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A Country Christmas At Opryland Hotel


My boys and I loved Shreking The Halls at ICE! in Nashville this past weekend. We drove over to soak up the sights and sounds of Christmas at the Opryland Hotel. We had SO much fun at ICE!. I think you can tell by our Christmas size grins in the above picture.


 Randall and I went to this in 2003, our first married Christmas. This nativity was the same as it was then. I love that they put it in a room by itself and it is the last thing you see as you walk through. It is beautiful, just beautiful! I especially love the light under Jesus. Just perfect!


I had a ball going down the ice slides. Randall and Henry just watched me partake in the fun and did not join me. Henry loved mama going up and down.  It was a cold, fun time.


   Shrek came out the year we fell in love. It is one of "our movies", as sad as that seems, it is true. We bought it and watched it so much we memorized it. Donkey has always been our fave. I loved the Shrek themed ICE! this year, yet so wish it had been Charlie Brown like it was in 2009. I would have LOVED that so much, and I know a little boy named Henry who would have also. None the less, it was wonderful just the way it was.


Henry's prize for being so good at ICE! was a Rudolph nose. Bless his heart!


We then went to watch Shrek The Halls Live. It was super cute. Henry adored Gingy the best. It was a really cute show. It kept me entertained, and I am usually pretty critical since I secretly always wanted to be a stage performer!


 Our next stop was to see the big man in the red suit. Santa Claus. Henry was excited and nervous. He knew exactly what to tell him he wanted. He came up with it on his own. "A big red coke truck with a trailer". I had to partake in the Santa visit in order for Henry to partake in it. He sat right down and told him what he wanted and then he emphasized the "RED" at the end of it. If you know Henry very well you know he adores red. He hugged Santa goodbye. It was so sweet. I was so proud of my big boy. Now...to find the big red coke truck with a trailer!?


Randall and Henry were going to ride the train together but at the last minute Henry declared to him, "Not you ride...mama ride!"...so off I went to get my seat on the train! Daddy got to sit on the bench and eat pecan brittle. Lucky Daddy!


We ate dinner at the Cock of the Walk. It was not stellar. I think we may have classed it up a bit by just being there  - ha! We were shocked, honestly. The one in Little Rock is not that way. Oh well, it was an experience and we filled our bellies.


We wore our little Santa baby out! He loved every minute of it though.I am so glad we got to start off the Christmas season in such a fun way. We plan to do it again next year. A fun little tradition we hope!


 Of course no trip to Nashville is complete without a little redneck excursion. We found the General Lee at Cooter's Museum and store. It was so funny to see the people crowded around it taking photos. And then we did the same thing.


Because I was most unexcited about touring a bunch of Dukes of Hazard junk, Randall made me grin and pose in front of Daisy Duke's Dixie just to poke at me a little more. I could have died at the people standing behind him watching me. Oh well, at least Daisy made it in the photo with me. I make her look good, dadgumit!


Henry found a little ride just his size. He was ready to roll. Thankfully it was not mobile. Henry has a love for all things that have a motor and wheels. He also loves those things to have bright colors. He truly comes by it honest. I love that about him.


And no little trip is complete with my Rand Man without a little pose with a statue. This was in the Willie Nelson store. This store took junk and redneck to the next level. We did not stay long and bought nothing. We did make purchases at Cooter's though, of course.


 As we searched for a Krispy Kreme before we headed home on Sunday morning we found this elephant. We did a u turn to snap a shot. My favorite part was the huge weed growing up the middle of the trailer it is sitting on. One day I will be able to do an album of just Randall and inanimate objects. 


Our little quick trip to A Country Christmas in Nashville was so much fun. I am so blessed to make such special memories with my boys. I will treasure these fun times in my heart always.

Abby

Comments

Kelley said…
That looks like some much fun!

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