Christmas 2010, part two

It was cold at Dollywood that first night!

Tommy, Jen and Mason in front of the entrance.

Chris and Cael kept warm inside a shop, (barely).

Hannah peeking out through the top of the ironman stroller.

The lights were absolutely gorgeous!

Cael was not a happy camper just before the posing in the orange.

Mason's okay, but now Cael is saying he's had enough. He just wants to play!

More Dollywood. I think it was the first time we had been there when it was not only cold, but snowy!

Hannah on the Merry-go-Round. Almost all of us had a turn on it.

Grandpa stealing a kiss....

The kids had a blast on the rides!

Daredevil Hannah loved riding the scrambler with her daddy!

Tommy won himself a UT football at the toss game. Two good throws was all it took.

More of Dollywood. The grist mill.

Jen and the kids on a ride. It was so much fun spending this time with everybody. And it was sad when we had to part company at the end of the day. At least I got some more time with Tommy and his family before I dropped them off in Nashville. This vacation was entirely too short!!! 

Christmas 2010, part one

Cael was a bit tired after his trip to see us at Christmas. How much he had grown since we last saw him!

The day after their arrival, Dani and Chris took the kids to the City Park School park. I had a blast with all of them.

Chris was a great sport helping Dan cut down the remains of a storm damaged limb. He also helped Dan tear out old cabinets in the kitchen.

Hannah watching Daddy and Grandpa.

Hannah would have been a great farmer's daughter. We went to Mayfield's and she made that 'milk' flow.  The leggings are some that Dani made for her. What talent!

Christmas Day up at Pat's cabin. It was so great having everyone together for Christmas!

Dani, Cael, Jen and Mason amid the Christmas stash at my friend, Pat's, cabin.

There are great uses for a dump truck! Cael is demonstrating one of them. He knows what to do with a pencil, too.

Hannah knew what to do with a dump truck, too. She was also fascinated with her zhu zhu pet.

The realization came about mid-morning that we might be in trouble. I quit measuring when it got to seven inches. And no, only the first part of the snowman was finished.

After breakfast Tommy showed Mason all the lovely snow.

Hannah just loved playing in the snow. It was hard to get her back in. It even tasted good, too.





Chris and Tommy try to figure out the best course when we got stuck on the driveway heading down from Pat's cabin. We had to leave Dan's car. Didn't figure it would make it. But the guys did it and we got out just before dark.

You remember the end of the movie, Christmas Story? Where the family ends up having Christmas dinner at a Chinese restaurant?  We ended up at a Mexican restaurant. The boys were having fun!

On Sunday, we were supposed to check into our next cabin in Townsend. We didn't make it. The snow that almost stranded us in Polk county kept us from getting to our cabin in the Smokies. We had to stay in a motel that night and finally got up to the cabin the next afternoon. While we were waiting for the guys to get some salt for the road, Hannah, Dani and I went outside of Bearly Rustic and made a snowman. She had a great time.

Hannah in the Great Smoky Nat. Park Welcome Center in Townsend. Dan, Jen, the kids and I waited there while our intrepid warriors worked the road up to the cabin. It was great finally getting there.

End part one!!!