Tuesday, December 29, 2015

A Different Kind Of Christmas

This was a Christmas first.
As long as I have celebrated Christmas, I've never spent it on the move.
I am usually cooking at home, or helping out in someone else's.
~
The morning started off with a beautiful pink sky and we thought we might be in for yet more rain...
...just what we needed, right?


But on Christmas morning after picking up the older grandboys,
 we headed off to see their dad, about two hours east of us.


We enjoyed a wonderful meal and had great time celebrating Christmas.
It was nearly 80 degrees when we arrived and needless to say, it felt more like summer.
 

It was truly a blessing to for his boys to see their father in this new light.
He gifted them with iron crosses that he made for them in the shop.
I wish I would have remembered to get a photo of them.
 
 
The day ended as colorful as it had begun with this glorious sky.
It was soon time to say our goodbyes and head westward, toward home.

 
And then there was that awesome Cold Moon that won't happen again until 2034.
 The first leg of our Christmas weekend journey was complete.
~
Early on Saturday morning, we loaded into the car for a four hour plus road trip.
We were heading west this time, taking the grands to their destination Christmas surprise.
They knew we had a trunk full of gifts for Adam's family,
 but they were racking their brains as to why they would need swimming trunks :)
~
That fabulous moon was still hanging around as we made our way towards the mountains.
We were meeting up with the Tennessee Rays in Pigeon Forge...
...just about the half-way point for both of our families.
 


What would they do without their electronic devices?
Heck...what would I do we all do without them, am I right?? {{smile}}
 


And what makes a road trip more special than seeing a rainbow along the way?
~
And as planned, we made it to the Wilderness at the Smokies Resort right about lunch time.

Although they thought they had figured it out, Dacey and Dylan were pleasantly surprised,
not only to spend the weekend in Pigeon Forge, somewhere they had never been,
but to spend the weekend in Pigeon Forge with their cousins!
The difference in age is irrelevent to those kiddos.
~
Spending one day in the overly crowded indoor waterpark was quite enough,
So that evening we made our way through the heavy traffic into Gatlinburg to see the lights.


NOTE TO SELF:
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT go to Gatlinburg at Christmastime.
~
Breakfast on Sunday morning at the Pancake Pantry was a must, according to Adam.


OH. MY. GOODNESS.
I had the sweet potato pancakes with cinnamon/butter syrup and sausage.
I don't think any one of us was able to eat all of what we ordered.
~
We then drove another mile or two into the Great Smoky Mountains.
It was misting rain part of the time but still so beautiful.


I was able to get some good fence shots that I will share on another linky :)
 

Of course these photos do this place no justice.
No justice at all.


 
The roaring waters of the Little Pigeon River was nearly deafening.
 



One of the many stone tunnels under the bridges in the Smokies.


Trees or not, the mountains majesty nearly takes my breath away.


Yes, it was a different kind of Christmas.
Did I miss all of the cooking, preparing and the typical Christmas scenerios?
Yes, maybe... just a bit.
But was it a fun way to have Christmas?
Absolutely.


It's not where you are, but who you're with...
...and why we are celebrating.
~
And there was someone who missed his mommy and daddy very much.


I'm pretty sure Oscar didn't enjoy his trip to the kennel as much as we enjoyed our trip :(
That's okay, buddy...you can go the next time.
~
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend.
Can you even believe it's almost 2016???
 
 
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31 comments:

  1. There is nothing more beautiful than the Smokies at Christmas! (in my opinion)

    Actually, I'll take Tennessee anytime :)

    Looks like you had a wonderful Christmas!

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  2. Hello Debbie, what a fun Christmas with your family. I am sure the kiddies all loved the waterpark resort and seeing their father. Gatlinburg is a beautiful city. I have never traveled during Christmas, but maybe one year I will. I enjoyed your photos, you have a beautiful family. Oscar is a cutie! Happy Tuesday, enjoy your new week! I wish you all the best in 2016, Happy New Year!

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  3. A change up is good for several reasons -good new memories with your loved ones and an appreciation for those activities we maybe take for granted every year. What beautiful country, too.

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  4. Sounds like a fair bit of driving for your holiday but well worth it by the pictures and you were doing something different.
    Thank you for joining Mosaic Monday this year and best wishes for 2016 Debby.

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  5. That's just where we were last summer…your pictures with your boy and his boys are wonderful and say so much. What great colors you all were wearing for a good photo! I'm glad you had such a different but wonderful Christmas. Sounds good to me!

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    1. Haha...that would be Kentucky blue, Christmas red and high school colors! We were a pretty colorful bunch, weren't we? I hope you and your family had a wonderful Christmas...even in the 80 degree heat! Have you ever seen the like??

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  6. sweet family! beautiful area. glad you had great times together. and sweet oscar! :)

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  7. Hi Debby! In my heart, I was wondering about your son. Thank you so much for featuring your drive with the grandchildren to visit him. God has blessed him and you!
    Love your photos of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. I guess it was a little crowded?

