After we met up with Amber and Autumn we walked around the Grand Ole Opry museum, the Opry Hotel (Gaylord Opry Hotel is it's correct name, I think) and then headed to the Wildhorse Saloon for some good grub and some country music! 
The 2 photos below were taken at the Opry hotel. It's AMAZING! The hotel is build around a very large "atrium" type city. I'm not explaining this very well.... The ceiling is all glass so it's never raining as you walk around. There are waterfalls, water fountains, a river and whole "city" with tons of cute shops. It was incredible! 
Below, we are at the Wildhorse Saloon. Ever seen "Can You Duet?" That was filmed here, just an FYI. We made some friends at the Wildhorse Saloon while we were waiting in line to get in. They told us where the best seats were and they were right! We had dinner and listened to some great country performers. Mark Wills and Buddy Jewell were really who we bought tickets to see, but as 9:30pm rolled around and they still hadn't come out, we decided we had better leave and start the hour drive back to Amber's (and pick up her little girl at the babysitter). 
One of my favorite girls to take pictures of was Brooklyn! She was "one of the girls" while were were there. We joked around about her having 5 moms for a week. She is such a doll and her smile and laugh was so contagious! This picture does not even do this little babe justice!
One day we packed a picnic and went to the Parthenon. Felt like we were in Greece! It was a great day for a picnic though. Gosh, I love my friends!
After our picnic we went to Historic Franklin and toured the Carnton Plantation. It was really interesting! Ever heard of the book, "The Widow of the South?" I guess it's written about or takes place at the Carnton Plantation and tells about McGavick family that lived there. I'm anxious to read it. The McGavick's took care of several hundred Confederate soldiers during one of the battles of the Civil War (not sure I worded that all right, but you get the picture right?) 
(front of the home)
(Amber & Brooklyn. Behind them is one of the slave quarter buildings)
(This is a Confederate Cemetary just a short walk from the Carnton home you can see in the background. Large markers with the names of states represented listed how many lives were lost from that state, each marked with a small cement block.)
After touring the Plantation we went to the Historical District of Franklin and found a fun place to eat called Pucketts. A girl in one of the shops downtown told us this was the place to eat because it was "so Franklin." Sweet potato fries, REAL cornbread, great BBQ...fun atmosphere! It was delicious!
Our last day in TN we decided to go on a lunch cruise aboard the General Jackson Ferry. It was a great way to end the trip. We had a great buffet (more BBQ), listened to a live band and enjoyed each others company as we cruised down the river! Here we are with 2 members of the band. They were real enjoyable to listen to.
(I couldn't NOT post this picture of Jes and Amber...with their friends from the ferry boat cruise)
I cannot even begin to tell you how much fun we had in TN. We are all at different points in our life and it was great talking to each other and learning from each other. We all just picked up right where we left off...that's true friends I'd say! We talked about trying to get together and go on a little vacation every 2 years. I really hope this is something we can make happen. There's nothing like girlfriends!
I love you girls and miss you already!
P.S. Of course I missed Brian while I was gone!! It was SOOO good to be home after not seeing him for a week! I valued the girl time but I sure LOVE having such a super hubby to spend time with. Anyway, Brian was on a guys trip hunting bears in Northern Idaho while I was in TN...just thought I'd let you know so you didn't think I was out playing while Brian was home working!
I can't believe I haven't posted about this yet...
I loved seeing the Young Women colors proudly displayed outside (and inside) the conference center, welcoming the youth and their leaders and mothers. It was such a spiritual and moving evening. When the new prophet, Pres. Thomas S. Monson, and his counselors entered the building and we all stood there the most most beautiful and comforting spirit entered with them. The messages that were shared that night really touched my heart and the music was absolutely beautiful. We didn't want to leave the building when it was over. We just lingered and let all the warm fuzzies envelop our bodies. It was a very special night. 
I am so proud of Holly for living such a righteous life, that she was called to be a part of such an incredible program.
