Day 3: A Relaxed Morning, Culver’s Smiles, and a Stampede Surprise

We started this morning exactly the way a vacation morning should begin — slow and relaxed.

Michael made coffee for the two of us, and before long Cilla wandered out to join us. She had some mini muffins, we all sat around chatting, and no one was in a hurry to be anywhere. Those quiet mornings are some of my favorite parts of traveling and having a recliner makes me very happy too. 

As we talked, we decided we’d go to the Dolly Parton Stampede for the 3:30 show. (Old habits die hard — I still want to call it Dixie Stampede.) With that plan in place, we remembered seeing a Culver’s sign the day before, and that sealed the deal for lunch.

We headed out around 11 and enjoyed a very happy lunch at Culver’s. It made my heart smile — we really loved Culver’s during our Nebraska trip. In fact, our friends Susan and Mark, along with Michael and me, have been planning a trip to North Carolina specifically to visit Culver’s.  So yes… I had to confess that we went without them and make sure we were still friends. Thankfully, all friendships remain intact.. I think. 😉

I ordered my kids’ meal (of course) and happily collected my free ice cream like the seasoned professional I am. 

After lunch, we headed to Walmart, thinking we’d grab a few things. Turns out, we found ourselves in a Walmart Neighborhood Market, which we’d never seen before. It was more grocery store than superstore, but we grabbed what we could. The cashier was incredibly kind and pointed us in the direction of the nearest Super Walmart.

Off we went again — Cilla needed earbuds that worked with her phone and fit in her ears and since there’s supposedly an indoor pool at the condo, we also picked up a pair of shorts and a shirt for her… just in case we manage to find it one day.

By then, it was time to head toward the Stampede, since we could enter at 2:30. Today we woke up to a cold and windy day, so we were thankful the line moved quickly. We also splurged on the souvenir boot mugs, which came with a slushy-type drink. They weren’t expensive, and honestly, they’re pretty cute. None of us drank much of the slushy, but now Cilla has little boot mugs to take home to remember the day.  Cilla also grabbed a bucket of popcorn during the pre-show, and then it was time to head inside.

Cilla had been a bit unsure about this experience. She thought it might be boring. That opinion changed quickly.

She got completely involved — cheering, answering questions, videoing, taking pictures, and fully soaking it all in. Watching her reactions was half the fun. At one point during the ice-skating portion, she leaned over and said, “That was epic.” That alone made it worth it. Here are a few pictures that Michael and I took she is saving her pictures and videos for when she gets home to share.

We paid a child price for Cilla and she received every bit as much food as we did. Michael, however, will be enjoying leftover chicken sandwiches for days — the gift that keeps on giving.

Here are a few pictures from our show.

By the time the show ended, we were simply tired. The first two days had been packed, and today, while wonderful, finished us off in the best way. We came back to the condo climbed the stairs to the third floor and declares ourselves ready to relax and everything felt just right. 

Tomorrow, we’re thinking we might venture toward Gatlinburg… but we’ll see how the morning coffee conversation goes. 

For now, we’re content right where we are. Stay tuned — ☕🥾❄️