MLB Stadium Tour 2011: Good Ole Rocky Top.... Rocky Top Tennessee

On Sunday, July 17th, we drove from Atlanta, Georgia to Athens, Tennessee to visit with Tina's mom for a few days. We can sum up the visit in five words.. "Eat, Drink and Be Merry". Tina's mother is truly the hostess with the mostest when it comes to entertaining. We haven't seen Mother Elke since last August, so we had lots to catch up on. We enjoyed many hearty meals and many hearty laughs together during our four day stay. By the end of our visit, our bellies were full of food and our hearts were full of love. We were both very grateful to have had the opportunity to enjoy some quality family time together.

Thanks for the memories, Mom!

Tina, Mother Elke, and New 'Friend' Glen

We left Athens on Thursday, July 21st, and made our way to Christiana, Tennessee to stay with Kevin's Aunt Rita and Uncle Ray Tanner. We haven't seen Ray or Rita for several years, so it was great to reconnect with them. Like Tina's mother, Aunt Rita is a wonderful hostess. She could give Martha Stewart a real run for her money. We were also introduced to a new member of the family, "Obie", who is an 11 year-old, four pound teacup poodle. We fell in love with him instantly.

We were treated like a king and queen for the two days that we spent with the Tanner family. We were served wonderful homemade meals and were presented with luxurious accommodations. (Tina had a hard time getting out of the feather bed each morning. She described her sleep experience as being on a billowy cloud each night!)

Ray and Rita took us to Nashville for an afternoon of sightseeing. While there, we enjoyed a barbecue lunch at "Jacks" on Broadway with cousin David. After lunch, we then explored the downtown area and marveled at all of the shops and eating establishments that were available. We then were given a tour of Brentwood, Tennessee which is full of estates and mansions. Many famous people in the music industry reside there. We also toured the town of Franklin, Tennessee which is rich in Civil War history.

After a full day of sightseeing and casual exploration. we had dinner at Miller's Cafe with the entire family. We were happy to enjoy the company of cousin Wendy and her husband Steve, and their two daughters, Brittany and Katie and cousin David and his wife Katie and their son, Jackson. We both felt like we were in the middle of a feel-good, old fashioned movie that took place in a much simpler time. We enjoyed a good southern meal and lots of friendly conversation. After dinner, we all went back to Ray and Rita's to enjoy homemade apple pie and and homemade vanilla ice cream.

To sum up our visit with the Tanners, we were spoiled rotten and loved and appreciated every minute of it! The southern way of life is very easy to get used to. As we prepare to leave the South and continue on with our baseball journey, we both know how very blessed we are to have the families that we do. We love each and every one of you. Thank you for being such a special part of our adventure of a lifetime.