Thursday, February 25, 2010

Dance On The Bar At Your Own Risk

Sign on the front door of Coyote Ugly

I hope you liked the picture that I posted Monday about my weekend.  It was taken at the Wildhorse Saloon in downtown Nashville.  We stepped into the front as we were walking by, and I couldn't resist having my picture made.  We had spent all day Saturday at Belmont University at a show choir competition.  Our show choir came in 2nd place.  Normally, that would be good, but we had been grand champions for the last two years.  Oh well, I guess all good things must come to tan end.  Our show is a bit unconventional.  It is more like a musical theatre production, and some judges just don't know how to take it.  I, myself, love it.  It is so interesting.  I hope that show choirs around this area begin to move in that direction.

Anyway, on Sunday we decided to walk down the streets of downtown Nashville.  I had been before, but it had been such a long time ago.  We saw a few street singers, and heard some music from inside some of the clubs/eateries as we walked past.  I was really hoping to see a famous country music star, perhaps Toby Keith, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, or just any of them really.  No such luck.  Maybe if we had been there on Friday or Saturday night, but not Sunday.  We ate at the Hard Rock Cafe.  Our waitress was like the painted lady.  She had tattoos everywhere except for her face, and she had piercings in her nose, lips, ears, and some unmentionable places.  I didn't see those, but when I asked her which one hurt the most, and she just kinda looked at me and raised her eyebrows.  That was enough for me.  I knew exactly what she meant!!  Normally, this would be a little much to ask for in a waitress, but I reminded myself that we were at the Hard Rock Cafe.  I admit that I had a hard time looking at her, at first, what with all the piercings and all, but after I broke the ice with my question, things got easier.  She was a good waitress, very attentive and helpful.  And, the food was fabulous.

Later, on the drive home, we stopped at the Carnton House...again.  We had gone there last year, but had only walked around the exterior of the house.  This time the weather was wonderful, and we decided to take the tour.  I LOVED it!  It was so interesting to see the rooms of that house the way they would have been decorated back during the Civil War.  Our tour guide kept us mesmerized with the story about how the lady of the house, Carrie McGavock, had offered her home as a hospital to the wounded and dead confederate soldiers during the Battle of Franklin.  If you are ever in Franklin, Tennessee, I HIGHLY recommend taking this tour, or at least, visiting the grounds and the old confederate cemetery there.

Now, I leave you with a few pictures from our trip.

A Bicycle Built for Three?!  Cute!


Some Visitors Take a Ride


The CMT Studios: Pretty Cool


I told them to turn around and look.


Monday, February 15, 2010

Another Snowy Day in the South

The kids had another "snow day" today.  School was cancelled due to a winter weather warning that was issued for last night.  When we awoke this morning, there was a good bit of snow on the ground.  The roads were not covered, but there were slick spots to be wary of.  Truth be told, the kids probably could have gone to school on a two-hour delay.  But, when you have the weathermen screaming 2--4 inches of snow, then what's a school superintendent to do?  I know the kids are glad to get these snow days, but they are not going to be too glad when they have to make them up at the end of the year.  We are already pushed up to the last week of May, as it is.  If they tack on a make-up day at the end, we won't finish school until June!  Maybe they have something else up their sleeve.  I guess we'll see.

Last Thursday evening, the winter weather warnings began, also.  We woke up Friday to only a cloudy day.  We made it in to school, but by about 9:30 a.m. the snow began to fall.  It was so pretty!  It quickly began covering the ground.  School let out early at 12 noon.  We got a lot of snow! 

I tried to get my boys to build a snowman with me.  They wouldn't.  They're no fun.  So, I went out by myself and started rolling around a ball of snow for my  snowman.  It didn't take me very long to realize that it was gonna be a lot harder than I remember it being from my childhood days!  So, I cheated.  I built a minature snowman.  He was about a foot tall.  He had acorns for his eyes and nose and a 3 little sticks for his mouth and arms.  That's as good as I could do.  It was later destroyed by the culprit you see in the background!

One of the boys' friends came by, and they did muster up some energy for a snowball fight.  At least they did get out there and play in it a bit. 










So now it is Monday night.  The snow and ice melted earlier today, but now it is snowing again.  This has been such a weird winter in the South.  We have gone years wishing for a big snow, only to be disappointed year after year, that is, until this year.  It seems there has been snow in the forecast every week.  The one that we got on Friday was the biggest in a long time.  It was nice.  But now, I'm ready for Spring.  I hate to be cold.  I hate having to bundle up to stay warm.  I'm ready for t-shirt weather.  So, thank you Winter, for giving us a good snow. 

