Our children have been Tennessee Titans fans since the day they were born. Some may call it brainwashing. I really can't think of any other word for it myself. To say David is a crazed Titans fan is a gross understatement.
At dinner one night when we presented them each with an envelope containing a ticket to their first Tennessee Titans game, they were very excited. And the fun began.
David likes to make our life, and I quote, "like a movie," by "keeping the soundtrack accurate." This means that when we drive through Jackson, we listen to Johnny Cash's "Jackson." When we are in Colorado, we have a lot of "Rocky Mountain High" goin' on. When we first moved to the country, we heard a lot of "Mud on the Tires" when we were driving home at night. You get the idea.
So naturally, when we drove past Memphis, he blared U2's "Pride (in the name of love)." This song gave us a spontaneous idea. "Hey, lets make our soundtrack even more authentic by actually driving by the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination if it doesn't inconvenience us too much!" So taptaptap on the phone and, what do ya know, we were 12 blocks away. So we pulled off the highway and boom, suddenly we were educating the youngins. Life is school, friends.
It was surreal to stand right next to the spot where he was assassinated. I am so glad we got to go.
Several hours later we arrived in Nashville and hit the streets. I LOVE downtown Nashville! The lights and music and people, it's so much fun. We took the kids to a place we had been before and knew they would love, The
Wildhorse Saloon.
Because honestly, what good parents don't take their kids
dancin' in the saloons? Exactly.
Downtown!
Riley gave a homeless man some money and he gave her this flower. She loved it so much. She put it in water and took care of it until we got home. She still has it.
Back to the hotel for very late night swimming!
And a testing of the mattresses...
We can seriously destroy a hotel room in minutes.
We woke up early on Sunday morning to get a start on our day! Tyler made this sign to try to get on TV.
Perfect warm-up
A lot has changed since those days. 
There have been seasons when the house was closed up for a bit, and we didn't hear from the family. But they always beckon us back in.
And all the right things are happening. The things that make you feel peaceful. The things that make you sigh with contentment when they are happening in your own house.
The role playing has morphed into something different as she has grown older. It seems to be more contemplative now. We talk more about real-life stuff as we play. And there is a lot more care put into the interior design as we rearrange furniture and rooms and set up the stage of the family's life. 
Several hours later we arrived in Nashville and hit the streets. I LOVE downtown Nashville! The lights and music and people, it's so much fun. We took the kids to a place we had been before and knew they would love, The Wildhorse Saloon. 
Downtown!
Riley gave a homeless man some money and he gave her this flower. She loved it so much. She put it in water and took care of it until we got home. She still has it.
Back to the hotel for very late night swimming!
And a testing of the mattresses...
We can seriously destroy a hotel room in minutes.
We woke up early on Sunday morning to get a start on our day! Tyler made this sign to try to get on TV.
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Riley posing with some cheerleaders.
Riley had to get one last shot of the field before we left.
David is a veteran and knows all the cool spots. We went over to the players parking lot and got autographs.
And we suspect that Tyler won't need to eat again for a while.
There was much disappointment. But it was what it was, so we bucked up and decided to make the most of it. We ended up having a wonderful Christmas Eve together, laughing and enjoying each other. We played, ate, and listened to Christmas music. It was very different, and that's okay. 
Told ya we like it.
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