The Brimblecom's

Six Years Strong!

2011-08-05T13:13:00.001-05:00

August 4th, 2005 is the day that Billy lost his leg to Ewings Sarcoma. We celebrate this day every year because it's the day Billy became cancer-free! It's been 6 years. We're praying for many, many, more. So thankful for that nifty blue C-Leg. Hoping it holds out a few more years!

Pioneer Woman Chocolate Sheet Cake has become the yearly tradition. I've GOT to figure out how to make this with g-free flour! I decided not to chance it this time, so I made some g-free chocolate chip cookies for myself. I did share a few...

Our great friends Nathan, Micah, Zack, Steve, Leslie, Erin, Sarah, Me, Billy, Greg, Sionnie

We pray everyday for those we love who are still fighting cancer. My beautiful grandma, Sara, who is battling a brain tumor.

My brother-in-law, Cody, who just started chemo treatments to fight testicular cancer.

And our sweet little Marley, our friend's youngest daughter who is fighting brain cancer as well.

Lots of love to all of you dealing with cancer personally as well. Jesus is holding you close and gives a peace that passes all understanding! There is hope.

Week of Fun 2011: Day 6

2011-07-30T19:34:00.000-05:00

Marche'

After shampooing my hair 4 times to get the hairspray out of my '80s bangs from last night, we headed back to East Nashville for an awesome breakfast at Marche Artisan Foods. Haha...I told you that everything in East Nashville is "artisan". Everything here is fresh, local, and really delicious. There are tons of bread and pastries that I would have LOVED to eat...but no g-free treats. The frittata was great, though.

Just a tad humid in Nashville today. Haha. :)

Old Made Good
OMG in East Nashville is my favorite new store. It is filled with little handmade and repurposed treasures. It's cute...with an edge. And definitely a sense of humor. Great furniture, clothes, handbags, jewelry, lamps, art, etc. Follow their fun blog at http://www.oldmadegood.com/.

Me with Kate, one of the co-owners. Words to live by behind us. Lol. (Sorry, Mom).

Fontanel Farm
About 20 minutes outside of town is Fontanel. Fontanel includes a farm, restaurant, outdoor amphitheater and a mansion formerly owned by Barbara Mandrell. We went to meet our friends the Sparks' for dinner. Zac was playing bass at the Farmhouse restaurant. The trees, hills, and view is really beautiful. The weather cooled down a little bit and it was so quiet and peaceful out there. We loved it. We didn't really love the food at the Farmhouse, though...sorry Barbara.

Hot & Cold
We ended our Week of Fun at a new little place in Hillsboro Village, Hot & Cold. It serves Bongo Java Coffee, Las Paletas, Jeni's Ice Cream, and lots of other hot/cold treats. We had a fun spot by the window to people watch and talk about the great week we've had together. Only a few more days until it's back to a schedule and daily grind. I hope you enjoyed reading about our shenanigans this week!

Week of Fun 2011: Day 5

2011-07-29T17:47:00.000-05:00

Thrift Store Shopping

Later this evening, we have a special event to go to so we hit up some thrift stores around town. We hit the jackpot at Pre-to Post Modern on 8th Ave. S. It's such a fun store.

Side-Note about Dudes in Nashville
I had to take a picture of this guy because it is an example of how so many dudes in Nashville dress every day. It's SUMMER. Today it is over 100 degrees. And what is he wearing? A stocking cap, long sleeved-flannel shirt, t-shirt underneath, long jeans, and boots. It's just silly. Is this just Nashville thing?

You can still look like a "cool" musician, rock star in a t-shirt, guys. Lose the winter cap, even if you're going bald. Embrace it. I don't want you to have a heat stroke. Lol. Oh, man.

Matinee Movie
Thanks to a LivingSocial deal for 2 free Fandango tickets, we saw Crazy, Stupid, Love for free! Great movie!

There are Billy's new shoes! Lol. They practially glow in the dark!

Kalamata's
We met up with our great friends Greg & Sionnie for some yummy Greek food at Kalamata's.

Geek Prom!!!
While searching for fun things to do this week, I found out about a Geek Prom fundraiser that was happening at a club in town. Hello!? Sign me up!! I love a good theme party. Especially if there's dancing. This party had all of the above. Greg & Sionnie were the perfect geeks to join us. So. Much. Fun. We had a blast and could not stop laughing at ourselves all night.

I decided to rock the "shark fin" bangs made famous at Parsons Middle School by my BFF Bree Burnett.

Sionnie even made a corsage and boutonniere. Adorable.

Awkward...

Week of Fun 2011: Day 4

2011-07-28T16:48:00.094-05:00

Gabby's Burgers & Fries

Oh. My. Goodness. Where has this place been all my life? Gabby's is a total dive, but it has the most delicious, greasy burger I've ever had. Amazingly, they have grass-fed beef here! I was shocked! Click here to read their menu and the reasons why grass-fed is so much healthier for you. I of course got mine bun-less. The sweet potato fries are huge, awesome slices of potatoes. It's not pretty...but tastes heavenly.

Billy has an obsession with mustard. Especially gourmet seedy mustard. Gabby's had it so he was pumped.

Disgusting IMO...but he loves it. :)

Lebanon Outlet Stores

About 30 minutes away from Nashville is the Lebanon Outlet Mall. It was Billy's idea to come here and probably his most favorite part of the WOF 2011. He's a shopaholic. Especially a shoe-shopaholic. He found not only just a Nike Store. Not just the Nike Outlet Store. But the Nike Clearance Store. He was a happy camper because he's always trying to buy crazy sneakers. I'm always discouraging the purchase of crazy sneakers. But when they're on clearance for $29...all bets are off.

Can you believe that these purple, tweed, high-tops are on clearance? I mean...I'm so surprised they didn't fly off the shelves!

He decided against the tweed, but did find some rad neon pink and purple high tops. Only Billy. I love it.

The Gulch

There is an area near downtown called "The Gulch". It has a lot of new loft spaces, shops and restaurants. We had to made a stop in our favorite yogurt place, Sweet CeCe's. There's also a cool Urban Outiffers, a great local grocery store called the Turnip Truck and other cute boutiques. It was tough to spend too much time walking around because the heat outside was so intense. Similar to baking alive.

Maffiaoza's Pizzeria
Maffiaoza's is a popular local pizza place in 12 South. We just found out that they offer g-free crust now. It was a little pricier than we expected so we'll definitely split next time. It was worth it though. My pizza cravings were out of control.

Week of Fun 2011: Day 3

2011-07-27T22:56:00.011-05:00

9 Fruits

This morning we had a not so fun trip to the mechanic to get the A/C in Billy's car fixed. But the mechanic is in Franklin and a smoothie place called 9 Fruits is in Franklin, so I was excited. I had one of these at a girls event at my church last spring and I haven't stopped thinking about it since then. So good! Totally beats Smoothie King. *cough* tasteslikechemicals

9 Fruits only uses fruit, pure juice and yogurt. What a novel concept.

It's also neat because the name means the 9 “fruits of the spirit” in the Bible: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

Ahem...excuse Billy's chest hair and the deeeeeep V. I usually don't let him wear it in public. :)

Edgehill Village

Edgehill is a little up-and-coming area of town near Music Row that has new little boutiques, stores, and restaurants. Super cute. We stopped into Taco Mamacita's for lunch.

Ryman Auditorium

We've had the privilege of seeing a few shows at the Ryman, but today we took a self-guided tour. This building has such a neat history. It was fun to learn about how it began as a church, how it closed for over 20 years and then was remodeled and reopened. It has such a warm, welcoming vibe inside. Definitely an awesome venue to see a show.

Bon Iver's crew was setting up for a show tonight.

McKay's Used Books

I could spend hours in McKay's. Billy on the other hand, does not have the same love....but he'll tolerate going there. It's like a huge organized garage sale of books, CD's and DVD's. I love a good bargain. I scored some sweet deals on some educational books. $3 for a Schmoker book in perfect condition worth $29. Come on!

Tayst
Tayst is a fancy pants restaurant that we could only semi-afford because of a Groupon. It's the first and only certified "green" restaurant because the only get food from small local farmers with no pesticides and they go to great lengths to recycle, compost and all of that good stuff. That's why they charge the dollah billz, y'all. Super yummy, though. It was a fun, romantic date-night.

Week of Fun 2011: Day 2

2011-07-26T08:11:00.000-05:00

Coleman Community Center

With all the food we're eating this week, we decided to start the morning off right and work on our fitness. Around the corner from us is our awesome community center and we use the gym there. (Only $3!) Our Woodbine Farmer's Market sets up here on Saturdays. They also offer Zumba, Yoga, Boot Camp and other great classes.

Baja Burrito
We cannot get enough Baja Burrito. It's dangerously close to our house so we eat here often. OK. Weekly. Well, sometimes bi-weekly. Mexican food is good for us "glutenites". We order our burritos "naked" with no tortilla. Hormone-free chicken, grass-fed beef. Local ingredients. THE best fruit tea. There's almost always a line and you may bump elbows with the stranger next to you...but it's totally worth it.

Oh, and we ran into our pal, Micah Smith! We love that guy!

The Frist Center
Thanks to a cheap Groupon we bought last October, we are members of the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. I'm ashamed to say that this is the first time we've visited. Silly, right?

Right now there is an Andy Warhol exhibit. We loved it. It's a total Pop Culture feast for your senses. Screenprints, paintings, photos, videos. If you live in Nashville, it's a piece of history definitely worth seeing.

