Another great Maddy, Brophy, Niday beach vacation in the books. This time in Holden Beach, NC.
We had great weather.
Only a few dark clouds and an occasional shower in off-peak beach hours.
Had a Girl Scout Cookie Baking Challenge.
Had a 5:00 a.m. Woman’s World Cup USA vs. Sweden viewing party.
Spent time at the beach.
Spent time at the pool.
And enjoyed leisure time around the house doing puzzles, playing pool, games and goofing off.
Celebrated Harper’s birthday.
And made amazing memories.
August is always a busy time in our household…beach vacations, birthdays, and the start of school.
Aug 4 – Avery and Emerson’s Birthday
Leaving for the beach August 5, meant that Daddy and I had to work Friday more than we would have liked. We spent a leisurely morning opening presents and eating pancakes. Emerson spent the day with Papa and Grandma, while Avery stayed home since she wasn’t feeling well. Us ladies (Mommy, Grandma, Avery, Emerson, and Harper) enjoyed watching the Barbie Movie at The Boro theatre. Afterwards, we enjoyed tacos from Fish Taco and cupcakes from Expo; eating them at Papa and Grandma’s and singing Happy Birthday with Daddy joining us via Facetime.
Aug 12 – Harper’s birthday was on the day we were driving home from the beach. We had a little celebration at the beach Friday night with ice-cream and mini-cupcakes.
Then another one the morning of her birthday with an assortment of mini pastries and fruit, followed by a Pollo Peru birthday dinner celebration with Papa, Grandma, Lauren, Gabriel, Noah, and Elias.
Sunday we celebrated the three of you with a joint party at Watermine. Each of the girls had several friends; they all got along great and had a fantastic time. Noah, Elias, Lauren, Gabriel, Grandma, and Papa even joined us this year. It was hot and sunny; perfect day for 4 ½ hours of waterpark fun!
Five fun honkey-tonk filled days in Nashville. I seriously think all us Maddys have a little country in us. I personally felt like I had a constant smile on my face from the second we arrived in Nashville.
January, the American Nystagmus Network announced the bi-annual conference was going to be in Nashville, TN, we knew not only were we going to attend, but also that we were going to turn it into a mini-family vacation.
The girls were psyched! I pulled out my pre-kids cowboy boots and we were off!
Music:
The Station Inn – I researched and researched and researched the best places to hear live music. Many of the suggested places were 21 and over or tickets sold out within minutes. The Station Inn, in the Gulch area, was a 10-minute walk from where we were staying. There was a show the Tuesday night that we arrived that I wanted to go to; tickets were only sold at the door and started selling at 7:00, an hour before doors opened for the 9:00 show. Part of me wanted to line up at 6:00 to make sure we got into the show, but everyone was hungry so we opted to go get dinner first. We were going to chance it when dinner was over. Thankfully, we ate fairly quickly and arrived at The Station Inn before it was sold out. Seats were limited, but there was a section of folding chairs to the left of the stage that were open, right next to a picture of Dierks Bentley of all people! The Inn was pretty much The Vienna Inn with live music and only subpar pizza. Thankfully, we have read the reviews about the frozen pizza and opted to dine before the show. We enjoyed live music from The French Family Band; leaving at intermission though as the girls were exhausted.
The Listening Room – The Listening Room was such a different experience than The Station Inn. It was three artists whom I had never heard of; as it turns out, we had actually heard some of their songs as they were songwriters, who wrote for many famous artists including Luke Bryan and Keith Urban. Josh Kerr, Marynn Taylor, and Erin Kinsey put on a fantastic show, and it was heartwarming to hear the stories behind the songs. There was a $75 food and beverage minimum so we indulged in drinks and pretzels with beer cheese.
Restaurants:
Adeles – We were lucky to get a table being that we didn’t have a reservation. No kids menu, but we were able to order enough to share that the kids enjoyed. A delicious and expensive dinner. We ate here before heading to The Station Inn.
