Ripley's Aqaurium

We went to the Aquarium in Gaitlinburg yesterday as our last venture out on vacation. It was really good. The kids enjoyed it and liked seeing all the fish. My pictures did not turn out as I had hoped despite using all my gadgets but here are a few.











Kaitlyn touching a crab



So Luke what is in there?





We found Nemo, he was in Gaitlinburg the whole time.





Kaitlyn touching a stingray



Shane, Susan, Jade and Peyton



Another terrible family photo of us



Luke, Susan and Ashley



Grammie and Papaw

Splash Country

We went to Splash Country (the waterpark next to Dollywood) today. The kids had such a good time, sliding and playing. It started to thunderstorm so our fun was cut a little short but we had gone down all the slides we wanted so all was good.












Grammie and Papaw love to play scrabble!



This is Kaitlyn on the left and Luke on the right.

Swimming at the hotel pool

For a vacation we should really just check into a hotel and let the kids swim in the pool. They think it is the greatest thing ever. This hotel had a hot tub too, that was very relaxing after walking around all day at Dollywood. The Aytes came back to swim with us for a while on Tuesday also.

Dollywood day 2

We got up and headed to Dollywood again this morning. It opened at 10:00 a.m. and we must have been having a good time because we didn't leave until closing time, 7:00 p.m.

We started out by riding the cars and seeing the eagle show.







Then we were meeting the Aytes, long time friends who used to live in Memphis and now live in Knoxville, at Dollywood. Our kids played together like they had been best friends forever. Kyle's favorite thing was shooting the water guns and riding the Riverbattle ride.











We then finally met up with Susan, Shane, Jade and Peyton at the kiddie sprinkler park. The kids played here for a long while.











Then we were off to the kiddie area rides again. Then off to ride big roller coasters one more time before leaving the park.











I snapped these pictures of the screens of the photos they try to sell you for $15.95 before the woman told me 'hey, no pictures'. They are riding the Tennessee Tornado. Kaitlyn looks scared but she is really not, she rode this ride 3 times.





Everyone else went to Fudrucker's to eat while Holly and I went to the Scrapbook Superstore.

Dollywood day 1

We headed to Pigeon Forge early this morning. After checking in the hotel and eating lunch we went to Dollywood this afternoon. We first rode the train, then some other rides. I am definitely too old for roller coasters. The wooden one called Thunderhead just about did me in.

Terrible family photo:



The train ride:








Riding some of the rides:

Kyle, Luke and Roger on the Lemon Twist



John and Kaitlyn on the Dizzy Disk



Luke and Kyle on the elephants





John and Kyle on the Lumberjack lift



What Ashley did most of the trip



More fun Tomorrow!