Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Happy Birthday Shea

  This week enclosed the day Shea has been anticipating for months.  Tuesday, the 17th, Shea turned 7.


A couple of presents were opened to get Shea through the day
His special day started off with homemade cinnamon rolls and a couple of appetizer presents.
Shea riding his new scooter


 Lisa and Egan joined Shea at school for lunch to bring good cheer to Shea and a birthday treat for his class.


Egan in front of the school






 Kickball at recess

Waiting to kick the ball

Run, Shea, Run

Out at home

After school, Shea's skills were tested at Karate class.  He broke a piece of wood with his bare foot and moved up to a yellow belt.

Bend those knees!

Testing for a belt up-grade



Back at home, Shea get's his long awaited family birthday celebration.









The week ended by celebrating with family and friends.















Thursday, October 13, 2011

HOT DOGS + CUPCAKES AND OTHER MATCHES MADE IN KNOXVILLE

Marriages come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and in Knoxville those shapes and sizes sometimes seem even a little quirkier than your common couple.


DRIVE THROUGH HOT DOGS AND GOURMET CUPCAKES
(Is this the next craze or does it mean cupcakes are on their way out?)


CHEERLEADERS AND NURSING HOME -Go team!

















EVER THINK OF MIXING SUSHI WITH FARMSCAPE?

They have in Knoxville.  We had quite a laugh when our GPS leading us to sushi, brought us to a barn.
SUSHI ON THE FARM
What was more shocking than entering a stable to eat Sushi?  Answer: The idea of ordering Greek food in a Japanese restaurant.  Anaba restaurant is the union of Japanese and Greek cuisine.  With menu offerings of seaweed and fish next to hummus, falafel and curry, if this had been our first Japanese cuisine experience we may have left with confused expectations.

WE DID ASK OUR WAITER ABOUT THE WHOLE JAPAN/GREEK UNION THING.  CLICK BELOW TO HEAR HIS ANSWER




AND FINALLY THE MATCH WE THOUGHT THE MOST ODD: 
 PUBLIC PARK MEETS PSYCIATRIC INSTITUTION

Lake Shore Park offers 60 acres of paved exercise trails, ball diamonds, and soccer fields, all surrounding the Lakeshore Mental Health Institute which is a 140 bed Psychiatric Hospital (We have heard some great stories, but we only repeat those in person).




JOGGING WALKING/TRAILS WHERE PEOPLE CAN OFTEN BE SEEN POUNDING THE PAVEMENT







THE FENCED IN AREA WHERE PATIENTS OF THE INSTITUTE EXCERCISE





We think they could improve this match by offering "Haunted Grounds" for Halloween...


Thursday, October 6, 2011

Filling Dad's Shoes


Michael's increasingly busy surgery schedule has forced us to find original ways to spend time with each other.  Fortunately, Shea had a day off of school on a day when Michael had a 'light' day at work.  


Shea and Michael made the 5.25-mile bicycle trip from home to the University of Tennessee Hospital, where Shea got to don 'Neurosurgery attire' and make rounds with Michael.




Besides flirting with nurses (who, to Michael's dismay, flirted back and gave him candy), Shea also got to see several of Michael's patients.



He then got to end the day with a monster plate of nachos from the hospital cafeteria.

Meanwhile... Egan was emulating Dad in his own way.