Gatlinburg, TN

Over Labor Day weekend, we went to Gatlinburg with some good friends of ours and rented a Cabin up in the Smokey Mountains.

Let's just say, I've never seen so many Fudge shoppes in my life.  Friday, we spent the day on foot, exploring the main street.

My first experience with Mellow Mushroom Pizza.  It was wonderful, I highly recommend it. 

All the kids with the grumpy men.  We had 8 kids total in our group.  I guess I'm used to it and didn't think much about it, but if I had a dollar for every time I heard "Are all these kids yours?"  After a while it became a joke and we kept ditching one another and trying to pawn all the kids off on each other, just to hear the comments.  At one point, the dad's were stopped on a corner and asked "Are you two married or are you just happy?"   At least my hubby said he was happy.

Dukes of Hazard Museum

 

The highlight of the afternoon...

We took a little motor ride up the hill and followed the golf course down through covered wagons, trees and even outhouses.  It was very nice to be in the shade at this point.

We figured out that Nate is a pretty good mini-golfer if he plays left handed.   I don't remember the scores, but I'm pretty sure I won... 

Our cabin was really nice.  It even had a recreation room for the kids downstairs.

I feel sorry for those who have to sleep with my children. That is Liv on the right...

Nate wasn't much kinder....

On Saturday, we went hiking in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  While driving in, we  saw two bears up in the tree. 

Hence the name Smoky Mountains....

We were pretty lucky with the weather.  It was hot and humid Friday & Saturday, but at least it was sunny.  Sunday, the rain came pouring down, the remnants of hurricane Katia.  We lost satellite and telephone service for most of the day, although funny that the one TV channel that actually worked was BYU TV.

Monday, the rain continued.  It took us a little under 5 hours to get to Gatlinburg on Thursday night, but it took almost 10 hours to get home on Monday.  I had no idea the traffic out of Gatlinburg would be so terrible.