Spring Break 2013 - Family Photo & NASCAR

I can't explain why, but I've always wanted us to take an old timey photo.  And my awesome husband and stepson made it happen!  (Because an old timey picture by myself would just be awkward.)

I love how it turned out!  Daulton had so much fun dressing up and I know he looks serious in the picture, but he was smiling the entire time from ear to ear.  Matt had no problem with the serious poses and while it wasn't his idea of a good time, he indulged us both and I love, love, love how it turned out!  (Click on the picture to make it larger if you are viewing this post directly on the blog.)

After our family picture, the boys felt the need for speed and we hit the go kart tracks.  My role was that of photographer and spectator.

We tried one track by our hotel but it was pretty crowded. So we stopped at the NASCAR Speedpark on our way out of town.  The park had 8 different tracks, miniature golf, and some carnival type rides.  I couldn't ride any of the rides, but I had fun watching them had fun and enjoyed the spring sunshine.

After NASCAR we started the long ride home.  We had done everything we wanted to do in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg and I was ready to be back in my own bed.  It was great to get out of town for a few days and I think it was something we needed as a family.  Now I'm curious as to where we will go next year as a family of four!

 

Spring Break 2013 - Shopping, Hillbilly Golf, & The Comedy Barn

Day 2 of Spring Break started with some shopping in Gatlinburg.  We only visited a few shops that interested us and we made a stop at the Ole Smoky Distillery.  Matt was the only one who could sample the moonshine but it was interesting to see the shop.  They also had a wine shop where I found a shirt I will need in about 4 more months!

We bought a jar of peanut butter with chocolate and honey mixed in, elk summer sausage, and duck, alligator, kangaroo jerky sticks.  Can you guess who picked out what?

After shopping, we did some Hillbilly Golf.  You go 300 feet up the side of the mountain to play 18 holes of miniature golf and it was a lot of fun!

The final stop for the day was to The Comedy Barn, a live show in Pigeon Forge, TN.  We got there early enough for Daulton to be selected as a helper during the dog act.  He was really excited to be picked and wasn't nervous at all to be up on stage.  The show was good and we have the DVD, which Daulton would be happy to watch with you!

This picture is a little fuzzy but you can see how excited he is!

This was our last night in Tennessee and after the busy day we had, we were exhausted!  Walking, shopping, miniature golfing, and participating in a comedy show deserved some cupcakes for dessert and a last swim in the hotel pool.  There were no pictures of the cupcakes as I was too busy eating mine to remember to take a picture.  But they were very cute and very delicious!

One more Spring Break post and when you are in Hillbilly Vegas, it only makes sense to make a pit stop at NASCAR on your way home!

Spring Break 2013 - Aquarium Trip

After we checked into our hotel, we drove to Gatlinburg and decided to check out Ripley's Aquarium.  We bought our tickets and started checking out all the fish.  We really enjoyed the aquarium and checking out the different kinds of fish.  Matt even bought us a souvenir photo, something I really appreciate as I always forget to have us take family pictures!

There was a huge tank filled with sharks, sting rays, and other fish I can't name.  There was a tunnel with a moving walk way so you can see how big the sharks are up close.  The sharks were huge and I couldn't stop staring at the saw sharks, they were just so strange looking.

The tunnel was great to go through but impossible for me to photograph, stare at the fish, and keep my balance on the moving walk way.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Matt and Daulton from the aquarium.  They both had the same fascination with the jelly fish.

The aquarium had great spots for kids to get in the exhibits.  Its hard to see it in this picture but Daulton is making a funny face as the penguins were passing by him.  If you are reading this in the browser, click on the picture to see it larger.

Watch out for the penguin photo bomber!!

Matt was brave enough to pick up a horseshoe crab.  Daulton and I were not.  Matt and Daulton also got to pet the stingrays.  I did not as I was in the bathroom.  (Being five months pregnant and on vacation meant stopping at every bathroom I saw.)

Daulton found Nemo!

After the aquarium, we headed back to the hotel to let Daulton swim for a few hours and then we headed out for pizza for dinner.  By the time we got back to the hotel we were all pretty tired from the drive, aquarium, walking, and swimming.

Speaking of hotel pools, why are they so loud?  Is it the bad acoustics or the fact that every small child in the pool is constantly shrieking with joy?  I mistakenly thought reading by the pool would be relaxing but Daulton thought it was fantastic and that's what counts.

 

Spring Break 2013

This week was Daulton's Spring Break and I took the week off from work and we headed out of town for a few days.  We stopped at my sister and brother-in-law's house in Lexington last Sunday for a quick visit and to spend the night.  Some unfortunate packing on my part left Daulton without clean socks, but luckily he and my sister have the same size feet and she loaned us some socks.

