Lexus

5 Comments Posted on car reviews, fatherhood, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

5 years, 8 months.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

Dear Jack,

Throughout my entire childhood, as Papa drove our family to and from Chattanooga where his side of family lives, we would always pass this brown government sign, pointing towards Cloudland Canyon State Park; near Trenton, Georgia.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

I never stopped wondering what was there, just 4 miles off the main road. So I decided to make it an official stop on our 1st father and son road trip.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

Neither of our preconceived ideas of Cloudland Canyon State Park were accurate. I was expecting something much smaller and mediocre. And you later revealed to me you thought it was like a carnival with rides.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

However, we were both very pleased with what the park actually is. It was amazing!

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

There’s a walkway that goes along the side of Lookout Mountain, which allowed us to see down into the valley… way down there.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

And at one part of the trail, we were able to climb a staircase down to a really cool viewpoint.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

I think my favorite part of our visit to Cloudland Canyon was when you looked out and announced, “Oh, I see the 10 Commandments.”

(It was actually a set of rock posts that are part of another trail across the valley.)

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

When you are older, I will take you back because there’s another trail that is 2 hours long that goes all the way down to where there’s a waterfall! Maybe in a year or two you’ll be ready for that. I am really looking forward to that…

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

So it turns out that my whole life, there really was something pretty awesome, had we just turned 4 miles down that road where the brown government sign was.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

Cloudland Canyon State Park is a wondrous place to visit. After we left there, we opened the sun roof in the Lexus ES, per your request, and enjoyed the breeze as we made our way closer to Fort Payne, Alabama.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Ghostbusters and The BFG (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

But first, I had a surprise stop planned: an old chapel built into a giant rock…

Love,

Daddy

P.S.

Here’s the collection of stories from our father and son road trip…

Ghostbusters and the BFG

Nick A Jack Road

Cloudland Canyon State Park

Sallie Howard Memorial Chapel

Azalea Cascade Trail at DeSoto State Park

2016 Lexus ES 300h Father & Son Road Trip (Table of Contents)

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Cloudland Canyon State Park (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h Hybrid)

4 Comments Posted on car reviews, food reviews, Health, Storytelling, Uncategorized, vegan

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Nick A Jack Road (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h)

5 years, 8 months.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Nickajack Road (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

Dear Jack,

As you and I were getting ready to start off our 1st ever father and son road trip, you decided to pack a few more of your stuffed animals, in addition to the dozen or so you already had ready by the door.

I let you pack up the Lexus ES with much more than was necessary for your upcoming week-long stay at Nonna and Papa’s, but with the road trip just being you and me, I figured it wouldn’t hurt anything.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Nickajack Road (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

Just as the sun was coming up, we left our home in Spring Hill, Tennessee. You used a glow stick and your finger-flashlight to help see in the dark as you spent the first hour designing monster trucks on Mommy’s Kindle.

You also enjoyed checking out one of many brochures you picked up at the rest stop. Your favorite was for Star Cars, which features the car from Ghostbusters; the movie we saw together just the night before.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Nickajack Road (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Nickajack Road (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

Granted, we stopped at the Whole Foods Market in Chattanooga, Tennessee for lunch; to cater to my vegan and your vegetarian lifestyle. Right across the road was Learning Express Toys where I bought you a souvenir that you are currently obsessed with.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Nickajack Road (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

The first major stop on our trip was Nick A Jack Road, in Flintstone, Georgia; which borders Chattanooga, Tennessee. I am very familiar with it, since that’s where Papa’s side of the family lives.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Nickajack Road (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

It’s the road that goes from the bottom to the top of Lookout Mountain on the Georgia side; where as Nonna and Papa live on the other end of the mountain, an hour away on the Alabama side.

Nick A Jack Road is a particularly special road for us as father and son, as it always was for Papa and me when I was a kid. Papa’s first name is Jack, just like yours; and of course mine is Nick.

So “Nick A Jack” combines both your name and mine; as it always has for Papa and me…

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Nickajack Road (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

Therefore, I made sure we stopped for a photo op there at the top of the mountain, where Nick A Jack Road comes to an end.