The Green Wagon
Next, we headed to East Nashville for a little shopping and food. East Nashville is where the word "artisan" is very much overused. Lol. You can expect to see Smart Cars, Dread Locks, Birkenstocks. I'm a hippie at heart and I love this little "green" store called The Green Wagon. They have all kinds of wonderful eco goodies. You know...like if you run out of vegan cranberry dental floss, you can pick it up here. I'm not kidding.

In the back there is a new little g-free bakery called Aunt April's. It was closed but I can't wait to go back and try it!

Wantanbe Sushi
Also in East Nashville, is Wantanbe. Our friends Zac & Erin met us here for some great food. Sushi!

Billy's friend, Jon, is the bartender here.

Patterson House
For little night cap, we headed to Patterson House which is kind of a dark, mysterious, little lounge that feels a bit like a speakeasy. They make specialty drinks from scratch and Erin claims that she ordered the beverage she's ever had in her entire life.

I was in need of some chocolate so I ordered the S'mores. Unfortunately I could only eat the gooey middle. Yes, I looked extremely classy and lady-like while doing this. The marshmallows were homemade. Delish.

They bring your receipt to you in an old book of signatures. Pretty cool.

Week Of Fun 2011: Day 1

2011-07-25T23:26:00.004-05:00

The time is here! It's our 2nd Annual "Week Of Fun". The last week of summer before I go back to the real world of teaching. The week where we do as many fun things around Nashville as possible. No responsible, grown-up bizniz like cooking, cleaning, laundry, errands, or working allowed.

We made a sign. We had a plan. Here's what Day 1 looked like.

*This past year, I have discovered that I have a gluten intolerance. It creates many health problems for me, so I avoid bread, cookies, cakes, pasta and all yummy, wheatalicious things all costs. I will probably mention g-free a lot....but don't get annoyed, mkay? Just embrace it.

A Matter of Taste
After sleeping in past 10:00, since there are no alarm clocks during the Week of Fun, we finally emerged from our house for lunch. We went to A Matter of Taste on 8th Ave. South. I found this restaurant online a few weeks ago and have been so excited to try it because they make their own g-free bread and desserts. Score! It did not disappoint. Everything is super yummy and made of organic, fresh, local ingredients. It's very tiny and cute inside. They're only open weekdays from 11-4. I'm hoping they'll expand their space and hours soon so I can come back again during the school year.

I shed a little tear of joy when I bit into this bread. Oh, how I've missed you, my old friend!

Historic Downtown Franklin, TN

After lunch, we headed to Franklin, which is about 25 minutes south of Nashville. Franklin is so cute. It's pretty much Mayberry.

One of my favorite stores is a cool boutique called Philanthropy. It is aptly named because it donates at least 10% of it's profits to designated causes. How neat is that? It's great to buy a cute scarf or dress and know that it's benefitting someone in need around the world.

The historic Franklin theatre is newly renovated and just re-opened a few months ago. Unfortunately, there weren't any movies playing today. I can't wait to see inside!

Lulu...the cutest shabby chic store. I would live here if I could. I need more chandeliers and doilies in my life.

This is a really cool coffee shop called Starbucks. Ever heard of it??

For dinner we headed to Otter's Chicken Tenders. We ate a little too much...

After dinner Billy wanted to go to shoe heaven. A.K.A. the Nike Factory Outlet store. I managed to get him out of there without buying anything....which is a difficult task. He's sneaker obsessed.

Redbox
Our last event of the day was hittin' up our old friend Mr. Redbox. We rented Unknown. I would call it a little scary. Billy calls it suspenseful. Overall a good renter. Liam Neeson never disappoints!

More fun tomorrow! :)

Hoopla!

2011-07-24T22:42:00.003-05:00

Home again, home again, jiggety jig. Lots of traveling in July! Great time with family at Big Cedar Lodge, some work time in Knoxville, and...some Stella & Dot fun in San Francisco.

I got to attend Stella & Dot's yearly conference called "Hoopla" and what a hoopla it is! 2,000 stylists came together at the Union Square Hilton for an amazing 3 days. A fashion show unveiling the new fall pieces kicked off the event. We had great training and inspiration from our gorgeous CEO, Jessica Herrin (pictured below). Lots of great food, great jewels, and encouragement to be BOLD women who don't play it safe. I loved it. So. much. fun.

Have you seen this jewelry?? Click here to shop my site. Wanna get some jewelry for free? Let 's do a trunk show together. (I travel!) Wanna make some extra income and have a fun & fashionable job full-time or on the side? Let's talk. You should be a stylist. :)

Sweet time with Sara Gene

2011-06-27T20:50:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Billy and I went home to KC and also made a stop in Wichita for a few days. Wichita is not a necessarily interesting place to visit. It's not particularly beautiful or exotic. But it's one of my favorite places to visit because Sara and Roger Williams live there. My grandparents.

This is my grandma, Sara, talking and bird watching with my mom. My grandma is a very smart, quick-witted, energetic lady. I think I get my sarcastic sense of humor from her.

She has a close relationship with Jesus that is inspiring. Over the years, I've often thought that God sometimes hears my Grandmother's prayers louder than others. At one point in time during my senior year of college, she was very concerned about my singleness. She specifically prayed that someone would ask me out. That next weekend, I literally had 3 dates in one weekend! So hilarious. When grandma prays, things happen!

Almost 2 years ago, my grandma was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She had a successful surgery and had a period of healing. Sadly, the tumor has recently come back. Damn you, cancer!

Every time I'm with my grandparents, I feel like the time is very precious. Of course, it feels more precious than ever now that I realize that Jesus may be taking her home soon. She and my grandpa have been married 60 years this year. What a legacy. Their marriage is inspiring to me. The way they tease each other, work together, and take care of one another. I'm so thankful to have their example in my life.

Waterdeep Photo Shoot

2011-06-26T22:56:00.002-05:00

Don and Lori Chaffer (of the band Waterdeep) are two of my favorite musicians and songwriters. They also happen to be two of my favorite people and friends. Salt of the earth. Hilarious. Crazy talented. They were sweet enough to let me pretend I was a professional photographer and do a little shoot with them. Here are a few of my faves.

If you don't know their music: A) Where have you been? B) Wow. You've really been missing out. C) Go immediately to www.waterdeep.com and check 'em out!

Summer is here. I'm back.

2011-06-22T13:14:00.000-05:00

Well, readers... and by readers I mean my mom and like 2 other people LOL...I'm back! Sorry for the long absence. School in the springtime kicked my bootay. No sleep and no time for blogging. Never fear, I have lots more to come! First, I had to post these photos of my nephew. What a delicious mess that boy is! You have to snap fast with this guy...he doesn't sit still long!

Valentine's Photos

2011-02-24T20:34:00.001-06:00

Today we just got a CD of photos taken by our new friend Ian on Valentine's Day weekend . My amazingly talented friend Aimee did all of the neato props and styling. And...they gave us the photos as a gift. Such a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.

Click on Ian and Aimee's names to see more of their many cool projects!

My first Trunk Show!

2011-02-19T20:19:00.000-06:00

Today was my first show as a new Stella & Dot stylist! It was fun having lovely ladies stop by to shop and treat themselves to some cute jewelry.

Wanna host a show, too? The average hostess earns $250 in free jewelry! No joke. I would love to help you with that. I will travel! I also had some ladies today ask..."Can anyone be a stylist?" and the answer is YES! If you're interested in becoming a stylist, it's a super easy process. Just e-mail me and I'll give you lowdown.

Shop my online store anytime at http://www.stelladot.com/allisonbrimblecom

Now thru February: click on "find a hostess" and enter my name

Valentimes

2011-02-13T21:07:00.000-06:00

Billy and I celebrated the Sunday morning before Valentine's Day at one of our new favorite places, Fiddle Cakes. It's a cute little coffee shop/bistro in a house on 8th Ave. South. We especially love it because they have gluten-free panini sandwiches AND amazing gluten-free brownies. If you live in Nashville, check it out! Great local goodness.

I'm really into headbands and hair accessories these days. My friend Erin and I had a little craft night and we made these heart hair clips. Just felt, fabric scraps, a hair clip and some hot glue. Fun and easy.

Our church knows how to party

2011-02-11T20:28:00.002-06:00

We love our church for many reasons. Now I have added one more reason to the list: The Annual Valentine's Banquet. OMG. So much fun. They have been advertising this event for several weeks. Dancing, Dinner, Dress up, Married Couples. They had me at dancing. But, tickets were a little expensive for us right now. $75 a couple. We decided that we just shouldn't spend the money. The subject came up in my women's small group the week before. The ladies were asking me if we were going. They let me know that some members of the church donate tickets every year to couples that want to go but can't afford it. Then, what do you know...I got a call the next day from the church saying they wanted us to come and were giving us the tickets as a gift! Isn't that the best?!!

The Nazarene girl in me was SO excited to dance with my church family. There's nothing like doing the Electric Slide next to your pastor! HA! It was also just a really fun, night to be with Billy and celebrate our marriage with other married couples...some who've been together 30+ years! I pray that next year we can attend again and maybe even give another deserving couple a pair of tickets as a gift.

B's signature move.

Cupid Shuffle!

Whitney and Dave

Our pastors! (Killin' it!)

Ahhh....I need more dancing in my life.

Buy some bling from me, ya'll!

