Nashville Trip

Once again, it has been SO long since I have done a blog post. I think with Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and all the other social media, I get overwhelmed. I haven't posted a Facebook album in so long, though, so I really wanted to start blogging again to be able to remember! This might be my last post for 2 years again, though! LOL! We will see. We took a business trip last weekend to Nashville (first time to ever go to Nashville) and it was so fun because on this business trip, Macy and Kevin got to come with us! I haven't written on here yet about it, but Kevin is now working for the same company Lamar works for and we are just THRILLED about it!!! 

Our weekend trip actually started on a Thursday. The morning started with my first visit to the ER ever but more about that in another post. I was okay and am so so thankful for my precious dad who took me there and we got to bypass the waiting room. I have continued to be blessed by my Dad and his love for the Lord and others. I am so thankful. Anyway, because of the ER visit, we left later on in the afternoon. It was a great trip because Macy and Kevin drove some and Lamar and I got to sleep in the back. Road trips are so much better with more people.

When we finally got to Nashville, we stopped for dinner (at 10:00 pm) at our fave.....

The Cheesecake Factory for the win! 

The next morning (Friday), Lamar and Kevin headed to their meetings while Macy and I headed to this place....

Sweet Nancy Hamilton recommended this place to us and it did not disappoint. This place is known for its long line that wraps around the block but because it was freezing and about to snow, the line was only about 15 people long. 

Here is Macy waiting outside in line. Thankfully, I brought an extra coat for Lamar because Macy forgot hers and his coat kept her warm. 

Isn't this place so fun! We had the best bacon of our life and these things called Bonuts that were delish! 

 This was our only outing for awhile because the snow came pretty soon after this. That night we were planning on going to the Wildhorse Saloon for line dancing but didn't because of the snow. 

So, Lamar told us that Ashley told him there was an unground tunnel to the mall next door so we went and asked the lady at the information center and she said the mall closed at 4:00 because of the snow. So, we were a little disappointed but I kept reading online that the Opryland Resort was this amazing place and that you could stay there and never leave because of all there was to do. When we got there on Thursday night Macy and I walked around while Lamar and Kevin were checking in. There was a waterfall and I thought the place was pretty but it reminded me a little bit of the Embassy Suites. It was neat but I didn't really see anything that would keep people entertained for days. I didn't think much of it but after we couldn't go to the mall, we were trying to decide where to eat in the hotel and I asked Lamar to show us where they went that day because I hadn't seen any restaurants but I heard there were a lot in the hotel. So, Lamar and Kevin led the way and we walked past the one area that Macy and I saw to a new area with elevators just feet away. Well, at the top of the elevators, we walked into THIS....

I don't know that this picture does what I saw justice but I was in awe! I just couldn't believe what was before my eyes and that I had NO idea there was a whole new beautiful world just FEET away from me. I instantly thought about people who don't know the Lord and how He is just right there waiting on them offering them so much beauty!!! People who don't know Him are going through life  searching for something that is missing. There is so much love, beauty, blessings, etc. right there.  He's a good good Father!! I also thought about how we were disappointed about not getting to go to a mall and there was something so much better just feet away! I was thankful that God's no to the mall was a big YES to this beauty! The Lord knows how much I appreciate beautiful things like sunsets, mountains, the ocean, and beautiful twinkly lights and I just love how He led us straight to this. Well this beauty just kept on going.... and going and going and going. The area reminded me of an airport the way the shops were arranged (I LOVE airport shops)! And then we kept going and there was this beauty...

A water show to beautiful and fun music. And there was this boat there that took you on a tour of the place. We didn't end up ever taking the boat but it was fun to see. 

It was so fun seeing all this beauty. After this, we ended up eating at a Mexican restaurant in the hotel and then we headed up to our rooms and went to bed. 

Oh, also, before we discovered the beauty feet away, we went outside to see the snow and get a couple of pictures of our first snow of the season! 

 Aren't they cute?! Kevin had on short sleeves prepared for the tunnel walk to the mall but there were these warming lights outside so he was good! :)

I just LOVE snow and I REALLY love this man next to me!!!!