Mom was a babe and got us a hotel room at the Marriott so we could change after the conference and continue with our adventures! She is such a great mom! I don't know what happened to the picture I took of all our treats in our hotel room. I may have mentioned this before but mom always packs treats when we go on a little vacation or road trip, no matter how long we'll be gone. I don't have one memory of us staying in a hotel that doesn't include crackers and that canned cheese whiz, peachies and licorice! Love it! After we changed out of dresses and pigged out on sugar we walked to PF Changs for dinner! I LOVE LOVE this place!! We ended our night by renting a movie in our hotel room! It was perfect! I couldn't ask for a better mom or better sisters. We have so much fun together and I love every minute I get to spend with them. It was a great night...the next morning we ate too much at the fantastic breakfast buffet at the hotel then slowly made our way home. I can't wait for our next outing!
I completely forgot I had these pictures on my computer! A little while back my sisters-in-law, their kids and I went to Baby Animal Days. It was so fun and I'm a grown up (sometimes). Aren't this little hairy pigs above so cute! I didn't think pigs could be cute!
I think Ady is a little unsure about holding the bunny here. She was so excited to see all the animals though!
The little chicks were so adorable too! I didn't hold one of them though, they kind of creep me out a little. Their little legs feel funny on your hands. The kids were happy to hold them though. Again, I felt a little bad for the baby chicks being held and squeezed be so many kids.
There were so many other animals you could pet and mingle with there too...some that I had never even heard of! It was a fun day out! I'm sure happy I married into a family that made me an Aunt! It's so fun having nieces and nephews!
Daisy is our little princess and she is so spoiled! She also thinks she's human sometimes (see photo above - no I did NOT pose this). When Brian gets up in the morning for work he lets Daisy in our room and she lays with me until I get up. More often than not she crawls under the covers then up to Brians pillow (or sometimes shares mine with me) and sleeps there for a good hour or more! It's as if she doesn't get a good nights rest on her own doggy bed...she has to use ours. It is so funny to me! Sometimes she'll lay there until I am putting on my shoes and about to go out the door. She is so not a mornng dog! 
This is exactly how I feel in the mornings... "No, not morning already! Just 5 more minutes.'
Last weekend Brian and I went on a little vacation to Seattle, WA. I LOVED this city! We flew in late Friday night and had all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday then flew home Tuesday morning. We really only spent one day in downtown Seattle and the rest of the time we cruised the beautiful country in a rental car. I could have spent a few more days in downtown Seattle because there was SO much to see and do.
Saturday we went on a land & water tour of the city in a "duck!" It was a blast and a great was to see the city and Lake Union. I love learning little tidbits about places! This helped us get an idea of where things were located too and we made a list of things to see and do as we cruised. We had seafood on the pier, went to the Seattle Aquarim and walked around.... Pikes Market (see below). I LOVED Pikes Market! All the fresh produce, fun shops and fresh fish. It was fun watching them throw fish there too.
(This is right by where we got on the boat to go whale watching. I thought it was neat, all the sail boats docked)
After our whale watching adventure we headed up to the Skagit Valley Tulip festival. These photos do NOT even do it justice! It was AMAZING! Tulips and daffodils as far as the eye could see! The colors were so vibrant too. It was so beautiful and I just smiled as we walked around. It was fun seeing so many different people of all races and ages enjoying the beauty and trying to capture it on film.
The next day we did some driving and we went to Mt. Rainer. It was still covered in several feet of snow and so were some of the roads so we didn't get to0 far or get to see too much of the mountian. We took our time driving through lots of fun little towns with old barns, big fields, beautiful yards, little shops...it was so fun. We stopped at Snoqualmie Falls and then at a fun little diner for dinner before heading back to the city. It was by far our most beautiful drive and I didn't have my camera! Actually, I had the camera but left the battery charging in hotel. I was so mad. So, you'll just have to try and paint you own picture of the lush, green, thick, beautiful country. 