2011-02-07T17:37:00.005-06:00

So...it's no secret that Billy B. and I are not millionaires. In fact, we struggle some months to make ends meet on a teacher's salary and musician's unpredictable salary. I'm sure many of you can relate. So, I've been looking for ways to supplement our income. A year ago, my friend Erin introduced me to Stella & Dot jewelry. I fell in love.

Recently, after looking into about what this company stands for and how stylists can make money, I decided that it was a great fit for me. I'm excited to try it out and see where it goes! I'm hosting my first trunk show at my house in Nashville on February 19th. If you're reading this...you're invited!

You can shop my site anytime at http:///www.stelladot.com/allisonbrimblecom

Wanna host a trunk show? (I'll travel!) Let me know! It's fun, easy, no pressure, no presentations. The average hostess earns around $250 in free jewelry.

Check it out! Let me know what you think!

Billy's Birthday Karaoke Super Jam

2011-01-22T17:06:00.019-06:00

The weekend after Billy B.'s birthday, we had a night out on the town with a few friends. We ate at the new Puckett's in downtown Nashville and then headed to a glorious Karaoke bar called...wait for it....Wanna Be's. And yes. We are.

Kyle and Shana were in town for the weekend from Indy and were able to join us!

Jeremy & Kathy Mitchell

Kenny, Billy, Travis, Jeremy & Luke

Billy & Don

Roger & Julie Johnson

"Islands in the Stream"

Sionnie & Allie

Billy showing his Eddie Money skillz.

Our friend, Greg...tearin' it UP with some Dr. Dre. We don't know any of the people in this video. The dance floor flooded when Greg started. UH-mazing.

Does Giselle have this problem?

2011-01-21T17:49:00.000-06:00

My husband has a knack for taking extremely unflattering pictures of me. I know I can be critical of myself, but seriously. I look really terrible in about 90% of the pictures he takes. We're going to counseling about it. Don't worry. The other night, Billy had the camera out and so I was laughing and talking about this issue with our friends. This was my impression of myself in the pictures Billy takes of me. Scroll down and you'll see that it's pretty accurate.

Triple chin? Check. Eating something? Check. Mouth in strange position? Check.

LOL. Examine the evidence.

Happy B-day, Billy B.

2011-01-18T18:08:00.000-06:00

Billy B. is 34 today! Happy B-day to my best friend. I'm a lucky girl.

I love this man.

Happy Snow Week!?

2011-01-14T19:19:00.000-06:00

By the standards of many states in the U.S., Nashville had a little snow earlier this week. Flurries, some would say. 3 inches to be exact. However, by Nashville standards, it was "Snowpocalypse 2011". Businesses and restaurants including national chains closed down. Events all over town were cancelled. School was cancelled not one, not two...but FIVE days! Normally, this teacher would not complain about snow days...but when it's sunny out and there's not a spec of ice or snow to be found on the roads, it seems a little ridiculous. We have kids to educate, people!

To be fair, there were reportedly many roads that were impassible by school buses. I did not see any such road, but o.k. I'll take your word for it Metro Nashville Public Schools. This means, to date, we have used a total of 7.5 snow days. 3 days over our limit. So...I've quit cheering on the snow and praying blessings over weather.com. I now see each snow day as a summer day stealer. Not cool. Yes...I said stealer. It could be a word. LOL.

Here are Billy and I risking our lives by getting out on those treacherous roads and eating lunch at Mas Tacos. You may remember me mentioning the Mas Tacos cart that we used to visit often. Now, they have their own little restaurant in East Nashville. Everything is so colorful and cute...I had to document. Not to mention the food is all natural, locally grown and delicioso. Where else can you get a quinoa & sweet potato taco?!

No snow day is complete without a little trip to Sweet Cece's. I'm obsessed.

The boy's got moves!

2011-01-12T19:23:00.000-06:00

This is my adorable 19 month nephew, Remy, breakin' down. I've watched it about 96 times and it still makes me laugh really hard. Where did he learn these moves?!

Book Giveaway!

2011-01-10T19:28:00.000-06:00

Did you know that you can turn your blog into a book?! Genius. My friend Jami, is giving away a $40 voucher for a Blog2Print book to one lucky winner. Click here to go to her site find out how to enter!

Happy New Jeerz

2011-01-01T12:40:00.003-06:00

We rang in 2011 in Nashville at the Chaffer house with some great old friends, great new friends, amazing fireworks, hilarious games, and buffalo chicken dip. Our KC...soon to be Nashville...friends Micah and Leslie came in town just in time to join us. Props to Billy B. for taking most of the photos!

Christmas on the Cheap

2010-12-20T01:33:00.000-06:00

Here are a few of the ways I've been gettin' crafty with it this week. I cannot take credit for any of these ideas. Props to Martha Stewart Magazine and the next best thing to Martha...my friend Jami.

We're on a tight budget this year, so I had to get a little creative with some of my gifts. To take the sting out of a lame $10 gift card, I added some local Olive Sinclair Chocolate and then wrapped it like a snowman just using white printer paper, markers and some ribbon.

At the Dollar Tree, you can find silver platters for $1. Add some chalkboard paint, and ribbon, and you have a very cool chalkboard sign, display, menu, or whatever you want it to be.

Ribbon is 50% off at Hobby Lobby this week. So are these little plate stands. They are only $2.50! Then you can decide to hang it or display it on the rack. The ribbon just folds down and hides behind it.

I love to have a little something to give friends when we visit during the holidays or as a hostess gifts. Martha Washington Bon Bons have become an annual tradition for me. I completely overdosed on the filling 2 years ago, and now I can make hundreds without even being tempted to try one. But other people rave about them! And they're just pretty.

Martha Washington Bon Bons
Filling: Mix and chill overnight
2 pounds sifted powdered sugar
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
2 cups flaked coconut
1 stick of butter (melted) - add another 1/2 stick if mixture is dry
3 cups finely chopped pecans

Dipping Chocolate: Melt in a double boiler
1 cake paraffin wax (can be found in the canning aisle at the grocery store)
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
add more chocolate if mixture is too thin, add more wax if mixture is too thick

Dip in chocolate using a toothpick and let dry on wax paper. Drizzle chocolate to cover toothpick holes.

Place in candy cups, wrap and add a cute tag and ribbon.

Merry Christmas!!

Tacky Lights!

2010-12-18T00:27:00.000-06:00

Last night, I was searching for Nashville neighborhoods with the best Christmas lights and stumbled upon this site called TackyLightTour.com. We found not one...but two houses in Franklin that had an insane amount of lights. Each house also had their own radio station and the lights flashed in time with the music. It was like finding the "Glee" of Christmas Lights! Oh, how I love choreography!

Tender Tennessee Christmas

2010-12-10T00:35:00.027-06:00

This is my all time favorite Christmas Album...next to the Carpenter's "A Christmas Portrait". I like all things cheesy and sentimental at Christmas time.

Tonight I got to hear...

Well they say in L.A., it's a warm holiday, it's the only place to be...
But a Tender Tennessee Christmas, is the only Christmas for me.

sung live by Amy Grant at Lipscomb University's Lighting of the Green Concert. A perfect Nashville moment.

2010 Amy is still as hot as 1983! :)

Praise Jesus I have AAA.

2010-12-06T00:48:00.025-06:00

Just in case you're wondering...

If you have a 2002 Honda Accord, and you want to warm it up because it's 13 degrees outside, so you turn the heat on full blast and lock the keys in the car (on purpose) because you have an extra keyless entry thingy and it should be no problem to use it to get back in the car, you will be extremely frustrated and panicked when you go out to unlock it because someone at Honda had the bright idea to create a safety mechanism that will NOT LET IT WORK! And, your husband might be out of town with the extra set of keys, so you'll have to call AAA who will argue with you about your current address and you will tell them that you will update your address just as soon as you have a car that isn't running with the keys in it. Then you will wait over an hour for a very nice locksmith to come and take .5 seconds to open it for you. And you'll be very late to work. Just in case you're wondering. :)

Recycled Book Garland

2010-11-23T11:58:00.003-06:00

I got this idea from my friend Aimee. Visit her blog to see some of her amazing creations.

To make this garland you will need:
Card Stock
An old Book
Ribbon
Glue Gun
Permanent Glue Stick
Thick Tagboard or Cardboard
Martha Stewart Circle Cutter (Optional)

In the December Martha Stewart Magazine, there is a 50% off coupon for any of her craft items at Michael's. This circle cutter is AWESOME! It really beats looking for lids and candles to trace. It makes perfect circles in any size you want. It's normally $24 so with the coupon it's only $12. Michael's always has 40% coupons in the mail or e-mail also, so you could use that instead.

Find an old book you have at your house. I found this one at Goodwill for 50 cents. Cut out the book circles first so you know how big to stagger the other circles. By the way...the pieces of brown tagboard I used for the back were dividers in the the paper bins at Michael's. I asked if I could have 3 of them and they gave them to me for free. You could also use a cardboard box to make it thicker and more rugged.

It's hard to find pre-made tag board letters big enough. Plus, they're pricy. Just print letters and then trace them onto the paper you choose. I used the font Britannic Bold. Mix it up with different fonts and colors! Enjoy over your mantle...or over your windows if you are like me and lack a mantle!

Sickie-Poo

2010-11-23T07:59:00.002-06:00

I'm home sick...coughing and nursing my poor throat. But I'm in a very blogtastic mood! I have a lot to catch up on! In between administering every home remedy I can think of to keep me from losing my voice...I will be posting some pics of our NYC trip in September and other fun tidbits from the fall.

