Drew and Lacey

So my sister Lacey and her husband Drew moved to Nashville six years ago as newlyweds. There was nothing for them there but a dream and they followed it and are still chasing that dream even now. They write their own music spending hours getting the lyrics, the chords, the sound just right. They network in the music scene, taking turns watching their beautiful girls so the other can go to shows and meet the right people. They play music until late in the evenings the nights they aren't out and even started a project for those hours: The After Bedtime Sessions which I think is beautiful because it shows that they are parents first and when the kids are asleep, they keep working. 

They're also like, the coolest people ever. They have an entire bedroom dedicated to their instrument collection (they each play like 6+), Drew has his PHD in education, they just got a dog named King George, and they regularly hang out with famous people like it's NBD. Their girls are hardcore hikers and kayakers since that's what they do on weekends, and Lacey is the most easy going, carefree mom. 

I've never really done this before, and my sister didn't ask me to or anything but I just feel like with this online community, we need to help each other live our dreams. They just put together a Kickstarter to fund their next album. It can get expensive, and on one salary it's tough to make it happen. If you like folk or country music, or even if you don't - please consider donating. Their incentives are great - posters, CD's, T-shirts (which I live in) and more for donating certain amounts. It doesn't have to be a lot. I guess I'm just a sucker for people who follow their dreams.

Thanks Friends. Click here to see what their project is all about.

France

We decided to extend our trip a little longer and spent four days in Paris. We got the Paris museum pass which I highly recommend and got lost in the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Rodin (my favorite!) and L'Orangerie. We also went to Versailles for one day and rode bikes and picnicked through the gardens. Luxembourg Gardens were phenomenal as well, and we felt like the line to get to the top of Notre Dame was worth it for the gargoyles. My sister Melissa went to Paris for a week in the spring and had so many good recommendations for us.

The food was nothing compared to Italy (we must have hit the wrong places) but the atmosphere and the weather and the beauty of the city made up for it. At one point I asked Kevin if he was wearing cologne. We were walking through Jardin des Tuileries and he said, "No -  It's just the city of Paris."

Bike rides and picnics through Versailles

Our farewell view of Champs Elysees from the Arc de Triomphe

Four days wasn't long enough. I'm already planning our next trip back.