Hooker vacation

What a week we had in Gatlinburg. Such a great time with family and celebrating lots of new changes soon. I would like to tell you all about it. On the way home Craig and I went through each day and remembered everything we did. I wanted to include it all!! 

Saturday we started driving around 11 a.m to the cabin in Sevierville. We stopped for lunch and Micah had a short nap before we arrived. We were the first ones to arrive and it was a gorgeous, big, spacious, with an awesome porch and a great view. The Hooker's were supposed to arrive the same time as us but they got stuck in a traffic jam and came about and hour and a half later. Micah was so excited to see everyone. We had been telling him for awhile he was going to see Grandma and Grandpa and he was getting anxious. Also, when you vacation with the Hooker's you can only expect the best meals and planned out to a tee. The first night we had beef sandwiches. YUM

Sunday was a day Craig and I had been waiting a long time for. We found out we were pregnant mid April and had been waiting to tell the Hooker's in person on vacation. In the morning we put Micah in a "Big brother" shirt and waited to see who would figure it out. First Tammi saw him and took her a little bit to read the shirt. Grandpa didn't even notice until Hannah read the shirt to him. When Grandma saw it she was so happy and gave me the biggest hug. She then told me she had a feeling we might have a surprise like that to tell them. Not only did we tell them we were pregnant, but we also knew the gender. At 10 weeks there is a test you can do to check for down syndrome and also X or Y chromosomes. They can tell you the gender that early now!! So I decided to let Craig find out the gender and have him go buy a little outfit that would reveal the gender for me and everyone else. He couldn't wait for me to open it. I was so nervous. I didn't want to open it. I felt I could wait awhile. haha.

Watch the video.

IT"S A GIRL!!!! God is so good. I am so blessed. I still can't believe it. We started off vacation just right!! I was so excited and stunned. 

So after I calmed down and we all got ready to see the sights in downtown Gatlinburg. We walked around downtown and all of us except Micah and Tammi did the skylift. It was pretty scary at first but when you are at the top it's so worth it. It was like a ski lift and took you to the top of the mountain. Then we did moonshine tasting (not me) and Micah took a nap in Craig's arms. We got baby girl some cute socks and Micah got a little bear.  That night we had stuffed shells...mmmmm.

On Monday we decided to take a trip to the top of the mountain and climb a half a mile hike to the highest point of the mountain called Clingman's cove. It was a very steep climb, but not too bad once you got half way. 

 Here is a video of the top.

That night Craig, Tammi, Aunt Pam, Gary, Blair and Mark all went on a night time fishing boat and Grandma Kim, Zeke, Hannah, Micah and I want to a place called Big Daddy's Arcade and pizza. We played games and ate dinner together. Then when we got home we all has POPSICLES!

 As I suspected the one person who was not into fishing caught the most fish. Blair came out ahead  of everyone. haha That's always how it goes. 

On Tuesday most of the clan went Zip lining (something I couldn't do). We got to do a fun little ride in Gatlinburg with everyone before they left for zip lining. I took Micah home and he slept for about 2 and a half hours. That night we went to dinner and a show called Dixie Stampede. It was similar to Medieval Times with horses and tricks. They also had  pigs, and bison, and even mini horses. Micah sat and watched it the whole entire time. He even ate the food really good. Grandma held him most the time so Craig and I got to enjoy the show and eating. 

Wednesday we found a little stream in the mountain and let the kids play in it. Afterwards everyone did their own hiking trails. Craig, Blair and Mark did an extreme trail that took 5 hours and Gary and Tammi did one that was 5 miles.  Kim, the kids and I decided we needed a pool day. We found a community pool with a splash park and had a great time relaxing and cooling off from the hot sun. 

Micah didn't nap that day until around 5 p.m. when we got back from the pool.  That night we had burgers and brats for dinner and Micah ate more that night than I have seen in awhile. He loved the cheeseburger!! That night we also celebrated Micah's birthday again!!! He got an awesome cake and lots of cool presents. He got an awesome little tent, playdo, baseball game and doodle pads. He really likes the play dough. 

Thursday we went to the Tuckaleechee Cavern and toured the caves. It was all underground and very cold down there. Pretty awesome view. 

Micah really enjoyed it too. Afterwards Kim and Aunt Pam took Micah and let Craig and I go do something by ourselves. We went and floated the river on a tube with Gary, Tammi and the kids. It was a lot of fun. Tammi wasn't so sure about it, but I think overall she liked it. Some parts were a little like rapids and you had to dodge rocks and sometimes it would be hard if you got stuck.  Then we stopped at a little store and got some ice cream before riding a fun little coaster. It was like a sled that you road down the hill. I knew it would be fine if I did it. It was a lot of fun. That night was steak and fish (that they caught) for dinner. 

Friday everyone wanted to go horse back riding so we went to a stable that had an exotic petting zoo too. Half of us went horse  back riding and half went to the zoo. (of course another thing I couldn't do) So Micah and I fed deer, goats, zebra, camels, emu, donkey and a zonkey, pigs and much more. He even got to ride a little pony names Little Joe and then got a little horse figurine from Aunt Pam. He really loves it. 

We all split up to go do our last minute things we all had on our lists. Hannah and Zeke went to Ripley's believe it or not. Craig, Micah and I went with Kim and Pam and Gary to the Christmas store. It was so magical. Even seeing it in the summer!!

After that we saw a little boat ride in Pigeon Forge and stopped to do something as a family. It was a dinosaur (jurassic park type) of ride. Micah liked it, but was pretty scared through out the ride. I'm not going to lie...I was too. haha I was scared he may have some nightmares. 

That night I got to make Chicken Tacos in the crockpot and dinner was ready right when we got home. 

Mark and Blair went out for a romantic dinner and the rest of us stayed home and watched the movie "Bolt." I've seen it once before but I still cried at the end. It's such a sweet movie and Micah pretty much watched the whole thing. 

Micah loved playing with Hannah and Zeke. I think that may have been his favorite part about the trip. When we left he said he missed Hannah and Zeke. He is talked in almost full sentences now. I feel like he progressed just over the week we were there. 

We had such a wonderful time with the family. It flew by...especially when your pregnant and are tired a lot and go to bed early. haha

Praying for Kim today because on the last day she came down with a horrible cold. Really hope she feels better soon. :(

Next blog I will post all the pictures to this fun family vacation!!

Love you all!