I have always wanted us to take our picture together there in front of that street sign. My dream finally came true!

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Ghostbusters and The BFG (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

From there, we drove another 20 minutes to Cloudland Canyon Sate Park, which made for our next amazing stop on our 1st father and son road trip…

Love,

Daddy

P.S.

Here’s the collection of stories from our father and son road trip…

Ghostbusters and the BFG

Nick A Jack Road

Cloudland Canyon State Park

Sallie Howard Memorial Chapel

Azalea Cascade Trail at DeSoto State Park

2016 Lexus ES 300h Father & Son Road Trip (Table of Contents)

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Nickajack Road (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

4 Comments Posted on car reviews, fatherhood, movie reviews, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Ghostbusters and The BFG (in the 2016 Lexus ES 300h)

5 years, 8 months.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Ghostbusters and The BFG (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

Dear Jack,

With Mommy still on maternity leave for a little bit more, she took Baby Holly to Sacramento, California for the week to visit family.

We decided this would be a perfect opportunity for you to spend a week at Nonna and Papa’s house in Fort Payne, Alabama; as your first sort of summer camp experience. Meanwhile, I would stay behind here in Tennessee as I work a full time job.

But of course, I would be the one to take you there to Nonna and Papa’s house over the weekend. I saw it as the perfect opportunity for you and I to have our 1st ever father and son road trip. We were able to score a 2016 Lexus ES 300 Hybrid for the 3 day weekend!

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Ghostbusters and The BFG (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

The event began when we dropped off Mommy and Baby Holly at the Nashville Airport at 3:00 AM on early Friday morning and said our sleepy goodbyes to them. We then drove all the way back to Spring Hill and slept in until 8:00 AM.

Next it was time for our haircuts. Then I made us some lunch by reheating leftovers from the dinner Mommy made the night before, and after that, we were off to the movies!

We always love watching movies together so I decided we should spend the whole afternoon at the movies on such a sweltering hot July Friday afternoon, by watching two movies, back to back.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Ghostbusters and The BFG (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

For months now, we couldn’t help but be curious about the new Ghostbusters movie. So I decided to make our viewing very special by opting for us to see it in 3D. I’m so glad we did.

You and I had so much fun watching it together. You liked all the Ghostbusters’ cool gadgets and weapons.

I’m pretty sure your favorite holiday is Halloween. You love scary stuff. For example, your favorite episode of Saved By the Bell is Episode 26 of Season 3, “Mystery Weekend”, the one with the haunted house.

Not to mention, you’ve seen nearly every episode of Goosebumps, plus the movie at least 2 or 3 times by now.

So while perhaps not all soon-to-be Kindergartner boys would be ready for Ghostbusters, you proudly watched it with me and thought it was so cool.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Ghostbusters and The BFG (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

I let you completely decide what our 2nd movie would be. Instead of Star Trek (which would have gotten my vote), or even Tarzan (which I know you would have loved since it has animals in it), you chose The BFG, which you’ve been excited about for weeks now.

By the way, you took your “big-eyed” Panda, who you dressed up in one of your sister’s outgrown dresses. I think that’s your way of saying your miss her.

From 2:05 to 6:35 Friday evening, we were at the movies. Seriously, how cool is that? It’s not something we would normally get to do, for sure.

As for me, that was the one day of our father and son road trip that I actually took off work for, as the weekend followed. It felt like a real day off for me. Such a good time.

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Ghostbusters and The BFG (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

I took you to Moe’s for dinner, as they are able to easily cater to my vegan needs and your vegetarian needs. Afterwards, we headed home to get to sleep as soon as possible; since early the morning, we would be taking the Lexus ES across state lines for our inevitable amazing adventures together…

Love,

Daddy

P.S.

