Saturday we headed out on the ‘long’ drive to Gatlinburg with a caravan with Stacy/Mark and Mimi/Al following us this year. Looking forward to getting to share Thanksgiving in Gatlinburg with our family that could make it this year. We arrived shortly before checkin and was pleased to see the code worked where we could get in to start unloading. The first night was Deedee and Lisa’s night to cook. We fixed spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and dessert as we settled in the chalet and everyone got acquainted and fellowship. After dinner the Comfort group went to Joy’s chalet to say hello to the Huckestien’s so the girlies could see Isla and Kellan. The kids had a great time playing and sweet Isla ended up coming back with us to spend the night with us since they did not want the fun to end; wish we had one more seat so Kellan could have come too. 

 On the road to our Thanksgiving home 

Sweet Ivy is always entertaining
  
Our chalet for the week complete with two hot-tubs, two pool tables, movie theater, game room, four living spaces, two kitchens, putt-putt, and neighborhood indoor pool

Starting the fun in the chalet
 

Sunday morning was filled with excitement of what was ahead for the week. Mimi, Stacy and Lisa woke up and fixed egg casserole, cinnamon rolls, and bacon for everyone. The kids were having fun in the chalet exploring their new surroundings so Lisa, Stacy, Mimi, and Deedee headed to the outlets to get a little shopping in while Chris and Mark chilled with the kiddos at the chalet and the extended Rhoads family went to Dollywood. After we shopped for about a hour the guys showed up with the kids so they could all shop too. The girlies got a couple things but the mommas didn’t find anything. As lunch time was nearing the girls headed back to the chalet for lunch while the boys headed to the bar to watch football. The Huckestien clan came by and enjoyed a glass of wine while Kellan joined the girls for a little playtime. After they headed back to their chalet we took the girlies to enjoy some additional amenities near the chalet visiting the putt-putt area and indoor pool. That evening Mimi and Stacy cooked chicken casseroles and we enjoyed great fellowship together. 

Up bright and early ready to get the fun started

Yum yum breakfast with cousins

Sweet Ivy wanted snuggled at breakfast

Over night one of the hot-tub covers blew off the porch so the brave dads in the chalet hiked down the steep slope to fetch it so we avoided the lost cover fee and the hot-tub would not get debris in it. It was great entertainment for the more seasoned men and females in the chalet
 
Girlies enjoyed the hot-tub 
 
The movie theater was a hit and shopping was too

Fudge sampling, yum yum

These little monkeys took advantage of the putt-putt course in the neighborhood
  
 Beautiful view from the putt-putt area


Great time in the in-door pool
    
Stacy and Mimi fixed dinner and we enjoyed sweet time together
  
The movie theater got lots of use from the girlies watching Disney shows, football games, and adult movie night

Dancing fun and showing off their new emoji PJs
 
 
Family time in the home theater
 
Enjoying time on one of the pool table together while Mimi
 

Monday, the Rhoads clan cooked monkey bread, eggs, bacon, and fruit for everyone before all the kiddos arrived for craft day at our chalet. This year they got to make a pillow, necklace, ornament, and thankful tree. Once the crafting was over the moms fellowshipped while the kids played pool and in the game room, some got in the hot tubs, and others enjoyed watching a show on the big screen. That afternoon Lisa, Stacy, Mimi, and Deedee ran to the Christmas Store to look at ornaments before meeting up with the group at Dixie Stampede. Aunt Stacy ended up getting to be part of the show and won a Stampede medal for our team. Everyone seemed to enjoy the show and the kids got to take home a souvenir boot cup that they drank out of the rest of the week. The kids at our chalet got to play a little then they got Thanksgiving surprises from auntie Diane and Mimi Rhoads. Leia told mommy Auntie Diane let’s them play the “best game ever” where everyone ended up with a fun surprise at the end and they got to steal each others if they wanted before opening up one. while they were still on a high from it Mimi Rhoads let them reach in to grab a hat and they had to act like that animal before the next person could go. They enjoyed stealing and trading so much in the other game they did it again with the hats. Love watching all 6 girlies having fun. That evening our little Comfort family went to the Huckestien’s to say hello to Dan and Nancy since they just arrived and it had been a year since we had gotten to see them. 

Enjoying breakfast and fellowship during the morning hours
   
Our awesome daddy found us a tree branch for our thankful tree

Craft time ready for fun
   
Craft day snack time

And fun photo ops
 
The girls showed off their finished craft projects while the big boys played
 
Pausing for a quick photo while we were shopping at the Christmas Tree Store

Group photo before heading into the Dixie Stampede



  
  
  
The girls made out in the afternoon. Auntie Diane let the girls play Thanksgiving Steal. Leia informed us that we should do it more often

