The End - Day 14 - Road Trip

Elvis & Graceland

If you ever get the chance to visit Graceland you MUST do it!  I am sure you have heard it a thousand times but Elvis really had such a remarkable gift. How blessed we are that he used it and shared it !

I could not help but think of how amazing his home & plane were by our standards today...and he died in 1977.  I think the only thing that really could be upgraded either in his home or plane would be technology and sparkle.  He definitely had the best!

We certainly did a lot of tours on our road trip and they were all different in how they were presented and carried out.  Graceland was probably my favorite because each person had their own headset and a programmed device.  A voice comes on and tells you how to operate the device, when to push play etc...You get to hear every word of the tour!!  You can repeat it, pause it, skip it or move ahead.  

In true Elvis style...very well done!!!

We all really enjoyed Graceland.  I am adding an Elvis book to my reading list.

I do not think 42 years was just not enough time.

So when we left Graceland we loaded up and the kids said can we go home?

YES!!!

I had planned to stop in Hope, Arkansas and see Bill Clinton's home and stay the night...but my kids really wanted to see Daddy, Bexar & Winston.  So, 9.5 hrs later we rolled into the driveway!

The longest drive of the trip and well worth it!

Daddy finished our chicken palace!!! Woohoo!  

We were so surprised :)  It looks GREAT!!

We went to church this morning and had lunch with some of our "framily".  

That is our word for friends who are like family.  

Came home and pretty much did nothing the rest of the day :)

Nana came over and we had breakfast for dinner. :)  Paw Paw had meetings :(

Thank you all so much for following us on our road trip.  This has been an unbelievable journey and we had an absolute ball!  I appreciate all of you sending messages, texts, emails and calling us.  I think I may stick with blogging! :) The kids were great, the places were great, the people we met every where we went were great.  Just a great adventure all the way around!

BIG thanks to Dan for letting me take the kids and run with my crazy idea.  Paying for the crazy idea.  And encouraging me every step of the way!  

You are awesome and I LOVE you.

We are glad to be home with Daddy!

Road trip song ... finale

I've Been Everywhere Man by Johnny Cash

Day 14 - Road Trip 2014

Day 13 - Road Trip 2014

EXPLORATION

This was the theme of the day!

We started at The Lost Sea Adventure in Sweetwater, TN.  It was so awesome!!!  The Lost Sea is the largest underground Lake in America.  It is 140 feet below ground level.  You tour down through a cave and then get to ride on the lake in a glass bottom boat.  The lake is stocked with rainbow trout.  They have nothing to eat in the lake so they are fed each time a boat tours the lake.  They are HUGE!!! Big fat fish!  While we were at the adventure sight we did some mining for gems and the kids had a ball. It was a lot of fun :)

We left there and headed to Chattanooga, TN.  We took a tour of Ruby Falls.  This is America's deepest underground waterfall.  It is at Lookout Mountain.  It is named after Leo Lambert's wife.  He discovered the lake while drilling in an effort to reopen Lookout Mountain.  Great history lesson built into our exploration today.  We had hoped to take a train ride and visit the park for lunch but rain limited our outside activities.  We did have Moon Pies tonight before bed...since they are made at the Chattanooga Bakery!  Pretty tasty treats!

We had great tour guides today...Trevor at The Lost Sea Adventure and Dennis at Ruby Falls.
They were a lot of fun :)

Headed to Lynchburg next...we were too late to tour of the Jack Daniels Distillery but since the kids were not old enough anyway it worked out just fine.  We did get to walk around.  The Distillery is the only place in Lynchburg that you can buy liqueur!  It is a really pretty place.

Then we set out to find where Dan's great-great-great-grandfather was born.  I think I have the right number of greats in there :) The Gattis' come from right outside Lynchburg and we found the road...Gattistown Road.  We think we found the house too.  Paw Paw will have to confirm.  Very pretty country...hay, pasture & cows.  Just like Jonah :)  

I was going to attempt to take the Gattistown Road street sign but Sterling had a fit!  I said I needed to find my screw driver (which I do carry in the car) and he asked why I needed it.  I told him I was going to take the sign...WHAT??  He says.  You can't do that...it is against the law!  So, there you go!  We left without the sign.  Party pooper....

