Home Sweet Home....

Howdy doo my friends! So how's it been round here? Seems like you all have been busy as my google reader reads 863...WOW! I was caught up right before we left, now I have a whole lot more catchin' up to do ;) We had a wonderful vacation. My kids are now travelers and I can say that they have been outside the state of Indiana. This may bore you, but I thought I'd give a recap to you all to show where we've been and what we've done these last 9 days or so.

We started out in Nashville, Tenneessee.

We arrived on Sunday, June 7th and just checked into our hotel and then went out to eat for supper and then swimming / hot tubbing.

Monday morning we were up bright and early, ate a good breakfast at our hotel and on it was to Andrew Jackson's home - The Hermitage:

The Hermitage

The family in front of The Hermitage

The burial place of Andrew and Rachel Jackson located in The Hermitage's Formal Garden

Andrew Jackson died June 8th (the day we visited) they placed a wreath upon his grave

Jacob at the Jackson's graves ~ he is our resident Andrew Jackson buff, Andrew is Jacob's hero

I must say, I've been to The Hermitage about 5 times and this time it was fabulous! They have done a lot to make the tour of the grounds better. It is enhanced with a talking tour (you listen in headphones as you walk the grounds). It was wonderful! We had a great time learning more about "The General" and past President of our country. I wanted to read American Lion before we went, now I absolutely want to read it after our visit!

After the Hermitage visit we went on to Opry Mills, we ate and did a spot of shopping. Then we went on back to the hotel and swam and hot tubbed the evening away.

Tuesday we got up bright and early again ate breakfast and went to the Parthenon. This was *totally* cool and awe inspiring. Very nicely done and very nicely preserved. It was a quick stop, we stayed only an hour but it was well worth the visit.

The Nashville's Parthenon ~ the only EXACT replica of the Parthenon in the world



The Goddess Athena (whom the Parthenon was built for)

Next it was on to The Adventure Science Center. This was fun, but being that we are members of one of the top Children's Museum in the country it was a little lame - but still good and we had fun! Here's Ellie in the working ambulance they had on site:

Ambulance Driver Ellie

After the museum stop, we were headed out of town for our next destination, but we got to see the "Batman Building" one last time (as the twins called it - it was an AT & T building - but it was sort of "batman looking", huh?)

Batman Building in Nashville or is it Gotham City?

We made a couple of wrong turns....how did we know? Well we had a pretty good idea when we were in a neighborhood were the church had to park their van in a fenced in area with razor wire at the top! We locked our doors and turned on the over drive! We eventually found our way to the interstate ;)

Got Razor Wire?

We got on I-24 and cruised south :) Katie snapped a picture of the Nickajack Lake for me, this is one of my most absolute favorite spots to view when we travel down I-24:

Nickajack Lake

Late afternoon, we pulled into our Hotel in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We unloaded, checked in, went out to eat and then went back to the hotel for some swimming and hot tubbing.

Wednesday, we headed out *early again* and went to Rock City where we:

Saw a petrified mushroom



Saw Lover's Leap and a cool waterfall

Saw 7 states all at one time

Found some cave dwelling bears....oh my!

Saw some talented Gnomes

Then it was back in the van and on to Ruby Falls. We saw some magnificent things in there like:

The Falls

Cool Cave Formations

Then it was back in the van and on to Incline Railway which took us UP and back DOWN Lookout Mountain:

Incline Railway

Then it was back in the van, back to the hotel for some swimming and hot tubbing, then we went out to eat (at the same place as the previous night) and then back to the hotel for - yep you guessed it swimming and tubbing!

Thursday, dawned bright and early again we were out on the town this time going to Tennessee Aquarium. FABULOUS! We:

Petted some Sting Rays

Got to know some butterflies

Met some baby penguins

Met some Mama penguins

Marvelled at the wonders of sea life

Saw some really BIG, hungry fish

Saw some beautiful jelly fish

Then it was back in the van, back to the hotel for some more swimming, some more hot tubbing and then out to eat one last time to the Favorite Pfeiffer Tennessee Restaurant Summer 2009. We came back stuffed, tired and ready for sleep.

Friday had us awake with the sun, ate our last breakfast out, packed our bags, checked out and in our van heading back toward Indiana. Late afternoon, we were in good 'ol Haubstadt, Indiana birthplace and childhood home of Vonna Epperson Pfeiffer and current home of the Epperson-Pfeiffer parental units. We stayed the weekend there and headed home last evening. Whew....does one's own bed ever feel *so good*? Heavenly.....

So, if you're still hanging with me, thank you for sharing our vacation - we had an excellent adventure! I'm glad to be back home so I can rest! :) I have done absolutely no stitching for about 14 days now...I will definitely need to rectify that situation!

Until next time....love and best wishes, while you count your blessings and your stitches, from our house to yours! XXxxxx

"There's no place like home for the holidays or *any* day, as far as I'm concerned!"

~~Vonna Pfeiffer~~