Tennessee bound

Each year we take a trip to see my mom's side of the family for our annual Hatcher Family Reunion.  Now, I know family reunions aren't usually fun because you go see people you only see once a year and you sit around and eat everyone's cooking and you hear everyone say how good you look and you put your best smile on and keep thinking when can we leave.  

Well, this reunion is not that way at all.  For as long as I can remember I have been to this reunion and since Jason and I have been together for about 18 years we have only missed 1 of them.  However, it is sad to say that out of the 11 brothers and sisters my Grandmother had, there are 2 remaining (and 1 isn't doing so well).  So, this year we decided to go closer to where my Aunt Yvonne lives since she is the one remaining Hatcher that would be attending.  Off we went to Pigeon Forge since she lives in Oak Ridge, TN.  This was the first time Brody and Trevor had ever seen the mountains so it was going to be an experience as well as the 9.5 hour drive up there.  

We decided to leave Wednesday afternoon and drive up half way and stay in a hotel just to break up the drive.  We ended up driving a little longer than we had originally planned (6 hours) and stayed in Commerce, GA.  It was so nice to be able to stop over and get a good night's sleep before arriving to Pigeon Forge.

Thursday morning after eating breakfast at the hotel and then off to CFA for us to eat breakfast while the kids let off some energy on the play area (what a great idea Jason had), we were off on our remaining 3 hours through the mountains.  I was so excited for them to see the mountains that they slept right through Cherokee, Smoky Mtn National Forest and Cherokee.  I thought about waking them up, but then they would be grumpy and that wouldn't be a fun ride.

We stayed in a very nice 3 bedroom condo with my parents.  Brody was so excited to see his cousins (these are 4th cousins that he only sees once a year, but they have quickly bonded), so they were off for a quick swim before we went to dinner. 

Trevor and Samantha in the lazy river

Dinner at the Old Mill Bakery and Cafe

Samantha and Rachel - Brody and Trevor's 4th cousins from Oak Ridge, TN

The restaurant was FREEZING so it gave me a good excuse to take Trevor out and we went next door to the Old Candy Mill

Trevor was in HEAVEN!!  We ended up buying a pound and a half of salt water taffy.  This is some of my favorite candy ever so I couldn't pass it up.

By the time we finished dinner it was around 9:00 but we still had plans to go go -cart riding so off we went.