This is the same kid that made the statement that since we did not have an elevator at our hotel last night it should not have been called the Quality Inn because that is just not quality.  It was rated #1 in Sweetwater, TN on Tripadvisor but I do have to agree...it could use an upgrade!  It was close to our next stop and I found it last minute ... since we were supposed to stay in Pigeon Forge another night.

We are now sticking with what we know and like...Marriott & Hilton.

I saw a Pennsylvania license plate today that said
HI EVRY1
Made me smile!  :)

Well, we are on the home stretch...

Couple of stops to make and then we are HOME!

Road trip song of the day...Take it to the Limit by the Eagles

Day 13 - Road Trip 2014

Day 12 - Road Trip 2014

Welcome to Dollywood!

LOVE EVERY MOMENT

Well, yes ma'am, we did!!

What an awesome amusement park!  Want to stay another day :)

Every park in American should be using the Q2Q system as a fast pass.  OMG...they are the best I have ever seen.   Sterling & I made it through all of the coasters & high thrill attractions and without the Q2Q there is no way we could have waited in all of those lines.  Well, actually, the Blazing Fury didn't pan out because it got stuck on the track!!!  Whaatt?  Yes, it did!  So, it closed due to safety issues (stuck on the track) and we decided we probably needed to win more prizes :) Nobody got hurt but we never saw the coaster car come back so I have no idea how those people got off. 

We loved all of the coasters!!!  My head is still spinning but we had a ball!

 

Carson was done with rides after the first one...wasn't a real coaster but a magnificent swing called the Barnstormer!  But she loved the River Rampage!  She won the first prize of the day on a horse racing game...isn't that just perfect!  She picked the unicorn from Despicable Me...HAHA!!  We cracked up!

Kenedy wanted to go back to the Alpine Coaster from yesterday.  Ha!  She had a great time on "her kind" of rides.  She loaded up on winnings at the Country Fair.  Sterling helped her get all the stuffed animals she wanted!  He won several things of his own too ... throwing the football.  Coach DiFazio will be so proud :)  Our car is now loaded with lots of Dollywood loot!

The Gazillion Bubble Show was out of this world!  I have never seen anything like it.  We were so amazed.  I highly suspect that my house might be full of bubbles at some point when we get home :)  

We headed out and drove to Sweetwater, TN for the night.  Our first stop for tomorrow is right down the street.  This is only the 3rd time I have driven at night on our trip.  It was only 1.5 hrs and worth it because we like sleeping in. :)  Pray for Carson Marie.  She is really homesick tonight.  Tired & worn out from a long day and a nice talk with Daddy...she is ready to get home!

The internet so far in Tennessee is just...well there really isn't any!  This is making my picture uploading hard.  My videos still have not uploaded.  Yikes!

Road trip song of the day...I will always love you by Dolly Parton

Day 12 - Road Trip 2014

 

Day 11 - Road Trip 2014

WE ARE MARSHALL

How many of you saw the movie We Are Marshall?  Great movie but very sad story.  In the movie, there is a scene where Matthew McConaughey is on a recruiting trip and is eating at a diner.  It was filmed at none other than ... The Varsity in Atlanta, Georgia.  Guess where we ate with Jim Haskell last week?  You got it ... The Varsity!!!  How cool is that? 

We headed to Kentucky after seeing Marshall University.  

We LOVED the Kentucky Horse Park.  We could have used about 2 more hours but had a great time and learned a lot while we were there.  I hope the videos I took post along with the pictures because The World of Horses show was incredible!!  We would like to start raising ALL of these horses in Jonah, Texas!!!  You will see a picture about Three Bars...read about him on the picture if you have a minute.  One of our horses, Lucky, blood line goes back to Three Bars.  Carson Marie reported to me multiple times that this was her favorite place that we have been to.  I had no doubt it would be :)

Rolled into Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in time to ride the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster!  Kenedy Sue has her spirit back!!!  You know at Seaworld a month or so ago,  I rode the Steel Eel with her and that just about did her in for roller coasters.  Well, I am happy to report that today she did GREAT and wanted to ride the Alpine Coaster AGAIN!!!  Way to go Kenedy!! :)

It was really cool riding through the mountain.  We all really liked it a lot!

