40th Fun!

On Friday, we got up and hit the strip!

Levi got to drive his own little go-cart!  So cute!

I hate that this pic is out of focus!  Shoot!  He loved driving his own!

We stayed at the Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort.

There is a water park on site.

I lost count how many times Jacob went down the slides. 

Lots of steps to the top, but that didn't stop him!

Kate & John :)

After everyone got cleaned up, we went out to eat for my birthday :)

It was such a fun day!  Turning 40 wasn't so bad :)

Thanksgiving Day

I didn't realize Gatlinburg was a tourist town - where have I been?  It reminds me a bigger Branson.  There was so much to see/do on the 'strip'. 

After lunch, we hit up a few fun spots. 

We rode the ferris wheel.  So fun!

Later we went to Ober Gatlinburg.

We rode the aerial tram up the mountain and did a few of the activities there, including the ski mountain coaster.  It was sooooo fun!!!  Levi rode with me and he loved it!  He kept telling me to go faster (you control your speed - which is something we had to remind Beth several times.  she wasn't too excited about it. Ha!)

Jacob and Kris were in the car behind us.  Can you see them? :)

It wasn't our traditional Thanksgiving and I loved doing something out of the ordinary for us. 
We had great weather and it was a day full of thanks!

Thanksgiving Lunch

We got right in at Paula Deen's Family Kitchen restaurant.

Thank you call-ahead seating.

The food was very good!  Since it was a holiday, everything was served family style.

This was the only pic I took of the food.  So yummy!

We had a wonderful lunch, even though when I turned the lazy susan on our table, I knocked John's tea in his lap.  DOH!  Sorry John!  :)

Good times!  Great memories with family!

Thanksgiving Week

We did not take a family vacation this summer, instead we planned a quick getaway for Thanksgiving (which we have never done).  My parents, and Beth's family went as well.  And since my 40th birthday was the same week, it was basically my trip.  HA! J/K!

We decided on Gatlinburg, TN. 

We decided to break the trip up going out there.  We drove by Loretta Lynn's home, and I had to stop since I love the movie Coal Miner's Daughter.  I would have LOVED to take the tour.

If you've seen the movie, this house is in it.  I was so giddy!! 

The boys on the other hand, had no clue.  HA!

My cousin lives about a couple hours out of the way, but since we were so close, we decided to drive over to see him.  And my aunt and uncle were in town for Thanksgiving, so that was an extra treat.

My cousin owns a gun shop and I know Kris, John, and my dad would love to shoot at the gun range, heck, so would I, so we went back to his store after lunch and did just that!

We shot an AK-47 and an AR-15.

I had never held a gun before so it was definitely an experience!

It was sooo loud in there, too!  There were other people in the range shooting as well, and let me tell ya... I felt very vulnerable being in there with other people with loaded guns.  It was a weird feeling! 

Now we can say we've shot one.

Misc. Catch Up

Levi and I met Beth one morning for coffee.

While we were enjoying our visit, the school called and said Jacob wasn't feeling well.

Sure enough, he tossed his cookies as I was signing him out.

Thankfully, it was a quick bug.  He took a nap (which only happens when he's sick). 

And he felt much better after he woke up.  It was the weirdest thing.

While the boys are still young enough to humor me, I pulled out a Thanksgiving craft.

Jacob asked if I would buy him a pair of footed pjs.  He didn't have to tell me twice!

However, he got hot at one point in the night, because the next morning I found them on his floor. HA!

Levi has my love for the price is right.  It was my favorite game show growing up.

And to this day, if I'm home, I'll watch it. :)  His little imagination found the cutest microphone. :)

The boys playing with the selfie stick :)