Homemade Arnold Palmers

Mmmm

Happy Monday

Mommy hopes to do a real blog post sometime this week. :)

Enjoying our new (to us) Bench

Wagon fun

Finishing a nice morning walk

Dog walker for hire

Charlie at 17 months

Charlie turned 17 months old yesterday. Almost a year and a half! Lately he has been saying animal sounds (dog, cat, sheep, chicken), he loves to wear shoes and wants to put them on with his PJs first thing in the morning, he loves to wave and say bye (sometimes says it when he first sees someone, hasn't gotten hi/hello yet). He is finally 100% bottle free. And he had his first babysitter at our house on Saturday. Abigail is a 17 year old gal who was recommended by a friend and it all went perfectly.

Swinging

Squash Casserole

Squash from my Aunt Monica's garden

Hi!

Morning Walk to Sevier Park

Charlie's own sidewalk

Cheekwood's Treehouses

We've had some really hot weather lately, but it cooled down just a little bit the day before my birthday.  Or at least it was bearable to go walk around outside at Cheekwood.  They have a really neat display right now - 7 unique treehouses. 

 I think this pirate ship was called the Jolly Roger.

Charlie liked being below the ship and trying to climb up it.  He is a climber these days (discovered how to climb our chairs and has made his way up to our dining room table.  This is bad news for any flower vase or anything else that wants to hang out on the table) 

This fish was so cool and all of the scales were old CDs.  From the inside you could check out all the artists, a lot of them unknowns to me, but some were a blast from the past.

Looking out the fish eye at Daddy. 

This "treehouse" was suspended over the pond. 

CQ loved all the ropes.  And all the other kids too. 

And this one titled Up and Down Again (inspired by The Hobbit, wasn't the book within it called There and Back Again?) It had a ramp up to a super slide.  The kids were loving it!  My Dad's company built it so I was glad to see it was a hit.

Always beautiful walking around the gardens. 

I think this one was called The Giving Tree. 

This was a more traditional and fancy treehouse.  Charlie loved that the inside had kitchen items. 

And this last shell looked pretty neat but we didn't check it out, we were ready to head on home (plus it closes at 4:30)

Anyone in the Nashville area should go check them out, especially with kiddos in tow.

America's Birthday

Happy Fourth of July everybody!

 Speaking of birthdays, I got to celebrate my 31st last week.  My parents hosted yet another wonderful meal.  We had sliders and my Mom's amazing potato salad, followed by homemade chocolate cake. The Nadler gang (minus Rachel who was out of town) came to join us.

Sarah - pictured less than a week before having her baby!  Anna arrived two days ago. YAY!!! 

Sam and Uncle Robert 

During dinner Charlie was getting really tired, so Mom was giving him a bath before putting him to bed.  Dad hollered to the guys - Matthew and Sam - to get in the bathroom and take over...they came in but didn't help. ha 

Sam and Lorena (Lore had just gotten back in town from a month + in Argentina... Reunited lovebirds!) 

E was able to get off work a little early on my birthday and she took me for a real treat.  A pedicure!  It had been about a year since I'd had one (they are cheaper in NJ/NY!) 

The next night Pat and I met up with a few buddies for some birthday drinks at 12th South Taproom.  I definitely enjoyed their Strongbow Cider.   

And I consider concert tickets the previous weekend as my big birthday gift to myself.  The Brothers of The Sun concert was a great show - Grace Potter, Tim McGraw, and Kenny Chesney.  I had never seen any of them before and they were all great (we got there too late to see Jake Owen open...it was too hot to be there for a 4:30 start....more on that heat later)

Some college friends, Carrie and Jason, came in town from Illinois for the concert and we met them downtown at Puckett's for lunch on Saturday, June 23rd. 

The concert was HOT.   

We were on the sunny side of LP Field.  Luckily we were at the stadium level so you could go inside to the air conditioning, but it was packed inside with people cooling off.  This picture was during Grace Potter, so still an opening band - the stadium filled up as it got later.

And I know no one wants to see this, but I took a picture of my ankle sweat. 

 Sisters!

So glad E and Mark were able to join us for the show. 

And thank you to my Uncle Robert for my autograph!!!!!! 

My Aunt Carole and Uncle Robert had us over for brunch the morning after the show (when Kate was still in town - she was our babysitter for the concert)  And he handed this over to me.  Cracks me up.  He wrote it after we arrived their house, not a real autograph. :)

PS I have a lot of photos to post...hope Charlie keeps on napping.  If so, I'll do another!