Here’s the collection of stories from our father and son road trip…

Ghostbusters and the BFG

Nick A Jack Road

Cloudland Canyon State Park

Sallie Howard Memorial Chapel

Azalea Cascade Trail at DeSoto State Park

2016 Lexus ES 300h Father & Son Road Trip (Table of Contents)

Dear Jack: Our 1st Father and Son Road Trip- Ghostbusters and The BFG (in the 2016 Lexus ES Hybrid)

1 Comment Posted on parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: Your Brother Likes to Check on You

2 weeks.

Dear Holly: Your Brother Likes to Check on You

Dear Holly,

With your brother Jack being 5 and a half years older than you, it’s plain to see that he perceives you not as competition, but instead, as a responsibility.

He legitimately helps Mommy and me with you. Having already raised him from a newborn, this time around as parents we know not to pick you up from your bed every time you start to make noises, as you transition into waking up.

So during the daytime, Jack will run over to you to check to see if you’re really awake or not. He then announces to Mommy and me, “Holly’s eyes are still closed. She’s still asleep.”

That helps us to know we’ve still got a few more minutes before we have to get your bottle ready to feed you once your nap officially ends.

l11a

For all these years, Mommy has always sat in the back seat with Jack, to spend quality time with him. I say that because when you live in the Nashville area, anytime you get in the car, it’s going to take at least 30 to 45 minutes to get where you are going.

But now Mommy is sitting up front with me, meaning that it was Jack’s job to keep checking on you by looking over at you in your car seat.

Turns out, this weekend you were asleep the entire car ride in the 2016 Lexus IS 200t to Whole Foods and all the way back as well. Even so, we truly depended on Jack to check on you.

Thanks to him, we had assurance you were doing okay back there. Jack served as our eyes and ears.

I am so pleased with the age difference between you and your brother. He’s truly helping take care of you and I can tell he’s so proud to be doing it.

Dear Holly: Your Brother Likes to Check on You

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on funny, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: No, the Nurse Didn’t Inform Us You are Mexican…

5 years, 5 months.

https://familyfriendlydaddyblog.com/2016/05/12/dear-jack-we-saw-captain-america-civil-war-on-opening-weekend-bought-mothers-day-gifts-in-the-2016-lexus-is-200t/

Dear Jack,

This past Saturday as we were driving back home in the 2016 Lexus IS 200t after buying our Captain America: Civil War tickets ahead of time for the matinee, we somehow ended up talking about Mexico; maybe it was in a Jimmy Buffet song we heard on Sirius XM.

Dear Holly: Our Family’s 1st Ride in the Same Car (2016 Lexus IS 200t)

I ended up mentioning that you, your sister Holly, and I are all part Mexican; whereas Mommy is not.

You then cautiously and curiously asked me, “Daddy, did the nurse tell you I was Mexican when I was born? Is that how you knew?”

I love that. I love the concept of the nurse in the delivery room announcing to the parents what the ethnicity of their newborn child is.

https://familyfriendlydaddyblog.com/2016/05/12/dear-jack-we-saw-captain-america-civil-war-on-opening-weekend-bought-mothers-day-gifts-in-the-2016-lexus-is-200t/

Doing my best not to laugh at your truly sincere question, I explained that my grandma is full Mexican, Nana is half Mexican, I am a quarter, and therefore you and your sister are an eighth.

I can tell you’re still trying to sort out what it means to be Mexican. You know is that we eat a lot of Mexican food at our house.

And you know that the main language that Mexicans speak is Spanish. You surprised me a few weeks ago when we were at the Franklin Main Street Festival and you announced to me, “Hey Daddy, look- those people have a perro!”

You said it loud enough to where the man and his wife heard what you said. They both turned around and glanced at us for moment, as we walked behind them on Main Street.

I was very confused, myself. “Parrow? Jack, what’s a parrow? Do you mean parrot?”

Then you very matter-of-factly explained to me, “Perro is dog in Spanish.”

You taught me a Spanish word. I took like 6 years of French between high school and college, so it was lost on me.

So to some degree, maybe you’re even more Mexican than I am.

https://familyfriendlydaddyblog.com/2016/04/29/dear-holly-mommy-gave-birth-to-you-with-no-epidural/

Love,

Daddy