Mountain Coaster and Go-karts

For our 2nd day in Gatlinburg, we hit the road early to visit the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster. The entire family was ready for a fun experience and it turned out to be so much fun! We rode these single-person cars on a track that had been built into the mountainside, and we were able to go as fast (or slow) as we wanted using the brakes. Of course, my favorite way to ride was at full speed, ha! The funniest thing was that the kids figured out where their pictures were snapped during the ride and had a little fun with the camera. We laughed and laughed at their funny coaster photos!

After the mountain coaster, we drove into Pigeon Forge so that the kids could extend the fun by driving go-karts. They all turned out to be quite talented in the driving department, though Connor and Renee ended up getting tangled up in a kart crash with Uncle Jeb. They were all fine and laughed it off, though I think the impact was quite a bit more jarring than they anticipated, ha! Because of their crash, Kaitlynn managed to pull out a 1st place win on the second race which she was quite proud of!

After the go-karts, we decided to enjoy a nice lunch together and made sure the cousins had their own table together. We did some shopping afterwards, and by the time we made it back to the cabin, we were all pooped! It wasn't long before the kids passed out on their own - far different from years past when the Mommies had to rock those babies to sleep for their afternoon naps!

Exploring Gatlinburg

For our first full day in Gatlinburg, our full crew wanted to explore all the city had to offer. We decided to park at a nearby shuttle stop so that we could ride the shuttle around town and hop on/off around town. Before we even made it out of the neighborhood, we spotted a young bear foraging near the stop sign at the end of our street. Now that's something we don't see everyday!

The Gatlinburg shuttle was a fun was to relax and take in the sights as we figured out what activities our group wanted to check out. We rode into town and hopped off when we were ready to do some walking and sight-seeing around town. There was so much to see and do, but we mostly just wandered up and down the main street and checking out local shops along the way.

When it was time for lunch, we stopped at one of the Gatlinburg favorites and then continued enjoying the shops and sights along the main strip. Of course, we never went very far without making the kids stop for photos along the way. They were having so much fun together and it was great to see everyone together again for the first time since Christmas!

Eventually we decided to stop at the local Hillbilly Golf to enjoy a game of miniature golf on the mountainside. The course was carved into the side of the mountain, which was so unique and made for a challenging round of golf for the competitive ones in the family. It was a fun afternoon activity and a great way to stay out of the sun for a couple hours.

After golf, our crew was hot and tired and ready to retire to the cabin. It didn't take long for the cousin games to continue indoors with Grandaddy while the rest of us worked on dinner and relaxed. It was a great first day exploring Gatlinburg!

Road Trip to Tennessee

One of the highlights of every summer is our annual vacation with the Morgan cousins and families. This year, we were all so excited to spend an extended 4th of July weekend in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of TN. We decided to take a road trip and were delighted to have Renee join us for the long drive. The kids enjoyed having one of their cousins with them to break up the trip, and we enjoyed several pit stops for food and rest along the way.

When we finally arrived in Gatlinburg, we were all so excited to see our home for the week. It was a beautiful 5-bedroom cabin with a massive basement full of games and activities for the cousins. It was the perfect spot for our family getaway, and the kids were so excited for the fun to begin.

The cabin had expansive porches and decks on every level for our annual "perch" spot, and the complex even had a community pool that the kids could enjoy. We were ready to enjoy the outdoor peace and gorgeous views during our stay. Simply beautiful! Let the fun begin!