"GO, DIEGO, GO" in Memphis at the Orpheum Theater

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? DIEGO CAME TO MEMPHIS THE SAME WEEKEND WE DID! We went to the safety luncheon earlier in the day. I just realized that I forgot to post the images from earlier in the day first. So this day will be post backwards...which will mean it will actually appear on the blog in the order. Okay, I know that's confusing. This was our last day in Memphis. Originally we had intended to come home after the banquet, but when I realized the "Go, Diego, Go Live" was just a few blocks from our hotel, I couldn't go home w/o taking Natalie. So we stayed an extra night. Cameron went on back to Baton Rouge. He had tests on Monday that he need to get home to study for. So Cari moved into our room. Randy went back to the gin show to visit w/some friends and contacts. Cari and I went to do a little shopping and then came back to our room to get Natalie a nap so that she would be rested for the show. While shopping we wanted to take Natalie to see the big carousel rocking horse. It was located in front of one of the shops at the Peabody Hotel. These particular shops were closed on Saturday (Jewish owners?), but I was still nervous about her rocking on this. I was afraid we would break the glass window! ISN'T THIS SOMETHING EVERY LITTLE GIRL SHOULD OWN...HER OWN LIFE SIZE CAROUSEL ROCKING HORSE! It really was beautiful!
Cari and Natalie in front of the sign before we went in to the theater. We saw another group photographing in front of this sign...so we didn't want to miss this photo op!
Natalie and me...
Natalie and her Aunt Cari before the show started.
I did not take my good camera equipment because I was afraid it would be too much to keep up with since it was just the three of us with really just two of us to keep up with Natalie and often it takes two. One of us to handle her and the other one for a small bag...so the camera sound like too much. I sort of wished I had it when I saw the beauty of this theater that was built in 1928. It was absolutley gorgeous. But of course, my little point and shoot didn't exactly capture that, but this image gives you an idea.
Though I was glad when they annouced before the show started no video or photography allowed. I guess they thought we would capture some great images and sell them online and people wouldn't come to the show. I don't know...

But I just wanted a few so Natalie can remember going to her first live show. So when I saw a few peoples flashes going off, I did do a few too. The lighting was low so it's not like I got anything that awesome, but good enough for her little memories. This one is Baby Jaguar and Diego.
Natalie watching. She loved it.

Diego and Dora (the exporer, of course) Dora made her grand entrance after intermission.
This is toward the end of the show..."the carnival".
That's some serious watching, uh?
Natalie enjoyed the show tremendously. She cried when we got up to leave. I think she thought it was like a DVD. She said it was coming on again and didn't want to leave because she wanted to watch it again. Then when I convinced her that it was ending and not coming back on, she noticed many kid's wearing Diego backpacks and insisted she needed one of those. I had bought her tee shirt as we came in. She has many back packs. So I tried seriously to convince that they had sold out of the back packs....yes, that was my cheap way of saying no, you already have a souvenir. She soon forgot all about it because her poppa was waiting for us outside the theater with a horse and carriage! This Natalie "cheesing" for me. She really was excited about her carriage ride!

Of course, I realized it was much cooler than we got there since it was now dark. The dog, the carriage driver's companion, appears very curious about Natalie. She had fun petting him too.
Okay, another "cheese" smile now that she has her hat on.
Back to the Peabody in style. Natalie posing with her poppa.
Not a great photo, but I needed some kind of angle with the whole set up and I couldn't get it from a side view.
One more pose with the horse...
This concluded our excitement in Memphis. We had supper at TGI Friday's. The next morning we got ready to come in. I didn't document that day. I should have. Natalie looked cute as usually, but we had a very interesting morning trying to leave the hotel. We waiting almost two hours to leave. We were waiting for the bell hop (or whatever you call them) to come up with a cart to load our luggage. I finally decided it was time to go home. We had called for the bell hop and for our car to be brought our to leave. So I started down to the loading area with some luggage. That's were we discovered lots of people and lots of carts loaded with luggage. These people were waiting on their car to be brought to them. I saw our car out there. So I took our load, but not before I asked a bell hop when they would be going to our room (where were in the line up). He went up right then to get our stuf. It seems there was some big mix up. These people had their luggage on a cart, but no car. We had our car, but no cart for our luggage. We have stayed at the Peabody many times on the trips, but I have never seen it get like this. Something went really bad wrong in their system.

Natalie fell asleep before we ever got to interstate. We had intended to get a late breakfast when we left...which then turned into lunch. I hate that she fell asleep before eating, but she had snacked on a lot of Planter's peanuts while waiting. So I was thinking that would hold her til she woke up and I was hoping she would sleep half way home (which was what she did coming). We stopped a few miles outside of Memphis for gas and McDonald's. Well, again there was big mix up and we waited and waited at McDonald's. So since there car was idle for so long she woke up. She had been alseep for about 30 minutes or so. She stayed awake on the rest of the trip home and was very good! It was almost 6:00 pm when we got home. I could not belive she was that good and w/o a nap. I never would have expected that.

