My parents lived in Maryville, Tennessee when I was born. They get all smiley and google eyed at times when they talk about living there. As a kid I often asked why they moved back. I really don't remember their answer but I know why now. Anyway, my parents often talk about spending all their free time in the mountains. They didn't have much money and the park is free. What a better way to spend your weekend than picnicing and swimming in the mountains.
So our Tuesday started with really no plans at all. Matt wanted to ride the skylift in Gatlinburg and I just wanted the boys to see a bear. We headed to Gatlinburg. If any of you have ever been there you know what I'm talking about when I say it was CrAzY busy!! Gatlinburg is a beautiful little town settled in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. However it is so commercialized that it will drive you insane! There is one road into town. It is so busy that it takes you about 30 minutes to get from one end of town to another, and the town is not big at all. On our way in I told Matt about the public parking lot and the shuttle that you can take. He of course didn't hear me. So now we are driving in the heart of town and trying to find a place to park. I see another sign for parking, not a city owned lot of course, and we turn. $10.00! TEN dollars! It was 10 bucks just to park! We are only getting lunch and riding the skylift! Ok..so this is the one thing Matt wanted to do here...$10..ok! We came here about two summers after we got married and we couldn't afford to ride it then. He really wants to do this. I want to too but am sort of the one who always says ...well we really can't afford that...
We eat lunch at McDonalds, McNasty is what Matt calls it, and then proceed to the skylift. We do see this really cool granite ball floating on water and we stop to play for a minute.
Here's Matt and Adam riding the skylift. They loved it! Ben and Josh did too, but I couldn't get a good picture of them.
So after the madness of Gatlinburg we drove to Cades Cove. If you've never been there I strongly suggest it! The Smokys are the most visited of all the National Parks. I have a personal tie to the area but that aside it is truely breath taking! I have so many pics that I would love to share but just don't have the room on here. Anyway, we drive to Cades Cove and take the loop. We see the mountains and a few deer. The river that runs through the mountains is just beautiful! We stop and let the kids put their feet in the water and this is the view looking at the water.
I can see how my parents fell in love with this place!! The water was cold, but felt great on everyones toes. It was refreshing on that 100 degree day! Next stop Cades Cove!!! By this time I was starting to feel a little crappy, but I'm taking my boys to Cades Cove so buck up sister!
We get there and take the loop. We see the houses and churches but no one wants to get out and look. As a kid we always got out to walk up and see everything. It's so hot that no one cares what is in the houses! We see some deer and thats about it. The boys are starting to get board with our drive. Pretty soon we see a few trucks pulled over and people looking in a field. We stop and Matt asks whats going on. A BEAR!!! WOOHOO!!! This is the one and only thing I wanted the kids to see, other than the river!!! Want to see a picture??
ummm...Yeah so do I. He's there, I swear he's there! I wish I knew how to zoom in or better yet I wish I took the picture, but I know he's there! He was standing up on his back feet and looking around then he would drop back down. Ben was the only one who says he saw it . I can be a happy girl the rest of this trip. The kids got to see a bear and got to put their feet in the river. Life is good!!
We got back to the camper at about 6:00 and I go to sleep. I'm really not feeling well and start to think I have strep. Not a good thing when your on vacation! Matt cooks dinner, get the boys to bed and does the laundry!! Holy cow do I have an awsome husband or what!!!
Next day I feel a bit better. We spend the morning driving go carts, playing putt putt and riding bumper boats. The boys really needed to have a little fun and boy did we have fun!! After lunch it's back to the mountains we go! We pack up our swim stuff and head to the "Y"!! There is a place in the mountains where two rivers meet and head down. They call it the Y. At least they did when my parents lived there. It was great!!! After swimming Matt stops at Kroger for some Mucinex-D. Yeah, I feel crappy again!
Our time in Tennessee was great, but not long enough! I never got a chance to see any of my family that is there. We didn't get to spend as much time as I would have liked there so I guess we'll just have to go back sometime. We did however do all the things that we wanted to. My kids got to swim and see where their grandparents fell in love. They got to see a bear even though the picture didn't turn out great and my husband got to ride the skylift! This is turning into the best vacation ever!!
On to Arkansas! It's a ten hour drive so we plan to leave no later than 8:00 a.m. We should arrive at about 6:00 p.m. right?!?!
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