Another Weekend

We had another splendid weekend two weeks ago. I’m just so excited at how we are getting out and about in Nashville, which we always talked about doing in Reston, but never seemed to do.

My mom left town on Thursday to drive home, which left a little hole in our lives, but having her here really got me over the unpacking hump, for which I’m grateful.

On Saturday morning, Buds picked out an East Nashville restaurant for us to try out, then we stopped at a hipster coffee joint, then on to the Maker Faire at the Adventure Science Center, then home.

Then, on Sunday, we missed church due to group family melt-down, but we recovered to go on a hike with some new friends.

The specifics:

Saturday morning, we tried out The Biscuit House. It involved a 30 minute wait before we got a table, then a 20 minute wait for our food, but it was worth it for many reasons.

One of Yessa’s favorite games has been “Pass The Ugly Sweater.” You know what “Pass The Ugly Sweater” used to be named?

Old Maid.

I know it’s a little thing, and when I was a kid, I didn’t even really think about an Old Maid card being the one no one wanted, and much as I believe my children will not be permanently harmed by playing with Barbies, I really, really prefer “Pass The Ugly Sweater.”

While Monkey read a book, the other four of us passed our time waiting for our food playing the sweater card game. Such moments of peace and joy as I enjoy my family enjoying each other.

Then we went to The Barista Parlor. What an odd, odd adventure. The kids and I were just going to wait in the car while Buds ran in to get some ground coffee, but he sent us a text that we “have to come inside, because it is crazy.”

Crazy meant beautiful and a coffee-lover’s dream, but also a really long line. And unlike at Starbucks where you wait in a really long line, then when you get to the front of the line you get your drink and food shortly after, at BP, you wait in the really long line to place your order, then you wait even longer to get your drink. This is an artisanal coffee place, folks. Haughtily so. So artisanal, in fact, my coffee-snobby hubby was intimidated by all the options.

We did enjoy looking at the furniture and took some fun pictures.

Buds felt badly that we all ended up waiting with him for so long to get his cappuccino, but it sure was pretty when it arrived. And it was okay for all of us to wait together. Sometimes that’s what families do.

Then on to the Maker Faire! It was the first time we encountered much of a crowd at a Nashville event, but it was still such a joy and a treat, and not really a crowd by our previous home’s standards. It never felt like we were going to lose any of the kids, and the line I expected to take over an hour actually took 15 minutes.

Monkey finally had the chance to ride the roller coaster in the simulator with both Buds and me, and Yessa had the chance to fly an airplane. Roller coaster was supposed to go upside down, airplane was not supposed to, but we did it, The Yessa and me. We have special talents as pilots.

The Buster continued to be sure he did not want to go back into the simulator. Love it that he knows his own boundaries.

Saw lots of cool things made by people sharing their passions and interests. Maker Faire was a great way to spend some of our Saturday.

Then on Sunday, we went on a “first date,” with some new friends. As first dates go, it was closer to my first one with Buds, than my blind date with that other guy I went out with the weekend after I met Buds.

We’ve already got a plan to hang out with this family again in a couple weeks. I suspected things would go well when I asked what else they had done that day, and S said, “We tried out this new church…I know I won’t say it correctly, ‘Univers, unity, something.'”

“Unitarian Universalist, ” I said…

That’s a good sign.

Photos by S.D.

Still weeks behind on posts, but glad to have this one in the record books to look back on in years to come.