Gatlinburg adventure

We had a fun family adventure down to Gatlinburg, TN this past month. Here are a few highlights:

The older boys and Daddy rode a mountain coaster through the trees at a place called "Goats on the Roof." 

While Daddy was waiting in line for tickets, we mined for gems. It was amazing how such large gems were found amidst sand and tiny pebbles. ;-)

I am deeply grateful for sweet moments like this between siblings. Too rare, but still precious. 

We enjoyed an evening at the Island at Pigeon Forge, and it was a win that our whole family went up in the large ferris wheel. Each gondola was enclosed and fit eight people. The view from the top!

We also splurged and paid for the boys do to these fun trampolines. They were pretty expert jumpers and flippers from all their practice on our own tramp. 

Robbie could go forward and then backward right in a row. 

Benjy couldn't go super high but he sure enjoyed being included.

In Dollywood, Benjy got to ride some of the younger rides. He just informed me, "I don't like to be on the duckies. The duckies aren't fun." He was a good sport, but it was tough on this trip since I had Clayton and he couldn't do all the things he wanted to while Daddy went on bigger rides with Robbie and Henry.

I don't know how Clara felt about this trip, but she enjoyed watching K-pop groups and a K-drama while we took the boys to Dollywood for two of the days.

Check out this small man that we saw at Ripley's Believe It or Not. 

Even though we didn't have our traditional St. Patrick's day traditions at home, all the kids dressed in green. We went to the Ripley's Aquarium, where we saw different sharks, cute penguins, an octopus, and jellies, in addition to lots of fish.

Check out this giant chicken (Cornish game hen?) Benjy had to eat at Dolly Parton's Stampede!

The show was really well done and everyone (except maybe Clayton) enjoyed it. 

More Gatlinburg fun.

Clara in the eye of a needle.

Future astronaut.

We were pretty pooped with Clayton sleeping in our room and waking up a couple of times a night. Daddy also had to catch up on work at night, so he enjoyed a few minutes of rest in the play place at Dollywood when it was raining.

A favorite ride for Benjy in Dollywood was this cute Bear trail one. He was so big to go by himself!

The trip was fun and tiring. Benjy just asked me, "Why can't we go to the wooden house [the cabin]? When can we go there again?" That's a good sign that it was worth it.