Memphis 2023

Hey there! Thank you all SO MUCH for your kind words on yesterday’s post. Vulnerability isn’t easy for me. I have way too much pride. If I can’t put a happy face on it, I usually don’t post it. I’ve had so many people ask how Liam and I are doing, I decided it was time for a little update. Again, thank you. I love you all just for reading along!

Now, on to the happier times! Liam and I took our third annual road trip – this time to Memphis and Nashville. Today I am sharing a recap of our time in Memphis, Tennesse. Liam has actually been to Memphis a couple of times, and growing up in Mississippi, I’ve been there many times. But it’s always good to see family and experience new adventures with them. Special shoutout to Aunt Dian who hosted us for the first three nights of our trip. We always love to spend time with our Long relatives!

We started our adventures out at the Memphis Zoo. It was Liam’s second visit there, and we learned a valuable lesson – don’t go in July. It was so HOT. We made the most of it and stayed several hours.

Have you ever seen a grizzly sniffing spot? There was also one to sniff polar bears. It’s just to be funny, but Liam took it seriously of course.

Aunt Dian is my great-aunt, wife to my granddad’s baby brother who has passed. She’s amazing with little kids. And Uncle Greg, my mom’s brother, lives not too far away and came over to enjoy the day with us.

Immitating the elephants!

 

Cooling off with a drink…

Liam has fed giraffes on numerous occasions. He has no fear. He goes right up and feeds them and pets them without concern.

 

No visit to a zoo is complete without an hour in the herpetarium. (Insert a big eyeroll here!) That kid loves snakes. Yuck.

 

 

They had a few little splash pads and this super fun little pool. It was probably a foot or two deep. Perfect for wild kiddos to cool off and give parents a break to sit in the shade.

Do you see the little joey in his mama’s pouch?

Cousin Holly is always up for a good time with Liam!

 

We love our cousins!

 

On day two we visited the Pink Palace – aka the science and history museum. We spent an unusual amount of time staring at bones and rocks. Liam has quite the understanding of science for a four-year-old. He loves it all and truly gets the concepts of natural science vs chemistry vs physics. My little aerospace engineer in the making!

We spent 45 minutes with the geologist!

 

 

 

And of course we saw dinosaurs…

This picture brings up so many emotions. Judson had only been gone 2-3 weeks when we took this trip. Liam attached himself to his cousin Matt – whom he’d never even met – and stayed with him the whole time. Cuddled up and all. He missed a young man holding him and playing with him. Moms only can do so much.

 

Before we left Memphis we stopped to see one of the sweetest ladies on the planet, my great aunt Robbie Jean. She is Liam’s oldest living relative and she’s doing so well. I’m so glad he’s been able to meet several of his great-great-aunts and uncles.

And we stopped by Aunt Robbie’s daughter’s home for a visit, and Liam and David found duck eggs right by the pool! Liam loved that!

I am so thankful for all of our family that takes us in each summer on our adventures. I want to continue these summer road trips as long as we can. If you’d like to to take a look back at some of our past Road Trips, you can find parts 1-3 here. And if you’re curious how I manage to do these year after year – last year we visited SIX states in NINE days! – check out my post How To Road Trip With Little Kids.

I hope you all have a great day!