Luke Bryans – It was a fun experience to be able to check out our Lukey boy’s restaurant. All the current country music artists have their own restaurant right in the same area downtown on Broadway. The food and beer is okay; the first floor music is the draw. We ate here the before heading over to The Listening Room.
Moto Cucina – Also in the Gulch area. Nice ambience and good food; though service was very slow so by the time we got our food it was close to 9:00. Our waiter brought us some meatballs on the house, which was appreciated, but again by the time we got our dinner, we had lost some of our desire to eat a nice meal.
Tailgate Brewery – We stopped in due to nothing more than proximity. At just after 11:00, it was an early lunch for us. It was just us and one other table. Beer selection was fantastic; I enjoyed a flight of IPA’s. Lucky for us, Wednesday was half price pizza day, and the pizza was surprisingly pretty darn good.
Assembly Hall – Generally I am not much of a Food Market type person; everything looks amazing at food markets, but I can never decide what I want. SO many options at this one, and we made the decision that this was going to be lunch so we all found something to eat….tacos for Emerson, Avery, and me, and Tennessee fried chicken for Harper and Daddy. We even tried some cute donuts for fun.
Activities:
Gulch Photo Shoot – The reviews of the Iconic Gulch Photoshop were great; I knew I wanted Instagram worthy pictures of the Nashville hotspots with all of us. I rationalized the photo shoot by deciding those pictures would take the place of our bi-annual Fall photo session. I’m glad we did it; the pictures were good, not great. And the session gave me reason to wear my cowboy boots, the ones that were so old the insides started disintegrating on my legs.
Broadway – We explored downtown Nashville and Broadway Street. We were there a few times earlier in the day and the area was packed. I can’t even imagine the rowdiness and the crowds on a weekend night! I wore my boots and a Nashville worthy outfit and felt right at home. Avery and I had a fun time taking mirror selfies. We stopped in a few of the restaurants/bars each day we were downtown and enjoyed the vibes and the music.
Country Music Hall of Fame – We purchased tickets to the Country Music Hall of Fame and explored for a few hours one afternoon; it was a great escape from the 90-degree plus heat of the day. As with any museum, it’s hard to read and look at each exhibit; everyone enjoyed something.
Stays:
920 South Street – Our first three nights we stayed in a 2 bedroom/2bath Airbnb, which was a 10-minute walk to the popular Gulch area. It was spacious and a good spot for our family of five.
Gaylord Opryland Inn – We stayed here for 2 nights the last part of our trip as this was where the conference was held. It was five of us in one room with two full beds! We made it work. We arranged for a cot; the springs were so uncomfortable, so Avery moved the mattress to the floor. Emerson and Harper shared a bed and Justin and me; Justin got to snuggle a little closer to me than normal, which I am sure he loved!
ANN Conference:
This was by far my favorite Conference for a few reasons. Our primary reason for going these days is the networking of other kids and people who have nystagmus. Avery made a few friends at the last conferences, and she was really looking forward to seeing them and I was really looking forward to furthering those relationships and others.
Apparently, the girls think I am an extrovert. This came up at our dinner out at Moto and I thought they were nuts….well fast forward to the ANN Conference and I was able to see exactly why they thought that. Justin joked I was running for mayor!
Nashville was fantastic and we will definitely will be back!
Eight dances, two full on dress rehearsals, three recitals.
So proud of my Avery.
Watching her onstage is such a joy.
She gives it 125% on stage and her facial expressions express her own joy and love of being onstage.
This year she performed three dances in Mini CDC – “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, “Blackbird” and “Boogie Fever”. Jazz 1 she performed “Welcome to the 60’s”. Pre-teen Jazz she performed “Supermodel” and Modern she performed “Rhapsody”.
Schools out for summer! Oakton Elementary School (OES) is out for Avery and Emerson! Seven years at Oakton Elementary. Seven years since I unexpectedly broke down in happy tears as they climbed the steps to the school bus on their first day of kindergarten.
