Monday, April 16, 2007



Hello Memphis!!


LOVED that sign on a restaurant on Beale Street in Memphis this past weekend . . . Eat, Drink, Boogie, Repeat... hey, that's a pretty great way to think about life, huh?

We had a great time in Memphis, even though our softball tournament was rained out. (Delaney's travel team, the Birmingham Thunderbolts, was supposed to be playing both Saturday and Sunday in a tourney against Tennessee and Mississippi teams, but it rained incessantly into the early morning hours on Saturday and apparently the fields were UNDER water.) So, instead of playing softball... we just PLAYED!!

Now, let's go ahead and get the obligatory Bed Jumping picture out of the way at the get-go. The best of the weekend was this one of McKenna. LOL!


On Saturday morning, we ventured out into the rain and the fog to visit Memphis and see the sights. Well, at first we couldn't "see" much of anything because of ...well...the rain and the fog! Here is the Pyramid in Memphis ...

It was so foggy that you could barely see down the Mississippi River. It was awe-inspiring just the same, though. It always amazes me how huge it is (especially how WIDE it is!)...

Sydney and I in front of the Mississippi...

The team in front of the Mississippi (we let the team get together Saturday for some time having fun, since they didn't get to play)...

Memphis is the "Home of Blues" and the "Birthplace of Rock 'N Roll," so its influence was everywhere. We found a statue of B.B. King...

and Elvis Presley...

We spent the rest of the day on Beale Street, which is a really fun entertainment area that kinda reminded me of New Orleans' Bourbon Street (except it was actually "family friendly"--no boob shows and bead-throwing junks, and it actually smelled "normal" and not like vomit. LOL I'm not saying I don't enjoy Bourbon Street too; have had a couple of really great visits there!). But, I digress! Here are the girls out on Beale...

We had a HUGE platter of barbecue for lunch. It was GOOD!

McKenna in front of the Hard Rock Cafe...

We then ventured over to The Peabody Hotel, to see the famous "parading Peabody ducks." We had told Scout that we were going to see ducks and we'd read about it, but it was really even cooler than we expected and we ALL enjoyed it! The ducks hang out in the hotel's fountain lobby and two times a day (at 11 and 5), they parade down a red carpet and up to their home on the roof of the building. It was very sweet...


On Sunday, we got up for churchand then headed back into Memphis to meet Gary's cousin Lorri for lunch and a tour of Sun Studios (Lorri lives about five miles outside Memphis and Gary hadn't seen her in YEARS; but, she reads both Gary's and my blog and we planned a visit!). Here are some pictures at Sun Studios, which was by far by favorite part of the trip. It was beyond COOL, mostly because I love early rock n' roll and American music history (probably has something to do with all the music my Dad introduced me to at a young age; Dad would LOVE this place!)
Sun Studios is where Elvis was "discovered" and recorded his first albums. It's also were musicians like Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash recorded. Loved seeing the pictures and hearing the stories and hearing the music!

Here I am in front of the building, which is a National Historic Landmark...


This was WAY cool!! This microphone is the actual microphone that all of those great artists sang into when they recorded here. They let you hold it, take pictures next to it. Fun, fun!!!


And some pictures of the instruments and the interior of the studio (I love this first one because of the pic there of U2's Bono, who actually recorded three songs at Sun Studios for their Rattle N Hum CD--one of my faves back in college!)...


(This is the piano that Jerry Lee Lewis first played, "Great Balls of Fire," on . . .)


And then the lobby/gift shop was a lot of fun, with a working jukebox and a soda shop that made some yummy milkshakes...

(Gary with his cousin, Lorri.)


We were getting tired and needed to get on the road to get back to Birmingham before too late, BUT we couldn't leave without at least seeing Graceland (Elvis' home). We decided we didn't have the time (or the money!) to go on an inside tour, but we were bound and determined (well, I was bound and determined and Gary knows to just let me go on my wild goose chases!! LOl He's done it enough over the years, on a ton of different vacations and road trips!! It's one of my favorite things about him!)

So, we found Graceland and were first struck by the graffiti that covers the stone wall out front. There were notes from people from all around the world...

Gary and Scout by the historical marker...


Graceland is actually quite a bit off the street, and the stone wall keeps you from getting near to it. AND there are a ton of trees out front! So, if you really squint you might can see it here! LOL


But this may just be my FAVORITE pic of the weekend. We all wanted a good look at the house, but we couldn't see it well. So...let's stop on the side of the road, stand up on top of the truck and look over the wall. THEN we could see it. And we had to wave at it. Hello, Graceland...

24 comments:

justem said...

Love all those photos! Especially the music ones! :)

the not so "new" mom on the blog said...

I cant believe how much I have missed!!!! It has taken me forever to catch up!!!!! I just love this post on your trip - Would love to go there one day too!!!! P.S. Happy late birthday wishes to S - That cake sure was gorgeous and I trust you when you say it was yummy!!!!