If you're in KC tomorrow night...come see me sing (or try to sing) in our bi-annual Yacht Rock extravaganza. It's such a blast! We are expecting a very special guest to sit in with us. Stay tuned...

Musician's Corner with Vince Gill

2010-10-05T11:14:00.011-05:00

Throughout the summer we've really loved going to Musician's Corner, free concerts on Saturdays at Centennial Park. Today, we read rumors on Twitter that somebody really special may be stopping by. The rumors were correct! It was such a Nashville moment to be sitting in a park and have Vince Gill walk on stage and sing for you.

Can you spot Mat Kearney?

New York! Part 4

2010-09-30T14:28:00.002-05:00

We are very lucky to have a friend named Jason in our lives. Jason happens to be on a show called Saturday Night Live. The season premiere of SNL happened to be on my birthday. And...we happened to be in New York the night of my birthday. I love when things come together.

This was our 2nd time being at the show together. Being in the SNL studio is amazing. It's like a museum. Photos of classic scenes and characters line the walls. I wish they allowed cameras inside. We were also able to go to the cast after-party and after-after party. It is so much fun seeing all of these people you love and admire in one room. If only I had the guts to go up and talk to them....

Billy with Lori Chaffer

Billy with Don Chaffer

Jason and Billy

Max, Jason and Billy

Kristin Sudeikis and Billy

Here's a selection of photos I'd like to title:

"Really Bad Photos of Celebrities that I'm Too Scared to Talk To"

Katy Perry's back

Justin Timberlake's back

Blurry Andy Samburg and a bald man's head

Abby Elliot trying to escape the crowd

Haha! I was right, wasn't I? Horrible pictures. Oh, well.

This was definitely my best birthday so far! 31 is going to be a fabulous year.

NEW YORK! Part 3

2010-09-30T11:04:00.001-05:00

One of the highlights of the trip for me was getting to see a taping of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon! I'm such a fan of the show. It was so fun to see what goes on behind the scenes. Here are some things I learned at the taping...

1. It's 100 degrees while you're waiting in line to get in.
2. It's 30 degrees once you're in the studio.
3. If it's your birthday, you may get asked to have a dance-off before the show with the person sitting next to you.
4. The studio is much smaller than it looks on TV.
5. The Roots play through entire songs before the show, during commercial breaks and after the show.
6. If you wave at Questlove, he won't wave back. But he'll smile at you.
7. Jimmy laughs at his own Bieber jokes in video segments.
8. The show isn't taped live, but Jimmy and all the guests do everything in one take.
9. There are about 35 crew members and staff behind the cameras at all times...unlike a concert or play. There are lots of people in the way.
10. Jimmy runs the stairs and stops to say "hi" and shake lots of hands even after the cameras stop rolling. (He shook mine!)

Here is a video my 3 seconds of fame! I'm in the second row of the audience on the right hand side at about the 3:40 mark.

NEW YORK! Part 2

2010-09-30T09:24:00.002-05:00

I really love being in New York but am always amazed by the way people live in such tight spaces. We were SO lucky to be able to stay for free in this little apartment in the East Village on the lower level of this building.

When I say little...I mean TINY. This is not just the bedroom. It's the entire apartment!

You're probably wondering how we sat on that toilet. Sideways is the answer to that. HA!

Ahhh...New York. $1,200 a month for 400 square feet. Not bad! :)

Here are some other photo highlights...

Gretchen's billboard in Times Square from Project Runway!

NEW YORK! Part 1

2010-09-29T08:36:00.007-05:00

For my 31st birthday, we got to take an almost free trip to New York! "Concrete jungle where dreams are made of...." Cue Jay-Z and Alicia Keys.

Here's the story in a nutshell: Our good buddy, Don Chaffer, wrote an album called "The Khrusty Brothers" which has really amazing songs that center around a story about a family band. Billy played drums in the live band when they played shows in KC. Don turned this music and story into a musical. The musical won a grant to be workshopped in New York. Billy auditioned and got the part of "Bud" who also happens to be the drummer. And VOILA! We end up in NYC.

Here are some pics of the cast rehearsing.

Waterdeep at Musician's Corner

2010-08-10T11:03:00.008-05:00

Here's a video of Billy playing drums with Waterdeep at Musician's Corner at Centennial Park.

Doesn't this guy just make you happy? He danced for all 5 bands without stopping. I love it.

Billy's 5 Year Cancer-Free Party!

2010-08-04T22:20:00.002-05:00

On August 4th, 2005, Billy lost his leg to Ewing's Sarcoma. We celebrate August 4th every year, though, because it was the day that all the cancer was wiped away! It's been 5 years. 5 Years is a big deal. Doctor's consider the 5-year landmark the point when you don't really need to worry about the cancer ever coming back. Praise God!

So we threw a little party with some of our great Nashville friends at our new house. The heat index on this particular day was 110 degrees...so we're all "glowing" just a little bit.

*Disclaimer: These photos are terrible because my good camera broke and I had to resort to my old one...which is a dinosaur. I suppressed the perfectionist inside myself and posted them anyway.

Week O' Fun - Day 6 (Final Day...O' Fun)

2010-07-31T16:49:00.002-05:00

Leiper's Fork:

Our dear friends Luke & Rebekah (and baby Jonah) joined in for our last Day O' Fun! About 45 minutes south of Nashville is a cute, tiny little town called Lieper's Fork. It is home to the original Puckett's and a strip of cute little boutiques and stores. It's also the home of Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman...who for some reason didn't return our calls. Weird, huh?.

Yeoman's in the Fork:

The Parthenon:

Back in Nashville, we visited Centennial Park where there is replica of the orignial Parthenon in Athens.

Centennial Park:

Also in the park every Saturday is Musican's Corner. It's a free outdoor concert series that features 4 or 5 indie artists every week. This day happened to be the HOTTEST day of the summer so far, but we we were glad we braved the heat.

This guy...Trent Dabbs, is a great singer/songwriter and is kind of the mastermind behind this concert series and Ten out of Tenn. Thanks a lot for walking into my pic, Trent! No, seriously...thanks. Madi Diaz is performing on stage behind him.

Game Night at the Sullivants:

We ended the night at Luke and Rebekah's house with yummy chicken risotto and card games.

Here's what happens when we play games:

Billy's A.D.D. kicks in and he doesn't listen to the rules. My competitive side kicks in and I get irritated that Billy doesn't take the game seriously...especially when he is my partner in the game! Then I get tense when I'm losing and try to pretend like it doesn't bother me. Luke and Rebekah just laugh at us.

This time, Billy actually focused on the game and he WON! I pretended to be happy for him.

I hope you enjoyed following us on our adventures this week! Isn't my husband a great sport?! I love that when I mentioned the idea, he didn't even hesitate. He was all for it. He also put up with me taking hundreds of pictures wherever we went. Haha! It was really fun to have the vacation mindset while being in our own city. We didn't do dishes or laundry. We let the mail pile up. We didn't stress out about work coming up the next week. We just spent time together and enjoyed Nashville. I hope this inspires you to do the same thing wherever you live!

Week O' Fun - Day 5

2010-07-30T21:45:00.003-05:00

Coleman Community Center:

In order to offset all the fried food we've been eating, we decided to go workout this morning. We have an awesome community center less than a mile away from our house. They have a great gym, walking track and indoor pool. They also offer yoga, Zumba, pilates, etc. It only costs $2 to work out! Or you can pay $25 a month for unlimited visits. It's such a deal! Way cheaper than a gym membership. We love it.

McDougal's Chicken Fingers and Wings:
Yeah...we worked out hard and then what did we do? Eat more grease. McDougal's is in Hillsboro Village in a row of houses that have been converted into cool little restaurants.

The McDougal's Staff wanted in on the fun.

It's a fancy joint.

Pool Time:
Our friends Greg & Sionnie have a fabulous pool at their apartment complex and they let us crash it for the afternoon. I definitely have not spent enough time at the pool this summer! Speaking of Sionnie, click here to see her fabulous photography! She's super talented.

Week O' Fun - Day 4

2010-07-29T09:54:00.095-05:00

Willie Nelson & Family General Store and Museum:

We stumbled upon this place today which is located across from the Opryland Hotel. Billy is actually a big Willie Nelson fan, but we decided not to pay $8 to enter the "museum". I think it's kind of weird to have a whole museum for someone who is still alive. Don't you?

We did get our picture with some celebs while we were there. Including the owner himself.

Cooter's Duke's of Hazzard Museum:

Hahaha! Cooter's is next door to Willie's place. It would be a great tourist stop if you were a Duke's of Hazzard fan. IF. We had to go in, though, since we were right there. Tons of toys, photos, and of course...Daisy Dukes.

"What is this junk and why are we here?!"

We drove by to check on the Opry progress. Lookin' good!

Loveless Cafe:
Loveless is about a 35 minute drive away from where we live. It's been a Nashville favorite for over 50 years. Click here to read a history of The Loveless.

Our friends Erin and Zac joined us for the fun. They have lived in Nashville several years but this was their first trip to Loveless, too!

The Loveless is known for its biscuits and they do not disappoint. Good thing I wore a dress that's like a tent, because I ate 4. The rest of the home cookin' style food was really good. Honestly, though...Puckett's fried chicken is still #1 in my opinion.

Behind the restaurant is the "Loveless Barn". And in the Barn, Starship was playing live! As in..."We Built This City on Rock and Roll" and "Nothin's Gonna Stop Us Now." Classic.

Billy and Zac on Wikipedia looking up all the special guests who kept coming on stage.

