43rd Annual CMA Awards! (and my experience as an extra!)

h my goodness! Last Wednesday was SO MUCH FUN! I couldn't let on earlier, but my friends and I got to be Taylor Swift's extras when she performed her song, "fifteen," at the CMAs!

Heavens to Betsy had a wonderful connection, and offered a chance to eleven of us girls to get all purtied up to be a part of the show.

We got to watch the dress rehearsal, had seats at the actual CMAs, met Taylor and some of her staff, and I saw her parents and her brother! When Taylor sang, we sat on the front row of the seats, while all the youngsters from Hendersonville High School surrounded her on the floor. Can you believe it has been TEN YEARS since I was in high school?!? Cuh-razy.

(If you look real close, you can see me in a green dress to your right, her left. I'm not smiling in this instant, but I assure you, I was having a blast!)

While being a part of her performance was a definite highlight, getting to watch the dress rehearsal of all the stars was my favorite part.

I have to say that I was very impressed with the amount of talent that was featured this year. I guess I always assumed that a lot of songs you hear on the radio have a lot of "electronic help," and I'm sure they do...but to hear Reba, Martina, Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert, and all the rest belt out their songs live was incredible. They have some serious pipes!

Watching Taylor Swift sweep the awards was fabulous, too.

I know some people think she is tone deaf, but when I heard her rehearse, I was very impressed with her voice and her "presence." She seemed genuinely happy to have so many crazy kids cheering for her, and made a point to thank everyone over and over. I have a feeling that, if her performance of Fifteen on the show was a little off, it was because of the hundreds of fans singing along with her. It was very loud!

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you the coolest part. The next day, you could see us on US Weekly's website and CNN! So cool!

It was fun to play Nashville Diva for a day, but I'm glad my life isn't nearly as chaotic. All in all, it was a wonderful time with old friends making new memories!

Fifteen forever,