Catching up.....after 6 months!

I haven't blogged in so long, I don't know where to begin!  Sooooo.....I'm just going to post a variety of recent tidbits and pictures.  We've been busy with Jack's Junior Bible Quiz, baseball and football, a garage sale, a vacation to Kentucky and Nashville and a new dog, Wally.  ***WARNING*** This is LONG!  Get your cup of coffee!

On my Birthday....my "29th!"  ;)

Jack enjoying our new rescue Shih Tzu, Wally.

Thank goodness these 2 dogs get along!

Jack swimming with friends at the hotel pool in Rochester-- the night before the Junior Bible Quiz State Tournament!

Jack, his coach Aaron, and the rest of the "Gospel Kids" JBQ team.

Jack had a play-date with a classroom friend-- nothing like clown glasses for photo props!

It was a little chilly at our garage sale-- I donned my Snuggie!

White Castle.

Wally-boy!

The ice-cream truck still comes on Sundays (much to my dismay)- Jack's first treat of 2013....

Jack and Dad, chillaxing on the porch swing.

Last day of 2nd Grade!

We bought this huge blow-up waterslide.  Instant way to meet all of the kids in your neighborhood....

The neighborhood crew (or part of it!)

 My boys' favorite store.  At least they sell clothes, too!  'Cause I like to look!

 Jack and a new pair of Nike's....and me holding Wally, who didn't smile for the camera.

Jack's favorite indoor pastime remains Lego's.  One look in our home and you'd believe it!  We are MAXED-OUT!!

 At the airport waiting to board the plane to Louisville.  On the way to visit Jason's Mom, Grandma, and Aunt in Paintsville, Kentucky.

 The Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory.

 A very cool place for a budding baseball guy named Jack Johnson.

 We learned professional baseball bats are made out of ash or maple.

 The tour of the factory was very interesting....

 Jack and Babe Ruth....

 Batter up!!!!

 About to enter the batting cages....

 Jack's souvenir, a personalized Louisville Slugger!

 Next stop:  Churchill Downs, the site of the Kentucky Derby!

 Amazing to see the race horses and jockeys.

 The entrance to Churchill Downs.

 Obligatory Museum Photo at the Frankfort Military Museum.

 A cannon from the War of 1812.

 The Capital of Kentucky in Frankfort.

The Paintsville public pool was just a few blocks from Jason's Mom's house.

The street signs in their neighborhood.

Jack was driving-- we were going nowhere fast!

With Grandma Mary, "Nanny."

Paintsville was a bigger town than I imagined.

Grandma Shaver took us out to Bob Evans for lunch after church.  I had never been there before!

Jack was showing off his batting stance at Nanny's.

Mary took me to "Mountain Home Place" in the Appalachians.  It's a working farm with many historical buildings and items from the Pioneer days-- including a one-room schoolhouse, a church, and a log cabin home.

The buildings were original.  See how beautiful it is in the Appalachians?

Inside the old church were quilts.  I never knew that specific patterns were instructions for slaves in the underground railroad.  Amazing!  This gave me goosebumps.

Farm "fresh" eggs....

This lil' piggie....

Ted, the gorgeous work horse.

With my Mother-in-law.  Thanks again, Mary!

Look at the rows of cabbage!

Jack was trying to play "creepy music" on great-grandma Shaver's organ.  He succeeded!  (He was a tad bit tired and had been swimming outside all afternoon.)

Lexington, Kentucky.  I loved it here!  I actually think I could live here....

The best New York pizza "evah!"

I love fresh tomato, basil, and mozzarella!

Good thing we only ordered ONE breadstick!....

.....and ONE brownie!

This is Abraham Lincoln's childhood home!  Completely amazing!

 We went to the Great Mammoth Cave!  A major highlight for all of us!

 Largest cave in the world with 400 miles explored...and more to be discovered.

 The grounds were gorgeous.  It was in the upper 80's outside, but windy and in the 50's inside the cave.

 I was thankful we weren't claustrophobic!

 Limestone "ceiling" and walls.

Jack was amazed, and has since become very interested in archeology!

A large section of the ceiling had crashed down in the 1990's.

The mouth of the cave-- it starts to get cold and windy in the summer.  In the winter, it would be warmer here and cold outside.  Guess we went at the right time of year!

 Exiting the cave....

 We're American Pickers fans (from the History Channel), so a stop at their Nashville store was a must!  Too bad we didn't see Mike, Frank, or Danielle.

Lots of great "picks" all over the store!

Vrrrroooommm!

George Jones' jacket.  He just passed away in April.

 I purchased a retro T-shirt!

Arriving at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.

 Carl Perkins' blue suede shoes.

 Elvis Presley's Gold Baby Grand piano.

 Part of the set from the TV show, Hee Haw.

Nice.  "Same Trailer, Different Park."

Yep, it was that HOT.

Of course, a stop (or two) at Krispy Kreme.....

We had an incredible dinner with live Irish music at McNamara's in Nashville!

Broadway Street, downtown Nashville.

How nauseating!  Edible crickets and cheddar larvae!

We opted for something sweet instead....

Chocolate treats!

More treats!

Jack under "his" restaurant's sign....

Awesome bluegrass band on the corner!

Jack bought this lovely souvenir and named it "Bob."  (Is it any surprise it was from the same store that sold the crickets and larvae?)

Moving on....we visited "The Hermitage," President Andrew Jackson's residence and plantation.

Original stagecoach purchased by President Jackson.

The grounds and the mansion were so amazing to see.

Historical sites are favorites of ours....

A repeat visit to Jack's BBQ....

And a repeat visit to Krispy Kreme!

Then we went to the completely incredible Lane Auto Museum!  Almost all were rare European vehicles.  Quite the collection!!

"We'll take these two, please."

Nice Mercedes, hideous colors!

We don't know much about this vehicle, but we've never seen one on the road!

Drooling over this gorgeous Tatra....

Cute lil' thing, ain't it?

A purple and gold BMW-- Now we're talkin'!!

At long last, a vintage Saab 9-3!

Awesome!

Even more awesome!

What?!  :)

Old fire engine!

Now at the Lego Store at the Opryland Mall....

On our way to see a show at the Grand Ole Opry!

Jenn Bostic performed.  She's from Minnesota and sang a song about her late father that brought the whole audience to tears.

Among others, there was Patty Loveless....

And VINCE GILL!

Thanks for bearing with us for the past 6 months in pictures!  I'll be back with more as I try to stay on track! 

Love,
The Johnson 3