Chattanooga for Families

Chattanooga is one of my favorite places in Tennessee, quite possibly the South in general.  It feels like this cool combo of Asheville and Cincinnati, a city that is outdoorsy and unique and friendly.  There's good food and drink, friendly people, and vibrant neighborhoods to explore.  It was one of our fav places to go before we had Kenny, so we decided to head back for a weekend with him as a family getaway.

Walnut St. Bridge

The downside to our visit is that it was a rainy weekend, but we still enjoyed ourselves.  We chose a hotel downtown, knowing that we would be walking distance to so many places.  The downtown area has plenty of sidewalks!  We took a walk across the Walnut St. Bridge, the world's longest pedestrian bridge, until the rain made us take a break.

But the #1 reason we wanted to bring Kenny to Chattanooga was the world-class AZA-certified Tennessee Aquarium.  It's one of our favorite aquariums, and we visited during Chatt trips in 2014 and 2017.  Kenny loves the fish tank at daycare, and so we figured it would be a good time to take him.  He LOVED it.

The sea turtle was going by and doubled back to check out Kenny!

The aquarium is perfect for families.  We took our stroller, but Kenny could stand and look at some of the exhibits on his own.  You can take the elevator to the top and then work your way down, with automatic doors and ramps.  Since it is divided into two buildings (River and Ocean Journeys), we decided to do one building before lunch/naptime and another after.  Your tickets allow you to come back in if you leave!  This is where staying at a hotel nearby came in handy.  The box office opens 30 minutes before the aquarium does, so I went ahead and bought our tickets (there is a discount for Veterans) before heading back to the hotel to help get Kenny ready.  It was nice to be able to visit restaurants nearby and hit the hotel for naptime to make the most of a full day at the aquarium.  We had so much fun!

I think it's obvious that places like the aquarium are family-friendly, but Chattanooga also has a lot of dining options.  One thing I miss about life pre-kid is those foodie dinner dates we used to have.  Public House was one of the restaurants on my list from years ago that I wanted to visit, but I wasn't sure it was feasible with a toddler.  Then I learned they have a three-course kids menu, so they had to be welcoming to families, right?  I made a reservation on the earlier side (I find people are more friendly if you are eating with kids at 5 or 6, because non-kid people tend to eat later) and we braved it.  It was a great experience for all of us, as Dan and I could enjoy cocktails and delicious food in a setting we normally wouldn't take Kenny.  They even validate parking, y'all.

We also ate at Beast + Barrel, Mellow Mushroom, and Milk & Honey, all of which were accommodating of Kenny.  Milk & Honey didn't have a kids menu, and it was very small, but they had the first-ever high top highchairs I've ever soon!

Public House Chattanooga

Years ago, Dan and I decided that we would try to visit only AZA-certified zoos and aquariums.  Would you believe that Chattanooga has TWO such places to visit?  The Chattanooga Zoo is very small, so small that it might be overlooked as a place to go if you're not local.   But if you've got a toddler, it's absolutely perfect!  It wasn't crowded, parking was ample and close by, and the prices are low.  (In fact, for Veterans admission is FREE!)  Kenny loved running around the zoo, and they had some great exhibits.

Petting Zoo

Because it wasn't insanely crowded, we really felt we could let Kenny explore and walk on his own, which was perfect to wear him out before our car ride home.  The zoo is also expanding to add giraffes and lions in the future, so we wouldn't hesitate to take him back!

Chattanooga just has so much to offer.  If we'd had more time, we would have loved to stop by the Creative Discovery Museum or the Hunter Museum of American Art.  

We love Chattanooga, and it's a great place for families!

A Christmas (Stocking) Story

Back in the 80s, my Mom made stockings for our family from a kit/pattern. My parents had this Papa and Mama Bear stockings, I had a wreath with teddy bears, and my sister had a rocking horse.  (Note: This now makes so much sense, because my sister is definitely unique among the four of us! LOL)

But when Dan and my now brother-in-law joined the family, we weren't sure what to do about stockings.  At first, we added individual mis-matched stockings, but this resulted in Dan's candy melting last year as his was a longer length than the others over the fireplace.  We considered replacing all the stockings, but after 30 years with our old ones, my sister was heartbroken at the thought of retiring them.

After Christmas she texted me, "What if you make us some, Aubrey?  You could find more like these."

