2020 Dec 21, Day trip to Franklin, Tennessee with Ava Grace

 Hubby and I took Ava Grace on a day trip. We stopped in Loretto to get lottery tickets and Ava a doctor's pepper and some gummy candy. 

We stopped at Murphy's to fill up with gas and at Walmart in Lawrenceburg to purchase a new car seat for Ava. Hubby had to put it together, which took a while. 

We traveled north up the Natchez Trace, stopping a couple of times for restroom breaks. Several of the restrooms were closed due to the Coronavirus.

The trace was desolate, the trees were necked, and we saw one bird, a buck deer, and a dog. We saw several motorcycle riders and several people hiking. 

We rode through Leipers Fork but didn't see any or very few Christmas decorations. Ave took a nap while we were on the trail. 

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Restaurant

Cheese Pizza 

House Special Pizza 

We stopped at Mellow Mushroom for dinner. Ava ordered a small cheese pizza, and Hubby and I split a House Special pizza; we also ordered three drinks. 

Ava only ate one piece of her pizza. We had the rest put into a to-go box, took it home, and gave it to her granddad.

While we were eating at Mellow Mushroom, we saw Santa Claus riding a Harley on the roundabout in Franklin through the large windows. 

Santa Claus on Harley (looking through the window)

Ava & Granny are sitting in front of a very tall Christmas tree.

Ava is standing next to a cannon.

 

Ava and I walked over to the window. She waved at Santa Claus, and he waved back, pointing at her. We finished eating, and I took pictures of Ava and the statues at Mellow Mushroom. 

We went outside, and Santa Claus was leaving. We walked across the street to the center of the roundabout, where Ava had spotted a very tall Christmas tree. We took several pictures of the Tree, Ava, and the cannons that were there. 

We walked back to our car, and by that time, Santa Claus was coming back down the road. He stopped, and I got a few pictures with Ava and Santa.

Ava and Santa Claus on his Harley

Ava had to hug Santa, and he hugged her back. She said he was the honest Santa Claus, and she sang Christmas Songs most of the way home. 

We stopped at a convenience store for a restroom break, and we finished our trip home. We made a detour in St Joseph to see a house decorated for Christmas, you could see it from the highway, but only from the backside. Her granddaddy was waiting for her. She gave us both a hug, collected her belongings, and they went home. I gave her granddad the leftover cheese pizza. 

🦌🦌🦌2016 November 15,Tuesday, ICE COLD, Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer

Hubby and I stopped at Logan's Roadhouse in Spring Hill, TN, for lunch.
We ordered Roadhouse 'Shroom, which are hand-battered fresh mushrooms with Rockin' Horseradish. I ordered Chips and Cheese dip, creamy white queso cheese with crispy tortilla chips.
For our main meal, we ordered an All-American Cheeseburger with Swiss Cheese, served on a toasted brioche bun with sliced lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickles.

Cheeseburger 

Roadhouse 'Shroom 

Chips and Cheese dip

Hubby ordered the Fried Cheese and Bacon Burger, which was fried cheese, thick-cut hardwood smoked bacon, sliced tomato, lettuce, red onions, and thousand island dressing on a toasted brioche bun.
We had to get two to-go boxes because we ordered way too much food.

We stopped at Sam's Club in Franklin to purchase two batteries for our RV.

When we reached Nashville, our first stop was the Gaylord Opryland Event Center to purchase ICE tickets.
As we walked toward the Event Center, we were greeted by a giant ICE sculpture. So we stopped to take pictures.
Next, we purchased ICE tickets! Featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer comes to life in magnificent sculptures hand-carved from more than 2 million pounds of Ice.

ICE

Presents under the Christmas Tree

Three Snowmen 

Several TVs were hanging on an Ice Wall, giving instructions before entering the ICE House.

Wall of TVs

When the show ended, everyone was given Blue parkas to wear, and before entering the Ice, we were asked if we wanted our picture taken. We said no.
Upon entering the 9 degrees ICEHOUSE, we were greeted by a huge ICE Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

WITH a dial that said, "Make it glow"!

Inside ICE, we saw several Reindeer, Santa, dancing dolls, Cowboys, clowns, dogs, and bears.
The Lion, King of the Beast, wore angel wings and a crown, sitting in front of the ICE slides. There were three or four Slide shoots where people could slide down the Ice.

We saw a green Christmas tree covered in colorful balls and a gold rope.
We saw elves, a family of deer, Frosty the Snow Man, the Ice Bar, Santa, and his Reindeer.
One scene was five elves and a sign that read: And, at Santa's Castle ... an elf named Hermney didn't want to make toys as the other elves did. He had wanted to be a dentist since he was a kid.

The elf who wanted to be a dentist. 

We saw Yukon Cornelius and the Abominable Snow Monster. 

Next, we saw Yukon Cornelius and the Abominable Snow Monster, and a sign that read:

What they found was a creature! A giant! A friend! An Abominable Snow Monster who was meaner than mean.
The Yukon Cornelius came 'round the bend. These two lonely misfits had found a new friend. What a mighty swing of his miner's ax, Yukon whacked the Ice, which started some cracks. And just as the Bumble got to the bay, the Ice broke free, and they floated away.

Santa and his Reindeer

Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the wise men, shepherds, and an Angel 

We exited the ice rink into the Christmas store and walked to the Gaylord Hotel.
I had my picture taken with Santa.
We spent several hours walking through the three gardens that were decorated for the Christmas Holidays.
We stopped for a Butterfinger Ice Cream and rested.
We exited the hotel and walked back outside Ice Ring, where we watched the sunset.

Setting Sun on the White Christmas Tree.
We traveled to Spring Hill and stopped at Panda Express for dinner.

Both of us were exhausted from all the walking and it was still over an hour's ride from Spring Hill to home.