Gatlinburg

Ever since I was a very little girl, my family has taken a weekend trip to Gatlinburg each October.  The smell of caramel apples, fudge, and funnel cakes permeate the air. The activities I have enjoyed in Gatlinburg have changed drastically throughout the years.  As a small child, I couldn't wait to ride the Sky-Lift and play miniature golf.  As a teenager, I wanted to go through Haunted Houses, play Laser Tag, and ice skate on Ober Gatlinburg.  Now, as an adult, I like to visit shops along the main strip, eat my favorite sweets, and shop at the Outlet Mall in Sevierville.  I love that my ever-expanding extended family is right there with us, along for the fun.  I know that as our children get older, I will most likely watch the same activities begin to lure them back to Gatlinburg.  Ah, family traditions, what more is there to say?

Friday night, after a long day of traveling for everyone, our whole crew grabbed a quick supper at Five Guys and then took in some great live Bluegrass Music.  There was even a sweet, elderly couple there clogging in their finest outfits.  I hope to be that active when I'm their age!  This area was a great spot for photo ops, too.  So we took full advantage.

Great-Grandaddy Hughes strolled Hadley around the streets.  Grandaddy and Nana went with my family on ALL of our Gatlinburg trips when I was growing up.  The past few years, he and Nana have been on some exotic trip somewhere so we were so excited when they decided to stay home and go to Gatlinburg with us again.  He and I have taken many trips up and down the Sky-Lift over the years.

Hadley has been talking about Gatlinburg for quite some time now.  She knew that her cousin, Addison, would be there.  Hadley has three first cousins who are girls; all within 18 months of her.  I say she already has built-in bridesmaids.  Needless to say, they bring her great joy and I love it!

Canaan was only three weeks old for his first Gatlinburg trip.  We debated, greatly, as to whether we would still go, having a newborn with us.  But with ALL the family we had going, we knew there would be plenty of people staying behind in the hotel rooms to watch him from time to time.  In fact, this night was the only night he actually left the room.  He did fantastic on his first trip!  Nana and Grandaddy are so enjoying their great-grandchildren.  We are so thankful for them!

Sweet cousins having too much fun together!  Both nights of our trip, Hadley and Addison even "camped out" in a tent on the floor of Nana and Poppy's hotel room.  Ava just isn't quite ready for their rowdiness at this point.  Love these memories! 

Hadley enjoying her very first candy apple. Now I am strictly a caramel apple gal, myself.  But I think the bright red color is very appealing to small kiddos, especially.  I try not to stress out over messy foods, but I'm not always successful.  Lucky for me, I have trained (or rather traumatized) Hadley in to asking for wet wipes or napkins at the slightest sign of dirt or stickiness.  Bless her heart! 

My Uncle Mark's family joined us this year, too, which was so fun.  He turns 50 this year, so we had a special "Senior" hat for him to wear at dinner one night.  As you can see, it's not so much about the dozens of wedding chapels, mechanical bulls, or airbrushed t-shirts for us.  It's simply a place we have visited every year for 25+ years.  Family...getting together...enough said.  Fun times!!