Pocketful of Rainbows, THE ALBUM!!

My parents have been married for 40 years this week. And how are we celebrating? My brother & sister and I (with big help from my parents' best friends Rick & Beth) are taking them on a suprise trip. Sometimes exotic? Someplace warm? Well....not exactly, but they've always wanted to go, to....

GRACELAND
(Picture is from Amy & Joe's Wichita wedding last year; love this!!)

So tomorrow we're packing up cars & kids and are Memphis bound. Carla and I have been suppling Mom & Dad with "destination clues" all week, but they haven't cracked it yet. Their "driver" will be awaiting them at 8 tomorrow morning outside their front door, so I'm thinking the secret's pretty safe here.

Fun Stuff.
More fun stuff: My dad taught me to play "Love Me Tender" on the organ in our living room long before my feet could reach the floor. It was the only song he knew how to play, and sure enough then the only song I could play for a number of years. I'd be willing to bet that my dad not only doesn't have a favorite Beatle, he might not even be able to name them all. But Elvis songs....well, now we're talking.

You'll hear one of my favorite Elvis songs when you take a look at David & Raina's Wedding Album. CLICK HERE! CLICK HERE!!!
This song is a good fit for David & Raina, I think. ("I don't worry whenever skies are grey above....")
Hmmm, wouldn't it be a great time to post a pictue of my parents? Well....check back next week and I'll post an image or two of Mom & Dad living it up in Memphis.

But first, hey, have you taken a look yet at David & Raina's book? Enjoy! And hey btw, what's YOUR favorite Elvis song?

~ amy enderle

PS A cut & paste of the WHERE ARE WE TAKING YOU? clues follow.
Lots of it is inside-the-family type of hints, but the bulleted "rationale" follows each clue.

MONDAY: Betcha $20, this first clue: “POLLY LIVES” points you in the right direction!
– PANDAS (Ya-Ya & La-La) are at the Memphis zoo! – Terry’s stuffed panda bear was named Polly.
– Andrew Jackson, found on $20 bill, was one of city’s founders
– Feeling lucky? Lots of casinos nearby.
– Looking at a map, you’ll see Memphis, in part, to the right.

TUESDAY: Not sure if we’ll see the Sun – that’s alright, (Mama …)
- Sun Studios is where Elvis & many others including Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis made their first records.
- “That’s all right, Mama,” was the first song Elvis recorded at Sun.

WEDNESDAY: …we’ll ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY have a roaring good time.
– Memphis is the world FedEx headquarters; the company’s one-time slogan: “Absolutely. Positively.”
– The original ROAR heard at the start of MGM movies was a recording of Memphis zoo lion named Volney.

THURSDAY: Elevated to the red carpet, Wiggly folks have seen what’s in store in this city since 1916.
- 5 ducks ride the Peabody Hotel elevator from their rooftop home down to the hotel lobby at 11 am each day to walk the red carpet to the fountain for a day of swimming. At 5 PM, the ducks march back and take the elevator home.
- Piggly Wiggly, the world’s first self-service grocery store, opened in Memphis in 1916.

FRIDAY: You look good on your 40th but to be this Grand on your 50th is a treasure of international proportions.
- Elvis purchased Graceland in early 1957 ~ 50 years ago.
- Graceland is registered as a National Treasure, but Elvis fans note that truly it’s an International Treasure; in fact President George W. Bush brought Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi here in June. Mr. Koizumi (who shares Elvis’ January birthday) considers himself one of the world’s biggest Elvis fans, arrived in Memphis with George & Laura via Airforce One.
- The “South’s Grand Hotel” will be your home away from home for the weekend; as long as you don’t mind sharing the place with those 5 ducks that is.