The next morning, I woke up early with Lamar and then fell back asleep. Lamar came back to the room for lunch and took a nap while Macy went and ate with Kevin. Then they went back to their meetings but they got out early so we headed to the mall next door. We looked for an underground tunnel but never found it. We did walk to the mall, though, in the ice. LOL! It was all good, though! There was a neat restaurant in the mall that had aquariums all in it. We didn't eat there but did go in and look at all the neat fish.

Macy has always had a fear of fish so I was sure to get a picture of her being so brave with all the fish. 😉 Macy and Kevin went and ate at the Rainforest Cafe and Lamar and I headed back to the hotel where we wouldn't have to walk in the dark. I was worried we would slip on the ice in the dark. 

It's funny how old that sounds but it was true. I was so worried about it and asked the Lord to protect us! 

This was our icy car and gives you some idea of why I was worried.

We got back to the hotel just fine and rested while we waited on Macy and Kevin. After they got back, we headed to a late dinner at a place called Puckett's in Franklin. Nancy Hamilton also recommended this place. They closed at 10:00 and we got there around 9:15. They had 2 songwriters there so there was a cover charge but they gave us half price since we had missed half the show. One of the men played a song he had written about a dog and Macy and I cried. I am going to try to find it and put it on here. It's a GREAT song! He also played a song that Lamar LOVED. I'll try to put it on here, too. It's one of our new faves. 

Look how cute this place is.

I wish I remembered the name of both songwriters who performed that night but one was named Jason Matthews and he is the one who sang For Pete's Sake (the dog song) and a song you might recognize called Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right. Billy Currington sings it. Macy knew the song but I had never heard it before but we listened to it on repeat on the way back that night. 

Click here to listen to For Pete's Sake and if you are a dog lover get your tissue out! I doubt you'll be able to get through the song without crying...especially the last line. 

Click here to listen to Billy Currington's song Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right written by Jason Matthews. 

Our waitress was so nice. She saw me crying during the dog song and said she could never get through it, either. She also gave Lamar extra apple cobbler because it was the last of it so she just brought us 4 spoons and it was enough for all of us for sure. I'm not a huge fan of apples cooked in things so that was too bad. I think Lamar loved it, though. She also was so sweet to take our picture afterwards. Everyone was so nice everywhere we went in Nashville/Franklin.

The next morning, we woke up and checked out. On the way home, we stopped in Memphis at IKEA which I was THRILLED about! I LOVE IKEA and this was only my second time to go. The prices are so inexpensive and the quality is good. I would say we had a successful trip! 

And then we headed to see Pug, Jillian, and baby George. Their neighborhood is ADORABLE! I wanted to lived in every single house! Southern charm to a T! They had one house after another with porches, double front porches, etc. I mean, I was just in love! I wish they had neighborhoods like that in Little Rock. They do have Brodie Creek but it's too far from everything. Jillian told us that Justin Timberlake had a house close to them but he just sold it. The houses a few blocks away from Pug and Jilly were like their neighborhood on steroids. They were HUGE!!

Okay, can you even get over this nursery!! Seriously, it looks like a magazine! It just made me feel so good when I walked in it!! I want my bedroom to look like this! LOL! It's just gorgeous!  

The color of this paint is White Dove by Benjamin Moore and I now am totally thinking of painting our house in this color! Also, I really wish these pictures were more clear. I guess it has to do with blogspot because they are much better quality than how they are appearing on here. 

I mean, just look at this cute baby boy! He made me feel like a million bucks because he reached for me and let me hold him all around the house. I think I reminded him of my sister, his Honey, who he adores! He is also the perfect mixture of Pug and Jilly!

HAHA! LOVE this sweet boy!

It's Macy's turn next! Lord, please give her a baby soon!!! We totally trust His timing but we are all ready!!!

Here we all are with the star....sweet baby George who is so happy and CUTE, CUTE, CUTE!!!!

The picture above was a screenshot from a video we took of us all singing Happy Birthday to my sister, Marci, which was the morning we left Nashville. It made me laugh so hard! I love how we are all laughing. Good times!! And I will leave you with that! Maybe part of the reason I don't blog more is because I write posts that are too long and take awhile to write! HA! But, one day I will be glad I wrote about out trip and we will be able to remember! YAY! Until next time...maybe tomorrow, maybe next week, maybe next year, or maybe the year after that!  Bye for now!😉