No Really...This is my life: Parent's Weekend at Vandy 2011

We just returned from our trip to Vanderbilt...Vandy as it is fondly called! On the flight up it hit me...my youngest daughter lives in Tennessee...when did this happen? That was my one emotional moment of the three days...okay, I lie!! I teared up at the football stadium when they sang the alma mater...but I ALWAYS do that! Okay, and I did actually get a little wistful and maybe a tad bit misty-eyed when we were sitting in the parking lot at Kate's dorm Sunday morning...waiting for her...and we kept witnessing parents saying good bye to their kids. But other than that I was fine!

We arrived late Thursday night. Friday was our day to see and do all things Vandy without Kate...she had 4 classes that day ( Calc, Intro Engineering, Chemistry I, English Lit). So after a leisurely breakfast we got to it.. I proudly wear my name tag and sometime during the afternoon Kate texted and said..."lots of parents roaming the campus with name tags on...might you and dad be in one of these groups???" OH Yea!!

During our trip Rich and I tried to follow the advice of the Vandy newspaper The Hustler...I broke rule #4...Rich rule #3 (though I am fairly certain that wearing name tags with Kate's name on it broke a rule too)!! We took a historical tour of the campus and learned fascinating stuff that I did not commit to memory concerning the origins of Vanderbilt...it was all very interesting. We also went to a lecture about the Cognitive Something In Relation to the Leadership Styles of Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King Jr. It was very interesting and thought provoking and not easy listening kind of stuff...as my very smart husband said afterwards..."about 90 seconds into it I realized I needed to engage my brain"...and this is what my Kate does all day!!!

At 4:30 we met Kate at her dorm...just back from classes since 9:00 am! We got to see her first project for the civil engineering class. Had to get a picture of dad with the "building" too...since he is actually a civil engineer!

We went out to the Parents Weekend Fall Festival and enjoyed candy apples, peach pie, and grilled corn before going to see The Athenian Sing.

This "talent show" was started in the 1930's by the actress, singer, Athenian Honor Society member Dinah Shore. The Sing was originally started to showcase Vandy talent. Today it also raises money for non-profit organizations within Tennessee. My favorite of the night was the Dodecaphonics (all male Acapella group) but I also enjoyed Lockwood Barr and the Barrettes...she won the last three Athenian Sings and this year she came as a performer only and announced her upcoming "album" in late fall.

Check out her music at...

http://youtu.be/cCpJlMrxa78

Saturday morning...game day...Vanderbilt and Ole Miss will face off at 11:21. First things first...breakfast at Cafe Provence in West End's Hillsboro Village. A grand breakfast of Vanilla French Toast and Vandy Girl and Vandy Man Coffees were needed to wake us up and gear us up for the walk to the stadium and the afternoon of football!

At the stadium Kate warned us that no one goes into the stadium before the game...it was 20 minutes to kick off...and yes, Kate had to ask someone to wait while mom took the picture of her...in the near empty stadium!

But alas...football is football no matter how large or small the stadium and when the team gets the job done...the fans are enthusiastic!!

Score at the end of the afternoon...30 - 7 Commodores are victorious!!

After the game we took Kate to Urban Outfitters in The Gulch...She enjoyed her afternoon in the dressing room and came out with some super cutes dresses, etc. Happy Birthday Kate!!

Saturday evening we went to dinner with the Underhill and Dalence families at Cabanas. Katelyn was thrilled that Emily flew in from Chicago to spend some time with family at Vandy. Kate is now good friends with fellow freshman and Murray House resident Isabel Dalence...Emily's cousin...small world!

At dinner with Kathryn Underhill, Genna Dalence, Isabel Dalence, and Emily Underhill (this pic snagged from Kate's fb wall)

On Sunday morning after Rich's run through the Vanderbilt campus (and his major score of finding me acorns...once again he is my hero) we took a ride through Centennial Park...home of the Nashville Parthenon! We also went to Green Hills Mall and the brand new Nordstroms where we bought Kate's final birthday gift...

A must in Nashville...Frye cowboy boots :) Now we can go home to quiet little Panama City and continue our lives as empty nesters. We are tired after our busy weekend, but very happy to know that Kate is enjoying her new life in Nashville...there was only one thing we didn't do this weekend...