Our Dollywood Vacation in Pigeon Forge! (singing) Awesome!

Last month, we took the most awesome-est (it's a word!) vacation we have ever taken and I have not yet gotten around to talking about it or posting pics.  I know I have been slacking, but between trying to maintain an A average in my online classes (which I have been doing very well, BTW), keeping the things the kids have to do in school straight, which I have NOT been doing very well, and running an FRG, I am a little over whelmed.

SO, at the end of last month, we went on our first REAL family vacation.  Where we actually paid for it.  Not the military.  Not a group retreat.  It was a family vacation.  It was a toss up between Disney World and Tennessee.  Disney lost due to the extreme Florida heat in August.

I must say, I am SOOOOOO happy that we decided on Pigeon Forge, Tennessee!

We stayed in a great cabin in the mountains that was so much like a home.  It was so comfortable that we decided to stay an extra day!

The kids loved it.  It was 2 floors with a pool table and a hot tub.  I don't think you can imagine HOW many times we had to hear, "Can we get in the hot tub?" and "Sure hope we're going to get in the hot tub today."  Finally, on maybe the second night, we all got in the hot tub.  Now, we can all say that we had our first experience in a hot tub.  And we did it together as a family.

We went to Dollyworld, Dolly Parton's Amusument park.  It was really nice.  I think we picked a great weekend to travel because it was the weekend before Labor Day and it was slow tourism.  Not good for business, but GREAT for us!  We were able to walk right to the front of EVERY line for EVERY ride and we had SOOOO much fun. 

I really expected the Amusement Park to be the best attraction, but there was so much more to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinsburg.  There was so much going on there that you need at least a week to see everything. 

We LOVED LOVED LOVED the Ripley's attractions. 

Believe it or Not, the 3-D Moving Theatre, the Mirror Maze was hilarious, the Aquarium was huge and the haunted house... well, we didn't exactly didn't get to see that, not with 3 very scared kids.  One wanted to go in, but decided it to be too much after seeing the very first "ghost".  LOL!

All in all, this was the best trip we could have taken.  I really enjoyed it and I know the kids enjoyed it.  And honestly, I think this has to be the first time I have seen Hubs so relaxed and having such a good time.  After a year tour in Iraq, this was great for him.  For All of Us!  Surely, this will become a regular spot for us!