Stay tuned for more fun!

Week O' Fun - Day 3

2010-07-28T22:58:00.002-05:00

Burger Up:

This is one of the newest restaurants open on 12th Ave. South (our old hood). It is run by the same owner of the Frothy Monkey coffeehouse which is just down the street. We've tried to come a few different times before but the line has been around the block. Nashville must love gourmet burgers!

I'm not much of a burger connoisseur. A burger is a burger. But, you can feel good about all of the homemade, wholesome ingredients here. They make their own buns, ketchup and use fresh local produce and meat...which you know is close to my heart.

As you can see, it was packed again today for lunch. Everyone sits family style and you definitely get a little cozy with the strangers sitting next to you!

Las Paletas:

Just next door to Burger Up is the yummiest smelling shop you'll ever set foot in. Only thing on the menu: popsicles! We have seen these popsicles sold in Mexican restaurants around town, but today we went straight to the source. Now we're asking ourselves...what took us so long to try these?! I know you're probably thinking that it's just a popsicle. But you're wrong. Oh, my word. So delish.

Check out the unique flavors...

Banana split popsicle made with real bananas, chocolate chips, and strawberries.

Third Man Records:
This weird little place is owned by Jack White of The White Stripes. It is a recording studio as well as a tiny novelty shop that is open to the public. When I say tiny, I mean you feel really awkward looking at things in the shop while the teenage guy who works there is 1 foot away...bored...and watching you.

You also have to be buzzed in when you want to come into the shop which makes it kind of feel like a speak-easy. Or maybe like you're a VIP and you're getting the o.k. from Jack to enter.

San Antonio Taco Company:
SATCO is one of our favorite cheap, quick, and unhealthy guilty pleasures. It's located down the street from Vanderbilt University and has a killer patio. The flour tortillas and queso and are amazing. Yeah...we ate queso. Lots of it. I'm not ashamed.

The first time we came here during lunch time, I was like a deer in headlights. They have their own ordering system here and it's hard to figure out what and how much to order. There is usually such a crowd in line and you have to fill out your order on the little menus in a hurry or you have a hungry herd of college kids breathing down your neck. We're total pros now. Look at Billy go.

Apparently the "Week O' Fun" is turning into the "Get Fat Really Quick Week"!

Davis Kidd Bookstore:
Here we caught up on our important reading. You know...Rolling Stone, US Weekly, Vogue. The classics.

Redbox Rental: $1!

And some Kettle Corn...as if I didn't have enough to eat today. Yes, if you're wondering...that is a leopard print Sunggie I'm wearing. Jealous?

Week O' Fun - Day 2

2010-07-27T16:00:00.003-05:00

I Dream of Weenie

The name alone is a reason to visit this place. Am I right? I Dream of Weenie this funky little van turned into a hot dog cart in East Nashville. They have lots of different varieties and toppings and they taste fabulous! Hot dogs are the one thing that I don't care about how unhealthy they are. I love them. I love hot dogs so much that I convinced my family to grill out hot dogs for Christmas dinner each year. Seriously. I did.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum:

A must-see for Nashville tourists. We just did the basic tour (with our AAA discount!). They offer more extensive tours with audio as well as a bus ride and guided tour to Studio B, where thousands of hit songs were recorded. According to Billy, this doesn't quite live up to the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. However, it was really fun and informative!

Downtown Nashville/Broadway:

After the Hall of Fame we walked down Broadway. Broadway is a very "touristy" street and is loaded with bars, restaurants, record stores, souvenir shops, etc. In this picture, the river is just behind me and you can also see part of the Titans stadium. This area was hit badly by the flood in May, so it's great to have everything up and running so soon.

Lawrence Record Shop

Robert's Western World:

We stopped at Robert's and had a little snack. Even though it was only 3 p.m. in the afternoon, live music was happening here and at several other bars along Broadway. So many musicians are dying to "make it"! Apparently, they also sell boots at this bar which I think is pretty hilarious.

Hatch Show Print:

Hatch is a 130 year old letterpress print shop that still prints all of the posters for the Ryman and other big shows and events around town. I love looking through all the prints. Hatch has a very cool, distinctive style that is fun to spot around town. If you visit, shut the door behind you or you'll let out the cats!

The Family Wash:

Every Tuesday is "Pint and Pie" night at Family Wash in East Nashville. Our friends Greg and Sionnie LaFollette joined us for some amazing Shepherd's Pie and Chicken Pot Pie. The comfort food and quirky atmosphere here give me warm fuzzies everytime.

Week O' Fun - Day 1

2010-07-26T23:58:00.002-05:00

So...this week is my last full week of summer and I'm pretty depressed about it. I know people who are not teachers are saying "Cry me a river! I have to work all year long!" But for all of you teachers out there...you feel me. You know the stress we endure for 10 months out of the year and how glorious and necessary the 2 months of freedom are. My freedom is coming to a close.

So Billy and I decided to make the most out of this week and do as many fun things as possible with the least amount of money possible. We have a list. And a sign.

Day 1: Baja Burrito. This is a local Nashville favorite. I love it because it serves local, organic meat & veggies and has amazing homemade salsa. It pretty much kicks Chipotle's butt. There's always the potential for a celeb sighting. Or at least a sighting of a group of guys who look like they haven't showered in 2 weeks...so they must be in a band.

Baja is pretty much always packed. It's kind of like running the gauntlet to order, get your salsa, drink, fork, and find a seat. It's all part of the experience and ambiance!

Farmer's Market: I get really giddy about local produce. I just think it's cool to buy stuff right from the farmer. We loaded up on fruits and veggies for the week.

Matinee Movie: Inception. We've been dying to see this movie for months. It definitely lives up to the hype. It's super intense and you might need a nap and protein shake afterward.

This is me trying to add some spice to the Week O' Fun Blog. I did that for you, people. Yes..that's a 100% authentic PHS Cheerleader hurkey jump!

More fun to come tomorrow!

Remy turns 1!

2010-07-16T22:55:00.001-05:00

This is my nephew Remy (a.k.a. cutest kid in the world). Don't you want to just squeeze those cheeks?!

For 3 good shots I had to take about 300 not so good ones. Ha! Like these...

Ooh, want to play with my necklace?

Or eat it. That's fine.

I don't like grass!

Ooh, a stick!

I'll eat that, too!

Maybe Mom can help!?

And....we're done.

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T23:51:00.001-05:00

G-Free Pasta and Easy Berry Cobbler

2010-07-03T22:22:00.003-05:00

For those of you who are regular readers of my blog, you know that I ~~steal~~ borrow all of my good ideas from my fabulous friend Jami. She recently posted a recipe for California Chicken Pasta her blog. I felt the need to re-post it mainly because it was the maiden voyage of my food processor! I had to document it. (I got for a wedding gift...3 years ago.)

Also, I tweaked it a little bit and made it with gluten-free pasta and cut out the cheese. I don't have a gluten allergy, but I just feel better when I eat non-inflammatory foods and cut out things like wheat (gluten), sugar, dairy, etc. I really believe that cutting out gluten from your diet is the first thing to try if you feel sluggish, have IBS, reoccurring sinus problems or have trouble losing weight. I'm just sayin'. Try it! See how you feel! People are always like..."How in the world can you eat without eating gluten! It's in everything!" Not true. It's actually not that difficult.

Gluten-free pasta is made from brown rice. It is not exactly the same consistency as real pasta, I must say. BUT, it really is good. It's important not to over-cook it or it can get gummy. Keep it al dente.

Click here for her recipe. Make either version tonight. It's so yummy and healthy! You can do it!

And now for something LOADED with sugar, butter, flour, and everything yummy! Ha! Tomorrow is the 4th, so I have to splurge a little bit, o.k.? There are really great deals on berries right now and I went a little overboard on buying. I wanted to make something with them before they spoiled. This berry cobbler only took about 10 minutes to prepare. It's probably all stuff you have in your cabinet. There is no messy dough to roll out. It's delish. Enjoy!

Easy Berry Cobbler
1 c. quick oats (uncooked)
1 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
3 cups of fresh or frozen berries

Melt butter. Mix together oatmeal, flour, and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. (You will probably not need it all). In a different bowl, mix berries and sugar together. Grease an 8" square pan. Press about half of the crumb mixture in the bottom. Cover with berries. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top. Bake for 45 minutes at 350.

Chattanooga

2010-06-23T20:41:00.000-05:00

For our anniversary, we took a little get-a-way to Chattanooga (thanks to Priceline!) which is only about 2 hours away. It is a really cute little city. It's always fun to stay in a hotel in a new place. And of course...splurge on a little room service. I just love being anywhere as long as I'm with Billy. Except for the DMV. Or the dentist. OK...almost anywhere.

It's Our Anniversary...

2010-06-09T18:32:00.001-05:00

Three years ago...

Our very formal, ballroom dance routine....

I married my best friend and perfect match. He just gets better everyday. I'm such a lucky girl!

I feel like a gypsy.

2010-06-07T22:52:00.002-05:00

When I was growing up, my parents loved to fix up old houses and then have us move into them...and then sell them. And move again. And again. I never have lived in a house longer than 4 years. Billy and I just moved for the 3rd time in our 3-year marriage. It is the 14th time I've moved since I left home at age 18.

I LOATHE MOVING.