Avery and Emerson are ready for seventh grade. Emerson especially had a particularly tough year with three different teachers and has been ready since early this year to be at Thoreau. Harper has been going to school with her sisters since kindergarten…it’s all she knows. It will be four years again before they are all at the same school. In time, I think she will not only be fine, but also like being the sole Maddy at OES. The majority of her friends are in a similar situation having older sixth grade siblings.
They say you should celebrate your successes and graduating 6th grade is certainly a big one these days.
Graduation at Oakton High School.
Emerson was selected as 1 of 3 students out of 133 total 6th graders to deliver a commencement speech. Her speech and her delivery were outstanding! She was both excited and nervous to get on that stage; however, she not only kept her composure, but also delivered like she had spoken to 1000 people at once previously.
The girls both took the stage to accept their 6th grade graduation certificates; Emerson also received an award in Academic Excellence.
Look at these two I seriously can’t believe how grown up they look!
Family pics!
A 6th Grade Party was held at OES to celebrate; an event Avery and Emerson had been looking forward to for some time and had to have the perfect dress to celebrate; and a second dress….the same dress that they had worn just two hours prior at the graduation ceremony would not suffice.
Last day of school…Avery and Emerson look so grown up to me….it’s like overnight they look like middle schoolers!
The obligatory last day of school neighborhood group picture was last minute and for the first time ever, all the kids couldn’t wait to get to school!
The afternoon last day activities didn’t disappoint with water gun balloons, super soakers, and new this year Kona ice!
OES has truly been a great experience; Avery, Emerson, and Harper have grown academically and socially; it is a joy being their mom and having the opportunity to be on this journey with them.
“He’s the penis”.
While my grandma had been speaking gibberish for the last year or so, she sometimes made complete sense with a statement saying “I love you”, “where are you going”, “I’m listening”, “I remember”, “how are you”, or “he is handsome” in reference to a soap opera character.
Three months ago, I knew her time earthside was winding down and I wanted her to know she was loved, and it was okay to let go. I went with my mom, Avery, and Harper with the intent of reading her a letter I had written; Emerson joined us later coming from 643 (softball) with my dad. Upon seeing my dad in her room, my grandma looked at him and said “he’s the penis”. While I am pretty sure that is not exactly what she meant to say, she clearly knew it was my dad or a man and those are simply the words that came out of her mouth; the girls and I certainly got a chuckle and asked ourselves if we heard what she said correctly!
Below are the words I read to my grandma, to which several times, I said to her, “Grandma, are you listening?” when I felt like she wasn’t with me and she responded back “I’m listening” or “go ahead.”
******
Grandma –
It’s been awhile since we have had a real conversation. I’m not sure when the last one was…5 years ago probably and I am sure you were asking about the girls and what they were up to. You loved to hear about them!
Anyway, I got to thinking and I wanted to share with you…share with you some of the hundreds of memories I have that involve you, and Papa during my childhood. So in no particular order:
The Tooth Fairy came and went a total of 20 times visiting her for the last time two nights ago.
Her final baby tooth lost, her final Tooth Fairy Certificate received.
Avery, Emerson, and Harper have been looking forward to the 3rd Annual Neighborhood Baking Challenge hosted by the Goldmans since arriving home from last year’s event. Although it’s a much-anticipated event, the girls generally don’t decide on their entry until the week of the event.
Avery – This year she decided on Oreo Dream, a chocolate cake with Oreo buttercream. It was delicious, beautiful, and professional looking. She nailed it and I, along with several others, honestly thought she would win first place.
Emerson – Emerson decided on a lovely sponge cake with orange buttercream frosting. I’m not sure Emerson has ever had a sponge cake, but that is what she decided. The sponge cake was good, though sponge cake in general is nothing special. However, it was light, fluffy, and paired with the orange buttercream it was truly a lovely tasting and beautiful dessert. Emerson used Justin’s suggestion of Orange You Glad I Didn’t Say Banana Cake!
Harper – Harper decided to ask Bob for the Norwegian Apple Pie recipe that came from his stepmom. Harper devoured it when Bob and Cindy brought it over last year. She also made it with Bob and Cindy last year as part of her Baptism gift. The recipe was simple; the dessert absolutely gorgeous coming out of the oven with the sugar and cinnamon topping.