Motivated as a big sister could be after a plea from the baby of the family, I scoured the internet using random search terms like “80s stocking fabric rocking horse” and similar ilk.  To my surprise, I found two lots of the original stockings for sale on eBay, in the same prints as my stocking and Sissy's.  I bought them all!  They must have been sitting in someone's fabric stash for all this time, and I never would have found them if not for the power of the internet.

Adding fusible felt interfacing

I found enough to make four stockings in each design, meaning as our families grew, we would all have matching stockings.  I received the fabric, and it sat on my to-do list for a while.  But then I got pregnant, and I realized that it just wasn't moving up the priority list fast enough.  I wanted them to be finished in time for my sister to come home for Christmas from Arizona, her first Christmas as a married woman!

So I called my Mom via FaceTime in November and showed her the fabric.  You should have seen her face when she saw those old prints!  We decided we would make them over Thanksgiving, as I would be home in Indiana this year.  It worked well since we were sort of an assembly line together.

I pinned, Mom sewed

We went to the fabric store together for notions, which was kind of a funny experience.  When she made our stockings in the 80s, she lined them with felt as batting, but that seemed like a lot of work to me.  I suggested a fusible felt interfacing to stabilize the fabric, which we could iron directly onto the pieces and then sew.  She was skeptical, but in the end it was soooo much easier than the old days when she sewed in loose felt!  The new stockings are actually more sturdy than the old ones as a result, and we were more efficient in pinning and sewing them together.  We used bias tape for the top trim and loop for hanging.  It's a little different in color from the originals, but that's just fine.

Now, Mom has all the stockings up by the fireplace, in the order that we each joined the family.  I love that she hangs them up for me and Dan, even when we aren't spending Christmas in Indiana that year.  And she already has one ready to go, with bears just like mine, for my little one's first Christmas in 2018!

The 80's stockings live on!

A Star Wars Baby Shower

Last month, my mother and sister hosted a baby shower for our growing family in my parents' home in Indiana.  Given our nursery's space and sky theme, as well as our baby's unique middle name, my sister decided that a Star Wars theme was in order!

From the food to the Pinterest-inspired diaper cake to the favors, there were little elements of the movies everywhere.  It was definitely cute and fun.

Most of the photos I have are from my sister's instant film camera.  It was really nice to have friends and family together in one place (with lots of kids!) to celebrate.  We've been blessed with such generosity from everyone since they found out we were expecting.

I'm thankful to our family for their support.  Not only were they in attendance, but gifts from as far as NY and PA also made their way to the shower, and our apartment office thinks we are crazy with the amount of packages coming in from family and friends near and far.

Phoenix

I've written quite a few posts about Arizona over the years, since my sister has lived there since 2010.  I like it more and more when I come to visit!

Even though I've been trying to be healthier lately, my sister insisted on treating me to In-N-Out Burger on the same day I flew in.  I'm not going to complain.  She doesn't even eat red meat; she gets the "grilled cheese animal style" which is everything but the meat.  You can also order it without the bun "protein style" to have it wrapped in lettuce.  We like our fries "well done".

After my work in Tucson, I headed back up to Phoenix for another weekend with Sissy.  She took me to Arcadia Farms Cafe for lunch, one of her favorite spots in Old Town Scottsdale.  I had the chicken Cobb salad, and it was so fresh and delicious!  She'd warned me ahead of time that the service there was slow... but that still didn't prepare me for how long it took to get a drink, an order, even just a cookie and a check!  It's the kind of place where you need to be ready to help them speed along, like being that person who asks for a check when you're ordering dessert.  Otherwise, you're stuck.  But the food is SO GOOD, guys.  Seriously, so good.  We had a lemon cookie to split for dessert and it was heavenly.  I can see why people would come back to a place like this, where the service is 2-star but the food is 4-star!

We also had our eyelashes tinted and permed at Luminosa Beauty Bar, which was weird... but I love the results!  OMG!  Lashes for daysssss with no curling or mascara.  Actually, for weeks.  Amazing.  Shoutout to Chanel for the amazing work.

We also hit up Last Chance, where all the Nordstrom Rack merchandise goes for final sale.  It is not a place for the meek, but my sister is an expert.  I scored a Rebecca Minkoff bag for $40 (normally $200) and took home two pairs of Ugg boots (paid $60, normally $220).  One pair was a birthday gift from Sissy, the other I couldn't resist because I'm a nutcase who buys things I love in multiple colorways.  It was totally snowing in Nashville the day before I went home from Arizona, so it was justified quickly.