Love the silly photo op

Then Mimi Rhoads let the girls pick surprise hats from a bag

Fun times in the chalet

Visiting the Huckestien that evening

Tuesday, started off with a early run to the grocery store for Stacy and Lisa since we forgot the condiments for sausage balls and pancakes, grape jelly and syrup. Mimi put the sausage balls in the oven while we were on the way back and everyone got to enjoy breakfast together again before the girls were off to play while the adults cleaned up and we headed to downtown Gatlinburg. Thinking a hour or two should be this momma’s limit downtown but we were there several hours and stopped by a pizza joint Stacy’s co-worker told her about where Abbey got the biggest calzone we’d ever saw and our pizza order was messed up so we were able to take a whole pizza home for leftover night. As we headed back towards the chalet after lunch Lisa’s voice started fading but we still stopped off by the go-cart and gem mining place for a little more fun. Sweet Ivy still turned the go-cart ride down this year and opted to spend her time on the carnival rides while the bigger kids rode the go-carts. The big kids did come join her for a couple rides each so she had company part of the time. Chris and Leia came in first on the race Lisa and Ivy got to watch which made Leia really happy before walking to the gem mining place. Each set of sisters got their buckets of sand and gems and started mining away. Everyone ended up with some really cool treasures then traded each other when they got back to the chalet. The Rhoads’ clan cooked chili and potatoes for dinner that evening.  We all enjoyed the fellowship together laughing and chatting (Lisa tried although not much came out). Our group had wanted to go see Brian and Jonah but decided it best to try to go to bed early in hopes Lisa’s voice would be back the next day. 

Morning fellowship is great

Girls just want to have fun

Our girls thought this was funny and had to get a picture while we were walking through downtown
  
Mommy was done shopping, Leia went into another store while Ivy entertained mommy outside

Great time and the biggest calzone we’ve ever saw
  
Fun at the go-cart place. Sweet Ivy refused to ride go-carts so she rode on eat carnival rides

 

  


The drivers fans watching from the overpass

Ivy’s speed

The rest of the girls joined her for a couple rides
    
Another favorite in Gatlinburg is mining. 
  

Early to be, early to rise, we were up Wednesday morning cooking chocolate chip pancakes for the crew before heading up to Ober Gatlinburg to snow tube, ride the mountain coaster, and ice skate . We spent most the day there soaking up all the fun. It was a great time! Afterwards on the way back home Chris and Lisa rode by the location of the old chalets we use to rent. It was surreal seeing all the foundations and chimney stacks knowing that last year our family that were able to go were one of the last ones to enjoy the chalets and knowing if they’d stayed one more day they could have had to escape the fires. We escaped backed to our chalet for the rest of the day. We had fun just relaxing together, had a little family time in the hot-tub, and played pool together before warming up leftovers. That evening adults enjoyed the movie theater and watched “Gifted” while the kids played pool and board games; the adults joined in game time after the movie was finished. 

 Love the fact we all unknowingly dress alike 

Ready for a good time snow tubing 

Ivy was a little nervous going down the first time but liked it afterwards
 




  

   
Only six of us from our chalet rode the mountain coaster this year but I think there will be more riding next year since Leia said it was awesome and is talking it up
  
Fun inside Ober Gatlinburg. I remember last time we came up our girlies rode the carousal for a hour. This year they both got out on the ice too. Lisa passed Ivy off to the ice skating pro, aunt Dawn since it was only her second time ice skating

Relaxing family time in the hot tub
 
Sweet sister time
 
These monkeys were all piled up on the bed 

Love the sweet mommy-daughter time
 
Love the matching aprons Auntie Diane brought for Thanksgiving dinner prep
    

Thanksgiving we fixed more sausage balls before a small group headed out to hike while the rest stayed in the chalet for a nice relaxing morning. Loved getting to take a nice short hike to the Laurel Falls. Lisa made Mimi a little nervous taking the two little monkeys with her up the side of the falls. Mimi’s photography skills did not capture the moment but it is a fun memory. On the way back we stopped by the cousins football game. Kellan and Jonah were the team captains and picked their teams old school style. Afterwards we were told both teams won; I don’t think it works that way but at least everyone had fun. We headed back to our chalet to finish up the cooking and cocktail hour started early this year. For the second time in the 38 year history of Thanksgiving was not hosted at Joy’s chalet since our chalet was large enough for everyone to sit together for dinner. It was a fabulous dinner with LOTS of food and GREAT family fellowship! Thankful to get to spend it with so many family members and missed each and everyone that was not there. 

     
 
Sweet Ivy is like her mommy always ready to go have a little fun
    
 
   
 
Love the view while hiking

Thanksgiving Day cousin football game

Photo op before Thanksgiving dinner


Group shot of almost everyone in our group this year (Leia was hiding)
Thank you Auntie Diane for getting this memory frozen in time

Thanksgiving Dinner

Love the entertaining table cloth Michelle brought! 
   
Mothers and daughters always a blessing! 
 
 
   

These guys did a great job carving all the turkeys! 

The cabin we had this year had enough seating for everyone to sit together so of course we snapped pictures of each table. Stacy stood in for Lisa on the dinner shot of her table

  
Sweet cousins dressed alike, you know their mommas love it
 
After Thanksgiving entertainment was provided by Leia, Ivy and Sara   
Ending the night with a little mommy-daughter game of candy land

Friday morning we woke up and headed home right after breakfast. We started with the caravan but Mimi blew pass us when we stopped for a restroom break and lunch at Cracker Barrel in Fort Payne. It was the fastest trip home and we arrived home about 1:00. True to elf fashion, the girls discovered their elf, Cupcake arrived the day after Thanksgiving and brought them a extra surprise she hid in the house for them to find too. So thankful that we were all able to spend Thanksgiving together in Gatlinburg and the precious memories made this year.  

 Cupcake, our elf is back! 

The girls found their surprise that cupcake brought them
She brought them warm, elf pajamas to snuggle up with while she flies back to the North Pole to report to Santa