Nashville 2026

This was a super cold, miserable winter - I was desperately waiting for the hope of spring!  For spring break we took a quick trip to Nashville to check out somewhere new (and warmer).  We aren't big country fans, but it was still cool to check out a new city and spend some quality time with the family!

Nashville 2026!

Stopped in Cincinnati for a minute on our way down

Love these three

One of our first stops was the County Music Hall of Fame - lots of cool stuff there.  The kids tired quickly as is the way of museums...

Maggie was full of glee in the Taylor Swift exhibit

At the studio, laying down tracks

Evie loves the spotlight

Sing your heart out!

T Swift's guitar

One of the days I took the girls to a high ropes course and Jamie went to the zoo with Ben - a really fun day for all!  

Boys day

Flamingoes

Ready for the challenge

Mental preparation

Fearless

proud of it

About half of the ice cream ended up on his face and hands

Sister makeover

Our Air Bnb was incredible, complete with a 
rooftop hot tub!  We loved it!

Evie's happy place

Taking my cuddles for as long as I can

Checking out a local park

...with a full size replica of the Parthenon

Stumbled across a bar / arcade / outdoor game
place - this was one of my favorite parts of the trip

Giant Jenga

So focused

Learned that our kids need more training on cornhole

Checking out Mammoth Cave on our way home

Finding daylight

On our way into Nashville, just checking out 
the exterior of the cave system

Climber

Sisters

Ben still talks about this trip regularly, he really wants
to go back (but I think he just wants to travel anywhere)

Some other photos:

My bucket list item: getting a giant check 
(it's for a city project, not me, but still cool!)

So glad Jamie is the one to take Ben to this
birthday party

No one loves Maple as much as Ben

Jamie had the kids glaze bowls for a fundraiser

People bid on the bowls and the money goes
to feed the hungry

Wishing we could have gone to the bid event so
I could get these bowls!  We didn't get to see them 
after they being fired in the kiln.

Evie's new favorite place is Mochinut

Conspiring

January / February 2026

Ok so I'm only six months behind... let's see what I can remember!

We celebrated Christmas with both sides of our families in January thanks to the flu!  

PJ day at the Donoghues

Giggles with these two

Playing cards

Later in January we went to my parents to celebrate Christmas.  My mom planned a road rally for us all... sadly my team lost, but we had fun!  Here's a few of the photos:

My team with our snowman mascot (I forget his name, but
it was awesome)

Reading Dr. Suess books

Photo with a bride and groom (thanks Sue and John!)

Cousins

My mom gave each kid a maze that has to be solved in order
to get the cash inside - kept them busy!

Stairball lives on

Mom's dessert game was on point

Ben and Evie both played I9 basketball this winter, which was a simple 6-week thing. Ben absolutely loved it, Evie not so much.  She had one girlfriend with her on the team, and otherwise it was all boys that were one to two years younger... so not a great fit, but the two girls dominated!

Homeboy Ben

Pretty representative of Evie's feelings

Ben turned 7 in February!  We had a family get together and also a class party at a local bounce house.

My baby is growing up!

Family!

Ben basically lived in his army gear for several
days thanks to Aunt Allison and Uncle Bobby

Ben's big gift was a guitar - he's taking lessons
and doing great!

Seeing Avatar - he was obsessed with these
movies for a while

Bouncing boys

Jamie led the kids in a kaleidoscope craft

We did a musical chairs style book exchange instead of presents
(because we don't have space for 20 gifts at home!).

Other randoms:

Making soap with her bestie

Maggie continues to love archery, check out
these bullseyes!

Jamie joined a prison gang

Dad treated the girls to Shake Shack

Snack break at the school dance

A fun night out with Julie and Ryan!