… jiggety jog. ;)

We had a wonderful trip, and have since been recouperating from it. Why is it always that way after vacation? :) We greatly enjoyed five days in Nashville filled with bluegrass music at the International Bluegrass Music Association event, an evening at the Grand Ole Opry, an afternoon at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, all before heading down into Alabama. Then came a week of relaxation coupled with plenty of fun busyness, time with family and friends, lots of delicious barbeque, catfish, hushpuppies, sweet tea and Blue Bell ice cream (ha! and I didn’t gain a pound… I’m pretty proud of that! ;)).

We ended with a bang at the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers’ Convention, where Fiddleboy and My Marine played in a fiddle competition for the first time (My Marine accompanying Fiddleboy on the guitar). What fun that was–filled with not only bluegrass and old time music, but friends and fellowship as well. We were able to spend quite a bit of time this trip with our good friends the Evans’, who “introduced” me to two girls I ended up “knowing” from the old The King’s Daughter/Hope Chest days. When we started talking, we figured we’d have quite a bit in common, but soon realized that we actually “knew” each other already. They remembered me, and my sissy, and a few of my other good friends. What fun that was. :) On that Friday night, I also was able to meet an online friend, Laura, who happens to live in the same town my family does. We enjoyed a couple hours of talking (with the twang of guitars, banjos, fiddles and bass fiddles as our backround music!) and some hot coffee that chilly night. :)

That’s about all I have time to write today, since I’m now tackling my literal mountain of laundry from the trip, and poor Little Man got some shots today, so he’s not too happy of a camper at the moment.

The Isaacs– at IBMA

Rhonda Vincent (in white on the right) singing with her daughter (left) at the Grand Ole Opry

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder– at the Opry

The Whites– at IBMA on Sunday afternoon

Laura and her little sister Anna

My dear sweet friend Hannah Beth

Me and Laura :)

Fiddleboy and My Marine playing “Fire on the Mountain” for the competition—they did so well!!

The guys… glad it’s over :)

The girls I was “reintroduced” to–Bethany and Tabatha R.

Little Man taking a nap… Mama and Daddy talking and resting

Lookin’ more and more alike every day!

Little Man enjoying his first time at Cracker Barrell–our all-time favorite restaurant

Littlest got to meet his Great-Grammie for the first time… she’s so tiny that he seems almost as big as she is! ;)

Four generations–Gram, Mom, me, the L.M. ;)

All the guys… making Grammie look even smaller :)

Me and Fiddleboy, and L.M. :)

Littlest and his “Oncle”