Smokey Mountain vacation!

9/18/14

I thought I'd use this blog post to talk about our AMAZING trip to the Smokies.  Just Ben and I went.  It was the.best.idea.ever.  Everyone should leave their children and go on a vacation.  Of course, only if you are able to leave your children in qualified hands....  which we were able to do.  Thanks mom and dad!!!  Seriously, they're the best-- they watched the kids for a WHOLE honking week-- that's a realllly long time!

I think this vacation would have looked a tad bit different if I wasn't pregnant and disabled, but we still had a great time. (I'm sure we would have done A LOT more hiking and maybe horseback riding or tubing or white water rafting-- things like that--maybe a different time =)) Let's start at the beginning...

The ride there was great.  It's amazing how easy it is to travel without kids.  WOW.  I'd forgotten ;)

We stayed in an amazing cabin.  The best way to describe it is a honeymoon suite.  A couple from our church owns it, and it's the cutest little cabin I've ever seen.  It's a cabin in the middle of nowhere but still close to everything.  It was a very quiet place and super cozy. Perfect. There are a number of windy uphill roads leading to the cabin..... and a few times we wondered if our dear car was going to make it.  It always did but barely... Phew.

Here's some of the inside.... the living room.

The kitchen and where I did NO cooking. I mean, don't get me wrong, I do enjoy cooking, but a week-long break was fantastic!  We ate breakfast in the cabin nearly every morning and often had lunch there too.  Once we grilled brats for supper since there was a grill on the screened in porch... but Ben did that =)

And here is the jacuzzi that was next to the glorious king sized bed.  Seriously relaxing.  Also, I actually didn't feel bad about having my massive pregnancy pillow in bed!

I have more pictures, but don't want to overload. I'll probably make an album on facebook.  There was also a screened in porch that had a hot tub.  Unfortunately, I couldn't use it too much since I didn't want to cook the baby.  I did put my legs in while Ben enjoyed.... and maybe got in for just a FEW minutes a time or two.  It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tempting.  I love hot tubs.  And you know what?  The last TWO times I've had access to a hot tub, I've been pregnant (the previous time was when we went to AZ, and I was pregnant with Grace).  wahhhh!

So enough about the place-- although we did spend significant amounts of time there relaxing.  Let's move on to what we did!

The first day we went to Clingman's dome, and the Smokies were QUITE smokey.  It was really pretty neat!

This is a VICTORY picture.  I climbed all the way up Clingman's dome. I didn't realize how steep it was BEFORE the climb... but I made it, and I'm glad I did it!  It's amazing how your back holds up when you're not carrying around your 24(ish) pound daughter all the time. (it was a bit cool up there!)  Also, I got a pair of Keens before we left, and they were AMAZING!!

Another day we spent the morning/afternoon at Cade's cove.  Thanks to all who suggested it-- it was VERY fun!  We were totally bummed not to see bears though.... we were on a serious bear hunt.  We had lunch around 3 that day at a place called Applebarn.  It was perfect-- there was no one there! They had AMAZING apple fritters!

 

 

We also went to Dixie Stampede for dinner one night.  That was really fun too--good food and good entertainment!  We were in a row full of people from the nursing home, so there wasn't a whole lot of cheering going on.  Plus, Ben was upset we were on the North side, so really I was basically the only one cheering in my section.... and when you're the only one cheering, you start to feel like a loser.  There was a competition where you had to pass a flag down your row really quickly.... we didn't win....  And, I was actually part of the hold up because the person next to me refused to take the flag, so I had to grab it from someone TWO people down, and it really threw me off.....

One night we decided to go mini golfing.  It didn't go well for me.  But, it went QUITE well for Ben.  On THREE holes he got a hole in one.  It was insane.... and kind of annoying.  Here he is grabbing his first hole in one out... hahahaha.  Actually, this was the "mystery hole"  At the beginning of the course they say if you get a hole in one in the mystery hole, you get a free game!!!  So, I should have been REALLY celebrating here, I just didn't know it.

 

Then, he says to me on a different hole.  "Melanie, video tape my hole in one"  And I said... "Are you serious......???"  It was in the tone like.... you've GOT to be kidding me-- there's no way you're getting a hole in one again, and I can't believe you're asking me to videotape you.  Watch for yourselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aUFCjwp5BA&feature=youtu.be

LOL.  Was that a LUCKY shot or what?!

At the end we did get a free game, so we went back a different evening and played again.  We love mini golf.  Well, I like it less now, but I used to love mini golf. ;)

The next day we went on a FIVE AND A HALF MILE HIKE.  Now, normally this wouldn't be a big deal.... but the last few months I've had a hard time walking around the block let alone a mile (because of my back).  I'm not sure what came over me.  I think I was feeling really well (from not holding kids and keeping up the house every day etc.), and I really really wanted to go with Ben.  It was an "easy" hike (they tell you how difficult it's going to be), so I decided to go for it.  I felt like I might die at the end.... or maybe never walk again, but I'm glad I did it.  I also was secretly terrified I was going to go into labor on the hike LOL.  I didn't mention that to Ben because I didn't want him to pass out. (Note: I was only 30 weeks, so it was highly unlikely... I just have problems)

Here we are!  I picked up those shorts at TJ Maxx out there since the ones I brought were too small.... HAHAHHA.  Whoops ;)  Doesn't Ben look fashionable too??  We were quite the pair.  It was a beautiful hike.  We stopped and had lunch near a creek on some rocks.

  

We stopped to eat at a place with a really fun view one day too.  Isn't that a pretty waterfall?  I have a picture of us in front of it... but the nice one is blurry and the non blurry one Ben has his eyes closed.  That's what happens when we try to take a picture....  and you can't ask the person to take ANOTHER one when they've already taken two......

 

We also went back to Cade's cove a second time since the first time we wanted to spend more time there but didn't have food and had to leave.... another OOPS.

The trip was great. It was the perfect balance of busy and relaxing.  My favorite part was spending time with just Ben.  We had SO much fun together just the two of us!!  It was kind of weird going anywhere we pleased and not worrying about nap time or having lunch or dinner at a decent hour, but we really enjoyed the freedom.  Of course we missed our kids and were glad to get back to them!

Anyway, there's the overview =) When we went to get Caleb he seemed excited to see us but then was upset to leave Grandpa and Grammy's.  Then when we got home he said "I was crying because you left me at Grandpa and Grammy's" He doesn't even know what he wants hahaha!

Also, Grace grew up while we were gone.  She's talking all the time now (gibberish of course) but she clearly knows what she wants and what she's going for.  Her latest issue is when we say, "Come here Grace" she runs the other direction giggling with a HUGE smile on her face.  Um.... kind of funny but not really...  we're working on it....

Hope YOU all had a great week.  We're still on vacation this week, so we've just been enjoying time the four of us. (well 5 really... you know I'm pro-life!) It's been a beautiful week, and tomorrow we hope to go to the zoo!  Praise God for time off and for family! I'm so thankful.

Thanks for listening!

-Melanie