Ashley's Adventures: "If you want to see the sunshine you have to weather the storm."

This weekend was such a welcome after everything that’s been going on. Adam came up on Wednesday evening because he had an interview here Thursday and Friday (yah!) so we got to see each other for a few extra days in addition to the weekend. We had lots to do to get ready for the weekend because we were having company!!! Adam’s sister Jess and her 2 girls and his brother Jon and fiancé were flying to FL and decided to have a stop over with us Friday night. I put Adam to work putting together a couple bar stools before they got here which look great in the kitchen! We hit up the grocery store Thursday evening and got a ton of food because Adam thought everyone was staying until Sunday but we quickly found out that wasn’t the case (after we had stocked the pantry). Oh well, more food for us!

We picked everyone up at the airport around 7pm and came back to the house. I had decided to start dinner before we left for the airport and it was ready by the time we got back. Timing worked out perfect because they ended up getting in about an hour later than we thought they would and were hungry when they arrived. I had made a big pot of my Grandma Panashy’s Macaroni and Tomato soup and it seemed to be a hit. Well, for everyone but his nieces and I think it was too spicy for them so they had tacos. We could barely keep his nieces at the table because they LOVED playing with Mason and snuggling with Henderson. Mason hasn’t gotten that much exercise in a while. He definitely slept good Friday night. We had a good time entertaining our guests and just hanging out at the house. Brooklyn and Sidney got to be the first ones to make something in my scrapbook room too. They each wanted to make a card with my Cricut and Cuddlebug. They said my scrapbook room looked like Michaels haha

Saturday morning we made eggs, bacon and toast and then headed downtown to the Chattanooga Aquarium. The Aquarium was fun and brought back good memories for Adam and me. That’s where we went on our first date when he came to see me for the first time in TN in 2009. It was funny because the whole time we were at the aquarium I was looking for the penguins and we NEVER saw them. We went thru the whole building and nothing! A couple weeks later I was talking to someone at work and told them how disappointed I was that they had penguins on their advertisements but then there weren’t any at the aquarium.. she was like, “Wait – did you go in BOTH buildings?” So, alas, Adam and I had missed the whole second building of sea creatures the first time we went.

Adam and me with his niece Sidney

Big ol' crab!

Hello Mr. Otter

Some of the Grays :-)

After the aquarium we had to head back to the airport because they wanted to take off close to noon to continue on to Florida. Adam and I headed back home and he surprised me with a Dairy Queen ice cream cake for my birthday (it’s next week but we won’t get to see each other). It was so yummy and the perfect treat for the rest of the weekend.

Happy early Birthday to me!

Last weekend when I was in Princeton, mom gave me here Wii! Adam hooked it up and we spent a couple hours playing Mario Kart and Wii Fit. Oh, and we had a couple battles with Wii Sports. (I beat him in bowling and baseball and then to get even he knocked me out in boxing.)

Sunday morning we decided to head over to one of the TN State Parks for a little hiking with Henderson. At the exit there’s a sign for Harrison Bay State Park so I’d wanted to check it out. It was probably 15 miles off the exit and really pretty – especially Sunday when it was gorgeous weather anyway. We had about a 4-mile hike to the bottom of the trail and back. Henderson was so funny jumping over the tree stumps and wading out into the water. We were the only ones on the trail which made it even better, especially for Henderson who isn’t a big fan of strangers.

Beautiful day with my sunshine :)

Part of the late at Harrison Bay State Park

My boys

Jump, Henderson!

After Harrison Bay, Adam wanted to show me a lake he had found while hiking the new trails at the new Volkswagon Plant so we headed over there for some more physical fitness fun. Two miles later we were walked out and headed back home for some more Wii madness.

I made tacos for lunch (luckily we had more than enough since we had bought enough for 8!) and we spent the rest of the afternoon just lounging and hanging out with our critters.