Headed to The Old Mill for dinner.  We all wished we had multiple stomachs so we could eat more food!  It is SOOO great.  The kids made sure we wrote in the comment book before we left.  we also did a little shopping at The General Store.  We are staying right on the river and right across the street from a mini amusement park.  You look out one door to lights, bells & whistles and then look out the other door to a beautiful mountain, river and garden.  Love it!  The good thing is you can not hear any of the rides or any of the crazies still up doing the rides.   

It looks like we have the slowest internet in Tennessee so the videos may not make it tonight...may not have any pictures either.  I will add them tomorrow if all else fails.

We had another great day driving across America!

If you have ever thought about doing a road trip...plan it and do it! :)

Road trip song of the day...Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road by Loudon Wainwright III

(My kids love this song...and so do I :)  It is hilarious!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Skunk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxgagXVqZZM  

Day 11 - Road Trip 2014

Day 10 - Road Trip 2014

WOW!!!  What a day! What a great day!!

We drove in to DC from Virgina this morning and parked at Union Station and took a cab over to The White House.  That HOV lane on I95 rocks!!!  Thank you Uncle Brent for the perfect directions.

Judge (Congressman) Carter provided us with a special White House tour today.  I am not sure that words do justice to the feeling you get once you are inside The House that holds so much history.  We loved all of the candid photos of presidents, their families, friends and pets.  You could almost hear the laughs that you see in each painting and photo!  We loved it! 

Of course my phone was the only one that rang going through security!  I almost died!!

It was Brent...on find my friends we looked lost...so he called to make sure we made it :)

We ate breakfast at Old Ebbitt Grill.  The kids loved the Walrus on the wall the best!  Here is a link for a little history 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Ebbitt_Grill

Very good food and VERY nice people.  The host gave the kids chocolates from The White House :)

After breakfast we headed back to Union Station, and booked it to Monticello!

This is my favorite place on our trip!!!  I love everything Thomas Jefferson!  I can not wait to get home to read more about this amazing man.  We purposefully did not finish every part of Monticello because I want Dan to do this tour!  He will LOVE it.  We are planning to come back soon.  We talked 3 times while we where there.  Dan knows so much of the history all ready but will love all of the side stories you get from being there with a tour guide.  Our tour guide, Tom, was awesome!!

We stopped at Carter Mountain Orchard on our way down the hill.  The Peach & Apple Cider are the best I have ever had!  Really!!!  You feel like you are on top of the world looking down.  It is gorgeous.  Well worth the stop!

We headed to Covington to see The Humpback Covered Bridge.  It is one of the last covered bridges that is higher in the middle than on either side. You can walk through it.  The kids thought it was pretty cool and I surely did!

Then we went to Charleston, WV,  to see their Capitol Building.   The gold dome is so beautiful!  It is 5ft higher than the US Capitol.  Sterling took pictures on his itouch so I will have to upload those another day. 

Now, we are safely tucked away at Pullman Plaza in Huntington WV for the night.  Does anyone know trivia about this town?  We got in late but plan to visit a couple of places here tomorrow before we leave town.  I can't wait to share some interesting facts with y'all :)  

We all miss Daddy...VERY much!  Kenedy asked this morning if we were going home...today?  Sweet girl!  We are officially on our way home!!!!  Traveled mostly west today but heading south tomorrow.  We are going to see some horses! 

We had some tears this morning saying goodbye to Uncle Brent.  

I have to say that this day has worn me out!  We had to leave Brent's at 6:00am just to make sure we made it to The White House on time and now it is after 11:00 pm...my wagon is dragin'!  Goodnight!

Road Trip Song of the Day...

On the Road Again by Willie Nelson

Day 10 - Road Trip 2014

Day 9 - Road Trip 2014

PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES!!!!!  OK just trains & automobiles!!!

The fact that I did not get arrested before we ever made it to DC this morning is a miracle!!

