nate's 28th.

Andy flying a kite in Centennial park

Yesterday was Nate's birthday, and it was absolutely beautiful. About 83 degrees, slight breeze, and mostly sunny. After work, I met up with Nate, Lyle, Lisa, Caitlin, and Andy at Centennial Park. Nate and Andy were throwing the football until Andy kindly helped out a little boy and his mom who could not get their kite off the ground. There really wasn't much wind at all. It was not an ideal kite-flying day. But he got it up and showed the kid how it would stay aloft if he kept running with it.

After the park, Nate and I picked up drinks for everyone at Starbucks and we all went to the Green Hills Mall to take Nate shopping for his birthday. His parents bought him a really nice button-down shirt from Express and a pair of great jeans from the Buckle. He put on his outfit when he got home, and he looks like a rock star. :)

DrawSomething! username: alyssajones

Andy wanted to make a special purchase at the Apple store … and so did Nate. Nate got a bright orange bumper for his iPhone to replace his black one/in celebration of Manning going to the Broncos (what a great birthday gift to Nate). Since it was his birthday and I love him, I let Nate make another big purchase at the Apple store. Apple has sucked us in! My phone is eligible for an upgrade at the end of the month and Nate has convinced me to look into an iPhone too.

We took Andy to the airport so he could fly back to St. Louis because he had to work today. Then we went to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center and walked around, checking out the gardens. Lyle is really smart when it comes to things that grow and he pointed out all different types of plants. I had no idea that orchids are like little leeches and they attach themselves to trees. We also saw a tulip tree (beautiful) and I can now properly identify a dogwood.

Odie falling asleep during the movie

After walking around for a good while, we drove back downtown to eat at The Smiling Elephant. This was my third time, Nate's second. It was voted the best Thai in Nashville. It is the best Thai in Nashville! Caitlin and I both got pad thai; Nate and Lyle got pad kra pao with crab, and Lisa got … well, I can't remember what Lisa got but everything was delicious. :) We stopped by Red Box on the way home and rented Courageous and watched it while playing with our new Apple toys.

 

 One of my new favorite apps is a game called DrawSomething. You can get it on your phone (Android or Apple) and we also have it on the iPad. It's free, and it's like Pictionary. They give you words to pick from and you can play against your friends or random strangers. I like playing on the iPad because the screen is big so you have good finger control when drawing. Nate says I should start taking screenshots of all my drawings. The above drawing is of Lisa from the Simpsons. My other favorite things to draw is "plumber," "butcher," "backflip," and "macarena."

Nate's family is in town until Wednesday. Today Nate is going with them to Lynchburg, TN to tour the Jack Daniel's distillery. (Ironic: it is in a dry county so you aren't allowed any samples!) Nate has to work tonight; he'll leave just before I get home from work.

Happy first day of Spring! It sprung early this year in Nashville, but I love it. I'm just hoping we don't have a long, hot summer. I'm okay with a long summer, as long as it stays in the 80s. :)