Erim Family Vacation (Minus One)

This last week we took a family vacation - minus one very important member: Raif. Several months ago my parents rented a cabin in the mountains for us for the week. Unfortunately, Raif's work beckoned and he spent the last three weeks visiting hospitals in Utah. Ugh. But the rest of us went and had a wonderful time. I think it was a good distraction for the kids on the last week of three of Daddy being gone. They have missed him A LOT (and so did I). Hopefully our next family vacation includes all of the family.

We spent the week in Gatlinburg, TN which is one of the most interesting dichotomies I have ever experienced. On one hand are the towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge which by most accounts are the two largest redneck vacation destinations of all time (one dinner we sat next to a couple who had matching airbrushed Bride and Groom T-shirts - if only Raif and I had thought of that). A quick tour of these two towns and you would think that the only thing to do on vacation is to eat pancakes, play putt-putt and ride go-karts. These places are jammed packed with just plain crap. Ripley's Believe It or Not museums abound along with haunted houses and more souvenir shops than I can shake a stick at. But surrounding them are the Smoky Mountains which are truly the exact opposite of the consumer driven drivel. Pristine, quiet, beautiful acres of nature - unspoiled by Ripley's and cotton candy. So you can only imagine where we spent our days.

Each day we would get up, pack our pack and head out to the mountains before the shops opened their doors and the cars clogged the streets. We hiked to waterfalls, and old log cabins, saw an old working grist mill and ate our lunches under the shadow of mountains. Some days we got further than others but our destination really wasn't as important as enjoying nature and having fun. We threw more rocks than I could ever imagine into rivers, waterfalls and streams. Then there was the never ending search for the perfect stick. In the afternoons we relaxed at the hotel's swimming pool or the small playground. One rainy morning we did go to the aquarium, which was actually pretty decent and one other morning we just hung out after Greyson declared "Mommy, I am tired of walking." But most of our time was spent in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park enjoying nature.

BC (before children), Raif and I actually really enjoyed hiking and I am hoping after this the kids have caught the hiking bug too. On the way home Quinn said she wanted to go hiking with Daddy - here's hoping next vacation he can actually go.