Christmas in July

So my girls were home for the weekend. Honestly it went by in the blink of an eye. Daughter2 was flying in from SC and naturally her flight was cancelled Friday morning. She was already thru security sitting at her gate when I let her know. I happened to see it online when I (thankfully) checked the airport website to see what terminal I needed for parking. I know flights need to be cancelled for various reasons, or no reason at all, but the airline has her cell phone, my home and cell phone, hubs cell phone, and email for all of us. They can't let us know? They can't tell her before she goes thru security? If it's posted online surely they can post it at the airport too.

There were gray skies up and down the East Coast so we needed a sure thing for Plan B. She went to the counter at the airport while I got online and hubs got on the phone. Eventually we decided to fly her to DC and have her ride Amtrak up that evening with her sister. I got her a train ticket and sister explained how to take the metro from the airport to her office. They were able to meet up for lunch and daughter2 got to meet some of her sister's co-workers which was nice. Afterwards she planted herself in a nearby cafe to wait. She was supposed to be home with her momma. Boo.

They got in around 7 so hubs picked them up when he left work and we met up at the diner in town for a late dinner. When my girls are home for a quick weekend I start to feel like I'm in an episode of Back to the Future. The clock takes on a life of its own.

We had tickets to see Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw on Saturday. They put on a great show and it is so much fun to see East Tennessee infiltrate the Giants/Jets stadium for a night. We tailgated with friends before the show and spent the rest of the night discussing the awesomeness of Tim McGraw's white jeans and of course, singing along with Kenny. Kenny got his start playing for tips at a Mexican restaurant on the river near our collegetown way back when. His music most definitely carries us back to a place in time.

Plus these cuties were in front of me for the whole show which made me supremely happy.

We got home super late so we slept in Sunday morning and then suggested to hubs we attempt a Christmas card photo before heading to the airport. He took some convincing but he eventually came around. I reminded him that the next time the four of us will all be in the same place at the same time will likely be Thanksgiving. I also reminded him that it's normally cold and windy at Thanksgiving and cold and windy means bad hair or an indoor photo. He is not a fan of bad hair so I'm pretty sure those are the words that changed his mind.

We tried to get the pup in the picture but she got a little too excited as we were making preparations and wore herself out. It was hot and humid which didn't help. She loves having girls in the house.

Daughter2 attempted to give me a piano lesson while she was home. Taking a piano lesson is on my 101 in 1001 list. I think I'm a little bit hopeless but I'm going to try. She kindly reminded me of the way she sounded when she first started playing, but honestly I remember thinking she was cute. I did not sound 'cute'. I think I need pre-lessons before I attempt an actual lesson. Maybe daughter2 should move home and teach me.

Someone posted this quote on Twitter the other day-

"The best cure for a sluggish mind is to disturb it's routine"

~William H. Danforth

My mind feels sluggish these days and my piano playing is most definitely disturbing so maybe this will all come together? We'll see.

Nobody was ready to leave for the airport at the way too early hour of 12:30. So ridiculous. Of course they weren't ready...they just got here. Sigh. Like time, trains and planes wait for no man or adorable 20-something daughters, so ready or not we made our way to the airport.

Girls bring so much life and energy into the house.

The air is different when they leave.

Everybody agrees.

Little bit of Chicken Fried...

If you're looking for questions to this week's Weds. Hodgepodge you'll find them here.

Saturday afternoon we heard us some country music. Yes I do realize that statement is grammatically incorrect but somehow it just feels right. We had tickets to see Kenny Chesney along with the Zac Brown Band and Billy Currington and Uncle Kracker. I'm not a huge Uncle Kracker fan so we spent his time slot tailgating with friends in the Giants stadium parking lot. We munched on appetizers and discussed, among other things, the idea that we might possibly be sitting atop Jimmy Hoffa. The rumor mill says he was buried under the old stadium which is now the parking lot. How's that for a little slice of trivia on this rainy Tuesday morning?

Hubs and I have a few things in common with Kenny, namely the fact that the three of us attended the same university. He's a little bit younger than we are but still, we claim him as a hometown boy. Kenny got his start playing for tips on Tues and Thurs nights at an out of the way Mexican restaurant on the river near collegetown. Its fun to be sitting in Giants Stadium (yeah yeah I know-its technically The New Meadowlands Stadium) and to hear a shout out to your little ole Alma Mater. More than a shout out actually. He references East Tennessee often in his speech and music. Its a place that gets deep into your heart and soul.

The country, the river, the mountains, the people. Trips to the Carolina shore and football games in small high school bleachers or the third largest college stadium in the country. He sings about standing on the Lambda Chi porch and we've stood on that Lambda Chi porch. He sings about the river and we know that river. He inserts the familiar into his music and listening takes us back to hubs hometown, to the place we met, to the roads we used to travel and to the mountains and countryside we will always love. His music is painted with the brush of East Tennessee and when we listen we are there.

