Birthday Adventures

October is officially the beginning of the birthday season around here. This year, we have some rather significant birthdays as we are celebrating a brand new teenager and brand new decade!

As it is each year, Jace leads off the season with the "first" birthday. It is hard to comprehend or even type it out... but he is officially a TEENAGER this year. Whoa.

Visiting Baton Rouge, September 2016

I rather prefer adventures over gift items (aka toys), and this year Nonie and Dudad provided the entertainment. We (lied) told the boys we were tagging along with Dad on a work trip and were going to take them to a huge book fair. They were actually okay with that!

We took off midday and arrived about 5 hours later to our destination of Columbus, Mississippi, where we parked and took a stroll along a wonderful revitalized Main Street. Wonder upon wonder we happened to find a DUDAD and NONIE wondering along the same street (wink wink)! It took a while to get into the restaurant (but absolutely worth it - the food and service were incredible), so we found a quaint spot to sit and catch up.

Jace was so surprised when he found out that he was going to the Auburn / Mississippi State game the next day (along with Dad, Dudad and Sam)!! Thank you Nonie and Dudad!

Rocking some new shades

"We're going to the game?!?!?!?!"

He's THIRTEEN folks!!

At the game!

The next morning the big boys all headed off to the game, while Nonie, Isaiah and I took ourselves off to visit Waverly Mansion. What a special place. The home was built in the mid-1800s and home to the Young Family with their ten children (yikes!). After the last grown child died without any children of his own, the home was abandoned for about 50 years where it was THE romance spot for all the locals. Eventually, a young couple named Snow learned of the abandoned mansion in the woods, bought it, and moved in, bats and all. That was in 1962. 

The Snow family still open up their home each and every day to visitors. Melanie (one of the 4 children Mr. and Mrs. Snow raised while renovating the home) was such a treat to listen to. She loves the home, the history, and the property which is evident in her story-telling. She was also a little taken by Mr. Isaiah I think, as she plopped him up on the "King's Bed" shoes and all for a photo op! If you're ever in the area, HIGHLY suggest visiting Melanie and her magnificent family's home. 

The view from the Grand Entrance looking up - it was stunning!

The King's Bed

Touring the gardens

After our tour, we took ourselves back to Main Street Columbus and did some window shopping before finding a wonderful little place to eat lunch and watch some of the game... spoiler alert... Auburn won big time! 

Later we met back up with the boys and headed our separate ways back home. An amazing and blessed weekend we had!