Last Weekends Road Trip to Tennessee

Well basically when we left for on our Road trip we only had enough money for gas. So we packed food and water and my amazing, don't always get along with Aunt was paying for our hotel room. So we basically drove straight through but stopped at a rest stop in Tennessee to have lunch, cold mac-n-cheese and jello. We picked up some brochures and decided some we would have plenty of time to kill before the party and didn't want to be put to work when we got there decorating and cooking, so we went to the Parthenon in Centennial park. We walked around and explored for over an hour and then decided it was time to head over to Cousin J's birthday party. When we arrived, they still weren't done decorating, so of course we still ended up helping and doing alot of the setting up. Finally it was 5pm and no one was there, their guests didn't start showing up until 530-6pm. So that gave J and K lots of time to play together. They actually played pretty well, he didn't bully K around but he did grab toys away from her alot of the time but it was 100% better than it was last year about this same time. Right after the guests got there she let J get in the pool instead of playing the games, having cake or even opening presents. They didn't even blow out candles till 730pm and then played games at 8pm. Which I was really bummed because they didn't let all the little kids take a whack at the pinata before the bigger kids did, so K didn't even get a turn. I finally had to beg my Cousin M to open J's presents or at least our presents at 930pm at night because I was ready to head back to the hotel. She was put off about it but hell I didn't drive all this way to not see his face when he opened our gifts. I still couldn't believe that she didn't even care if people saw J open his gifts or at least have them opened so people could see what he got. So we got to the hotel and it was almost 11pm. My Aunt ended up staying at our hotel room until almost 1am and amazingly K was awake still at 1am (which was 4 1/2 hrs past her bedtime). But I just couldn't make K go to bed when I knew my Aunt was paying for our room and they never see each other. Also J is 6 months older than K and is also almost a Foot Taller than her too.

K and J playing in his new sandbox

Cousin M and Cousin J writing with Chalk on their house

The kids playing with glow sticks when it got darkThe next morning, we still got up bright and early. My Aunt joined us for complimentary breakfast and we continued to visit. It was a nice relaxing morning. We then headed out to my Uncle's house (about an hour outside town). He was a little miffed with us because we haven't seen him in so long but after talking he finally realized it wasn't because we didn't want to see him, it was because of everything bad that has happened in our life. After awhile K warmed up to him (he's a gruff mountain man type but has a heart of gold). Our visit was way too short! Finally it was time to head home because of course Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa decided to plan a surprise visit on us and we had to be home for them.

Aunt and K practicing a cheer in the hotel lot

Uncle and K looking into the birdhouse

Otherwise if you want to read about the rest of our week, check out the post below