    Have a wonderful week, and start to the New Year. What will God have in store for you this year??
    Blessings,
    Ceil

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  8. What a wonderful family Christmas, even if it was different.
    Happy New Year.

    Diana

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  9. Fun,fun,fun.Looks like you had a chance to make many new memories and that's what it's all about.

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  10. You'll remember this Christmas for a long time - new memories, maybe some new traditions to mix with the old ones.

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  11. Looks like you had a wonderful Christmas!

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  12. Looks and sounds like a wonderful Christmas. Your son looks so happy. : )

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  13. Debby, I didn't know you had a Dachshund! I have been wanting to get one so much. I had one when I was a little girl - best dog ever. You also saw a rainbow in the sky, how glorious. Did I ever mention that I believe when we see a rainbow that it's a gift? Your pictures are awesome..... of the mountains, the river, the skies, and the moon. And that French toast looks yummy!

    Thanks for sharing a little bit of your Christmas with us. Such fun, and you'll have dear memories of this wonderful trip for years to come.

    ~Sheri

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  14. The full moon and a rainbow ! Gorgeous shots of all of the pretty scenery and you and your lovely family certainly had a Christmas to remember! :)

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  15. Beautiful pictures.... oh that moon!!!!! My daughter and son in law are there in those hills right now... spending the week in the Gatlinburg area!! Christmas present to each other!!! One of our very favorite places on earth ... "The Great Smokey Mountains" !!! thank you for sharing!!!!!

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  16. It sounds like you had a wonderful time, although different from what you are familiar with, being together with loved ones. I think your photos are wonderful!

    Warm hugs and Happy "2016"!
    Carol

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  17. What a busy Christmas you had with all the traveling. It was good that the weather was perfect for your road trips. We went on a bus tour to Gatlinburg about 12 years ago to a Gaither Homecoming Convention. What a blast we had! Have a great NYE and many blessings to you and yours for 2016. Hugs. Pam

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  18. Oh, Debbie- I really enjoyed this blog post! It is so nice to see all the wonderful smiling faces - joy - family- love: now THAT is the true blessing and gift of Christmas!

    I love that part of the country - Gatlingburg- my family had some property there in the Smokies we visited when we were children. Your pics brought me right back. Good timing, as yesterday was my Dad's birthday. He's been gone almost 16 years now - so in a strange way, you also just gifted to me. ♥♥♥

    May your new year be filled with the blessings of good health, laughter, love and peace - much much peace to you, dear lady. Hugs.

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  19. Dearest Debby, I so enjoyed *coming along* on your Christmas journey! Oh what fun!! Your photos and words captured the joy I could sense in your heart! Yes, it's all about the people we care about...

    My hubby and I were alone together on Christmas Day - and sometimes I still miss those days when the boys were home. But, two days later, my entire extended family gathered together at my mom's house (all 18 of us!). There was a moment when I looked around the room and realized how much I loved each and every one. And my heart was full. I silently thanked the Lord for the blessing of my *tribe*!!

    Hope you have a happy New's Year Day - and I so look forward to sharing the journey of faith with you in the coming year!

    GOD BLESS!

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  20. Debby, what gorgeous countryside! And you captured the morning and evening sun just perfectly. Aren't those skies a real blessing. I feel sorry for those who've never seen a sunrise. I love the thought of making those iron crosses. What a nice, personal gift. Hope you have a wonderful New Year's Day. Your photos are spectacular, including that Cold Moon.

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  21. My you packed a lot in during the Christmas season. It looks like a great time was had by all though. Wishing you all a great New Year and look forward to blogging with you.

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  22. It looks like you had a different but marvelous Christmmaas time. Happy New Year!

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  23. Debby what a blissful and blessed Christmas....so many memories! Happy New Year!

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  24. Oh, it sounds like such a wonderful and blessed Christmas for you and yours. So glad ! Your photos are beautiful...xoxo

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  25. Happy New Year! And I will remember not to go to Gatlinburg for Christmas. So nice to read and the pictures you did take are great memories! Looking forward to 2016, and check my blog again, I finally got a picture of the eagle posted! (o:

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  26. A different kind of Christmas...and yet just the right kind for you this year!! I see that many wonderful memories were made!

    Happy New Year, friend! May your New Year be filled with His grace...

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  27. I had to come back and look at these again. Such a happy time and a beautiful part of the country! Hugs!

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  28. I must've been deep in Christmas something or other to have missed this post, because the words "Smoky Mountains" always gets my attention. It's a favorite destination, for years now, and even though I prefer going in autumn, anytime would suit me just fine.

    Great way to spend Christmas, except Gatlinburg ... yes, it is so crowded in peak seasons.

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Thank you for stopping by today! Your sweet comments are such an encouragement to me.