Arkansas

This summer Ryan has been working on a case in Muskogee Oklahoma which happens to be just about 2 hours away from my sisters home in Arkansas. So we turned a business trip into a summer vacation. When we looked on Google maps to plot our route we saw that there were a couple of different options that were about the same in traveling time. We chose to drive through the state of Tennessee on our way to Katie's house. What a beautiful state! We absolutely loved it! I wanted to stop in Nashville. I've always wanted to go to Nashville, being the home of country music and all, and it did not disappoint. It was pretty and clean and the people were all so friendly. I can't wait to go back and spend a little more time there.

Our family outside of The Grand Ole Opry

We also stopped in Memphis. Memphis is NOT my favorite city. It may have been that we arrived in the city on a Friday night and it was a party! Not really the family atmosphere that we would normally attend. There is a restaurant in Memphis called Rendezvous that we had been told was a good place for BBQ so we went in search of this restaurant. It was located down a back alley way and was very hard to find. Once found the line for the restaurant was beyond belief and it was late and we were all hungry so we ditched it and headed for burgers. Not quite the same but I was starving and I loved my food anyway. We spent that night in Memphis so the next morning we drove to see the Loraine Motel, the place were MLK was shoot and killed. The feeling there was so peaceful and really almost reverent. Definitely worth the visit. We also drove past Graceland, that was not quite the same feeling. And I couldn't believe the crowds. Not being huge Elvis fans (though I did own a record years ago) we didn't care to visit. We just did a drive by and flashed a few photos. We then finally hit the Rendezvous for lunch just as they opened and after having tasted the delicious food we understood the long wait from the night before. That is the place to eat, but if you're ever planning a trip to Memphis give me a call I'll give you directions on how to find it so it won't take you half the night to find it!


The kids at the Loraine Motel

By dinner time on Saturday evening we bombarded Katie's house. Poor Brian and Katie had just returned home from their own vacation to Utah the day before Ryan and I arrived with our six rug rats. They were good sports about it and we had such a nice time! On Monday Ryan drove to Oklahoma and Brian went back to work and Katie and I just hung out and talked all day while the kids were all able to enjoy their cousins. It was a nice relaxing few days and we all enjoyed it. And as for Arkansas.... It is absolutely beautiful! I was in awe of the beauty and quiet. It was the first time I think I have ever contemplated leaving my beautiful Virginia. So if anyone has ever thought of working for Walmart (that's where they are headquartered) I would suggest you go! It's new and pretty and such a nice change of pace from the crazy, hectic, busy scene of Washington DC.

Cousins!

Look at all those kids!

That's 11 kids ages 10 and under!

The vacation was fun. We enjoyed our return trip as well as we passed by the Arch in St. Louis and drove through the mountains of West Virginia that took us home.