After Blake and Erin Lombard's wedding, we continued south with my family to Smokey Mountains for a week. We stayed in a cabin just outside of the national park in Gatlinburg but went into the park frequently as we had a spot at Elkmont campground to use for day use so we could be more in the park, play in the streams, ride bikes and cook out.
Michael and Parker did spend one night in tent at campground!
The kids and teh adults enjoyed exploring the old country club homes that are being restored in Elkmont.
I think tubing was the kids favorite. I know Sadie and Levi really enjoyed the streams. Leighton read mostly by the water that she said "was peaceful". Mom and Dad thought of everything. They brought games and tubes and will do anything to make sure everyone is having fun.
Wes and Katie naturally take charge of food prep and meal planning. Though Michael and I went to grocery with them at the beginning, they mostly decided and executed meals. We all are thankful they enjoy this!
We also took 7 mile loop outside of Gatlinburg in the park to look for bears and visit the home steads. Grami really enjoys this portion of seeing the old homes and settlements. Papa really enjoys the conversations he has with the kids. We didn't see any bears here but we saw plenty at the cabin. Every morning there were paw prints on the vehicles from bears trying to get into them for food. They have really become accustomed to human scent and food being synonymous. We were even driving one day by the cabin and a lady flagged us down to show up a bear getting into someone's van and removing food. The bear had opened the unlocked van using its mouth on the door handles.
Sadie being funny and pretending to smoke using a candy cigarette.
Some of us did hike Laurel Falls. Sadie joined Wes and I from our family.
We did spend some time in Gatlinburg at Ripleys aquarium and Believe it or Not due to a rainy day. Sadie also enjoyed getting a henna tattoo and she was the most excited about old-time photos! And I am always enticed for caramel apple here as it smells so good and is a treat not available often. Grami also wanted to take the kids to the Dolly's Dixy Stampede Show. They enjoyed it!
A pool and tennis courts were included with the cabin so the kids swam while Katie and I got in a game of tennis. All the kids liked the hot tube at cabin, especially Sadie.
The activities are fun but it is always the beauty of the streams that gives me nostalgic and lovely feelings in the Smokeys.
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