{Howdy, Ya'll}

Yee Haw, I have been countri-fied! But I am back! Its funny, but you would think that we would talk like that in Georgia, but maybe its because we are too close to Florida which isn't really part of the South (I can say that because I am from Florida). First of all, I hope that everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving. I missed talking to some of you very much over the last week. Anyway, the fam and I are back from a week long vaca with Mark's family in Pigeon Forge, TN. We had a really great time, we stayed out in 2 beautiful cabin's (one mack daddy cabin) and did a lot of fun stuff, ate turkey, did some hot tubbing and just spent some time with family. We took a ride out to Cade's Cove, which I love, but we got there too late to walk around and enjoy it, the kids & my SIL took a killer ride on the ZORB which is a thrill ride originating in New Zealand (I have included those pics and my FIL is going to get a youtube video of it , I will send the link) Its a huge ball that you get into and they push you down a hill essentially. My SIL did it strapped in, while the kids did it with water in the ball and they just slipped and slidded all the way down the hill. We went Nascar racing (go-carting) in 20 degrees below zero (you know I was inside sipping coffee), we enjoyed some great shows and rides at Dollywood. But I have to tell you, we were the Griswold's going to Wally World.....we all got up early to go spend the day at Dollywood (I would have bet that the brochure said 10AM that it opened), piled the kids in the van, down the mountain we go, into the parking lot and there is not a soul in sight, no one to take our money to park, no one to stop us from going in, we just went in, looked around, (theme parks are just not as exciting when everything is closed)called for the opening time (2PM), then headed out for some Krispy Kreme's and tourist stupidity in Gatlinburg until the park opened. But when it did, it was a ton of fun. The Christmas shows were incredible! They were worth the price of admission all on their own. But I think the best part was just being able to spend time with our family and my nephew was a blast all by himself. He is a hoot! He has grown so much since we saw him over the summer, he is walking now and can talk a little. He definitely has "Pops" and Momma down. The views of mountains and the changing leaves and the crisp air (I am not referring to when it got butt freezing cold!), the landscape of the smokies in the fall is absolutely, positively beautiful. BUT we are back and things will never be the same in Ho-Bunk Georgia!