We are home from a great week in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee! My parents figured we have been going there to the Hidden Mountain Resorts for 17 years now.
Craig was off of work a couple days before we were heading down to TN so he flew down to Atlanta to spend some time with Ryan. They went to Six Flags and Craig's shoulder hasn't been the same since...that just means I get my husband around the house an extra week or two! We still had fun on vacation!
The kids and I drove down following my parents starting on Friday (20th). Autumn rode with Nana & Papa and I had the boys! It was great! They watched movies as I listened to my ipod and enjoyed the scenery around us. That night we stopped in Dry Ridge, KY and got a good nights sleep before finishing our journey.
The mountains are just gorgeous. I couldn't help but be sit there in awe while I was driving just thanking God for the beauty around me. We got to the cabin and enjoyed a little bit of time in the hot tub.
On Sunday the rest of the family arrived. Starting with Craig & Ryan around 2pm...we showed them around, played some ping pong, a little pool on the pool table, and prepared dinner. Rob, Ellen, Josh, Emily, Hannah & Ethan joined us around 6pm for dinner! Then around 8pm Aunt Sue, Uncle Rick, Gage & Zack arrived. The teenagers hit it off and had some fun on the Wii (Rob too of course)!
On Monday the 8 guys went on a 10 mile hike up a steep mountainside in the Smokey Mountain National Park! It took them ALL day! We played with the kids and took them out shopping for their new Webkinz! Grandpa & Memaw Pritchett joined us with Amber & Ariel! It was fun to see them and visit some...if you are keeping count, that makes about 22 people in our cabin at some points of the trip! Thank God there were 3 levels to spread out on :) Rob told his kids it was mandatory to swim EVERY day of the trip so we did...Ellen & I sat and watched while Rob took the kids in because the water was so cold. Not a heated pool!
On Tuesday the ladies enjoyed some shopping time, we took the kids to the park, and relaxed some.
Wednesday we all went to Ober Gatlinburg. The guys played at the arcade, Rob & Ellen took Josh & Emily down the mountain slides, the rest of us went up the mountain for another great view on the ski lift! That evening we had some pizza & salad and went to "The Track"...a great place for everyone. The little kids enjoyed the ferris wheel, go carts, swings, and other rides while the big kids enjoyed the Go Carts! The first round the little kids went with the big kids.
Thursday was the day the Pire clan & the Pritchett clan left the cabin. Craig flew home that night to get into the doctor first thing Friday morning. The rest of took some time to relax and just play around the cabin. Alex was into the Wii and playing all the sports. Nana was playing some bowling with the kids. Rob, Ellen & I got away to do some more shopping at the outlets! We had our favorite BBQ chicken kabobs that night.
Friday we all went on a hike up to Laurel Falls. It is a 3 mile round trip hike up a mountain to see some beautiful waterfalls. Papa & Rob took turns pushing Nana in the wheelchair so she wouldn't miss out on any of the fun! The kids did great...the occasional whine and complain but I was getting tired myself so I understood their pain! Almost to the bottom and it started to pour down rain! We went back to the cabin and cleaned up for our favorite restaurant...The Apple Barn! We all sat around and told what our favorite thing was about the trip and then we went around again and said one nice thing about the person next to us. It was nice to hear the kids come up with great things to say about others! After dinner the guys took the kids back to the cabin and once again Mom, Ellen & I hit some last minute stores...we found some GREAT deals!
Saturday was pack it up and head home day! It was a long day! It was so nice to come home and have my hubby waiting to help us unload and greet us after a 10 hour trip in the car!
I am so blessed and it was such a great week. Even thought there were times of chaos, it was fun and once again we made memories we will never forget! I'll post some pictures after I get the disk from my mom & Ellen (I took some pictures but they always take LOTS)
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