Avery, Emerson, and I went to the actual event as Harper had a soccer game at the same time (Justin took her). Kids and dessert were present in abundance. All the kids did a fantastic job and I know they made the judges decisions hard. Emerson won the Best Looking Dessert….it was said her cake was so beautiful and you could take it anywhere and it would stand out. I knew she would get some award! Avery to my disbelief did not place. I really thought she along with Emerson and Harper would receive an award. The first-place prize went to Harper! I thought Harper’s was fantastic, but I wasn’t expecting a first-place prize for her (sorry Harper when you read this). When she got home, Avery and Emerson told her she didn’t place…she quickly realized we were joking with her and was ecstatic when she ran up to her room and saw the first-place trophy on her bed!
The girls are looking forward to next year….though I think they are thinking about switching it up some for next year!
We have had 9 Easters in our house and it’s safe to say we have a general routine. Not much has changed: the girls on top of the stairs, a mad dash down the stairs to see what the Easter Bunny brought, church service, pictures in the same pose, and a backyard Easter egg hunt; with one exception…the size of the girls. They used to be able to sit across three stairs. Now they are a little more spread out….
Somewhat patiently awaiting the approval for the mad dash…
The Easter Bunny went very heavy on the candy this year….
Easter Service and the VPC Easter Egg Hunt…
Our family….Avery and Emerson only have less than 5 inches before they reach my height….
The yearly pose….
Ready set go….
The Easter Egg Hunt lasted much longer than in years past. The girls said Daddy did a fantastic job hiding the eggs. They weren’t as impressed with the candy selections in the eggs this year…more chocolate was the recommendation for next year and if jellybeans, at least good edible ones!
So for Easter 2024, do you think Avery and Emerson will be my height?
Baby, I’m from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These were the lyrics I was singing the entire few weeks leading up to our New York Trip. Well maybe I was just getting every third work correct, but in my head I was in lockstep with Alicia Keys.
The last few trips we made to New York were slightly too rushed, so we decided to go over Spring Break when we could stay a little longer; we went full on tourists this visit. We drove up on a beautiful Saturday morning to New Jersey and spent the afternoon with Russell, Mary, Michael, Caroline, Brenna, Frank, and my dad (he drove up separately making a surprise appearance). It was a great few hours visiting and celebrating birthdays (four of them in total)! Instead of spending the night at Russell and Mary’s, we opted to head into the city Saturday evening so that we could get to our excursions first thing Sunday morning.
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island:
Getting tickets to the crown or pedestal were hard to come by, so I opted for a tour with a guide. Did we overpay? Debatable…there was something very nice about not having to be on my phone charting the next direction and navigating from place to place. The weather was very cold and windy the morning we went; ironic that Emerson and Harper both forgot their jackets for the trip! Good thing I packed multiple for myself!
The girls enjoyed both experiences; we all took in the history of Ellis Island and being able to see it first-hand helped envision not only the freedom that I originally visualized when thinking of Ellis Island, but also the poverty, families torn apart, arriving with having given everything up, not knowing the language, how scared and horrifying the situation really was.
Observation Deck Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center:
I chose Top of The Rock vs. Empire State Building as I felt reviews were slightly better for seeing the city in all four directions. I had never experienced that view before and it was truly fantastic.
FAO Schwartz:
For many years, Justin and I went to the city, and I never felt the need to step inside a toy store, let alone this one. Well, the store was right next to Rockefeller Center, so we popped in…why not, we were full on tourists this trip! I am so glad we did; what a fantastic experience. The girls were enthralled with so many amazing departments and items!
Carriage Ride in Central Park:
As we sat on a rock in the beginning of Central Park, eating our One Dollar Pizza right by the Horse Drawn Carriages, we decided why not. That way we could explore more of Central Park in a short time than by foot. Our tour guide was great, carriage ride fun, though it ended 10 minutes earlier than it should have and they attempted to overcharge us. A great one time experience though.
