Most favorite holiday ... ever!

So Thanksgiving is tomorrow and it is by far my favorite holiday, I mean, Christmas is good, too but for some reason I believe Thanksgiving is SO much better. No one has to worry about presents, you get to eat great food, you realize that you are thankful for everything you already have & not what people have bought you as a gift. I just love Thanksgiving! Just thinking about Thanksgiving literally makes me hungry because what is better than having all the ham, turkey, dressing, and cranberry sauce that one can eat? Thanksgiving is typically a pretty busy day for my family and me. We go eat lunch at my Granny Joan’s (dad’s parents) and then supper (or dinner as my friends in the North would say) is consumed at my Granny’s (mom’s parents) so with two full meals (and sometimes even an extra one in there somewhere) I am a little stuffed and weigh about 10 extra pounds at the end of the day. I think that the older I get the more excited I get about Thanksgiving but maybe it's because I’ve realized that I’ve had another great year full of things to be thankful for. This year is extra exciting for me because I am going on vacation with (half) of the family to Gatlinburg, Tennessee!

Oh, the Smokies! After lunch at Granny Joan’s then my parents, my aunt and her family, my Granny, and I are loading up to head to Tennessee! I love vacations, I love my family & I love the mountains so I am looking forward to this trip. We are staying at a cabin (which is better than a hotel, in my opinion) in Gatlinburg called Sky High. It is such a pretty cabin and with a reat mountain view so I could not be more impressed with our "cabin renting" decision. We’ve got a great place to say so I have already started making plans for several attractions in the area AND I am already thinking about what restaurants we are going to while we are in town. Oh boy, if Thanksgiving wasn't my favorite holiday before it sure will be now! What’s the one thing that would make this vacation a little better? Some snow! So, until I post again … please keep your fingers crossed!

** Happy Thanksgiving! **

Gatlinburg Cabins

Ahhh, Gatlinburg, Tennessee what a great place to vacation! This small Eastern Tennessee town is known as the Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is one of the South’s most popular vacation destinations for visitors coming in from all over the United States. Gatlinburg has many attractions in the area for everyone coming with you to enjoy. With anything from miniature golf, the Ripley’s Aquarium, and arcades to Ober Gatlinburg, Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum to the newly built Hollywood Wax Museum in downtown everyone can find something to do on their trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. So bring the family, bring your spouse or plan a youth retreat because all the fun in Gatlinburg is kid, and family, friendly!

Now that you have you attraction ideas you will need somewhere to stay but what is the best way to stay while you are vacationing in Gatlinburg, Tennessee? A Gatlinburg cabin rental, of course! If you need a small cabin for 2 people it is in Gatlinburg; if you need a cabin for 50 people, it is in Gatlinburg; you need something in between? Well, that is in Gatlinburg, too! It is certain that Gatlinburg, Tennessee has plenty of cabins for any size group coming to the area. Location for a cabin in Gatlinburg, Tennessee should not be an issue either. There are cabins so close to town you can walk and then there are some that will give you and your guests a breathtaking view of the ski slopes and the Great Smoky Mountains. Renting a cabin is the best way to go on when you are on vacation because a cabin offers you privacy and great amenities to ensure that once the fun stops in downtown it will continue inside the cabin.

oh, how I miss the beach

So, we are approaching the time of the year that I just really cannot stand. I mean I literally detest winter with every fiber of my being. I hate going to the dentist so let's put it this way: I would rather go to the dentist every day than have to endure the excruciating cold winter weather. When this time of year rolls around I start thinking warm thought of the beach, the sand, the ocean & the hot, hot sun. Oh, how I love hot weather! As I sit here & think about how much I miss the beach my thoughts start drifting off to my summer vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida.

A week ... a week in Florida. OH WHAT FUN!! 7 days and only 1 1/2 were rainy days. The half of a day just so happened to be the day we went to swim with the dolphins. It rained while we were waiting in line but after that it was "game on" ... or swim on in my case. We were lucky, just a little rain ... except on the morning of the departure, but no worries. We were leaving anyways. So on this vacation I spent my days on the beach reading, "Love the One You're With" by Emily Griffin (awesome, book) & the nights were spent playing putt-putt, shopping or going to eat. I swam with dolphins, learned how to snorkel (not a pro yet but at least I grasped the concept pretty well), and watch my boyfriend almost get his kneecap knocked off by a jet ski ... yes, a jet ski. We stayed in this gorgeous beach house on Thomas Dr. (compliments of my mom's bus driver friend, Margie). It was a nice family vacation with myself, my parents, the boyfriend & my Granny. :) Also, my dad's two brothers were there with their families so we had a grand ole' time.

I just love the beach. There's nothing better than eating watermelon & grabbing a float for the ocean. I must say I pull off the "sun kissed" look pretty well, considering I am a very "pasty" white person. I cannot wait until my next beach vacation ... the problem is it only seems so far away so until then I will have to suffer through the winter with all the other beach lovers.