Dropping the kids off with Nanny around 10 AM, it felt kind of weird leaving with Magan, but we were off to the Music City. Our first night I had booked in downtown Nashville, as we were going to the Grand Ole Opry that was playing at the Ryman. We arrived at our hotel (only one block from the Ryman) around 3 that afternoon, and got to actually take a nap. I think we both expected one of the little ones to jump on the bed at any time.
For supper we went to Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. Magan liked it, but I was not very impressed. They did have one really tall guy on stilts making balloons for the kids, I was impressed he made it through the restuarant without falling over.
Before we left, we went upstairs to take a look at more areas of the restuarant and came across a crowd of ladies surrounding....Casey James. Casey was one of the American Idol finalist from a few years back (he was the one Kara liked so much). Magan tried to get close but we just snapped a picture and went on our way...he was playing at the opry that night.
Neither of us being "big" country fans, I think both of us were really pleased with the Grand Ole Opry. We laughed a lot at the many jokes during the show, and it was very neat how it was done, because it is a live radio show. Little Jimmie Dickens stole the show while he hosted one of the 30 minute sessions. He is 91 years old, about 4.5 feet tall, and one funny little guy. The recent stars that played were Casey James, Craig Morgan (I think I have heard his one song "What I like about Sunday"), and Diamond Rio ("meet in the middle"). I am writing this on the Friday after our visit and listening to the Grand Ole Opry...so I guess I liked it abit.
Little Jimmie Dickens...
The next morning I woke up around 8 and went out to get some breakfast. Magan was still fast asleep. I could not find any place open for a cheap breakfast, so I decided to walk around downtown looking for a place...I went down to the river (saw where the Titans play)...Then I went over to the capital building (where the politicians play)...then back to our hotel where I ended up just getting breakfast there. And back to our room with the breakfast, found Magan still in bed (At 9:12 AM) ...just doesn't happen very often with the kids.
Magan just had to have this picture because the building behind her says "ONE NASHVILLE PLACE". And below is the "Mother Church of Country Music" - The Ryman. 
Our next stop was a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Magan and I were both very impressed by this museum. Laid out really well, and a lot of really neat exhibits. The wall of golden records was fun as they had many that you could play as you walked along the wall. Elvis apparently had a TV in his vehicle, and that had to be pretty cool "in the day". And someone else had some guns as hood ornaments on their cars...apparently a guy named "Nudie" was instrumental in decorating some cars and make the flashy suits many of the country stars made popular.
Elvis' TV...
Before we left the museum, we attended a songwriter session where a songwriter named Fred Knobloch shared some songs and stories for about an hour. Really interesting to hear how songwriters survive in a town like Nashville. He sang one of his songs he said was written for any of the new young girl country stars called "Back". Magan and I think it is radio worthy, so if it makes the radio with Lauren Alaina or even a Carrie Underwood...we get the prophet star.
After the museum we had lunch at a restuarant called Demos. It was really good, this was my favorite meal the whole trip. The lasagna was great, and Magan had a whole chicken on her plate and I was very happy to help her clean her plate.
We then drove over to the Opryland area where we went to see a movie...Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. I am now realizing that we can do a lot of stuff when the kids are not with us. :) This is definately what I call a "theater movie" (one you've got to see in the theater). Awesome.
We later went to the Opryland Hotel to walk around abit. We had an interesting Mexican dinner, then had some Haggen Daz ice cream. Then it was getting close to 10 oclock, and that is bedtime...so back to the hotel we went. We moved to the Radisson right next door, so it wasn't too bad...except for the bed...
What is amazing is that I took both of these (above and below) pictures myself, the second one was very tricky.
The beds were a sleep number bed that apparently sends some air into the mattress or lets air out as needed. It felt much like a water bed as when I layed down on my side, the air would push magan up. And because of the reservation and cheaper price I got, we ended up with two double beds...which aren't very big. So in the middle of the night I woke up and found that magan had left me and gotten in the other bed. She said that she kept feeling like she was going to fall off the bed because of the mound created in the middle of the bed. :) Oh well, it was funny the next morning, but I think I will pass on any sleep number beds from here on.
Church in Brentwood the next morning and back home to see the kids. Wish we could do this more often...but also glad to be back close to those little ones. Of course, the kids wanted to know what we got for them first thing...so we gave Sam and Davis a harmonica which I think are already lost...perhaps a good thing. And Belle got a "Jessie" cowgirl hat.
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