Broadway Show:
While seeing a Broadway show is an absolute NY tourist must, it was debatable for months as tickets for a family of five could run easily over $2,000. For a family who hasn’t experienced any Broadway shows in the past and I couldn’t say with certainty if we were really into it, I wasn’t going to spend that type of money. I would look for deals daily and finally decided on New York, New York, a new musical. The girls loved it. Of course, Avery and I had the man with the broadest shoulders in the theatre sitting directly in front of us.
Chelsea Market:
I’m not sure I realized this was an all in-door market. Definitely a cool spot and I liked all the various eating options for everyone; however, as much as I like those sort of eateries, I always find that I never actually purchase the food. I find that I am so overwhelmed with all the options, that after roaming back and forth for awhile, I end up experiencing all the food and delicacies through my nose only. We opted to eat at a sit-down restaurant, Friedmans.
The High Line:
From Chelsea Market, we walked the High Line, a walking path over an old railroad track, to the Vessel.
The Vessel:
While the Vessel itself was closed for safety reasons, we were able to view it and explore Hudson Yards shops at the same time.
Hotel Giraffe:
We stayed for four nights at Hotel Giraffe, the intersection of Park and 26th in NOMAD area…North of Madison. Great location with excellent restaurants. Quiet boutique hotel with great customer service and a small continental breakfast. We opted for a suite with a king bed (Harper shared with us) and a pull-out sofa (Avery and Emerson reluctantly shared). With high ceilings and great use of space, the accommodations were fantastic and reasonably priced.
Magnolia Bakery:
I had eaten cupcakes from the original Magnolia Bakery pre-kids; since then, they have expanded into multiple locations including a small location in Hudson Yards Shops. The cupcake and the red velvet cheesecake were just as delicious as I remembered.
Quick Chip:
Funny how when you are in search of an excellent bakery (as we were in attempting to find Passover dessert to bring back home with us), you can’t seem to find one, or one that works for various reasons. We walked by Quick Chip as we were exiting Top of The Rock. With no reviews, I purchased just one warm chocolate chip cookie for us all to share. Not sure why there were no reviews on it; the cookie was truly fantastic…almost as good as Levain Bakery in my opinion.
Friedmans:
Friedmans was the Jewish deli we ended up at while at Chelsea Market. I had a tuna sandwich; it was good, though I would have preferred a corned beef sandwich; ironically one wasn’t on the menu.
Dos Caminos:
Within 30 seconds of our hotel, this was a great choice for Saturday nights dinner. We went to one of the Dos Caminos location years ago and it was spectacular. I would not rush back to Dos Caminos….one, I think we have been to a lot of just as good Mexican over the years and two, our waiter lacked any personality and interest.
Upland:
Also within 30 seconds of our hotel, another great choice. A nice restaurant; however, the amazing bread was the highlight of the dinner. So, though the food was good, going in a downhill direction after the bread is never a good thing, especially when kids are involved.
Sarabeth’s:
Also within 30 seconds of our hotel, Sarabeth’s serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner; though, I think breakfast is their specialty. We forgo the hotel’s continental breakfast on the last day and ate breakfast here. Definitely yummy and enjoyed by everyone, except maybe Emerson who ordered the avocado toast, not really being an avocado toast person. Was a pricey, yet yummy, breakfast for sure!
The Smith:
Los Taco’s #1:
This is a quick bite place recommended to us by Frank, Caroline’s boyfriend, to go before the theatre. Well, us and everyone else going to the theatre had the same idea. It was order at the counter and standing room eating if you were lucky enough to find space at one of the few tables. The line was long and not knowing how quickly it moved, I was sweating. Trying to get everyone’s order with each unique toppings made me sweat even more. We almost got it right. The food was great and would most definitely have this quick bite again given the opportunity.
Everyone enjoyed themselves, more so than in year’s past. And I think another NY trip may just be in our future again, though we may consider doing some day trips from Russell and Mary’s just to make the cost a little more palpable.