I hope you are all keeping well? Send my regards to Gary and the Girls!

Gen
xox

Dawn Bibbs said...

You guys are just too much!!! Ya'll can even have fun in the midst of a storm (no pun intended) lol.

How cool for your girls to be able to see all of that historic stuff. Hopefully they'll remember it for days to come.

Thanks for sharing.

Bethany E. said...

These are awesome pictures, Cheryl! Especially the jumping on the bed one...lol! And that BBQ platter looks so yummy!

Cinderella said...

Excellent pictures girl!!! I have always wanted to see Graceland and I hope I get to soon! My 5 yr old and 2 yr old wouldn't care for it, but maybe Mommy needs to take a vacation all by herself?? lol

The bed jumping picture was adorable as was the last photo of you gals waving-That would be my favorite too!

The food and Milkshakes looked soooo good!!! I would have gained 10 pounds if I was there! lol

Thanks for sharing the pictures and giving us some history lessons. It looks like a great place to visit!

Adrienne said...

Great pictures Cheryl!!!

Renee said...

Okay, I'm really hungry and I wanted to eat that food off of my monitor! Yummy bbq. Looks like a fun trip.

~Telah said...

LOL...sounds like quite the eventful weekend! Sometimes those kind of get-away weekends (for whatever reason) are as much fun as a full blown vacation. Thanks for sharing all those pics!

Amanda11 said...

HOLY COW, I couldn't leave comments for a long time, my old username was freaking out on me. YOUR LAST PICTURE IS PRICELESS!!!!! I LOVE IT! Thank you for your patience while I was on blog vacation! :-) I've update and GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LAYD VOLS!!!!

Anonymous said...

very nice!!

Lovin' the ducks on the red carpet!!

Mz.Elle said...

I love your posts like this!
Looks like SO MUCH FUN!
I love that sign too;)

Anonymous said...

SO FUN!!! I love these pics. Thanx for taking us on our own little journey with you!

Kimberly said...

Looks like you had a blast. I have always wanted to go to graceland. I will too one day! Love the pic of you waving a graceland, too cute! Have a great day!

Nancywithajones said...

OMGOSH looks like you all had a blast. I saw wher eyou posted on my blog your mom gets chronic shingles.. I have caught mine before they tgot real bad but this is the 5th time in a year i have had them. AMY TIME i catch a cold or get upset I break out. esp my ears and face and my eyes it is HORRRIIBBLEEE. what does she do for it.. jsut take the medicine and go to bed and cry that is what i do... they have me on valtrex and demrol for pain I cant take the lyrica stuff it made me crazy.
ok bella is in here buggin me wanting food or something rofl so i gotta run talk to you soon hugs
Nancyj

redmaryjanes said...

Hi there! Thanks for dropping by my blog the Seventh Diamond. You look like you all really know how to have a lot of fun!

Anonymous said...

Hey Cheryl, I had a blast being with ya'll Sunday.Amber really enjoyed meeting cousins she has never met. She keeps talking about going to Alabama now.Lol. It was so good to see Gary again and meeting you and the girls. I felt like I already knew you from your blog. Keep in touch!!

Lorri

Michelle said...

can I just say what a fun family you guys are?! Glad you were able to have such fun on this trip despite the weather. The pics were great!

Susie Q said...

I wish I could travel with you...: ) Ya'll have fun!
Grace and I let lose but our men are old stick in the muds. : )
Isn't Memphis cool?? I am so glad you went to see the Peabody ducks...I thought about that for Scout, heck, *I* LOVED them!
Glad you had such fun!
Love,
Sue

Anonymous said...

Looks like such a GREAT time! I think I would love to hang out with all of you! ~smile~

Anonymous said...

What VERY FUN pictures!!!! :)

Vee said...

awesome pics!!
hmmm....that barbeque sure looks good! :)

Southern Heart said...

I'm so glad that you stopped by my blog today, so that I could in turn find you! I've enjoyed my visit so much, and am adding you to my favorites so that I can visit again.

I'm sorry I missed "meeting" you before your visit to Memphis. I have lived in/at least near Memphis all my life, and I haven't been to as many attractions as you have! :) BTW, I saw Bono once at the Peabody (when we took some relatives to see the ducks---while he was recording here as you mentioned), have eaten at Molly's LaCasita restaurant sitting next to the members of ZZ Top, and I prepared Jerry Lee's youngest child's birth certificate when I worked at that hospital during college. I giggled at your description of Beale St---so true. Memphis is never dull! I'm so glad that you had fun!

Fondly, Andrea

Lynilu said...

You guys always seem to have so much fun! Can I go with you on your next trip?

AngelConradie said...

oooh- now i wanna go to memphis!