Nashville

Do you ever look back at pictures and just laugh? As I was looking back over pictures from our day trip to Nashville, I couldn't help but laugh, mostly at the pictures from our dinner at the Cheesecake Factory with a big group of friends from Nashville. My parents, the girls, and I went to Franklin and Nashville to do some shopping at the children's stores around the area. We did the same thing last year and found some great deals on spring and summer clothes.

My mom and I love smocked and boutique type clothes but one problem is that they are always so pricey. One way to save money is to make them/smock them yourself, which we do sometimes. Another way we save money is by buying clothes at end of the season sales. There are so many children's stores in the Franklin/Nashville area that it made it worth our while to spend a day shopping there. We found some great deals and some really neat stores. We also got some ideas for clothes that we can make. Well, should I say, that my mom can make. I unfortunately do not know how to sew. We also wanted to visit a few smocking stores since there isn't one in Chattanooga. We were so disappointed that the one at the Factory in Franklin had closed. Last year we bought fabric, some smocking plates, and a pattern or two, and we had hoped to do the same this year. We did visit the Children's Corner, which is a smocking shop in the Nashville area. I am so excited about the cupcake plate I bought. I've already sent fabric to smocking etc to have the dresses constructed so I can start working on dresses for the girls' birthdays. We talked my mom into buying a Cinderella plate. I looked difficult to me but I'm sure my mom can do it. (hint, hint mom)We ended the night at the Cheesecake Factory for dinner with lots of friends and lots of laughs. Did I mention that Emma Catherine and Bailey were fabulous the whole day? They shopped like pros and at dinner Bailey was great even though she had only about a 20 minute nap. (This is a child who usually averages a 3 1/2 to 4 hour nap everyday)

**As I just looked back over the pictures one more time to decide which ones to post, I realized that they don't translate into how funny the dinner was. First off we met Carly's boyfriend for the first time, and they got to sit close to my dad, who then retold stories (he loves stories) of Carly in high school. Unfortunately I didn't really get any pictures of the new beau.Then my dad made his way to the other end to talk to Ricky Brady (you know, from American Idol) and to try to get him to come sing at a fundraiser in Florida, but then my dad found out Ricky was already coming. Also, I almost forgot, Ricky used to work at the Cheesecake factory so he was singing the menu to us.
We couldn't believe how grown up Kaylee was when she showed up to dinner in make-up and also reapplied during dinner. Emma Catherine wasn't in the picture taking mood.
Bailey thought the room was a little too bright.