http://www.cabinfevervacations.com/gatlinburg-pigeon-forge-cabin-rentals/cid/748
All in all, it was a great trip. We got to the cabin Monday night, and found out the furnace wasn't big enough to heat the entire cabin. Thank goodness Monday and Tuesday were the coldest days and we didn't have to use the heater too much! By the time we left Sunday, I think it was in the upper 60s. Christmas eve day was spent making cookies and ornaments. I napped on the couch through the ornament making as the hard bed and my head cold made sleeping at night a challenge. The guys went out and shot a round of golf...Jason blamed the wind for driving his ball into one of the other cabins. After getting Wyatt and Larkin in bed, we were about to follow a Turner family tradition of watching "The Polar Express" while eating popcorn when the power went out. Grandma and the five older kids scrunched together on the couch to watch the movie on Julie's Mac. None seemed to care. After the movie and getting the kids to bed, presents were put under the tree (and some were being wrapped) in the dark, using cell phones, laptops and cameras for light. Deciding we all enjoy living in the age of electricity, we called it an early night and went to bed. The power came on around 11 that night, so at least it wasn't out too long!
Christmas was wonderful. Very low-key, not too many toys that made noise. The kids disappeared for hours to play with new toys. Don't think I saw Wyatt at all the rest of that day. Jason cooked {gasp! I know!} breakfast for everyone. It was very quiet the rest of the day. Mom cooked a wonderful full dinner and things went fine until clean up when the kitchen faucet started to look like Old Faithful! Thank goodness it was a rental and they were able to get a plumber out to look at it on Christmas Day. Unfortunately, he didn't have the right part and had to come back on Friday. By then, Mom, Julie, Caelyn and I were out the door for a day of shopping. We went down a road that has a lot of art galleries and other interesting shops. I think Julie was the only one to buy anything and that was just a small handbag. A whole day of shopping and only one purchase?? Unheard of! :D
Saturday we all went in to Pigeon Forge where everyone but Larkin and me rode the go carts. Caelyn was tall enough to drive by herself, but everyone else had a partner. Not sure Brian or Grandma had all that much fun (Grandma got bumped and spun around) but I think everyone else enjoyed it. While they were doing that, Larkin and I went over to the baby section where she rode on the carousel twice, the airplanes once and the spinners three times. The carny working that one thought Larkin was about to cry. I had to assure her that Larkin was having a blast. She even wanted to spin faster. Think I would have lost my lunch by the third time in a row!
Sunday we came home and had Christmas with my parents. They had spent a good portion of the week painting our bedroom (had the paint since the summer.) Mom had added one of those accents to the wall. It says "Let Love Rain" and there are pictures of all the kids under it. It was a wonderful surprise to see that done! The kids got Wii Music from my parents and we all got Wii Mario Kart from Rob and Steph. There have been a lot of video games played this past week.
It's hard to believe, but Piper turned NINE on Thursday! The day was spent making gingerbread houses and listening to Piper ask when we were doing her cake and presents. Which happened to be after dinner. So by the time it was time to do cake and presents, we were sick of her asking and threatening to take all the presents back! I can still remember her birth... probably because I didn't get enough drugs, but that's beside the point. I cannot believe she's almost into double digits.
Well, I hope everyone had a great holiday season and got to spend it like I did, surrounded by people I love. May 2009 be a blessed year for you!