Now, onto some observations about the evening-

The skies were threatening but you are not permitted to bring umbrellas into the stadium. I am not sure if its because you'll block your neighbors view or there is the concern that you might poke annoying and unruly fans with said umbrella. Or there could be the fear that you'll be one of the annoying unruly fans and they don't want you 'armed'. It didn't start raining until later in the evening and we were in the company box so not a problem for us. I believe I've stated here before that this is my preferred method of viewing all concerts and sporting events.

Speaking of weapons, security also confiscates water bottles upon entry. Apparently they can be used as weapons too but secretly I think they just want you to buy their water. I had a conversation with a girl in the rest room about the fact that they did not confiscate her hair spray. She and I agreed we could do a lot more damage with hairspray than a water bottle.

Where did all these cowboy boots come from? I spent most of my growing up years in this state, lived here for another five years early in our marriage, and have been back for two years this time round. I never see people in the Garden State walking around in Western Wear but the concert was full of cowboy hats and boots.

I love a fiddle.

Zac Brown has one of the most beautiful clear voices out there today. He and his band sang America the Beautiful and knocked it out of the park. Some Navy folks in uniform were in the audience and the camera zoomed in on them and the crowd went crazy.

My favorite Zac Brown song is Free because it makes me feel happy and sad all at the same time. Lots of country music songs make me feel this way.

How fun would this be?

Kenny Chesney came into the stadium on some sort of suspended seat with a harness and sang his way across the crowd and onto the stage.

My husband's whistle is completely obnoxious. Oh my aching ears.

We were in the company box along with about 15 other people. See the gentleman on the left-

He is the out of town guest of someone else in the box. Guess where he's from? He lives in the very same teeny tiny village we lived in across the pond. He knew our neighborhood and the street we lived on and we talked about our favorite Indian restaurant and the changes in the village since we left and oh my goodness, it was all just too much.

At the end of the show KC hugged everyone in the band and the Jets coach and a Yankee player who were part of the crowd.

I explained to one of the girls with us that this is how we know KC is a Tennessee boy. He's a hugger.

This post would not be complete without a little music. Here's one of our favorites...the words are poetry. Tennessee poetry.

A Capital Idea-The Wednesday Hodgepodge Vol 29

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge. Everyone is invited to play...just answer the questions on your own blog or facebook page and then link back here to share answers. Be sure to include a link to this post so visitors to your blog can hop over and read more.

1. Have you ever been to the capital of the USA-Washington DC? If so what's your favorite site? If not, what site would you most like to see on a visit to that city someday in the future? Is it even on your list of places to visit?

I have been to DC umpteen times. We lived in the Annapolis area for nine years so DC was just a short hop down the road. I love DC and the Georgetown area in particular. My favorite site? That's easy-I'd have to say my daughter : )

If I have to pick an actual tourist attraction I'd say that I especially enjoyed a behind the scenes tour of the Capitol we took one summer. And I also love the Smithsonian museums. That being said, my absolute favorite sites in DC are the monuments at night, The Vietnam Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

This picture was taken when it was at least 175 degrees outside and we'd been traipsing around the city with houseguests all the live long day. Oh my word...just look at those little girls! Now one of them is actually employed in this town. Time is crazy people!

2. When did you last attend a wedding? Are there any weddings on your summer calendar? Were you a summer bride? If you're single is summer the season of your dream wedding?

We attended a really lovely wedding last October in Naples Florida which I wrote about here. It was an entire weekend of events celebrated with old friends in a gorgeous setting. We have a wedding on the calendar this July that I know will be a lot of fun too.

Yes, I was a June bride...

We're approaching the big 2-7 very soon.

fyi-when it comes to years married they are all big.

3. What is your favorite way to eat strawberries?

With cream.

On the lawn at Wimbledon.

If that's not possible my next favorite option would be shortcake or angel food cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream.

4. What is one thing you are especially looking forward to this summer?

I will be attending two little reunions this summer-one in July with some sorority sisters where I'm sure we'll laugh til we pee our pants...it is that sort of crowd. Girls (they will always be girls to me!) with whom you can completely relax and be yourself.

The other reunion is special too... fellow camp staff from summers long gone but never forgotten. We've managed to re-connect on where else? facebook and one of the girls has organized a little mini reunion. It's coming up really soon and I'm excited for both the catching up and the looking back. Oh, and I'm pretty sure there will be singing. What is a camp reunion without singing?

5. Do you use/like the self scanner at the grocery store?

I have a love hate relationship with this device. I like the fact that its usually faster. Except when its not. 'Please wait for an attendant.' 'Please remove the last item from the scanner.' 'Please wait for an attendant.' There is definitely a knack to using the machine and that's fine so long as I'm not behind someone who doesn't know there is a knack.

6. Share a favorite piece of common sense advice.

Pay attention to the still small voice inside you.

7. Barefoot, flip flops, tennis shoes, sassy sandal-your first choice for summertime?

I don't wear tennis shoes in the summer unless I'm going walking. Flip flops or cute sandals are my #1 pick.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'm going to see Mr. KC in concert this summer-love him!