Nashville Fun!

Whew! Another trip under the belt and this time we had a sleeping baby! Wahoo!! Last Friday we hopped on a plane and headed to Nashville, Tennessee for a wedding and some 4th of July festivities. It was a wonderful weekend of fun! Cori Belle LOVED all the excitement of the airport and airplane. My kid sure is an outgoing people person to say the least -- I wonder where she got that from? ... ahem, her daddy!! She talked to random people, made googley eyes with them, and laughed uncontrollably. She was an absolute JOY to travel with!

Here she is, ready for take off!

We landed Friday night and headed to downtown Nashville on Broadway Street for a rooftop dinner party with the bride, groom, and family. That statement just made it sound way more classy than it really way because basically I took my baby to a BAR!! Yes, I was that person .. with a baby.. in a bar! (Movie quote anyone??) Luckily, the actual dinner party was on the rooftop of the bar, away from all the smoke and hustle bustle of a bar, but I did feel like a whack job of a mom as I walked through the streets of downtown Nashville with my baby attached to my chest in the Ergo pack. And then, I felt even worse when I actually had to walk through the front door of the bar to get upstairs to the dinner party. I can just imagine what people must have been thinking!!

Here I am .. with my baby .. in a BAR!!

She was sleeping so soundly though!

Here she is waking up in the morning!

SOOO CUTE!!

Saturday we strutted around town to the Nashville History Museum and to lunch with the family before getting ready for the wedding ceremony. I think this was the most beautiful wedding I have EVER seen. The church was gorgeous with it's intricate stained glass windows and cedar archways throughout. Wow!! And it only got better from there! The reception was out back of an art gallery under a big white tent. Now, my reception was under a big white tent as well, but this wedding put my wedding to shame! I mean I LOVED my wedding, don't get me wrong, but this one was over the top, exceptional in all ways possible. First, let me start by saying that they had the same band that played at Jenna Bush's wedding. Now do you get the picture?? The centerpieces on the tables were beautiful floral arrangements, there were crystal chandeliers hanging from the center of the tent, buckets of flip flops on the stage for the ladies when our heels started killing our feet, a lounge area behind the tent with couches and chairs to relax in under beautiful flowing linen tapestries, a cigar station, an espresso station where you could get iced or hot coffee drinks much like Starbucks coffee, an open bar, and a sit down dinner to die for with a strawberry and Gouda salad, cooked shrimp on a bed of southern grits with steak and asparagus on the side, and a delicious wedding cake. Oh, my mouth is melting just thinking of it! .. It was I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E!! I wish I had taken more pictures to show you.

Gorgeous seating area!

Seating area over looking the coffee bar and the city

Here come the bride and groom..

YES, she is wearing PINK shoes! :)

Love this picture of us!

Honey, I LOVE being married to you!!

On another note, Miss Cori Belle had a wonderful time at the wedding! She did miss the ceremony due to the fact that it was her nap time and little miss couldn't hold it together. We did get a cute picture of her in the pew before she had to be escorted out by her daddy! :) After her nap she was awake and ready to party it up at the reception! She danced with her grandparents, chatted with people she had never met, took PLENTY of pictures (as if you couldn't imagine that with her crazy momma who loves to capture every moment possible!). After a few hours she was pooped and went to sleep in her stroller. She slept the rest of the reception, the whole walk home, and went to bed without a hitch in her sweet party dress and all! I was NOT gonna wake that girl up to put her in her PJ's, especially after the week we had at the beach. Little miss was GOING to sleep and she sure did!!

Waiting in the church for the ceremony to begin

After the ceremony..

I guess those wedding vows wore her out!

Waiting for the party to start!

Dancing with Aunt Rebecca

Hanging out with mom and dad

Dancing with mom

Dancing with the beautiful bride!

Here we are .. pooped!

Missy and I hanging out after CB went to sleep

Sunday was a 4th of July celebration at Uncle David's house. We had the best pulled pork I think I have EVER had and some other delicious appetizers and sides. This weekend was filled with so much good food!!! Cori had a great time too as she got to meet lots of family members and go swimming with her Papa Joe. He just adores her and the feeling is completely mutual! :)

CB swimming with Papa Joe --

Yes, we have FINALLY coined a grandpa name! :)

CB hanging out with Mama Smith

My sweet naked girl after swimming in the pool

CB with Mt. Grandma --

her GREAT grandma on David's mom's side

CB with her momma and Aunt Missy

I LOVE this picture!!

And, another pic of CB and her momma!

Pure Sweetness!!

Cori watched fireworks for the first time standing on a bridge overlooking the Cumberland River and downtown Nashville. It was an AMAZING firework show -- the best I have ever seen, I think! Cori did great with all noise and watched with awe for the first few minutes. Towards the end of the show bed time set in and she was trying so hard to go to sleep. As soon as the fireworks stopped, little miss was OUT and it was another great transfer to bed once we got back to the hotel -- another FULL nights sleep! Wahoo!!

Here we are watching the fire works!

Traveling was a success, but I am SO GLAD to be home! We have been on the go for the past two weeks and I am looking forward to a little R and R with my sweet family of 3.

Until next time...