Chattanooga

***LOTS OF PICTURES***

This past weekend we took Jackson to Chattanooga to "meet" and ride Thomas and visit the Chattanooga Zoo and Tennessee Aquarium.  We were worried that the weather wasn't going to cooperate and that we'd end up drenched before it was all over.  Thankfully, it barely even sprinkled on us the whole weekend.  Not so good for those in Nashville.  I can't believe how close we were yet it never rained and they got hit hard.  Please remember this city in your prayers.  My friend Tara lives there and has posted on Facebook some of the devastation and how we can help, mainly by donating to Red Cross.

When we got there Friday evening, we ate at Sticky Fingers, a BBQ joint.  It was good, but my husband is the best grill wizard I know.  Nobody can beat his ribs.  After dinner, we ventured down to the river to get ice cream at Coldstone and walk around.  Jackson had his water seeking senses on and he ended up soaking wet.

Saturday morning we had to be up bright and early to get to Thomas.  I had not thought about my phone converting to eastern time and set it to get up at 5 CST.  Ha!  I was up by 5 all right...eastern time.  UGH!  We didn't have to be there until 8 so we definitely weren't late.  I don't think Jackson slept well with me up moving around and he was grouchy.  He didn't seem all that excited to see Thomas or ride the train.  We ended up not staying that long after our ride, just long enough to pet some very stinky animals and see Sir Topham Hatt.

After Thomas, we decided to head on to the zoo for fear that the rain was about to set in.  Jackson dozed on the way there (9:30 CST), so I know he was sleepy.  He enjoyed the zoo, but we will have to take him to a bigger one.  He kept asking about tigers, lions, bears and giraffes.  None of which were there.  We did see jaguars, which he thought were tigers.  My camera battery died at the cougar exhibit so I all I have from the rest of our trip are on my phone. 

Do you see that jaguar in the corner staring out of the fence?  He was watching the t-ball game that was going on right on the other side!!!  Creepy thought.

Last camera picture

We came back to downtown for lunch at Mellow Mushroom and then went back to the hotel for a nap.  Ha!  Jackson never went down.  So, we decided to head on over to the aquarium.  Jackson loved the aquarium.  He was geared up to see sharks, so any long, skinny looking thing that moved was considered fair game.  Luckily, he was completely entertained until he actually got to see sharks.  I didn't think we'd ever get away from that tank and he cried when we left for good.  I have one picture from the aquarium and one from dinner.  With no nap, Jackson was pooped out.

That's it!  We came home Sunday exhausted and ready to sleep in our own beds, but we had a blast.  It was good to get away just the three of us and have time to ourselves.