We also took a nice stroll through the Heard Museum, which is all about American Indian art.  The textiles, pottery, and jewelry were my favorites.  So incredible to see the handiwork of these tribes who were in our country long before Europeans landed.

My visit to Phoenix also meant quality time with my nephew-dog, Sumo!  Look how big he has gotten!  What a cute squish.

We had a couple of other delicious adventures on my last day in town, too...  I had a breakfast burrito at Presidio Cocina Mexicana, which was super tasty.  I saved half of it for my breakfast the following day.  Really clean, fresh little spot not far from the Heard Museum.

We (Sissy, her fiance, and I) went downtown on my last night to have dinner at Nook Kitchen. The location we visited downtown is attached to the coolest Hilton Garden Inn I've ever seen.  If this is the future of hotel restaurants, I'm so in.  We started with the arancini, which are amazing fried risotto balls.   Yummmmm.  These were good!  We were able to sit outside and enjoy the nice weather too.

I was craving comfort food and sticking to an Italian theme, as I tend to do; fresh pasta is hard for me to turn down.  Hello, bolognese!  I thought their pasta was tasty.  I ate every noodle.  If I go back, I'll have to give their pizza a try.

All-in-all, I really loved my most recent trip to Arizona, both Tucson and Phoenix.  I am lucky to have been able to spend a full week there, and get the perfect combination of work and family time.

Tucson

So I went to Tucson for work back in 2013, and I said I'd love to come back to that resort.  Well, lucky for me my work brought me back!  I spent five wonderful days at the JW Marriott Tucson Star Pass Resort, and I had a ball.  My sister picked me up at the airport, and we road tripped from Phoenix down to Tucson.

Sissy mentioned to me that it's a foodie city, so we went out for dinner downtown at the beautiful Maynards Market & Kitchen.  We started with drinks and the chef's board, which had three cheese and two cured meats.  I also liked their quince paste.  For dinner, we split the bistro salad and their pasta of the day.  The salad was yummy, and the pasta was good.  I think the olives in the pasta were a little overpowering, but we left stuffed and happy.

The next day, we went for a hike near the resort.  So many cacti!

Before Sissy headed home, we had brunch at 47 Scott.  They had $3 mimosas, y'all.  I got mine with grapefruit juice, because that's my obsession lately.

I got the grilled cheese (three cheeses, incredible) and tomato soup.  There was also a hot chili sauce for the sandwich, and it was soooo good.  Seriously, I'm still thinking about this sandwich.  I digress, need to keep blogging and stop thinking about the sandwich.

Once my sister headed back to Phoenix, I spent most of my time at the resort.  I had a massage and exfoliation at Hashani Spa, taking advantage of a special, and spent time by the pool.  It was the most amazing Monday ever!  I did a short hike on my own too, and it was beautiful.

I didn't stay at the resort the entire trip, though!  I headed out with three of my favorite coworkers for dinner at Penca.  An unmarked, sleek, dark restaurant, it has a mysterious vibe.  The drinks were strong and the food was yummy.  The service was a bit on the slow side, and the chip bowl was often empty.  Party foul!  But surrounded by friends engaged in good conversation, I barely noticed.  Hello, chicharrones, guac, and tacos!

I don't have enough words to describe my trip.  It was probably my favorite work trip of all-time, surrounded by really great people and a beautiful desert.  We had a ton of fun, and I really enjoyed it.

I loved my week in Tucson!

Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, & Sevierville

Dan and I spent our 4th of July weekend in the Smokies, along with my parents.  We stayed in Sevierville (hometown of Dolly Parton) and explored the adjoining towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

On our first morning in town, we headed to Great Smoky Mountains National Park to hike the Trillium Gap Trail to Grotto Falls.  The place was packed; get there early, because everyone had the same idea for the holiday!  It was a good way to burn some calories and enjoy the mountains.

That night, we had dinner and a show at Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede.  It's kind of a rite of passage if you make a trip to a wholesome, family-friendly vacation town like Pigeon Forge (or Branson, Missouri where the other Dixie Stampede is).  Dan was probably not as mentally prepared for this extravaganza... There is no alcohol, you are served food, including soup, with no utensils, and there's an odd North vs. South storyline that is not historically representative of just about anything.  If you get too caught up in any of that, you won't like it.  But if you like rodeos and animals, this is kind of fun.  I enjoyed the horses, pigs, and things like that!  It's pricey, and the food is just okay, but you won't leave hungry and it's very family-friendly.