It is terrible for a person like me who gets attached to places. When I was in 8th grade, my parents bought a big piece of property and built a brand new house. While the house was being built, we lived in trailer. Yes, a trailer. A double-wide, to be exact. After 8 months in the trailer, when our new glorious, beautiful house was finished, I didn't want to leave the trailer! I also get a tad attached to objects. Like clothes I wore on special occasions, that I will never fit into or wear again. Or notes from my 3rd grade teacher. Fabric I'm sure I'll use for a project someday. Concert ticket stubs from 1996. If I didn't care about entertaining people in my house or being socially acceptable, I would probably be on that reality show that exposes hoarders.

So...I'm still in the midst of unpacking and organizing in our new house. (And yes, Mom, throwing stuff away that we don't need.) Luckily, we signed a 2-year lease. That's like 16 years in dog-year-moving-years! Pics of the new house coming soon...

Say Cheese!

2010-05-18T18:00:00.017-05:00

A teacher in my building is retiring this year, and I thought it would be nice to make her a little memory book with handwritten cards and photos of her students and the staff. I thought it would be easy. No big deal. I had no idea that taking pictures of 3rd graders would be so difficult! So many kids would not smile or even look at the camera! (See Exhibit A above) I'm so used to 5 year olds. If you even walk by a kindergartner with a camera, they strike a pose instantly. I thought all kids were like that.

So, then I went around to all the teachers and you would not believe how hard I had to work to get them to let me take their picture. I had to beg and deal with: "I might break your camera." "Do you have
to??!" "My hair looks awful today!" Please. Get over it. It's just one picture and it's not going on the cover of Vogue. By the end of the day, I was so emotionally drained and annoyed.

Then...I got home and asked Billy to take a picture of me for the memory book. Of course, it took about 20 shots and some reapplying of blush and lip gloss for me to settle on one. (sigh)

Loads of Hope

2010-05-17T18:36:00.001-05:00

Tide Loads of Hope set up camp down the street from my school last Wednesday. Already, they have washed over 1,000 loads of laundry for flood victims...for free. Anyone who stops by, can drop off 2 loads of laundry per day and they wash, dry, and fold it for you within 24 hours. The whole city is trying to conserve water, so they also truck in their own water. Very impressive.

I personally don't use Tide anymore because I'm a hippie and don't use things with phosphates, sulfates, phalates, dyes, fragrance, etc. HOWEVER, this is so cool! What an awesome way for a huge company to give back. Little things like clean laundry can really mean a lot. Way to go, Tide! Click here to view the Loads of Hope Website if you're curious (like I was) about other ways they are giving back.

Mas Tacos Por Favor!

2010-05-11T22:48:00.000-05:00

In our neighborhood, 12 South, there is this really cool boutique called Imogene and Willie. The cute little turquoise Winnebago parked out front is one of my new favorite things in Nashville...Mas Tacos! Mas Tacos parks at a few different places in the city and luckily for us, frequents Imogene and Willie. I walked down there a few nights ago to see Michelle Branch, Holly Williams and Matt Wertz do a little impromptu flood relief concert in the backyard of the store. Super fun....and the BEST tacos.

Nashville Rising

2010-05-08T21:29:00.001-05:00

This has been a really crazy week! As you've probably seen on the news, Nashville had one of the biggest...if not the biggest, floods of its history. I've never seen rain come down so hard for so many hours.

My current situation: School was cancelled for the last 5 days. Cardboard boxes and rubbermaid tubs fill my entire house. I just removed several rugs, sleeping bags, blankets and Halloween costumes from drying out on my backyard fence. My basement has fans, a dehumidifier running...but it still reeks! I'm scared to turn on my washer because I'm not sure what happens to a washer when it has been in 2 feet of water. Our hot water heater isn't working. We are under a mandatory order to conserve water....so I haven't showered in 3 days...which isn't really too hard when you don't have hot water! We are flushing our toilet every 4-5 "#1's". My ferns and flowers on my front porch have shriveled up. My husband is sporting an awesome "flood beard".

Ha, ha! That's Nashville life right now for everyone! Only, we're some of the very lucky ones. I'm definitely not complaining. We feel so fortunate that we actually still have a house to live in! Many people have lost everything they own and over 20 people have lost their lives.

Here are a few pics of the city taken last Sunday.

Downtown Nashville

The Grand Ole Opry Stage

Opryland Hotel Lobby (See previous post for "before" pics)

We were very lucky to only have a flooded basement. The water rose very quickly and was up to my knees, but I was able to save or salvage most of our valuable things and keepsakes. Billy was on tour in Portland, so I had to put on my rain boots and work like crazy to get everything upstairs. The power was out and so it was really dark, smelly and scary down there!

Here are my awesome neighbors came to the rescue! They came over to check on me and helped me so much! Of course, I asked them to pose for the blog!

Nashville has really pulled together as a community during this hard week. There has been a tremendous outpouring of donations and volunteers helping all over the city. It really shows the character of the people here and I'm really proud to be a Nashvillian! Please keep praying for this city as we continue to clean and rebuild!

Roomies Reunite!

2010-03-25T21:36:00.008-05:00

So...I can be a little bit celebrity obsessed. Isn't everyone? Don't answer that. I happen to subscribe to Gwyneth Paltrow's blog called GOOP. Doesn't everyone? I know...it's ridiculous. Gwyneth usually blogs about food that I'm not interested in making, exotic places I probably will never go to, spiritual enlightment that I don't agree with and fashion I will never be able to afford or be skinny enough to pull off. BUT... I still read it out of sheer curiosity. Ha! Well...Gwyneth was actually shooting a movie in Nashville recently and wrote not one, but TWO blogs about all the cool stuff she loved in Nashville. Several of my faves made the list. Such fun to read!

GOOP: Nashville Part 1
GOOP: Nashville Part 2

So my college roomie and BF, Brie, came to town to visit me when Billy was out of town. Here are some of our sights, some of which were left off Gwyneth's list.

Our first stop was my favorite Nashville original joint, The Local Taco. I'm obsessed with the Tequila Lime Chicken taco and the Buffalo Chicken taco. They have a crazy menu with out-of-the-ordinary tacos and ever-changing specials. The staff recognizes me now when I come in...which is slightly embarassing.

Saturday morning, I took Brie to our favorite breakfast spot, Fido. They use lots of local, natural, organic ingredients. SOOO good. It's also proved to be a good place to spot celebs. It used to be an old pet store...hence the funny, unappetizing name.

Next stop: Financial Peace Plaza in Brentwood. Why? Because we're nerds who love Dave Ramsey. Hire me, Dave! I felt like I was saving money just standing next to his building.

The Opryland Hotel, next door to the Grand Old Opry, has the most magnificent lobby. It is literally an indoor tropical rainforest. Parking just to stop in and see the lobby is $18. Uh...what? Dave would not approve. So we parked 1/2 mile away and walked over. Well worth it.

Franklin, TN is about 30 minutes south of where we live in the center of Nashville. It has the cutest historical downtown area complete with unique boutiques, restaurants, businesses, and most importantly...cupcakes.

Gwyneth was on a mission to find the best fried chicken in Nashville. I don't think she found it because she didn't go to Puckett's! Puckett's is a traditional "meat 'n 3"(home-cooking) restaurant and grocery store in downtown Franklin. The chicken is so good...I'm sure it's organic, fat free, low calorie, and gluten free. OK...it's soaked in butter for hours and deep fried. But I would venture to say it's the best in the country and worth squeezing in an extra trip to the gym for. Thanks for visiting, roomie!

Waterdeep shows!

2010-03-23T18:39:00.004-05:00

KC Peeps! Billy is playing drums with Waterdeep this Friday, March 26th at Record Bar. Tickets are only $10 at the door and the doors open at 5pm. Don't miss this! Don and Lori have been performing as a duo the past several years and are now doing some rare full-band shows. Billy was also privileged to play drums on most of their new album. Click here to download a free sampler of their new album on Noise Trade. While you're at it, get some other free music there too!

Here are pics of their Nashville CD Release show a few weeks ago. Sandra McCracken and Derek Webb opened. I'm such a geeky fan...

Doily Canvas Bag

2010-03-19T15:25:00.007-05:00

For those of you that don't know...I'm totally a blog stalker. I admit it. One of the blogs I adore is "Under the Sycamore". I have never met this woman and she does not know that I stalk her, but I don't think she minds. She has the most creative ideas and is an awesome photographer. This is one of her many craft ideas that I decided to try. The bag above is my version of the one pictured here on her blog.

I got my bag at Hobby Lobby when they were 50% off of $4.99. Watch for sales!

I also used this coupon to buy the matte black fabric paint. (They have these every week online)

You can also make your own stencil by printing off the letter you want, cut it out, and trace it with a pencil. I used Copperplate Gothic Light font size 350. The trick is using a really small, stiff, angled paint brush to fill it in. Use a sponge to stencil the doily. A paint brush doesn't work as well. I heat set it with a hair dryer. Give it a try!

Conversations with an ELL Teacher

2010-03-03T18:48:00.009-06:00

Me: "Did you have fun on your snow day?"

Student: "Yeah! My mom was throwing pictures of me." (smiling)

Me: "Your mom was throwing pictures of you?"

Student: "Yeah..she was throwing pictures of me and my brother in the snow."

Me: What kind of awful mother throws...."Oh...do you mean that she was taking pictures of you?

Student: "Oh! Yeah....that's what I meant."

I guess taking pictures sounds just about as mean as throwing them if you really think about it.

Me: "The story said that he decided to 'stick by his friend' even though he was different. What do you think that means? Does it mean he will glue himself to his friend?"

All Students: All nod their heads enthusiastically.

