Tennessee

This summer we traveled to Tennesee to visit Scott's Aunt Marsha. 

We flew into Knoxville and drove through Pigeon Forge  to Gatlinburg.

We spent a week and had so much fun with family and friends. 

We stopped at the park located at the site of the 1982 World's Fair (see the gold ball in the background).  We stop because 8 hours of planes and buckled-upness is just a bit too much for all of us.  It was pretty humid and hot. 

This was an old picture near the bathrooms.  Funny : )

We took a hike near Ramsey Creek.  It was GORGEOUS!

There were these big boulders all the way down the creek that you could jump on. 

Trevor found salamanders before we even knew to look for them.  He really has a good eye for wildlife.

The salamanders are soooo slippery.  Holding them is nearly impossible.

 

I was feeling goofy.

This is Larry and his fiance Wendy.  They're getting married next month!

Trevor caught a red daddy long leg-looking spider.

We took the Grotto Falls trail.  Along with 500 other tourists.

Our hike up to the falls

My view for far far too much of the falls.  This family from Florida was not letting me pass.  It was a steady stream of people.  I've never seen anything like it on a hike before.  The parking lot was packed.

Then there was some combat picture taking.  Totally weird.  Scott's Aunt said you can get to less crowded hikes if you go further into the Smokies.

Now I'm feeling weird that I haven't changed out of my running clothes.  Sometimes I"m fashion forward, sometimes I'm fashion backwards : )

These guys are really fun people.

 

Then we all took some time to mentally prepare for our Big Family Talent Show.  It was time for all the blood, sweat, and tears to finally pay off.

Art played guitar beautifully.

Marsha performed a coloring book magic trick for her talent and gave the book to Trevor to master later.  That boy turned it into part of his "Amazing Bike Show" not even a week later.  More on that in a future post.

Tuesday morning we had a chance for an early morning date run.

I love this man so much!

This was the only part of the trip I really did not want to see a bear.

They barely fit those arms!

Dinner at the cabin.

The cabin had 5 rooms- each with a whirlpool tub in it.

There are dozens and dozens of mini golf courses in Pigeon Forge. 

This was a pre-show for the Dixie Stampede, ya'll.

Dolly Parton confuses me, but I know she's done a lot of good things for her hometown.

The Dixie Stampede is a rodeo dinner show.  They divide the audience in half and call one side the north and one side the south.  I'm really glad we were sitting in the north's side.

Our little goofballs enjoying their $6 sodas.

I was meant to be a Rodeo Queen.  There's still time, I think.

Papa and Trevor took the front seat on this badboy.  It goes forward and backward and has some kind of firework/flames that shoot out, too.

We went to Ripley's Aquarium.  It was very well done.   

Ripley's Aquarium

Scott in the General Lee at Cooter's Garage-- a Duke's of Hazard Museum.

We were really getting into the posing when I looked up and saw the people behind me waiting their turn.

Go Karts are on every single corner.  It is the thing to do with your kids I tell you.  There is no escaping.

Joel is sad that he can't reach.

This is from Sweet Family Adams Theater.  It was so much fun!

Scott played the "Pretty Daughter" and that has made the boys giggle endlessly.

Do these pants make my butt look big? 

I love the Trust Jesus in neon.  I can more appreciate what is means to be in the "Bible Belt" after this trip.