But now, please exit and make way for Spring.  I'm ready for the yellow daffodils to start "springing" up everywhere.  

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

We Don't Say Yee Haw


It's no secret that I am from the South.  I love my southern roots.  I love living in the South.  I love being a "Southern Bell," if you will. It has come to my attention that many people in other parts of the country have some misconceptions of us Southerners.  While there are always exceptions to the rules, I present some facts that you may not realize.

1.  We are not illiterate.  We may talk differently than you, but most of the people I know have graduated from high school.  Some have attended college, and many have a college degree.

2.  Everyone doesn't drive a pick-up truck.  

3.  We don't all own guns.

4.  We don't  all fly rebel flags.

5.  We don't drive pick-up trucks with a gun in the gun rack and a rebel flag flying from the antenna.

6.  We don't have "relations" with family members, if you get my drift.

7.  We don't talk like Forest Gump, and we don't talk like Scarlett O'Hara.

8.  We are not ALL rednecks.

9.  Most of us still have our teeth.

10. We don't all own a hound dog.

11. We don't all live to watch NASCAR.

12. We are not all racists.

13. We don't say yee haw, although we might say that we are "fixin' to" go to the store.  Just get use to it.  That's a hard habit to break!

So to sum it all up, we are just like you.  We just speak a little more slowly, and we probably have a drawl to our voice, and maybe we use a few different phrases than you, but that doesn't mean that we are any different than you in the things that really matter. 

So, just remember this when you see those shows on television that paint us in a backwoods, hillbilly redneck kind-of-way.  It's not like that where I live in Alabama.  Just come take a trip down here.  We'll feed you some pintos, cornbread, fried chicken, and mashed potatoes.  We'll probably even throw in a biscuit or two.  Oh, and don't forget the sweet tea!

Y'all come back, now.
Ya hear!!
:-)

Friday, February 5, 2010

Not Much to Report

Ah, Friday!  It's gonna be a semi-busy weekend.  Our high school is hosting it's first ever show choir competition.  Tonight, middle schools perform, and then tomorrow, it is the high schools.  Our show choirs will do an exhibition performance while the results are being tallied.  It should be a great thing for our city, as what few hotels we have are booked up.  There are 30 show choirs coming to our city for this event.  I am going to attend tomorrow afternoon.  Jordan and his group will perform tomorrow night.  You do know that he plays bass guitar for them?  I'm sure I've mentioned that once or twice!  Anyway, I'm really looking forward to it.

Sunday is my birthday, and it is also Justin's birthday.  He will be 21, and I will be 41.  That's right, exactly 20 years apart.  He will be coming down Sunday, and we'll probably go out to eat.  That's pretty much our birthday celebration.  I need to get him a gift, and I have no idea what.  Maybe I can come up with something. 

So, that's about it.  Sorry for this boring post. 8)

Monday, February 1, 2010

Post That's Chocked Full of Pictures


So, I was able to see Millie yesterday.  She and Justin came to visit, and they stayed a long time, most of the day.  She is beginning to smile a little and make those sweet baby noises.  I've been waiting for this!  But, it seems like she changes so much from one time that I see her until the next.  She's getting a little more hair on her head.  There is this one spot on the top, close to the crown of her head, that is thicker than everywhere else.  It's funny, because Jordan's hair was just like that.  He had more there than anywhere else.

Justin has turned into quite the father!  You can tell how much he loves that baby just by watching him interact with her.  And, I must say, she always has her eyes on her daddy when he is in the same room, no matter who is holding her.  It's so sweet.  She is going to be a daddy's girl, for sure, already is.



I can hardly wait until I get to see her again, which will probably be this weekend.  It is mine and Justin's birthday on Sunday.  He will be 21, and I'll be a year older. :)  Well, he was born on my 20th birthday, so let's just leave it at that...or, you can do the math.  I posted here about how he was the best birthday present ever.  I also posted here about my feelings on the milestone age that I celebrated last year.   I don't know what we will do Sunday.  I guess we'll go out somewhere nice to eat.  What is funny is that Chelsea's birthday is Saturday.  He will be celebrating with her and her family that day.  Chelsea is one year older than Justin.  I don't know if I've ever mentioned that...not that it really matters.

So, that's an update on what's been going on with the new family.  Here are some more pictures that I took this weekend.  Enjoy!

Sucking on her fist in the bouncer.


She loved Uncle Chase's hat.


Crashed


All bundled up for the ride home.