Day Thirteen: Nashville to Memphis!!

This morning we hung around the gynormous hotel. Scott took the kids swimming and I wandered around some of the shops. We had lunch at a great restaurant in the hotel, then we went to Opry Mills mall and shopped for awhile. We left Nashville and headed to Memphis about 1:45. The highway between the two is long and lacking civilization. I swear, you'd better go the potty before you leave because there is not so much to stop at between the two! We got to Memphis around dinner time so we headed to Beale street and grabbed a bite to eat, and of course ice cream at Ben and Jerry's! We are, no joke, staying at The Heartbreak Hotel! The kids are just beside themselves over this.

Thomas and Grace's Top Five for June 13, 2005

1. "Swimming at the hotel." Thomas: "I did a flip in the water!" Grace: "I jumped in and swam back to the side!" I told you. This will always be a favorite. Part of me wonders if we'd just stayed in Dallas and swam everyday if they wouldn't have been just as happy.

2. "The chocolate cake at lunch." This is also the food picture of the day. I had no idea when Scott ordered it, just how large it would be. Everyone around us was staring when the waitress brought it to the table.

3. Thomas: "I got a spy wallet!" Grace: "I got dangle earrings!" At Opry Mills mall there was a store that had all kids of accessories. Thomas chose a bi-fold "spy wallet" that has two see thru card pockets. He's made is own FBI credentials (FBI Agint) and his spy ID...T.D. Milder-Spy. Grace chose a tiny pair of dangle earrings and keeps shaking her head so she can feel them move. (Julia...we didn't get to eat at the Rainforest Cafe, but we did look in the gift shop!)

4. "The hotel is fabulous!" They are in love with this hotel! The decor is circa 1973-ish. Probably very much what was in style when I was Mandy's age! They upgraded us to a "theme" suite. The walls in the "living room" are black and sliver with silver and gold 45's at the top of the walls. Gold entertainment center, black leather furniture...silver music notes on one wall. The bedroom is a vision of dark blue and gold. Heavy gold drapes, gold countertops in bathroom with a black sink...even the alarm clock is 70's....it has hands!!

5. "There is an Elvis channel on the TV!" Seriously...all Elvis...all the time. When we first got here it was a concert...now, they are laying in bed watching "Roustabout." Mandy LOVES the Elvis music and danced her heart out when we got to the room. Thomas can't believe how much Elvis stuff there is here in Memphis. He can't stop asking us questions about Elvis.

Thomas: Where did Elvis learn to sing?

Mom: Church.

Thomas: They sang rock-n-roll in his church?! Cool,I want to go there!

Thomas: Why is he sweaty?

Mom: He's singing and dancing and it's hot under the stage lights.

Thomas: Why is he wiping his sweat on that towel and giving it to that woman? That's not nice.

Mom: Well, she thought it was cool to have a towel with his sweat on it.

Thomas: Ewww....Gross!

We are doing Graceland in the morning, then heading to the National Civil Rights Museum and the Children's Museum (thanks Annette for the great ideas! We are eating there tomorrow night!!! Grace says Hi JULIA!!) Blogger's acting crazy again, so I'll post the pictures separately!

Blessings,

Leslie