We went on a Great Smoky Mountains get-away over the 4th of July weekend and had a great time, despite the rain...(we couldn't escape it, even in Tennessee...)
It had been the plan for the other carloads to leave at 8 or 9am but we knew that wouldn't work for Max & Lucy. They typically get up for the day at around 7:30 so to get in the car for 5 hours right after waking up...well, it just wasn't an option. While Max is very good in the car, I know there's a limit - and I know it's much less than 5 hours! And Lucy's been known to get carsick so our best bet was to travel while they were sleeping...which meant we left at about 5am.
We had a scare just outside of Florence when Lucy yelled out, "An American flag!" and pointed to one she saw (I think by the Florence Freedom stadium)...and then asked if we were almost there...luckily, she went right back to sleep!
They did wonderfully and we stopped at McDonald's for breakfast just outside of Gatlinburg.
When we left home, it wasn't raining but it was by the time we got to Lexington and it never really stopped...
The plan had been to hang out and explore until the others arrived and until we could check in (at 4pm) but the rain put a literal damper on things...
Finally, after a little bit of Googling, we found the Gatlinburg Community Center. Inside, they had a gym/basketball court, a game room with a pool table and ping pong table, a small bowling alley and an indoor pool. We decided to go for a swim:
We had fun swimming and splashing around until it was time to meet up with everyone else at the cabin.
We stayed in a very nice, spacious cabin. We had our own room with a King sized bed plus a futon for Lucy and Max's pack-n-play. There was a pool table and an arcade game in the basement which were a lot of fun. Lucy especially enjoyed the decks (which she kept calling "docks") on every level.
 |
| Hanging out on the dock |
The thermostat on the hot tub had a mind of its own but whenever we could manage to get the temperature down, the kids loved having their own personal pool on the deck off of the living room!
 |
| Carli, Drake, Chelsea, Alli, Amy, Kathy, Nikki, Paisley, Super Lucy and Max |
 |
| These three were exploring partners! I kind of hung out half way between them and Max (who hung with Grandma when I went a little further) and took some pics |
After some outdoor adventure time, we headed back to the cabin to meet up with the guys.
Later, the kids and I went down to the pool with Aunt Nikki & Steven and Aunt Amy...it was a little cool out and the water was even cooler but the kids (and the adults) had tons of fun!
Lucy has decided that she wants to marry Steven! When Aunt Nikki asked her to be a flower girl in her wedding, Lucy actually said, "I'll think about it" to her! As if that weren't harsh enough, she now has plans to steal the groom?!
 |
| Aunt Nikki and her flower girls |
Maxyboy was all over the place...even inside the bathroom cabinets...
He loved exploring and wandering and he kept me on my toes...but I did teach him how to come down the stairs safely while in Gburg!
 |
| These two are just toooooo cute!!!!!! |
The 4th of July was a little bit rainy but we decided to head downtown to try to have some fun...the following pictures make that look a little bit more successful than it actually was:
 |
| Max was napping in the stroller at this point |
 |
| He woke up! |
Next, we went back to the cabin and changed and headed down to the pool. Max napped in the stroller while Daddy and Lucy swam.
 |
| Photobomb! |
After dinner, we went to watch the fireworks. Though it was getting late for Max and we weren't exactly sure how he'd do, we both wanted to take Lucy...so we packed both kids up and headed down with Amy, Nikki, Steven, Craig, Chelsea, Carli and Drake (Grandma, Grandpa and the girls stayed behind...they weren't interested in fireworks). No need to worry about Max - he slept through the whole thing! He fell asleep in the car on the way and didn't wake up when we parked and transferred him from carseat to stroller and he didn't wake up once during the fireworks show - and they were LOUD! Lucy loved watching them but was slightly bothered by the noise so Dave covered her ears for much of the show - while her baby brother continued to snooze...
 |
| They were best friends at the fireworks! |
 |
| Fireworks night family photo! |
The next day was out last day so we wanted to make the most of it. The weather even cooperated for us - no rain and plenty of nice, warm sunshine! I wanted to take the tram to OberGatlinburg but Dave decided it was "too dangerous" so we drove up instead. Lucy had the time of her life! She rode the carousel right away and then she and Dave went into a huge maze. She even won a prize and very seriously said, "I won a prize but Daddy didn't...I had to tell him which way to go." Good thing he had her with him!
 |
| Max and I hung out on the viewing platform for a bit and watched them work their way through |
I guess Lucy missed the rain because she wanted to get wet on the big water slide. Dave hates having wet clothes and then walking around so I was her partner in crime. We did get pretty wet but it was super fun and we dried pretty quickly. Soon after the water ride, she wanted me to do the Sky Lift with her which gave us the perfect opportunity to dry out.
 |
| The big splash |
 |
| The wet girls |
She was so brave on the Sky Lift. She didn't get nervous at all...but she was wiggling around in that seat so much that I may have felt a little anxious at times! We played "I spy" and had some fun conversations on the way up and down!
After the ride, we ate the lunch we packed and let Max run around a little while Lucy did some more fun, big-girl things.
I think the playground in OberGatlinburg might have been Max's favorite part of the entire trip - particularly the ball pit...he had so much fun! Lucy really enjoyed it, too.
Lucy and Daddy finally got a chance to have a golf outing of their own:
 |
| I love her stance! |
We had a great time up there and they were both pretty tuckered out by the time we left.
That night I finally got in the hot tub for the first time - and Lucy got in for the last time.
 |
| Max had tons of fun playing with the bigger kids - I think he thought he was as big as them! |
Since the 5am departure worked out so well on the way down, we decided to do it again on the way home. Goodbye, cabin!
 |
| Zzzzzzzzzz |
We had a great time! Thanks so much to Grandma & Grandpa for making it happen! And for buying Lucy this shirt which she wore to school on her first day back!