Me: "Well...I see why you would think that. That's not quite what he means. Any other ideas?"

Student: "He gonna get a stick and poke him with the stick."

Me: "Well...it actually means that he's going to be his friend no matter what happens. He's going to 'stick' by him. Make sense?

All Students: Long pause...blank stares.

Me: (sigh)"I know... English is weird."

Girl: "Mrs. B, why you always paint your hair white?"

Me: "Well...it's called 'dye'. I dye my hair blonde."

Girl: (inspecting my roots) "Well...it's white right here and then black right here".

Me: "Yes...you're right. That's just the way I like it, I guess."

Girl: "You're weird."

Me: "I know."

Valentine's Month!

2010-02-15T17:30:00.001-06:00

Proverbs 5:19: "May you ever be captivated by her love."

I love Valentines Day. This year, I really wanted to affirm Billy (a.k.a. the best husband in the world) and do something thoughtful and spend little to no money.

Once again, my friend Jami, posted a genius idea on her blog: "52 Reasons Why I love You". I found these cute heart-shaped playing cards at the $1 spot at Target last year...but never gave them to anyone. So this year, I pulled out a Sharpie and wrote "I love....(fill in the blank)" on each one and gave them to Billy on Valentine's Day. It was really fun to try to think of things that I don't tell him all the time. He was so surprised! It made me realize that some of things that annoy me sometimes...(like his looooong voicemails) are the very things that I love most about him. Try it! I highly recommend it.

Billy and I have decided to try to give each other romantic surprises throughout the next month. Not just Valentine's Day....Valentine's Month! Do you have any ideas? Post them here!

SNOW! (For Real)

2010-01-30T16:45:00.007-06:00

Nashville is actually experiencing some serious snow right now! School was cancelled on Friday just because of the chance of snow. (Hallelujah!) It started snowing Friday morning and didn't stop until Saturday morning. Not just fairy dust....real snow and sleet! It's bad out there, people. No one here knows what to do. The entire city has shut down! Church is already cancelled for tomorrow morning because the streets are no where near cleared off. Insane!

Meanwhile, Billy is enjoying 60 degree weather in Anaheim, California playing drums for the CIY Believe Tour. I miss him so much, but it's been fun to be lazy at home and watch chick flicks (without eye rolling and complaints about predictability). I did get a little stir crazy today and took a walk down to one of my favorite places, a coffeehouse called The Frothy Monkey. Here are some neighborhood sights along the way:

This is my neighbor's sunbathing snowman. I love the belly button! Hilarious!

Self-portrait...

Recording Sesh!

2010-01-26T18:27:00.003-06:00

This past weekend, our old friend Jim Suptic (of The Get Up Kids and Blackpool Lights fame) came in town to work on demoing some songs he has been working on. So our little office turned into a makeshift recording studio. Yes, that is a toilet paper holder duct taped to a cymbal stand. We had to get a little creative with our gear! Jim is an amazing songwriter and I'm really excited to see what may happen with some of these songs. I got to help out with some of the arranging and sang on a few tracks. Super fun! Hopefully more music to come...

Cool T-shirt & Wordle!

2010-01-17T18:00:00.005-06:00

So, it's Billy B.'s b-day tomorrow. He'll be 33! Can you believe it? It's always hard to make his birthday present really special because let's face it...It was just Christmas 5 minutes ago. This year I kept it simple with his fave candy and picture of a t-shirt I ordered for him. We are big Conan fans and are hoping that he will not have to leave the Tonight Show! The t-shirt was designed by our friend Micah Smith in support of Team Conan! It is genius! Click here to see Micah's website and order one...or one of his other really cool posters/projects.

Another awesome website is www.wordle.net. You can make & print these cool word clouds (shown in pic) with any words that you choose and edit the fonts, colors, etc. It's really fun and it's free!

Snow Day Wishes

2010-01-04T17:11:00.004-06:00

So...it snowed in Nashville this morning. I use the term "snow" lightly. It was more like thousands of miniature fairies were sprinkling white glitter on me. And the sun was out, so I'm not even sure where the snow was coming from....further proving the fairy theory. I must say, it is nice to go outside in Nashville and not feel like you might die of hypothermia in .5 seconds. (i.e. Kansas City) but it would be nice to have some real snow. All I'm asking for is ONE snow day. One glorious day where I wake up with anticipation and see my school's name scrolling along the bottom of the morning news and stay in my PJ's the entire day and watch Gilmore Girls. Every teacher deserves that!

I've heard through the grapevine that Nashville Schools close even when there is just a chance of snow. Which means...Thursday could be the day!!! I'll report back and let you know.

Craftiness Abounds!

2009-12-18T23:45:00.007-06:00

So my friend, Jami posted some cute, crafty Christmas ideas on her blog a few weeks ago. Me, being in need of some cheap, but thoughtful gifts, accepted the challenge and made one of them. The gigantic mess you see above was me preparing for batch #2 of my Martha Stewart Organic Bath Salts. I happened to add too much water to batch #1 and it continued to foam and foam until it tuned into the State Puft Marshmallow Man. Making bath salts is no easy task, people. Martha makes it look easy, but she has special powers and never sleeps. I'm sure she can also make these without covering her entire kitchen with baking soda and pink foam, but as you can see, that was not the case for me.

Anyway, they actually turned out to be pretty cool, if I do say so myself...

I also stole Jami's family recipe for "Martha Washingtons". Well, she actually refused to give it to me, even after I begged. So I had to Google it. These are delicious, gooey, coconut, nutty bon bons. They are also a project that creates a gigantic mess. Think: white, billowing clouds, of powdered sugar. They are well worth it, though.

What are your favorite things to make during the holidays? Do share! (Then I can steal your ideas, too!)

Girls Weekend!

2009-12-17T23:26:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, I took a day off school and flew to KC for a girls' weekend. I was able to spend lots of quality time with good friends and catch up. I also got to visit Pawnee Elementary and see all of my friends and students there. I have so much love for the teachers and families at that school! It was a great day...and I got tons of much needed 1st grader hugs.

My friend Andrea is about to have her first baby (a girl!) in January so I was able to come to town for her shower. Jamie, Andrea, Emily & Leigh are 4 of my dearest friends from my hometown, Parsons, KS (or as we fondly call it..."PK"). Andrea and I have been friends since 1st grade! The rest of us have been pretty much inseparable since middle school. I'm so lucky to have these girls in my life! It's so cool to have friends who have such a long history of great memories together. Thanks for a great weekend, girls!

Friends are Friends Forever...

2009-12-15T21:25:00.003-06:00

Billy and I often talk about how blessed we are to have such great friends in our lives.

Exhibit A: Mark and Jami Nato.

The Nato's are parents of 2. But, still delightfully immature...just like us. For example...seeing how many ways we can model a seashell belt. Yes, Jami did get scabies from putting it on her face, but don't worry. She's been treated and is fine now. We have shared many, many laughs with these two and lots of tears as well. We have seen each other through some really tough times. That's what community is all about. Now if we could just convince them to move to Nashville...

HOT-lanta!

2009-12-03T21:51:00.005-06:00

Atlanta is only 4 hours from Nashville. I know this because I Google Mapped it before I moved to Nashville to see how far away the closest IKEA was. Billy and I decided that we really needed a fun getaway so we decided to take a little romantic rendezvous there. (Atlanta...Not IKEA!)

One of my second favorite things next to IKEA is Priceline. The Nazarene in me always feels a little guilty about using Priceline because it's pretty much gambling. OK...not really. But I do feel like I'm living dangerously and putting $40 on the line and never knowing what I'm going to end up with. It's an awesome way to stay in a 3 or 4 star hotel for super cheap.

I had never been to Atlanta...but can I tell you? It is one of my favorite cities now. I completely fell in love with it. Or at least move the IKEA to Nashville and that would suffice.

We felt very pampered in the Downtown Hyatt along with lots of suckers who probably paid full price. (Hee...hee...) We explored local flea markets, pizza joints, shopping, Historic Decatur, and the famous Varsity Drive-In. I highly recommend all of the above.

Visitors!

2009-12-02T20:16:00.001-06:00

Sorry about the lack of bloggage! I have some catching up to do...

Our first KC visitors were Micah and Leslie Smith! We had an awesome time showing them the sites. They also surprised us with tickets to see our fave comedian Jim Gaffigan at the Ryman. (Hot Pocket!) We totally had a blast.

My mom and little sis, Heather, also came to Nashville for their first official visit. And of course the little muffin you see above, my nephew, Remy. I dare you to find a cuter baby.

I went from August to November without seeing them. That's like a decade in Donna-years. I, also, felt like it had been an eternity. We've probably gone that long without visiting in the past, but we always knew we were just 3 hours away. It's different now with a few more states in between us. It was great to have some girl time and relax around the two people who probably know me best.

By the way, thanks for all of you who were praying for my grandma. She is doing great! In the words of my grandpa, "She's back to her old self!" and we love that. She is still undergoing radiation therapy as a precaution, but her most recent scan showed no sign of a tumor left. Praise God!

New Jobs

2009-10-04T19:16:00.012-05:00

I am no longer unemployed! Yay! I just finished my first week as a 3rd-4th grade ELL "Push-In" teacher in Metro Nashville Public Schools. I am working with 8 students who are in 3rd and 4th grade who are English Language Learners a.k.a. English as a Second Language students. I have 3 students from Somalia, 2 from Kenya, 1 from El Salvador, 1 from Puerto Rico and 1 from Mexico. I have two 1-hour reading sessions when I pull them out of their classroom. The rest of the day, I am going between both grade levels and supporting the teacher and students in the regular education classroom. It's such a blessing to have a teaching job...but one that is WAY less stressful than managing an all-day kindergarten class. Even though I loved my kindergartners...I miss those little munchkins!

