Back in late summer Marc and I thought about getting a bunch of friends together at a cabin in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. We all have season passes to Dollywood thanks to a wonderful friend of ours. Marc found a large cabin and we worked on a date that everyone could go. The girls and I worked super hard to get five days of school work done in only three days so we could get away without worrying about school. My girls are amazing rock stars. We were all pushed just about to our limits, but they wanted to be done more than I did. There is a reason that we usually take five days to complete five days of work. :)
There were five families going to Tennessee with a total of 15 children. The baby and the teenager stayed with their parents, but all of the other kids stayed in this room. It was amazingly perfect for them and they had the best time.
How cool to have a horse in your room!
There were all of these cubbies along the wall that the kids claimed to keep their belongings. I was shocked when I walked past Brooke's cubbie and saw this. This girl could care less about order and organization at home.
The cabin was on a horse farm and the scenery from the back deck was beautiful.
Weekdays during the school year are the best time to go to Dollywood. Lines were super short and the kids have a little freedom to run around without the crowds.
We had so much fun hanging out and laughing. Good friends are good for the soul. We had many funny moments together including this "three men and a baby" one.
Friday morning we woke up and the Johnson's (and Deidre) made everyone a wonderful breakfast of pancakes, bacon, sausage, and eggs. We then relaxed for a few hours before the park opened. It was such a time of refreshment as us ladies rarely just sit on the couch these days. The Smiths headed out early so we didn't get them included in our pictures. :(
11:00PM bedtime with a 7:30AM wake up makes for a tired little girl. She was out cold within five minutes of getting in the car.
Brooke isn't a big fan of roller coasters, but she was super patient while the big kids (and parents) rode many rides. On Saturday we finally made it back over to the little kid rides. While she was waiting on her sisters to finish a ride her daddy took her to play a game of tossing rings on bottles. Apparently he has pretty good aim because the next thing I know she comes running back to me with a huge Pinkie Pie. It was a tight squeeze getting home in our new, smaller vehicle, but the joy on her face when her daddy won her this horse was worth every minute of it.
It was such a refreshing few days away with some of the best friends we could ask for. I am so thankful for the blessing of these people in our lives. The kids are such great friends and I pray that they remain so for many years.
