Turner in Andalusia - A weekend to relax

Several months back when football schedules were released, I told Mark that I thought I'd like to accompany him to Starkville to the Thursday night ESPN game vs. LSU.  I took half of the day off and we made the long journey to MSU, meeting Tootsie and Pop along the way to drop off Turner for a long weekend visit.  We visited with long time friends and enjoyed a loud and rowdy 4 quarters with Bulldog fans who packed the stadium for the big game.  I ended up not feeling well by the end of the game so we left the stadium even later than expected (around 10:45) and finally got on the road back to Auburn, arriving back on the Plains around 3:30am.  I've seen some late nights in my college and younger years, but I am way too old for a 4:00am bedtime...especially knowing I had to be at work for a 9:00 meeting!  I am glad we went despite the loss.  It was a late night, and probably viewed as a frivolous/slightly insane decision  by some...but I figured you only live once and sometimes spontaneity and a shift from normal can be quite refreshing!

My only picture...didn't even take my camera!

Meanwhile, Turner was having a complete blast in Andalusia.  Picking zennias when she arrived...

And it just so happened to be Homecoming weekend in our little small town.  This is an event that you almost need to experience to fully understand!  There are skits depicting classes of the past at the morning assembly, schools let out at the half day mark so that all can attend a Homecoming Day Parade in which members of the honored classes ride on the back of flatbed trucks and wave to the onlookers.  The Homecoming Queen and her court are paraded through town sitting atop the backs of the finest convertibles in town. It's a truly unique, small-town experience.  Turner being able to see it and enjoy it was a treat for me, and especially for my parents who are lifelong residents of Andalusia!

The band marches also and ends their route on the steps of the courthouse (located in the town square), leading the crowd in a big pre-game pep rally!  It's not Mayberry folks, but small town living has it's charm!

I received this picture via text from my mom while Mark and I dined at Hamilton's on Friday night...I guess there is something to be said about living in a small town.  The Homecoming Queen (not the one pictured below) is the daughter of my mom's former principal and now superintendent...as he escorted his daughter off the field he saw my sweet daughter and handed her the queen's bouquet!

You can imagine the fun that Turner had with Tootsie and Pop - everything in the world she wanted to eat, do, or experience at a moment's notice!

This picture is only humorous to those of us who have had the privilege of seeing Turner demonstrate her disdain for the Crimson Tide.  We taught her before she turned two years old that when anyone said, "Roll Tide" or "Alabama Crimson Tide" to grab her nose and say, "Pee-ew Stinky!"  The shirt is just too hilarious!

Turner apparently set up a preschool at my parents house and this was the snack area.  She was using her play vacuum cleaner once when I called to clean up the crumbs where the students had made a terrible mess eating their snack.  She was teaching them their daily lessons in the foyer I  believe...

 And at some point she decided that she wanted my Dad to build her a campfire.  In the yard.  So he did.

And somehow she convinced them to roast hot dogs (which I didn't know about until a couple of days after she returned home, and that she roasted the hot dogs on a stick) and marshmallows.  It was I believe around 87 degrees this particular weekend.  :)  Now she is quite obsessed with campfires and the concept of roasting marshmallows (on a wire stick you know). 

There were so many things that I didn't hear from my parents during the weekend, that Turner filled me in on after she returned to Auburn and in the coming week.  The fact that there wasn't any gum at the Tractor Supply store (a tradition for Turner and Pop on Saturday mornings when we visit) so she got some "chompy not chewy bones" instead.  She had to clarify that these were candy bones, akin to Runts....I wasn't sure what type bones she meant?!  Then they went on a mad search all over town to find a gum machine, finding one at the Dollar Tree (across town - Pop would not be outdone I tell you!) as well as several new items such as sunglasses and a new hula hoop.  The standard answer for "Where did that come from?" for a week after she returned was, "Tootsie got it for me at the Dollar Tree."

Turner didn't tell me about the trauma of the weekend, and that Tootsie was sitting on the chair part of my old high chair (which has been refinished years ago for Turner) and the chair gave way.  Tootsie apparently landed flat on her backside in the kitchen floor and I can only imagine the hysterical laughter that ensued from both Tootsie and Pop.  But Turner didn't tell me about this...Pop did several days later, so that I'd know that Turner totally freaked out screaming and crying that Tootsie, "broke her chair"!  When I finally asked her about it (explaining that it was in fact Tootsie's chair/my chair/BB's chair) she was super serious as she said, "But it upset me that Tootsie broke my chair!"

We had a fabulous and productive weekend while Turner was in Andalusia!  We cleaned out and rearranged closets, cleaned up the house, yard, cars, etc.  You know, all the "fun" things you do when you are adults/parents and have a weekend sans child!  We did enjoy a lovely dinner out Friday night and a trip to Chill for some after dinner yogurt, and seeing as how we had gotten in bed at 4:00am Thursday night we took the opportunity to sleep in on Saturday!

Thank you Tootsie and Pop for a weekend of fun for Turner and a weekend of rest and productivity for us!  Turner actually told me when she walked through the door, "But I wanted to stay with Tootsie and Pop forever!"  She was happy to see us and home, but she does love being with you in Andalusia!