Last month we went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for our family vacation. We stayed at the Bluegreen vacations mountain loft resort. This was our first time staying at this resort, but not our first trip to the smokies. The room was a one bedroom chalet unit, the girls called it a "cabin house." ;)

While we were there we visited the Gatlinburg aquarium, the sharks are the best part! They also have a neat exhibit on WWII and the bombing of Pearl Harbor, if you're a history nerd like me you should check it out. We also went on a couple of hikes, one ended up being much longer and more strenuous than we had anticipated...I would suggest reading about each hike thoroughly before heading out on the trails with small children. Lessons learned, memories made. ;)

We also drove through Cades Cove. If you're ever in the smokies I recommend taking the 11 mile loop through this park. It's a motor trail so you can quickly drive through and stop off at locations of your choice. It's an old settlement featuring houses, barns, churches, and mills from the 1800's. It's amazing to see the quality and craftsmanship in these buildings and how they've survived all these years. This is usually a great place to spot black bears, especially in the evening! We did see one small black bear going back into the woods, he scampered off too quickly to get a picture. My oldest loved hiking, climbing on the rocks and of course riding go carts at the arcades. She is my adventurous one. My youngest loved walking through the old homesteads, and sitting quietly along the rolling creeks. She is my little old soul. We all had a wonderful time and enjoyed quality time together. Why do vacations always pass too quickly? *sigh*