Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge Trip 2011

We went up to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge for our annual reunion with several of our college friends back at the beginning of March. We had an absolute blast, but decided the weekend was way too short, so we'll have to plan on at least a 3-day weekend next year and more rooms with bunk beds for all of the kids!

Andy and Dana made the *big* announcement of the weekend during our first night at the cabin...they are adopting a baby boy from Russia!!! We all were so thrilled and excited to hear that Joshua will be a big brother hopefully within the year!

Josh and Kelly and Hallie are waiting on their little boy from Ethiopia. Hallie was sweet as can be as always...her "I just love you"'s just melt my heart!

Traci and Mark enjoying dinner out with the group at Apple Barn...yum! Mark was supporting the Cats in Vol country:)

Isaac and I love the Apple Barn...great country cookin' and the best company too!

The girls (top left to bottom right) Leanne, Kelly, Me, Traci, Hallie, Alexa, Dana...somehow, I didn't get a picture of the Rogers family all together...Alexa belongs to Leanne and Nic and is big sister to Blake.

The guys (top left to bottom right) Nic, Mark, Josh, Isaac, Andy and Joshua (sleeping baby Blake not pictured)

Mark, Isaac, and Nic at Newfounder's Gap...the snow/sleet whited out the scenery....but they got their "adventure" in for the weekend.
Isaac and Alexa reacquainted and became fast friends...this picture of Alexa and Isaac with Josh and Hallie cracks me up because the girls got so tickled pulling on the guys' ears. Then the guys got to laughing too, even though they were stuck shopping at the outlets and then banned to Chick-fi-la with the kids while the ladies dined at Conners Steakhouse for lunch. They were good sports.
My mom surprised Isaac with a homemade strawberry birthday cake-his favorite!-for an early birthday celebration. The cake was a surprise all the way to the fridge, and I even had it hidden in the fridge until Isaac rummaged through the fridge to see what snacks everyone brought! He tried to play it off like he was surprised, but I wasn't buying it...he looked too guilty.
Isaac distracting Alexa from eating her dinner...all of the parents on this trip will be "paying back" to Isaac all of his "fun" with their kids...I had to remind him not to get the kids in trouble with their parents!
Alexa introduced us to baby Blake as soon as we walked in the door...she is so proud to be a big sis and Blake is such a sweet baby...we all enjoyed passing him around...I mean, stealing him from Traci!