Smoky Mountain Adventures - En Route

Thursday morning we packed up and checked out of our cabin and had some time to spare before we checked in to our motel in Morristown, TN where we were staying overnight for Carson-Newman's homecoming that weekend. Since I had missed some pretty photo shots on Wednesday I asked Darrin to take us for a drive down the winding road that cuts to Gatlinburg from Townsend. We did not take the entire road, but just hit some highlights before we turned around to head toward Pigeon Forge.

One particular spot where I had seen on Wednesday was a waterfall, so we made our way looking for it. Because it had been raining overnight and was now drizzling the fall colors seemed to pop more. They still weren't brilliant, but they seemed to show more than earlier in the week.






The next spot we hit was a little view called "Swift Water".




We then drove in to Pigeon Forge and on to Sevierville where we ate lunch and did some shopping. We ate at Connor's for lunch then shopped a little at the Tanger Outlet. We didn't have a whole lot of time to shop, so we just hit the Carter's outlet store so I could get the kids a few fall things. The temperatures were just starting to drop over the weekend, and both the kids needed some warmer clothes.

After some quick shopping we headed on to Morristown to check in to our motel then back to New Market down the road a little ways to visit with my friend Julie and her kids. Julie is one of my college friends who was not a music major. I had two basic groups of friends I hung out with in college. One group was friends from the music department while the other group was friends that were non-music majors, many of whom I met early my freshman year. Julie and I actually met at orientation the summer before we started college, and we clicked right away. We have continued to be great friends over the years.

Julie's husband Bob was unable to be with us Friday evening, but Julie and Darrin and I got to visit, and the kids had a great time together! Luke is just a few months older than Rebekah, and Abby is five months old. Both children are just precious!