Saturday, June 24, 2006

On the Road again....


Went on a little road trip last weekend. The initial motivator was an old theatre friend's wedding in KY. That's only about one and a half hours from my in-laws so we planned to invade them for Saturday night and Father's Day morning.



The wedding was on Sunday, so we headed down around 6 am on Saturday. We stopped in Louisville (about fifteen minutes from Rick's parents in Indiana) so the kids could go to the Louisville Slugger museum/factory. It was a fun time for the kids (and Rick.) The kids loved their miniture sluggers, which came with the tour of the factory.
























The coolest part for me was the walk TO the museum from the car. We passed one of the shop windows where I noticed a young man writing on a card and holding it up to a girl in the window. Suddenly it connected for me that I had seen this girl on one of the morning tv shows the week before. When I saw the story I didn't pay attention to where she was and never imagined I'd accidently walk past the store a week later!

She is an artist who has been living in a store front window for a month as an art project. She only leaves the window to shower and use the restroom. She eats, sleeps and does art work from the window. She has 8x 6 index cards and markers sitting by the window so passersby can write messages and questions to her. She then responds by writing backwards with marker on the window. (An impressive talent she said inspired the army to offer her a job.) She took a picture of the kids after we took a picture of them with her. Went to her site
today. One cool thing about the site is you can hear what music she's listening to. It was very quiet writing to her from the street! Pretty cool. I watched as she walked from her window to the street for the first time in 3 or 4 weeks! I am sending her an email later to let her know how much we enjoyed her project. I wonder if she knows how many lives she touched. I don't think the kids will ever forget chatting with her. Life is art that's for sure...or I wouldn't spend so much time writing about and photographing mine for this blog!



After the museum we had dinner with Grammy and Pops, then left the older hoodlums (ie kids) to spend the night, while we stayed at a hotel with Anna. Grammy was sad we didn't stay there, but how often do we get to stay by "ourselves" (that is, just with Anna) anywhere?











The wedding was beautiful as well. It was pouring down rain before we got to the church. Then it stopped for the rest of the day (they had a reception at a park with a pavillion, but if it had continued to pour it would have been disasterous.) The bride was absolutely georgous. My friend chose well. And the reception was beautiful with the pavillion sitting right on the edge of a huge gorge.























On the way back we stayed at a hotel around Cincinnatti to break up the drive. All the kids swam for an hour or so (including Anna in her new suit!) And then my husband, and both daughters passed out (all self pro-claimed solar powered people- when the sun goes down they go with it.) My sons and I turned out all the lights, laid down backwards with our feet at the headboard on the other queen bed, and watched an independent film about a cross dressing farmer on PBS. The boys were put off at first. But as the show went on to really be about how this young farmer had lost his family farm piece by piece in the 80's, only to gain it back piece by piece through co-opting friends in the past few years, they really liked it. It was a nice Zen moment as we laid there snacking on mini-oreos and having our own little pj party. With the blending families this past couple years, we don't have much time for things like that anymore. Noah was the next to go out leaving Tanner and me to stay up into the wee hours.

We made it back in time to get all older kids to their other parents, and settled down with Anna who was thrilled to see her jumperoo,
crib and changing table again. She is a homebody just like her mom.









Hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day weekend!

Z

19 comments:

Design Goddess said...

What a great weekend! I never thought he'd be the kind to settle down....but his wife looks beautiful! I'll have to show you the pics from the wedding I went to today. It was a very beautiful and perfect wedding. You would have loved it!

I told my mom that I would want my wedding to be like that....she replied "You don't want a traditional church wedding???!!!" My answer was "I don't know. I'm not there yet. But what a wonderful way to get married...surrounded by what God created!" No real arguement for that.

Unknown said...

This is one of the best posts I have ever had the pleasure to read! Totally awesome!
I love little picture posts like this. Pictures do indeed tell a thousands words :)

I'm going to go and look at that link about the 'shop front girl' now.

p.s. just to let you know that I got your email and appologises for not replying to it yet. I'm just slow. Quiet DG!! Hehehehehe ;)

Unknown said...

Ermmmmmmmm I spoke too soon, her site can't be found :(

I'll check by again later :)

Have a great week friend.

Zen Davis said...

DG,

Who got married? Anyone I know?

Gareth, glad you enjoyed the post. The pic posts take a while so that's why I don't post more than every few weeks to a month.

Regarding Lauren Argo, (window artist) the site is down now because she moved out of the window :(

I'm trying to find her blog so you can check that out.

More news later.

Z

Unknown said...

Oh cool! Thanks!

Design Goddess said...

It was my friend from the ID program who got married and I was the only one from our class she invited! I was so honored! :)

Unknown said...

DG, maybe you were the only one that accepted and she just told you that to make you feel better hahahahahahahaha :p

Bat said...

Lucky, you went to my lovely hometown of Louisville, KY which I miss dearly and because of the stupid profession I chose I don't think I will ever get a chance to move back there.

Homesick :-(

Zen Davis said...

PPP,

Didn't realize you were from Louisville. Ironic that I'm from Louisville as well.... Louisville OHIO that is :)

Gareth,
Be nice. No picking on DG!

Z

Unknown said...

That 4th pic is absolutely amazing!! I mean, how did they manage to throw all of those bats in the air all and the same time and take a pic of it. That is blowing my mind right now!

:p

Melanie Miday-Stern said...

Z,
Great pictures and story of your trip. I miss KY as well. LA is so hot and humid that you can't really do anything unless you want to sweat.

I bet Anna and the kiddos had a wonderful time!

Have a great week

Big Sis

Anonymous said...

As usual, fantastic pics! And what a great way to spend the weekend. Glad you all were able to have a little R&R in your hectic lives.

Zen Davis said...

B-Chick,
It was a wonderful weekend. Relaxing as 3 hoodlums and a baby in a family assault vehicle for 3- 7 hours at a time can be. We did find the best seating arrangement for long trips. Tanner next to Anna b/c he listens when I say not to lay on her carseat or play with/annoy her when she's already content AND then he doesn't bother Noah. Noah and Adri in the back b/c they listen when we say to stop bothering each other and can't restrain themselves from playing with Anna when she's already content! Of course this will all likely change before the next long van trip :)


Felt very blessed writing the post though. Life is really good.

Gareth, really crazy busy week. Will continue to look for Lauren Argo's blog. It's either on My Space or on Xanga if you want to try. I have memberships there, but no time lately to look. Oh- and I took that pic of all the bats. Didn't I ever tell you I know how to juggle? DG can attest to the fact :)

Big Sis, thanks for the well wishes. It's been a wild week because...(Next blog...) my oldest baby turned twelve this week :( :)Oh- have Lil' Sis tell me next time you're in town. Would love to meet the lil' man and introduce mom and dad to Anna.

Z

Unknown said...

Ermmmmmm I hope you dont juggle your children :p

Have a great weekend :)

Unknown said...

I just found her on Myspace :) ...

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?
fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=
4427823

Zen Davis said...

thanks Gareth!

Z

Unknown said...

Happy 4th of July SOG and family :)

Zen Davis said...

Thanks Gareth!

Ummm....I'd say "same to you" but I guess that's very egocentric of me!

Z

Unknown said...

No it's not egocentric at all because I feel American on this day too. And really proud of it as well :D
That's probably ecotistical of me too but I'm sure you know what I mean.
America is my second home and Americans are my friends :)

Happy 4th again.