My second job is an independent distributor of Shaklee products. (See previous post) I would love to talk to you about these products if you're interested! You can visit my personal Shaklee site at www.shaklee.net/tennessee.

I'm also working a few hours a week as the assistant to Don Chaffer of the band Waterdeep. Don and Lori have become great friends of ours and moved to Nashville from KC just a few weeks before we did. I am a longtime fan of their music. If you don't have their latest album, Pink and Blue...you should! It is a super fun album with melodies I have become addicted to. They are amazingly talented people and have some other great things in the works. Stay tuned to www.waterdeep.com.

Please Pray!

2009-10-04T17:56:00.002-05:00

These are my grandparents, Roger & Sara Williams. They are two of the most important people in my life and are the foundation of my family. Last week, we found out that my grandma has a brain tumor. We are hopeful that it is not cancerous and that it is operable. She has an appointment on Thursday, 10/8 at the Mayo Clinic. Please pray that God gives the doctors and surgeons there wisdom. My grandma knows Jesus and is an amazing prayer warrior. She has peace and faith in the midst of this scary situation. She is a beautiful, vibrant, fun, energetic and active woman of God. We pray that she can be healed and return home to the people and life she loves. Thanks for praying!

Going Green

2009-09-17T21:03:00.005-05:00

Hey, friends. So...I'm up to something new. I am now an independent distributor of Shaklee products. Ever heard of Shaklee? It's the #1 Natural Nutrition Company in the U.S. I love what the company stands for and believe in the products so much, that I have decided to sell them.

"Going Green" does not only mean recycling, conserving water, and driving a hybrid car. Green living can really have a huge impact on the health of your family. Many household cleaners and personal care products that we use everyday can be contributing to common health problems. Your shampoo, for example, might not be as safe as you think it is! Not to mention that bleach you are using in your kitchen! Shaklee are proven safe for your family and safe for the environment....and they are proven to be more effective than many green products you will find in stores. All products have a 100% money back guarantee. You can return anything you are not satisfied with...no questions asked!

Please click here to visit My Shaklee website and see what you think! I'd love to talk with you more about making your home safe and investing in your health! It's all about prevention!

My Porcelain Perspective

2009-09-07T11:35:00.005-05:00

Some people might call it a "staycation". A vacation at home away from work and other bothersome things....like showering, eating, getting dressed, and stepping into daylight. You could also think of it as an intense detox, rapid weight-loss program. A stomach boot-camp, if you will. I just call it food poisoning. Not fun, people. Not fun. I lost 8 pounds in 4 days and logged in 72+ hours of HGTV...which happened to be the only channel that did not nauseate me. It's amazing how much food there is on TV when you're trying to avoid seeing anything resembling food. I do not wish that upon anyone. However, Billy was the best nurse and diligently took care of me and brought me Gatorade and US weekly.

This is a picture of my first outing back among the living. We went to Arrington Vineyards (owned by Kix Brooks) which is about 30 minutes away from Nashville with our friends Luke & Rebekah. It is a gorgeous area of land where you can do wine tastings, listen to live music and pretend to fit in with incredibly fancy people. We brought our own picnic dinner and just sat on the hill with the other peasants and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and music. Wineless, but free. It was soo relaxing and fun. Yes...I did shower.

Yeah...I'm crafty

2009-08-24T13:34:00.004-05:00

Several of my friends have had birthdays recently. I love remembering birthdays and sending cards and gifts. Mostly because I know how happy I feel when people remember my birthday! It's September 25th, by the way. (Wink!) Funds this month are extremely tight, so I had to get creative with cards, mix CD's, cheap candy etc. Here are a few of my recent creations.

The Full Report

2009-08-21T13:46:00.012-05:00

OK...So, many friends have been requesting an update on our jobs, house, church, etc. So here's the skinny. We have been in Nashville almost 6 weeks. It has been a really hard transition in some ways. There have definitely been some tears and hard days. But we are so excited each day to wake up and see what is going to happen! We have found encouragement in many unexpected ways.

For me, not having the safety net of a consistent job has been very stressful. I have to pray daily that God will help me trust Him to provide for us. We know we're in the right place. We have seen Him move in small, but powerful ways. Not the least of which is already having a small network of great friends that are here to help us, give us advice, and have fun with.

Job: I have been on many interviews and have put out many resumes. I was offered a really great teaching position at a wonderful school in Williamson County (a suburb of Nashville) but decided to turn it down. I feel that I would just be taking a teaching job for the security that it would provide. I have other passions and interests that I would like to pursue and am trying to find a job that will better suit my gifts and need for creativity and interaction with people..for now at least. Now is the time to try to make a change. I can always go back to teaching next year. SO....I'm still on the job hunt!

Church: There are many awesome churches in Nashville so it was exciting to visit several of them over the past 6 weeks. I believe that we have found the perfect fit at Strong Tower Bible Church. Our friends, Luke and Rebekah, are members there. Luke is the music director there so Billy already had the opportunity to play last week, which was a huge blessing. We absolutely love it there and are excited to get involved and meet more people. Click here if you want to visit the church's website.

House: We are renting a house in an area of town called 12 South. We are just 3 blocks away from 12th Ave. South which is a row of really hip boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops and other businesses. We are just 5 minutes from downtown and 5 minutes from Vanderbilt University. We LOVE the location and have great neighbors. The house was built in 1950, so it's old and has some issues...and some gigantic spiders. However, we are so thankful that God provided us with a safe, affordable place to live. Here are a few pics.

Below are a couple of projects I completed last month for our house that would make Martha Stewart proud. I made a curtain to cover our pantry opening in the kitchen with clearance fabric from a store near our house. I also painted and put new hardware on an old desk that belonged to Billy's step-dad, Harty, and it looks brand new! Both projects cost less than $35 combined.

Celeb Sightings: And now...the important stuff. "What famous people have you seen???!!" Here are the sightings so far in order of appearance.

1. Leigh Nash: Sixpence None the Richer

2. A Jars of Clay dude

3. A Kings of Leon dude

4. Buddy Miller: Famed Guitar Player, most recently played with Robert Plant & Allison Krause

5. Jeremy Cowart: Photographer

6. Dave Barnes: Singer/Songwriter

7. Matt Wertz: Singer/Songwriter

8. Vince Gill!

9. Justin Gaston: Model/Miley Cyrus' ex-boyfriend

10. Toby Mac: DC Talk

11. Kevin Max: DC Talk

12. Reeves Gabrels: Guitarist for David Bowie

13. Audley Freed: Guiarist for The Black Crowes

More updates to come!

Green Day Show

2009-08-20T13:10:00.000-05:00

On July 31st, Billy and I were VIP's at the Green Day show here in Nashville. Yes. We are that famous already. Oh, and a longtime friend of Billy's, Jeff Matika, is now a guitarist for the band. So, he might have had something to do with it. I did some self-reflection during the concert. Here are my thoughts in a nutshell...

Top 10 Things I learned at the Green Day Concert:

1. I'm old.

2. The dudes in Green Day are older.

3. There are a lot of teenagers in Nashville who are filled with fake "political angst".

4. I didn't realize I knew the words to so many Green Day songs.

5. The Green Day stage banter is exactly like stage banter at a Third Day concert...only it's the opposite of that.

6. I'm annoyed with crowd participation and screaming.

7. Once again, I'm old.

8. Hearing "I Hope You Had the Time of Your Life" in a large arena will surprisingly bring a tear to my eye.

9. I'm a sucker for fireworks and confetti falling from the ceiling.

10. I could get used to being a VIP at concerts.

My "To Do" Lists

2009-08-12T22:50:00.004-05:00

Our First Party at Our New House!

2009-08-05T18:57:00.008-05:00

August 4th is a special day for us because it's the day that Billy beat Ewing's Sarcoma, a large tumor in his left leg that was threatening his life. Billy has been cancer free for 4 years now. Praise be to God! We invited some of our Nashville friends over (some are pictured here) to celebrate with ice cream and homemade chocolate cake. We are so thankful to have such wonderful friends here already. It's a huge blessing and has made our transition so much better.

We live in a very old, "historic" house with very uneven floors. Let just me tell you...it is hard to make a cake in a house that has sloped floors. It was a very lopsided cake. It didn't look pretty, but it was tasty nonetheless.

Greg & Sionnie Lafollette, Billy, Luke & Rebekah Sullivant, Donnie Smutz, Miles Chaffer

Helloooo Nashville!

2009-07-30T13:45:00.006-05:00

So, our first job in Nasvhille was not with Rascal Flatts. It was babysitting for the Chaffer's! We got to stay overnight with Miles and Ruby....the cutest, sweetest, smartest kids in the world. Thanks to "Nasvhille Parent" magazine, we found some fun things to do around town which included the Discovery Center and a free kids concert at Davis Kidd Bookstore. My favorite part of the weekend, though, was "cow night" at Chick-fil-A. We found out that if you dress up like a cow on Friday, July 10th, then you get free food. Free is my favorite price! So the kids and I made some fantastic cow costumes and joined the other "cows" at Chick-Fil-A for a free dinner. I realized later that they kinda look like sad cows...but trust me...we all were laughing! So hilarious!

Stay tuned for more Nashville news and pics...