As an 16 year old, your top priority is looking cool. Thanks to my parents, namely a dad with a car fetish, I had that covered. I drove a cute little white convertible Mustang. Even with crank windows and cassette player, I was totally too cool for school.
Birthdays are kind of a big deal in our family. The birthday person was always awoken with a song and presents and, for me, a cup of hot coffee in my favorite mug. The morning of my 17th birthday started out this way. My parents handed me a box and I ripped it open to find... pajamas?! What? I graciously accepted and hugged mom and dad, but if I'm being honest, I was thinking, "really? pajamas?"
That afternoon as I walked out to my car in the high school parking lot I noticed my driver's side window was down. I panicked thinking someone has broken into my car. As I slipped into the driver's seat I noticed a card... and a CD propped up on the gear shift. When I moved the card, a shiny new CD player stared back at me. My parents were the car theives, taking my car while I was in school and having the CD player installed. To this day, that's one of the best surprises they've ever pulled off.
It had been nearly a month since my parents had gotten to see Dane. Near-daily facetime conversations just don't cut it and I missed them as much as they missed snuggling their little guy. Dad came up with this idea to surprise Mom at a cabin in the mountains in Asheville, NC for the weekend. It's closer than us having to drive the entire distance to their house and my sister and her husband could meet us there too. Now...we had to keep it a secret from Momma. Easy for Brynn and I... my dad is the worst spoiler of surprises EVER because he gets SOOOO excited! :) (Sorry, Dad, but it's true!)
Brynn and I spent the week planning what we'd bring and trying to think like Mom because she's the one who thinks to bring everything you don't think you're going to need. She's pretty good like that. Dad loaded up Dane's pack-n-play in the bed of his truck and covered it with moving blankets. The PNP stays at mom and dad's because Dane uses it when we're there. Little did we know, that would be our downfall. While helping Dad unload the truck Mom uncovered the PNP. She looked and Dad and asked, "What have you done?!" and then starting bawling.
So, we were 20 minutes short of pulling off a pretty good surprise. Nonetheless, we had a great time at the Asheville Motor Lodge, a historic and rustic place nestled at the foot of the Blueridge Mountains.
Meeting mom and dad at a delicious and authentic Baverian restaurant. Still thinking she has no idea we're coming... but she did!
Our rustic and humble abode.
Delicious pizza at the Lexington Avenue Brewing Co.
Dad has started microbrewing in his basement, so this was a research trip. :) Our favorites were the microbrews at LAB.
Playing with Granna at lunch.
Love birds. Aren't they sweet?
Park in downtown Asheville. Asheville is full of very interesting characters. I had heard that it was "weird" but it was almost culture shock to see that many hippies living in a park outside of NYC.
This is how we know his mouth hurts.
Let the games begin! Playing with papa.
Giving Papa kisses. :)
Loving on Auntie Brynn
and Granna, too!
Dane is a good little traveler, sleeping as well as a baby can be expected to sleep when he's out of his element.He ended up in our bed both nights but seemed to sleep pretty well and adapted well to napping while out and about. He's such a precious boy giving away lots of big, sloppy, open-mouth kisses. :) It's always hard for Momma to say goodbye, but Dane likes to leave with a smile.
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