Okay, that's all I have for our Memphis trip...no I just remembered that I am out sequence. I still have a few images to post from earlier in the day before the luncheon.

I don't know what I will post next. I want to go back and catch up on the images from October through February, but I already so behind on so many things. I will try...
But that's if for now.
~~Natalie's Mimi~~

FRIDAY MORNING AT THE GINSHOW, FEB. 29TH

Natalie and her daddy just before the bus arrived to go to the Convention Center.

It was cool that morning. So Natalie finally got to bundle up in her cute winter hat and scarf.
Randy had meetings at the convention center. So we all met him at hotel at the convention center (I can't remember the name at this time, but it has glass elevator that we had to ride). We had breakfast at this hotel and then went to the convention center to the ginshow from there. Natalie wasn't as well behaved at this breakfast. Some people we knew from Tallulah came to meet her and she acted like a typical two-year old rather than the sweet little girl that she had been the last two evenings. What can I say, she is two and it is to be expected that she acts like a two year old!

We knew we would have to take Natalie to see the puppies. Each year these people who breed and sell hunting dogs have a few puppies promoting their business, but they always have a drawing to give away a few of them. They must not have had any young puppies this time because these puppies looked half grown. We have no desire for a yard dog after our last experience of that and of course, these dogs are not house dogs. But in the spirit of everything Randy still registered for them. We made jokes about how we would give to Jeff (one of Poppa's friends who has his own little dog farm at his home) and that Natalie could go visit him from time to time if we won a dog. Later on this day, while on elevator someone said to Randy I know who you are. Well, he had actually got this several times since his photos are in the magazine that also shows the floor plan diagrams of the gin show. There were stacks of them at the gin show. But much to his surprize he was informed that was Randy Ainsworth they person's name they had called as a dog winner at the 3:30 drawing. We left about 2:30. You have to be there for the drawings to claim your prize. Oh well...someone else's name was drawn and they got "our" free puppy. How would we have gotten him home anyway? Maybe Jeff could have taken him. He had came to the gin show for the first time to see Randy get his award. Pretty good friend, uh? He might be the only person that would be real disappointed over not getting his free dog!
Natalie eating a peppermint and posing in a tractor tire.
Natalie climbing up the steps of the tractor.
No red eye here! Natalie posing on the tractor.
This is a tow motor (as Randy) calls it. I am not sure what the real name is, but they use them in the gin to load the trucks with bales of cotton. Natalie had fun steering it.
We ate a late lunch at Huey's (a hamburger place). Every restaurant has their own novelty. This is Huey's. This is toothpicks in the ceiling tile. I have no idea of how it got started. But I know Randy and Cameron always have to try it when we are there.
This is Natalie's attemp. You put the toothpick in the straw and blow! I know I could never do this. So why embarrass myself trying! LOL
~~Natalie's Mimi~~

FRIDAY NIGHT IN MEMPHIS, FEB. 29, 2007

WAITING FOR OUR CAR (vallet parking)

Mimi thinks its a photo op!

This playing around shot of me and Natalie was much cuter than the posed one. I am so glad that Cameron took. Thanks, Cam.
After much leaving the hotel to go to Joe's Crabshake and then discover that they have moved to the other side of town, we decided the only place in downtown Memphis to eat w/o waiting 2 hours (everyone else from the show had to eat too) the exclusive restaurant in our hotel. I am not sure we have ever ate a restuarant where you even had to order your sides from the meal separately. After much complaining about the prices, we were very impressed with the taste of the food.

Natalie's Poppa

A very close-up of Natalie taken by her daddy.
Don't they look happy! I asksed for a smile and actually got it! Imagine that!
After dinner, before heading up to our room. We thought Natalie would enjoy seeing where the ducks go after their day in the Peabody Lobby. This is their penthouse apartment on the roof of the Peabody. THIS IS NATALIE AND HER DADDY LOOKING AT THEM DUCKS FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE FENCE.

I THINK "THE BOY DUCK" (THE MALLARD) WAS TRYING TO SLEEP. CAN SEE CAMERON AND NATALIE THROUGH THE FENCE TRYING TO WAKE HIM?

Natalie and her poppa acting silly.
A really nice view from the roof...