The drive to Gatlinburg, TN on Monday morning was a little overcast but we still had a great view of the mountains.  Once we got near Gatlinburg, the sun came out and it was a beautiful day.

We were able to check into our hotel early and we had a nice view of the water.  We stayed at The Inn on the River in Pigeon Forge and it was a great hotel for us.  Matt found a good deal on Groupon for our stay and we liked that it was centrally located.  The guys liked to sit on the patio in the mornings (while I slept in) and watch the ducks.

This trip was the boys first trip to Gatlinburg and my second.  Gatlinburg today is nothing like I remembered it as a kid.  The best descriptions of the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area is "Kiddie Vegas" and "Hillbilly Vegas".  There are bright lights and billboards everywhere and instead of casinos everywhere, there are miniature golf and go-kart tracks as far as the eye can see.

There are more posts to come with pictures of the rest of our trip!

Trip to Indiana Beach

Last week we took a family trip to Indiana Beach.  We stayed for two nights and two days and we had a great time.  We spent our first day in the park riding rides.  I loved the log flume and Matt and Daulton learned sometimes I scream like a little girl.  Daulton loved the airplane ride and Matt enjoyed riding in the back of the antique cars while Daulton drove.  I asked Matt why he picked that ride and he said, "because we did it 5 times" but I think its because he does most of the driving and it was nice for him to be a passenger for once.

They also had an awesome water show.  We were amazed at the water skiers, divers, and the crazy kid driving the boat really fast right next to the dock.  They had people driving jet skis while they were on fire.  Yes, I said on fire.  At one point they drove by were we were sitting, while on fire, and the heat was intense.

To be honest, I did not take many pictures because I was too busy watching the show with my mouth hanging open. 

We also hit up the splash park for the last 15 minutes it was open.  It was hot and we needed to cool down fast.  I am a big chicken and only got my feet wet and lounged in the chairs while the guys took their shirts off and proceeded to get refreshingly drenched.  After we dried off, we headed to dinner (in the air conditioning) and then it was back out to ride rides until the park closed.  We rode the Schafer Queen and Daulton feed the really gross carp.  I wish I had a picture to show you how disgusting they were, but then I would have a picture of disgusting fish.  Click here for an idea of what I am talking about.  Daulton and I rode the Scrambler twice to end Day 1 at Indiana Beach.  We made our way back to the hotel and crashed.

Our plan for Day 2 was to hit up the water park as soon as it opened.  We noticed on Day 1 that the water park rides were really busy in the afternoon, so we wanted to do as much as we could before the crowds showed up.  So at 11 AM sharp, we were sunscreened and had inner tubes in hand to do some water slides.  I could not believe how fearless Daulton was.  He didn't hesitate, he just threw his tube down and went down the slide.  Matt got dumped out of one of the slides and I got a little panicky in an enclosed, pitch black tube (can you say "control issues"?).  So I was more than excited to go on the lazy river when Daulton suggested it.

You would think lazy river means you can just float, right?  Wrong.  The lazy river is not lazy at all, especially if you are a competitive 6-year old who feels the need to ditch the adults.  So, Matt and I took our time and were actually lazy while Daulton practically did laps around us.  This was about 11:30 AM, Daulton and I went again at 4:30 PM and it was crazy.  The kids were racing and the adults were trying to relax which resulted in pandemonium for all.

After some lunch we hit up the splash park.  I should clarify, Matt and Daulton were in the splash park and I was laying out.  Its funny because I never could understand how my mom could lay out for hours and my dad would call her a lizard.  But now, I totally get it.  Yes boys, go play in the splash park while I take a little cat nap here in my chair.  And I napped until some family tried to steal one of our chairs.  Here's a tip, if you are trying to hijack a chair that is clearly claimed by someone else, pick it up.  The chair dragging on the concrete will wake the other person up and cause you to look like the asshat trying to steal a chair.

After the water park closed, we rode some more rides and played a few more games.  They have a couple of games that are in air conditioned buildings that we found on Day 1.  We had made it a family mission to rack up as many points as we could.  The picture is a result of our hard work. 

Daulton is clearly happy with the results and now uses the giant stuffed animal to practice WWE wresting moves with.  (Note the mattress that is askew, this is what happens when you trap a 6 year old in a hotel room when he wakes up at 8 AM and your park doesn't open until 11 AM.)

The park was a perfect size for us.  We could walk from one side to another several times a day without exhausting ourselves.  The hotel met our needs, but it wasn't great.  The staff at the hotel and park were hit or miss, some were really helpful and others not so much.  The rides were more carnival than huge roller coaster which was nice for Daulton.  We also brought our own breakfast and lunch.  That saved us a lot of money and we felt better throughout the day because we weren't eating fried food all day. 

I am sure in the next few years we will go to larger parks, but for this year I am glad we went to Indiana Beach.

he was not the only kid squatting on the sprinklers

the definition of concentration