Family Spring Break in The Smokies 2011 (incl. Mother's Day)

Arrived in The Smokies on Friday afternoon around 5, enjoyed a wonderful relaxing supper @The Pottery House, Aly loved being in the pool again and her "Duggar-style" suit was a big hit with everyone! We also spent a day @Dollywood, with supper following @Big Daddy's (where they cook with a wood fired brick oven~YUMMM)! Every day was a beautiful day on our vacation in the southern countryside! You will see "CAPTIONS" on the photos, if you right-click in the center of the Slideshow, itself! On Sunday, @Cade's Cove alone, we saw 7 or 8 deer, several wild turkeys and a half a dozen black bears! Later, @Three Bears, we saw another 4 black bears, up close and personal! Those pix were taken on a different camera and will have to be shared at a later date. Aly loved all of the wild animals and wanted to find some she could pet and feed... which will have to wait til our next visit or til we find a local petting zoo! We always love the home cookin' @The Old Mill, too! What INCREDIBLE days were enjoyed on this Spring Break!!! Aly rode rides "alone", literally, in Kids Country @The Track (Family Rec. Center) including GO KARTS, also "alone"!!! We all loved eating @No Way Jose's, late afternoon shopping for Mama and I @Tanger Outlet, afterwards, we stopped by for Christmas Eve Stew and Million Dollar Dessert @Partridge & Pear and had a nice chat w/Kirk Talley... later that night, I was thrilled to go on a nighttime horse 'n carriage ride, followed by a round of outdoor putt-putt and late-night snack @Five Guys, with my Man and Baby Girl!!! Such beautiful sights to be seen all over the Smokies !!! Sunny and warm, the whole week, with the exception of ONE afternoon when rain and temps began to fall, but it remained in the 60's and the rain was that wonderful "slanted, gentle" rain like we Southerner's love! Temps shot back up the next day and the sun was once again shining! We found a new “favorite” place to eat @New Orleans Sandwich Co., in G'Burg, and it will now be a "REGULAR" stop for us! YUMMO for REAL Cajun cuisine!!! One can't forget ice cream @Kilwin's, either! Brunch @The Applewood Farmhouse AND shopping @The Apple Barn, General Store & Cider Mill, as always was a hit! Nothing beats their delightful "fritters" & homemade apple butter, either! Though this was far from a stress-free vacation, it was a GREAT one with TONS of memories made, and I will always be grateful to the Lord for providing it for us!!! Ya just gotta love southern sunshine and believe me, the five of us are considering putting down stakes and calling the South “HOME” again, someday... just sayin'!

***I also added a couple of Mother's Day photos to this album for you to enjoy!!!