Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Fast Trip to Arkansas

Over our Labor Day weekend we took a quick trip to Arkansas to visit family. This was our view on the way down Friday evening. It was amazing!

We got to Memphis (where my aunt lives and so graciously lets us all stay) and realized that I forgot Tripp's pack-n-play. BIG MISTAKE! He has to have that to sleep! So we all had a restless night. Needless to say, we got up early Saturday morning and headed off to Arkansas to visit my Papaw. We were following my aunt who was using her GPS that took us through some pretty interesting sights. So things got a little crazy with the photo journalism. I wish like crazy I would have gotten the inner city Memphis we went through. I am very sure that we were not invited to frequent those parts and needed to leave as fast as we came. Anway, we took a picture of the only white person we saw within a 10 mile radius of that place:


So since that was so momentous we decided to replicate that and show the other white person I had seen but forgotten about:

We had to go through Mississippi to get there so we drove through Tunica. We learned all sorts of things here!

Like, Michael Bolton is still alive and well and preforming in Mississippi! Be sure to check him out because if you are anything like me you have been asking yourself, "How am I supposed to live without you" any time you think of him. Anyway, there were many other people that we found...
like Kenny G! I thought this guy had been arrested for lulling drivers to sleep and causing an outbreak of car accidents in the late 80's. Guess he made bail and is back at it in Tunica. Hey, did anyone else know that he holds the Guiness World Book record for longest note held on a sax? 45 minutes! Enjoy, everyone, enjoy!
We also saw cars that were missing back windshields. Yes, you can see this anywhere but on this trip, it made the list.
This is one of my favs. Only in Tunica will you see both Tractors and Tour buses on the same 4 lane highway! Really?!?!?
We had a good time in the car as well. Here are my two being so sweet.
Amber and Kaylen posing. We sang, danced, videoed such activities without the knowledge of the singer and dancer... Good times!
My babies playing together. I love that they can entertain each other!
We did have some tears with this little guy. He was a trooper but some things were just more than he could handle. He was so ready to be out of his seat!
We saw lots and lots of cotton!
And now we are reaching our destination!!! Arkansas!

There really isn't much there. It is so much like the place that time forgot. I honestly love that about the area though. It is as if you are going back in time. Things have just aged and stayed the same. Take this house, for example. It looks like it was really nice many years ago. Now it is run down. What a fun restoration project, huh!?
And then you have stores that look like this. It probably used to be a mom and pop convenient store that the native-to-Arkansas-Wal-Mart put out of business. I am just speculating.
And there are scenes like this that are sad. A home destroyed and left there. It makes me want to go and help clean it up and restore it.
Now we are on my Grandpa's road. Notice the lack of pavement. I am telling you... a totally different world! Very relaxing and quiet.
How beautiful is the farming community? I love all of the barns and fields. It is a shame that we are losing this laid back way of life.
We made it to my Papaw's! He has lived here as long as I can remember and it is a great place to visit. The weather was absolutely perfect this day!
His neighbor has a pet deer. It is a 10 point buck and so sweet. He ate flowers from us for the longest time!
Even Tripp got in on the feeding.
He is getting old but he is so gentle and sweet.
Of course we all had to get in on the photo opt with the deer.
Mamaw, A. Christy and Tripp enjoying the beautiful afternoon.
Okay, this is always my favorite activity at my Papaw's. I borrowed some knock around clothes from Mamaw so I didn't get too dusty and took the kids for a ride.

Tripp and Kaylen both just went around the house with us and then back off to play in the yard. Sydney (my cousin) and I had a lot of fun riding all over the place on that thing. All of the fields are in a checkerboard pattern and you can go around there for days. It really is a blast! Mom, Papaw (her dad), A. Christy, Kaylen and Sydney
A. Christy, Mamaw, Mom, Kaylen
Okay, these shots get a little silly... Amber I put these on here for you, my dear. Remember that picture of me that you stole? :)
Amber, get in that tree and smile like you are having your senior pictures made!
Amber and I.
Hey, I know, hang in that tree and smile like you are just standing around acting normal. What? It actually hurts your legs to hang like that? Well, you never showed the pain on you sweet smiling face!
Now you fit in the inner city Memphis area we drove through earlier! Way to throw those gang signs, Whitey McWhite.
Wait, what'd ya say? I am sorry, I couldn't quite hear ya. Nevermind... lookin' good!
Now we are in Forrest City. This time it is an entire downtown that time forgot. So strange to see.
But then again, these are the cars you might see driving through this area. And yes, I was afraid of being shot for taking the picture. I tried to be sly but was told that I so wasn't.
God Bless America.
This is my Mawmaw's house. She past away many year ago and my Aunt bought it. She then past away and the house left the family for a while. My uncle has recently purchased it and is slowly trying to update things. It was nice to all be there again. Odd how different places evoke such memory for you.
After dinner there we decided to go ahead and go back home on Saturday night. This was due to Amber not feeling great and us not having a pack-n-play for Tripp. This is how we all felt at this point:
But Kaylen was acting more like this:
It was a quick trip but was really nice to race down memory lane. We ended the weekend with a game of hide-n-seek on the golf course, a cookout with Allen's high school guys and some family hang time. All in all, it was a great Labor Day!

4 comments:

Jean Etheridge said...

Awesome blog and photos. This looks like a great trip. I'm glad you had a good time.

Anonymous said...

Totally not loving this blog post!! Some of these pictures should leave the site!!

dawn wilson said...

I am guessing this anonymous would my my lovely sister.... ha! totally not changing it! :)

Mom said...

I loved the whole story line. I have been taking folks on our journey through your lovely commentary.