We took our little munchkin to the infamous Enchanted Forest in Memphis. It has been in Memphis since the 1960's. My Daddy used to go through it as a youngster. It was originally in the Goldsmith's Department Store in downtown Memphis. Goldsmith's closed downtown and then got swallowed up by Macy's. The Enchanted Forest is now located at the Pink Palace. It is the exact same display as when my Daddy viewed it in the 1960's. It is really amazing to see it in person and know it is the original deal.
Randall and I went through the display our first Christmas together, right before we married, and sat on Santa's lap at the end of the tour. I asked him for a new car and he told me his credit was too bad. A funny, precious Christmas memory!
Henry was really taken with the Dr. Seuss tree and the Peanuts tree. The trees are donated by businesses and the money to see the display is given to the children's hospital in Memphis. This picture cracks me up because it is both of us in mid sentence about him trying to get down and run and touch the trees. True life snapshot. He is so busy!
And then this one is even better...he was ready to run and I was still trying to pose. Randall was just laughing at us and said "OK, I give up!" Sometimes you just have to.
Henry spotted the model trains and he was in heaven! He would have stood there all day if we had allowed him to. He was so excited about all the movement on the tracks. It was pretty cool to watch as an adult, so I know he must have been in sensory overload.
The he spotted the fat, jolly man in the red suit. He is yelling "It is SANTA!"...but he was not wanting to get close to him. We just watched from afar. I love his excitement in this photo. It lights me up.
After we left the Enchanted Forest we dropped Henry off at my Daddy and Connie's and Randall took me to an adult only meal. I was in great need of a good meal that required me to feed only myself. Selfish, maybe...just being honest. We do not get "breaks" very often because we do not have family in town and we don't pay a babysitter as often as we should or could. Sometimes a little adult only outing is needed for our sanity. We had not had one since the weekend after his surgery in early November. It was much appreciated and needed this night.
You know the song "Walking in Memphis"? Well, if you do you know that Muriel played the piano every Friday at the Hollywood. This is the spot and the piano in which Muriel played at The Hollywood Cafe in Tunica, Ms. Not the casino called Hollywood, instead it is the hole in the whole old Commissary building known for its Blues music and great food.
I was so proud of my man for taking me off the beaten path and surprising me with dinner. I thought we were going to Bonefish. We had a coupon for lobster and steak and had talked about it all week. When we left Daddy's and got back in the truck he turned the wrong way on I-55. I said "so, we are going to Como?" and he laughed. We used to go to the Como Steakhouse in our Mississippi days when we had extra money to blow. He said "nope. it's a surprise." He got off on the Tunica exit and I said "REALLY, A casino buffet?!" He hates a buffet and I adore them, so he laughed again. He told me to shut it and sit tight. We rolled into Tunica and he turned off onto a "shady" street (In the delta all streets are a bit shady in more ways than one) and pulled up into a run down building and I said "A bar? really?" and he informs me this is where we are eating. I was like "What the what?!"
These fried pickles are their claim to fame and they were the best ones I had every put in my mouth!
Randall had eaten dinner here a while back while planting in the area. He knows I adore unique places and especially in the delta. I was so excited to get the info on what makes The Hollywood Cafe famous and to see it up close and personal...and touch Muriel's piano! It was a wonderful steak and a peaceful meal full of adult conversation. Thank you Daddy and Connie for allowing us to slip away for a couple of hours and rest!
Of course it was back to parenting and activity we went! We got Henry a Home Depot gingerbread house because he LOVES the Home Depot. Loves it. It is possibly the ugliest and most deformed Home Depot ever in the history of gingerbread Home Depot houses, but it is ours and it was made with love! Even Henry asked, "Where it doors go?". No doors on our Home Depot, baby boy!
We added it to our gingerbread display. It is no Enchanted Forest of gingerbread houses, but it will do for our busy little house. I love these simple, unplanned memories. What a blessing.
Abby
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