This was the end of our day Friday (Leap Day), Feburay 29, 2007.

~~~Natalie's Mimi~~~

THE MARCH OF THE PEABODY DUCKS

The only good image of the ducks coming out where you can actually see all of them.

Our Little Glamour Queen...doesn't she look glamorous in her leopard?

Natalie waiting to see the Peabody Ducks.

Of course, she wasn't waiting alone. Notice the black and white images. I despise red-eye and I can't seem to always avoid it with our point and shoot camera thus black and white images!

To those who are not aware of the Peabody Duck tradition. I first saw them in 1992 on our first gin trip to Memphis when Randy first became head ginner in Tallulah. Most the time we take the annual trip as a (paid by the co.) get-a-way for me and Randy, but over the years we have taken the kids to see them too. This was Natalie's first trip. There's a long story about the history of the ducks...something about the Peabody being a hunting lodge. Some hunters that had too much to "drink" had come back from a duck hunting trip and they brought there live (yes, live) decoy ducks into the lobby and they swam in the water fountain thus the tradition of the Peabody Ducks began. Every day around 11:00 the duck master goes to the top floor to "Duck's Penthouse apartment" and escorts them to the elevator. The duck master leads them out of the elevator to march onto the red carpet laid out just for them to the water fountain. At 5:00 in the afternoon he will escort them back to the elevator to go back up to their place for the rest of the evening (until they come back again the next day).

The next image is the elevator opening up with the duck master and the ducks as they are coming down. I added the closer image of this at the top of this post. It is a cropped closer version. I cropped hoping you could actually see the ducks. This image shows the crowd looking. This is the general set up. I circled the duck master and the ducks to draw your attention to them because in that particular image---as you can see it would be easy to overlook. I was hoping to get an image of them as they walked by with Natalie sitting on the floor in the background. Cari had the camera and even if I had it and it had been my good camera, it still probably would not have gone my way. These were some fast ducks. Some new information that I learned this time when they gave the brief history on the duck march is that the ducks are changed out every 3 mos...well actually retired. And he said that these ducks were pretty new...they had only been at the Peabody for a few weeks and that they were unpredictable. One thing for sure...they were the fastest Peabody Ducks that I had ever seen!

So when your best laid plans don't work out and they usually don't, take photos of your little one watching the ducks in the water. We still didn't get any great shots, but I think what we have are good enough to help Natalie remember her duck experience.

Natalie watching the ducks with Daddy...

The ducks swimming by quickly...

Natalie was very upset because she wanted to pet them. I wasn't sure of what the "duck policy" was so I told her that they would bite. And I think really would have...at least the boy duck would. We got so tickled watching them. The Mallard kept biting at the girls. Natalie said, "that boy duck is mean!" He's either mean or just flirting. I guess I am just not that familiar with "normal" duck behavior.

'DUCK WATCHING'

We enjoyed introducing Natalie to the Peabody Duck tradition. It is always so neat introducing something new to her. I love that childlike wonder!

~~~Natalie's Mimi

CONGRATULATIONS POPPA!

CONGRATULATIONS, POPPA: GINNER OF THE YEAR OF SOUTHERN COTTON GINNER'S ASSOCIATION!

This is one of the images that I captured when I was doing the images for the magazine article. Isn't it sweet?

This one looks like Randy is teaching Natalie all about cotton. I like it too! This is one that they used for the article and it is was also used on the projection screen at the banquet. Can't you tell that we are a little proud of our Natalie?
I don't think they used this image, but I still like it even though Randy was squinting because of the bright sun.
Natalie's Poppa and Mr. Buddy Tanner (as she call him)
Randy getting ready to give his acceptance speech. I had to include this one. See the cute little girl on the screen with her handsome Poppa.

I tried to photograph each one of the projection screen pages. These are the ones with Natalie:

Poppa posing for a group photo after his speech. I think he was feeling a strong relief by this time.
Natalie's Poppa and Daddy, the other one she looked better, but Poppa blinked!

After the speeches and presentations, there was entertainment. Most people don't seem to appreciate the older musical groups that play music of from different eras. But Natalie didn't mind one bit. In fact, she had a lot of fun dancing and entertaining everyone. It was all cute and fun until the dancing turned to turning in cirles very fast and running. We were afraid she was going to run into something and hurt herself.

Aunt Maria, if you see this. Notice her necklace. She wore it with her green dress for the safety awards luncheon.
As you can see, she had a ball. This is her clapping after the end of one of the songs.
The formal photo with the Ginner of the Year and his family...
Natalie had a lot of fun and behaved so nice...exceptionally well for a two and half year old. I will add images soon of her meeting the Peabody Ducks after the traditional Peabody duck march the next morning (the day after the banquet). ~~~Natalie's Mimi

P.S. For more Ginner of the Year images check out the portrait blog. I duplicated some on both of them, but I included more with Natalie on this one and more details on the other one: www.japimages.blogspot.com