The Volunteer State

Perfect Traveler

We survived our adventure to Tennessee! We started out on Friday at Tampa International Airport. Of course we were two hours early for our flight and after successfully checking in and handing off our luggage we found our way to the terminal. Chloe was ravenous so we unfortunately had to pick up some coffees and fruit from the Starbucks, we are Dunkin' People. We kept her occupied with juice, snacks, and coloring books until our plane arrived at the gate. Then we really laid it on. We got her psyched to get on her first airplane and zoom through the clouds like the Little Einsteins. She was so happy and excited until they announced that our plane was having technical difficulties with a windshield wiper. We needed those as it was raining cats and dogs out. So we watched our luggage sit in the rain as it was loaded, then unloaded, then sat outside awaiting the new plane, then loaded onto it. Meanwhile, our rambunctious two year old now wanted to board a plane that wasn't there yet and had little to no patience. The other travelers glared at us as she ran around in circles and yelled, "I wanna fly!". Finally, we were let onto the new plane, strapped her in, got out the fruit snacks and we were ready to go. Our pilot announced that he was planning to make up some lost time and boy, he was not kidding. We hauled ass around the tarmac and he took the turn for the runway at a high rate of speed and we were up in the air before I could prepare Chloe for anything. She smiled sweetly up at me from her car seat and before we had reached 10,000 feet she was fast asleep. She stayed asleep until we began our descent. I wanted to flick off every person who had given me dirty looks but instead we high-fived and relished our perfect sleeping toddler. In a dash we were in Tennessee, located our soaked luggage, picked our rental car (a Dodge Journey that just jumped to the top of the new car list), and were en route to the hotel. We found an amazing barbecue joint called "Famous Daves" and enjoyed a delicious meal before running around town and gathering some essentials and retiring to the hotel to relax.

Carter House

On Saturday we began our venture with breakfast at a local joint named "The Frothy Monkey" and aside from the middle-aged group next to us I'm pretty sure we were the only ones sober. It's one of those restaurants where you order at the front, find a seat and they bring the food to you. These make zero sense to me because if you are going to bring my food to me anyway couldn't we just sit down and you can ask us what we want to begin with? I almost throat punched the girl at the front when she offered me gluten-free toast. Billy was completely aggravated with the hippies but once we were half way through our coffees he had eased up a bit and we were laughing at Chloe's syrup covered shirt. We bundled back up and took a walk in downtown Franklin. We scoped out some lunch options and popped into the Visitor's Center for some information about the happenings around town. Drove over to the Carter House and purchased tickets to three tours of Civil War Homes. Then back to the hotel for a much needed nap for Chloe. After the Princess awoke we drove to downtown Franklin for lunch at McCreary's Irish Pub and then onto the Carter House again for the tour. During the Battle of Franklin, Fountain Carter's house became occupied by the Federals and the terrible battle was fought all over the property.

From the left: Carter House, Outside Kitchen, Farm Office, Smoke House, Slave Quarters 

The house is riddled with bullet holes and the family had to seek refuge along with their neighbors and a few slaves down in one of the rooms in the basement. Listening to what these people were thrown into it really sank in on just how terrified they must have been. In the basement you can hear the cars driving past on the road that was 50 yards or so from the house. Imagine being down there listening to gunfire, hand-to-hand combat and later the cries of the injured and dying. You live in a town of 700 or so people and in the middle of the night you are greeted by a Federal Captain telling you he's talking over your house and by 4:00 in the afternoon there are 40,000 soldiers battling to the death on your front lawn. The outbuildings have 1,137 bullet holes in them. Their middle son, Tod,  was fighting some ways away and when he heard the battle was happening in his childhood home he made every attempt to return and fight on his own soil. He was shot some 200 yards from his doorstep and when his family heard the news they ran out of the house to retrieve him. He died surrounded by his weeping sisters in the house two days later. Such a devastating war.
After the tour we swung into the hotel to warm up and change clothes. We met our dear friends, The Mobley's for dinner at the Sportman's Grill. We ate and chatted for a bit and then we called it a night.

Carnton

On Sunday at breakfast just as the room went quiet Chloe Anne screamed out, "Happy Birthday to Me!" and we went into hysterics. We didn't stop laughing as the table next to us kept wishing her a very happy birthday. She cracks me up! After breakfast we went to the mall. If you know me you know I loathe the mall but this one was actually really nice. They had a ton of stores for Chloe, who thankfully fell asleep as we browsed. We picked up quite a few things for her and enjoyed some Irishmen's Coffee and filled up at the candy store. In the afternoon we traveled to Chapel Hill to once again hang with The Mobley's. Chloe ran around outside with the girls until the sun started to set and the temperature dropped. Tammy made delicious chili for dinner and Chloe kept us all in stitches with her antics. Once she warms up to people there's no stopping her and she loved all of the attention.

Cheesecake Factory

Monday was my meeting so Billy and Chloe went to check out the local zoo. The guy at the gate told him to not even bother buying a ticket though because all of the animals were in their houses. I guess the Princess didn't take that very well. Later in the day we went to our next tour, The Carnton Plantation. Chloe fell asleep on the ride over and remained asleep through 3/4 of the tour so we just took turns carrying her around the old house. The Carnton Plantation acted as a field hospital during the Battle of Franklin. The upstairs rooms are still stained with the blood of the soldiers. The lady of the house, Carrie, tended to many of the soldiers and was remembered as a caring woman who walked from man to man with a blood soaked gown offering assistance and comfort. After the battle she and her husband donated part of their land as a cemetery for the soldiers. This cemetery backs up to their own family plots and I just found that remarkable. "Widow of the South" is a book written about Carrie and we purchased it from the gift shop. I haven't started it yet but I am eager to. From the tales the tour guide told Carrie was an amazing woman, loved by all, full of grace and very respected. She carried a book of the dead with her and was often seen in the cemetery mourning the loss of each man, even those who had not been identified. I have a lot of respect for a woman of her caliber.
For dinner we found ourselves at The Cheesecake Factory, one of our favorite restaurants,
Chloe was so tired but perked herself up enough to devour a plate of strawberries and cream. Even though we too were exhausted and full we still managed to eat a few slices of cheesecake as well.
Tuesday we decided to call it a lazy day. We drove to Nashville and took a peak at the downtown district. Then we grabbed some snacks and went to the hotel to pack and watch some movies.

Sweet Girl

On Wednesday we awoke to snow! Snow still falling as we packed up our suitcases. Then we bundled up and dashed downstairs to let Chloe play in the small amount of snow still falling. She loved it. She crunched her boots on the road and caught the flakes in her hand and mouth. She had a blast until she slipped and her pants got wet. Then she proclaimed, "I can't like the snow. Let's go inside!" She's a Florida Girl! She played a bit more as we loaded the car up and then back to the airport we traveled. While waiting to load the plane the grounds crew threw snowballs at Chloe. I would hold her up in the window and then smash a snowball would splatter against the window and we would all laugh. I love that she always attracts people to her. Everywhere we went on this trip people stopped to tell us how well behaved she is, or how beautiful she is. She really draws people to her. The flight home went the same as the flight there and she was asleep before we ever left the ground.

Overall, it was an amazing experience and we all had so much fun together and visiting our friends. We need to take more family trips, especially now that we know how well our little Princess travels.