooking experiences revolves around cookies and pizza. I hope the crap is all gone now – literally.

    Like

  2. You poor, poor thing. I can't imagine how painful it was for all of you to leave your mama like that. I'm sorry that you were all sick and I hope that it is VERY gone now!!

    Like

  3. I want to know all about what you cooked on that skillet!And I'm sorry about the sickies. Bah.

    Like

  7. Oh my God! I'm glad you're ok now (hopefully??). As for the skillet, let me give some unsolicited advice. I have two that I've used almost every single day for 8 years. I tried caring for them according to the "instructions", but the "instructions" were really unreasonable in my opinion. I clean mine with soap right after use, and if something is particularly difficult to clean off I'll soak the skillet for a few minutes. Those are supposedly the two biggest skillet no-nos, but mine are in great shape and have been for almost 10 years. The most important thing to do is dry them really well after washing or rinsing, and season them every once in a while as needed. They are seriously the easiest things to cook on and care for ever :). As long as you keep them dry after cooking you shouldn't have any problems.

    Like

  9. Ok that's what my mom said too so that doesn't sound so hard.Also, she said to put it on the stove on low heat for a few minutes to dry it. Feeling much better this week, thank you! ❤️

    Like

  11. Getting sick on Spring Break demands a do-over Spring Break. Even though it was almost over when the sickness fell, I feel compelled to be aghast and indignant at your situation.

    Like

  12. I'm so sorry you ended up so sick after such a great time away!! We have family in Marietta GA and will be visiting them this July for a family wedding. Looking forward to everything (except the damn traffic)

    Like

  13. So you KNOW about the traffic??It is so gorgeous there too…..Have so much fun but bring your hovercraft.

    Like

Comments are closed.