Afterwards, we headed to The Island, which is a kind of Downtown Disney-type place.  Total tourist trap, with a Margaritaville, Paula Deen restaurant, and Moonshine store.  But it was clean, pretty, and not a bad place to hang out!  I saw they have an Escape Game there, which is something I really love, so I wish we'd had time to do that as a family.

Our favorite touristy stop during the trip (Dan's fav for sure) was the awesome Aquarium of the Smokies.  So many great things to see!  Mom loved the sea dragons.  Dan loves aquariums, especially, sharks, sea turtles, and rays.  The layout was great, and while it was crowded, you could still go at your own pace and enjoy the animals.  It was nice to have the air conditioning on a hot weekend, too!  It's not cheap, but it's worth the cost of entry.  I even ran into my boss and her kids there!

I think my favorite meal during the weekend was at Applewood Farmhouse Grill.  You get to start with apple fritters, after all!  It was a cute restaurant, and the food was good.  Kind of reminds you of a Cracker Barrel in terms of the offering (I got chicken and dumplings) but in a good way.  Really friendly waitstaff and good service, and we had no trouble or wait to get a table even on the holiday weekend.

Apple Fritters!!!

We really had a great time over 4th of July weekend here in Tennessee.  It took us about four hours to drive there from Nashville.  I sometimes take for granted how much I get to see my parents versus when I was in the Army; it's nice to be able to see my folks even for just a weekend.  I wasn't sure that Dan would be into the whole Smoky Mountains touristy stuff (it was PACKED with people, and traffic was a challenge), but I think the aquarium was perfect for him.  There's probably something for just about anyone in those three towns!

Grand Canyon & Flagstaff

I had to head back to Arizona (lucky me!) for work, so Dan and I headed out early to spend a long weekend with Sissy and her fiancé, JA.  Since it was Dan's first trip to Arizona, we had to make it special... so we drove out to the Grand Canyon to show him why it's considered one of the wonders of the world!

Once we got out of Phoenix, the scenery changed dramatically into a winder wonderland!  All along the road, people were pulled over to go sledding and romp in the snow.  It almost didn't look real!

The snow made it all the more beautiful and stunning!  Sure, it was cold... but it was a bright and sunny day to be out experiencing the park.  This post is photo-heavy and light on my narration, but that's because I think the photos just speak for themselves.

I think that Dan found the Grand Canyon to be surprisingly impressive...  That is, people build it up in talk to be this big thing, but most things in life end up a little disappointing when you have those expectations.  The Grand Canyon, however, doesn't disappoint.  Even after more than one visit, I'm still in awe that it exists.  And, as Dan pointed out, how long it took to form such a stunningly deep impression into the earth.

After our visit to the Grand Canyon, we drove to Flagstaff for the night.  We stayed at the historic (and reputedly haunted) Hotel Monte Vista.  While the hotel itself is a bit past its prime (it used to host very famous guests), we found our suite to be clean and suitable for the night!  The hotel also has a couple of pretty decent bars, and it was walking distance to the main downtown drag.

After checking in, we walked to local ramen joint SoSoBa for some food.  It was a cold and snowy day, so a bowl of hot noodles and broth sounded perfect.  There were a good number of other folks in the tiny restaurant, a good sign.  Service was solid, beer and drink options plentiful, and hipsters galore.

We started with Balls of Fire, their housemade fried mac 'n' cheese balls with spicy sauce.  Dan liked these so much, he wished he'd ordered a few more for his meal!

For my main dish, I had The Mic Drop: udon noodles, pork belly, carnitas, chicharron, sliced ham, bacon, kim chi, veggies, and a tonkatsu pork broth.  Basically, a creative bowl of carnivorous "ramen" that really hit the spot.  It was definitely tasty, despite being a departure from traditional ramen.  

After eating, we browsed some boutiques (mostly outdoorsy places) and had a couple of drinks at the hotel bar before turning in.  In the morning, we had a delicious breakfast at the popular (judging from its line) Macy's European Coffeehouse and Bakery, a vegetarian spot that served me a cider and breakfast sandwich so delicious, I didn't remember to take any photos before devouring!

All in all, it was a great road trip from Phoenix.  I think Dan liked Flagstaff even more than Phoenix, though both boast a lot of craft beer!  We'd definitely come back, and now we know why Sissy loves it for a quick getaway from the desert.