Weekend with Joy- Part 2

Here is the conclusion to the fun weekend Joy spent with us.  If you missed the first part, click here.

After the big day we had on Saturday, we decided at aleast let her sleep in on Sunday.  So we leisurely got up, drank our coffee, and planned our day.  I had really wanted to take her to UT Gardens on Saturday morning, but we didn't have time to fit it into everything else.  So we went today.  If you've ever driven down Neyland Drive, you've seen UT Gardens.  It features numerous varieties of plants and flowers, and provides a beautiful backdrop for photographs.

(Please note, though, if you are professional level photographer, you must pay a fee for use of the facility.)

If you go, make sure you spray on the bug spray.  I must have gotten about 10 mosquito bites that morning.

Love poppies!!

Luke was actually willing to pose for a few shots!  (so unusual)

After walking the Gardens and snapping all the pictures we wanted, we headed over to Subway to get some sandwiches for a picnic.  As we were getting back in the car, we realized that we didn't have 'kitty'!  Stop everything.  Can't lose kitty!  (Kitty is Lucy's all-important pacifier with a stuffed animal attached to it.  Called a Wubbanub.)  We panicked.  She loves kitty!  So we headed back to the Gardens, retraced all our steps but sadly, did not find kitty.  :(  (Had to order a new one).

After a quick picnic lunch, we set off on a trail at Ijams Nature Center.

It was a beautiful day!

After the hike, we had to dash home, say 'bye' to Joy, change clothes, freshen up, and make it over to Luke's end of the year program at Grace Covenant Baptist Academy. 

It was graduation night for the kindergarteners, but the 1st graders got a certificate too.

Whew.  And that was the conclusion of a very busy weekend.  We've had quite a few busy weekends recently, which is why I'm so late in posting about this one.

Biscuits, Books and Berries

Last weekend Greg's sister, Joy, came to town for a visit.  If she was looking for a relaxing weekend, then she didn't find it here.  We had big plans for the weekend.  We got up early on Saturday to head downtown for the International Biscuit Festival.    The downtown streets were lined with vendors, along with the usual farmer's market, so there was much to see!

We each bought a ticket for $5 which gave us 5 tickets to use to sample biscuits.

Our favorite was the Cinnamon Toast Crunch biscuit from Cafe 4.

Luke was sweet to share his biscuits with his sister.

After getting our fill of biscuits, we walked over to the World's Fair Park site for the Children's Festival of Reading.  

Joy had never been up in the sunsphere, so we took a little ride to the top and snapped a few pics.

We had a lot of fun at the Children's Festival of Reading, but it was really, really hot!

Here's Lucy with my iced coffee cup, eating the ice pieces out.

At the Zoo tent, Luke got to pet a snake.

From there, we thought it seemed like a good idea to walk to Sunspot and have lunch.  (Of course we didn't realize how far it actually was until we were half way there.) 

And of course I always have to snap a few artistic shots for fun.

It was a long walk - you can tell how hot and tired Luke looks.

But it was worth it.

The Sunspot was yummy as usual. And Lucy LOVED the chips and dip. Green salsa is her favorite!

After lunch, we drove out to the Fruit and Berry Patch in Halls to pick some strawberries.  YUM! 

I think we each picked about 4 pounds worth of strawberries.

Lucy loves strawberries.

By this time, we were exhausted.  Lucy was ready for nap.  We'd packed enough into one day that we decided to head home.  But only for a short rest. 

Then I took Joy out for a surprise treat....

.... PEDICURES!!!

After we got our toes pretty, we headed over to Spirited Art to create a masterpiece!

I can't think of anything that goes better with painting than wine and sushi!  :)

Just getting started.

The finished products.

And that concludes Saturday.  Stay tuned for Part 2 when we explore UT Gardens and Ijams Nature Center on Sunday.  

Easter 2011 and 2012

Time for a quick catch-up post.  I missed blogging about Easter for the last 2 years, so I will post them together so you can see how much the kids have grown in a year's time.

Starting with 2011:

And now for 2012:

On our way to the neighborhood Easter Egg hunt!

He had a blast hunting for eggs this year!

She's wasn't quite up for hunting eggs this year ... maybe next year.

But she loved her Easter basked.