Family trip to Tennessee

My parents 40th wedding anniversary is coming up this summer. Over Thanksgiving Will and I decided to take them on a little trip but since I am due less than 2 weeks after their anniversary we needed to do it a little early. Sam and Jaime joined us in the planning. We threw out all kinds of destinations. It is hard for a well traveled family with two toddlers to think of the perfect place.

I don't remember who threw out Tennessee but when they did all four of us knew that this was where we would be going. Why is it that Tennessee was the perfect place? We will get to that later.

For Christmas we gave them a save the date card letting them know that we were all going on a trip for their anniversary and to mark their calendars. Then when we were in California for Sophia's birthday they went on a scavenger hunt of clues that took them to where we were all wearing cheesy t-shirts that they had to unscramble. (Sophia was napping)

Mom and dad were excited about our destination.

So, we all flew to Nashville. Since Will is a pilot, we had buddy passes which means they are free but standby so it took most of the day to get there. We all arrived, rented our cars and headed to the Opryland hotel. Because neither of the girls napped much or at all, we decided to order room service for dinner and get everyone in bed and ready for the next day.

Friday we had a wonderful breakfast at the hotel and we walked around. The Gaylord hotels are all amazing. The Opryland had several huge indoor atriums.

Katherine was not excited about her family photo.

Katherine's favorite past time was pushing Sophia's stroller.

After walking around, we went on the General Jackson Showboat for lunch and a show. I was anticipating a cheesy country show like I saw many times in Branson, but we were lucky and there was a Peking Acrobat Troupe that was performing.

Sophia and Daddy wearing their shades

Katherine and Mommy posing on the boat.

Katherine is very helpful.
Sophia was fascinated by the acrobats.
Katherine also thought they were great.
I must admit I was also impressed with what they could do.
These four women were each resting on their chest with their feet flipped over their head. Pretty amazing.

The Chinese dragon came right by us. Katherine was a little scared.

All 8 of us on the boat (not easy to get a photo of everyone looking with eyes open and smiles)

The reason Tennessee was chosen as the anniversary trip destination was not Nashville but Fayetville. This is not a big tourist attraction by any stretch but it was where my great grandmother and ancestors further back once lived. My great grandparents moved back to the family farm when my grandfather was a senior in high school and embarked on a major remodeling project, making the family farm into a showplace (for that time). When my great grandmother passed away in 1980 the farm was sold out of the family but it has been a bed and breakfast since 1985. For the last 23 years my mom has been talking about how she wanted us to all go to "The Old Home Place" but the trip has never happened. Finally it did.

We drove to Fayetville where there was really not much to do but hang out in the yard. The girls enjoyed running around and playing on the swings with their dads.