Monday, December 8, 2014

Nashville, TN


We left Omaha and took a few days to get to Nashville to see Belinda and Bailey.
We decided to stay with them at their place because there aren't any campgrounds that are close enough to drive in daily.  So we left the trailer at a friends house about 35 miles away.  They had an electricity hookup so we could keep the refrigerator going, and, that's all we needed.

Belinda had surgery on September 11th and came home the next day.  We are thankful that everything went well and she recovered well.

While there we attended church several times.  This is a picture of the altar and the pipes in the background.  The organ sounded very nice.



Belinda thought it was time for Bailey to have a new bed so we took this picture and then put it on Craig's list.  It went fast, and, to a real nice couple whose daughter needed a bigger bed. 



Each Monday Bailey went to gymnastics.  It is amazing how many kids are there and how the staff works with all of them in small groups.




Bailey really enjoys it and we had fun watching her!

Grandma did some braiding - thought these two pictures were cute!



Julie and Gehrig came to Nashville to visit and also to go to Belmont University for a tour of the campus.  Gehrig has applied there.

While they were there, we went to a pumpkin festival north of Nashville.  It's basically a huge farm with all kinds of activities for adults and kids.







Gehrig and Bailey raced each other...






We got our picture taken.


Watched pig races...



Milked a cow...


Fed a calf...


Panned for pretty stones...


Watched them make kettle corn...



Watched Bailey on the trampoline...  She did a couple of summersalts!!


Bailey and Gehrig used a cannon to shoot small pumpkins at a sign.  (sorry, no pictures).

At the end of the day, they were exhausted.  As we all were!!


While we were there, Barnes & Noble had a feature about Crayons.  The theme had to do with whether or not crayons would be around any longer.



Bailey helped read a letters from kids about why crayons should continue to be made.


This was one letter in particular (actually written by someone we all know!!!).


Bailey had a play at school and this was her racoon costume.




We also went to a "National Banana Pudding Festival."



There were 10 groups (churches, etc.) that prepared their own 'special' banana pudding.  We each got samples in a box like this.


Some were better than others, but, for me, all were good!

They also had a car show in town.




We also took a day to go to the Jack Daniels Distillery.  Took the tour and bought some booze!



Went to downtown Nashville on a Friday afternoon/evening.  Very busy.

This cart is pedaled by the customers sitting on each side.  And all the while they are drinking beer!



This was a 3-story bar with bands on all three levels.


This stadium used by the Titans is across the river from downtown.




Eric and Denise Steffel were in town for a football game so we met up with them at a brewery downtown and had a beer and got caught up.


Good pic of Belinda and Bailey before we left.


On our way to TX we made a side trip to Chanute, KS to get new front jacks on the trailer.  After 7 years, one of the original jacks began to cause problems so it was time.

We made it home on Friday, October 25th.  Couldn't get into the RV Park in Plano as it was full so we ended up in the CG in Melissa (25 miles north of Plano for a month.  In the meantime a site opened up in Plano so we are now there for the next several months.


Omaha, NB

Left Pipestone on Tuesday after Labor Day and drove to Omaha, NB.  We actually stayed at a Casino in Council Bluffs, IA (which is just across the state line from Omaha).   They have an RV Park there.
After getting set up, we drove over to Katie (my niece) and her husband Tim's house to visit with them.  Judeen (my sister) was babysitting Aliza at the time.


Tim came home early so we got a picture of him with Aliza.  At the time, Aliza had a cast on her hips to keep the hip sockets in place.  It took several months for them to heal and they finally did!



We went out to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant and played Aliza while waiting for our meals.


Group picture of Judeen and family (Judeen's husband, Jim, was not feeling well and wasn't able to make it).


It's always fun to stop here and see the group.  We get to talk Vikings football and college football as well.