We left Brentsville this morning with verbal directions to Manassas (10 min away).  Made it 1/2 way and got turned around.  Called Brent...he was watching us on Find My Friends so he knew how to guide us into town...with 10 minutes til our train was scheduled to leave.  While we are on the phone, I see the parking garage and turn to get to it...I mean time is ticking!!  I am not sure if I heard the honking first or saw the front of 2 lanes of cars heading right for me.  So, I at least hang up the phone before I wave the cars around me so I can get to the next cross street ... made it to the garage!  Drove in and around in circles saw a police women and asked if I could park and she said yes if you prepaid your ticket when you pulled into the garage!  What?  We go ahead and park and find a machine to buy a ticket...train leaving in 5 minutes!!!  Buy the parking ticket, put it on the dash and run to the train station.  Have to use a machine to buy our train tickets ... one at a time ...OMG!!!  Taking a deep breath with 2 minutes to spare, call Brent to let him know we made it and then he says...did you validate your tickets?  What?  The man who I have felt watching us waves at me and says...you use the same machine.  Run back to the machine and right when we are done the train pulls up!  Woohoo!  As we start to get on the train, a very nice lady says...I am a mom and just so you know this is the quiet car!  What?  She points us to the "other" cars and we get on right as the doors are closing!!!  We look for a seat and find 4 perfect seats.  We look up and see the funniest sign about shoes...I took a picture of it and a picture of my shoes!  You will crack up!!!  We had to be just like a TV show to all of the commuters!!!  As the very nice train attendant comes by, I realize we are sitting in the handicap seats.  She finds seats for us...separated but good!  I thought Sterling was going to have a heart attach!  He looks at me before he moves to his new seat and says...Daddy is going to be mad at you!  What?  Ha!  

We made it didn't we? :) And just for the record...no he is not!! (insert face sticking tongue out)

Arrived to Judge/Congressman Carters office 30 minutes early for our capital tour!!!  Woohoo!

It was great!  We loved, Emily, the Aggie intern who took us on our tour and the May family from Georgetown that was with us.  

We had great pizza at We, the, Pizza!  I highly recommend it! We took a cab!  

Austin needs a We, the, Pizza!

Then we headed to the National Archives Museum and stole the Declaration of Independence!  

HA!!  We tried to reenact the movie National Treasure :) As we got in another cab, Kenedy shows him our purchased copy of the DOI and says "we stole the Declaration of Independence"  Sterling almost jumped out of the car!  He says Kenedy you have to stop saying that!!!  HAHA!!  

We got back to Union Station, bought & validated tickets and boarded our train to Manassas like pros.  We are fast learners :)

We took some pictures tonight of Uncle Brent's Zoo.  Willie, the tortoise.  Moses, the goat dog.  Rhett, the scarlet macaw. Ox, the scaly nape amazon.  The Emu birds, guineas, cockatoos, macaws, golden conures, and African greys.  I think that covers all of the pictures :)

Morgan, who works for Brent, brought his fishing tackle over to share with Sterling.  He caught a snake head fish yesterday and had pictures...yucky!!!

Our laundry is done.  Bags are packed.  Kids are asleep.  

We are ready to head home tomorrow!

2014/07/14

Day 8 - Road Trip 2014

We had a great day at The National Zoo with the best tour guide in the country!  

Thank you Uncle Brent!!

It has been a couple of years since the kids have been here.  It is such an amazing place.  We love the pandas best!! Currently, the zoo has 1 baby panda and 6 babies lions!  We saw them all!  The last time we were here visiting the zoo it was raining...today we had a very nice breeze and sunshine!

The girls and I made a fantastic trip to the DC American Girl Store (which is really in Virginia).  We had a GREAT time!  New outfits, ears pierced for the dolls, doll beauty shop visit etc...  Plus, a lot of items to put on the Christmas list.  It was a lot of fun!  Sterling and Brent were glad to just head on home.  It worked out to be a win win for all of us.

Uncle Brent has a great kid that works for him, William, and we just love him.  He has always been a part of the family.  He & Sterling made a bet today...something to do with running and money.  William typically comes in first race in everything he does....marathons, triathlons etc... he was so kind to Sterling during the foot race today!! :)  He will start his senior year in the fall and we are hoping he will get accepted to TAMU...his first choice!!! 

Many of you know that Brent raises exotic birds of many kinds...I will get pictures for you all.  I do have pictures today of Rhett.  He and Sterling talked a lot today. Pines nuts seem to be the snack of choice, he will talk your ear off for more!! 

The kids will get a taste of mass transit tomorrow :)

Day 8 - Road Trip 2014