Day Trip

Jacob is partially on spring break this week {it's complicated, but some of the schools he teaches in have spring break this week and some have spring break at the end of April. It would be nice if the whole state, or nearby cities all had spring break the same week, but that's just my opinion!} so we decided to take a day trip to Nashville, TN. We had planned to go on President's Day but it snowed and we had to postpone the trip.

We headed to Opry Mills first. I'd never been there before and wow, was it overwhelming! Jacob enjoyed the big tool store and I liked checking out all the sales at the children's stores. We walked around the whole place twice but didn't buy anything but a cute pair of tights for Lily for next year! Ha!

I love all the comfy chairs they have throughout the mall! It was nice to be able to sit and relax while I fed Lily.

We ate lunch at the food court. I have never seen such a big food court. There were so many choices! I had a yummy baked potato and Jacob got Chinese.

After we left Opry Mills, we headed downtown to a violin shop for Jacob to drop off a bow to be repaired. It was amazing to drive down "music row" and see all the music stores and studios. Very cool!

Next we stopped at LifeWay Christian Bookstore just to browse while I fed Lily. Lily was so good the whole day! Since it was our first long trip with her, we weren't sure how she would do. She took great naps in the car and the stroller, and she was so happy when she was awake. On the way home she was kind of fussy, but I think she was just worn out from the busy day.

Union Station was right across the street from LifeWay, so we walked over just to look around. It is a train station that has been turned into an amazing hotel. We just went in the lobby to look at the amazing architecture. It was incredible beautiful, and yes, I forgot to take a picture. Sadness!

When we got back to the car at LifeWay, I realized that one of Lily's adorable hot pink shoes was missing! {You can kind of see her shoes in the collage picture} I knew she had both of them on in LifeWay when I was feeding her, so we knew it hadn't been missing long. While I got Lily in the car, Jacob went back into LifeWay to see if he could find it. He looked all around where we'd been and asked if anyone had seen it, but no, it wasn't there. I was so sad, I know it's just a pair of shoes, but it was Lily's very first time to wear them and one of her great-great aunts had given them to her.

Well, after checking the street we walked across, we drove over to Union Station. I got out and walked up to the valet parking guy and said, "This is a really strange question, but have you happened to see a little pink shoe around here?" He said, "Yes ma'am, actually we have!" I headed into the hotel to get the shoe and a girl came walking toward me really fast holding out the shoe and saying "I've been looking all over for you." I was so happy I could've squeezed that girl's neck!

We started heading back home, but made a few leisurely stops. One at Whole Foods where we got some organic dark chocolate covered coffee beans {yum!} and another at Barnes and Noble where we enjoyed browsing!

The last stop of our fun-filled day was at Cracker Barrel where we met John David and Rachel for supper. I have been reading Rachel's blog for over a year now and it was so fun to meet in real life!

They are expecting a baby boy in April! Lily was so happy and sweet and I think John David and Rachel enjoyed getting some practice with such a little baby.

It was so fun to get away for the day and enjoy time together as a family! Today Jacob is golfing with his Pawpaw and Lily and I are hanging out at home trying to get it back in order after a busy weekend.