our trip to oak ridge

Wow, it's taken me a long time to write this up! It's been hard to find a stretch of time that is big enough to write about all we did AND we've just been so tired after we got back. The flights back just killed us. Flights that leave at 6 am are to be avoided at all cost in the future! Or at least we'll only do one in a trip. I can see why those were the only super saver freq flyer tickets we could get. The worst part was getting home at 11 am Seattle time and having a wide-awake 10 month old who was ready to play after sleeping the whole way from Chicago to Seattle.

We managed to travel with very little stuff for ourselves, but Garrison is at an age when he needs lots of junk on a day-to-day basis. So, we each had a carry on suitcase + personal item. Then we checked G's gigantic car seat and even more gigantic bob stroller. We got a bag for the bob, but on the trip back from TN it got a rip in the seam, so it's going back to REI this weekend. Other than the rip, it was great for the bob. We stuffed some diapers in with the bob, so it wouldn't be lonely in the cargo hold. Then I wore G in the ergo, which was a lot easier than trying to deal with a stroller with the really short connections we had. Really the way there was pretty uneventful, aside from the no-changing-table-diaper-change on flight #2.

We were greeted in TN by Young and Katherine, and G was happy to see them (as were we). We picked up our rental minivan (our first!) and headed to Oak Ridge. It was HOT, did I say that yet? In Denver there was SNOW! Freaky. As we drove home we saw all the boats on their trailers for a big crew thing that was taking place on the river. It was cool noting all of the different schools...Michigan, Florida, ...who were there to compete. We had some good bbq that night. Garrison enjoyed the food.

The next day's highlights were going on a driving tour of Oak Ridge. Garrison fell asleep, but I enjoyed it. Our friends Amy and Eloise were going to fly down from Ohio, but the flights were too full (she gets to fly for free, but scheduling can be tough!). There just aren't that many flights into knoxville. Then later that day Uncle Allen, Aunt Suzanne, Adrian & Jacob came by. Garrison had a great time meeting his cousins. He also met his cousin, Ruth one day after school. We got to see her gorgeous prom dress. Uncle Jon was there a lot working on a big project for Young and Katherine, so we got to see a lot of him. Jon is great fun to have a political discussion with--he is a thoughtful debater. Garrison also got to meet John Krewson. We had dinner with him in Knoxville at the MS4 Cafe--YUM. Ever since we ate there when I ask amos what he wants to eat he mumbles something about chicken and waffles. Garrison enjoyed the food.

So, we also drove to Chattanooga to go to the aquarium. It was a nice day for a drive. Garrison fell asleep in the car both ways. He stayed awake the whole time we were at the aquarium, and when we were at lunch. Garrison enjoyed the fish and the food.

On our last night we went over to John Krewson's cool house in Knoxville to do play a little music. It was a good time. It had been a long time, so long that I wasn't even playing bass then. Amos and John were very good, and I did my best to keep up. While we were gone Garrison stayed home with his grandparents and was fast asleep when we returned.

Good visits are always too short.