Smoky Mountains...I May Have Fallen In Love

Ok y'all I have always considered myself a total beach girl, but these mountains, oh my mercy, they got me. Absolutely gorgeous! I could have roamed around for days. I cannot even wait to go back and I even want to go back and camp, like in a tent and hike and see a bear and explore everything. I am not even kidding. I didn't even get to skim the surface. Most of the mountain peaks were still shut down for the winter season, or closed from recent flooding. Plus we were only there for a short time. However, the things we did get to see had me grinning from ear to ear all day! Like the kind of grinning that makes your checks hurt.

Before we went up on the mountains to explore on our own, I talked Marshal into taking the kids on a helicopter ride. I know total tourist thing to do. Marshal was so not near as excited as the kids and I. Of course he had been on a helicopter before and he wasn't getting charged an outrageous amount to do so. It was amazing and I loved it! The kids loved it too and Miss Ashlynn was all to quick to jump on riding in the front seat with the cute helicopter pilot. Oh my mercy, that's my daughter!


We stopped by Kroger (yes Kroger, oh how I love a real grocery store) to get food for a picnic and off we went. We had done a little research at breakfast about a little old community that was highly recommend by several people in the area to go visit. Cade's Cove. We made that our destination point.

Let me stop right here and mention breakfast. Ashlynn ordered Reese peanut butter pancakes. Pancakes with chocolate and crushed up peanut butter bites. Oh my mercy I could have died a happy girl right there in the middle of Flapjacks. I mean seriously!
Ok, I may have had to take a small break to drool over those pancakes again. I didn't order them. I am trying to take this Lent thing seriously. It was Sunday and I did try them. I couldn't pass it up, but I didn't order them. I ate eggs. Exciting- I know.

Ok, ok mountains I've got it.


Awe, beautiful! It really was an easy road trip.....anyone else in? I am ready to go back!