I took a little hiatus from blogging because I went with Tyler’s family (mom, dad, sister and brother-in-law) on a mini vacation to Pigeon Forge. We left Sunday and got back Wednesday evening. It was so fantastic! I’ve needed to get away from work for a while. I love my job, but I am always able to come back to it with renewed enthusiasm after I’ve been able to get away and re-energize myself.
We stayed in Pigeon Forge at a really, really nice EconoLodge. Tyler’s parents paid for the hotel rooms, which had heart-shaped jacuzzis in them. We definitely took advantage of that. I have been so sore from running and I’ve been wanting a day at the spa, but this was a nice substitute. I also didn’t go running the entire time I was there; I felt guilty about it, but I ran on fresh legs for the first time yesterday (and had my fastest 5-mile run yet, so it must have been what I needed).
The thing Tyler and I were most excited about, though? Cable! We don’t have cable at home because we just don’t think it’s a necessary expense and will just make us lazy. The three days with the cable proved we would be couch potatoes if we had it. We enjoyed watching The Girls Next Door (one of our guilty pleasures), MTV music videos, Next Top Model (me moreso than Tyler) and this interesting cooking show.
We did a lot of shopping, too. Pigeon Forge has a Nike Clearance Store (muuuuch cheaper than Nike Outlets, where you really don’t get a deal) and when I saw the prices they had, you would have though I was in heaven. There were so many good deals, it was hard to narrow my choices. I bought a running top, and my mother- and father-in-law bought me a shirt that says “Catch Me If You Can,” a pair of running shorts and a running bra, all for my birthday. Tyler bought a really nice jacket for $20. You can’t even get those prices on eBay!
We went to Gatlinburg on Tuesday, too. We ate at the Pancake Pantry and had some amazing pancakes, eggs and bacon. Then we walked the shops. Tyler purchased a $6 pair of aviator sunglasses. He looks pretty hot in them, if I do say so myself. Then Tyler and I went up on the sky lift with his sister Kyla and his dad Kerry. I was a little nervous on the way up; all that’s holding the seat to the cable is a little hook welded onto it. It would be a long, hard fall if something went wrong. But the view at the top was worth the nervousness. I just love the mountains; seeing all the homes that peeked through the trees made me very jealous of the people who live there. After that, we went to the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum. Definitely some interesting things in there. You can learn a lot of things that never make it into the history books.
That night, we went to dinner and then to have some fun as a family. Tyler and I rode the go-carts. It was such a blast! They were really fast ones and the course had a couple big drop offs that were fun. It’s so great when he and I can be silly with each other. We really should have more times like that. We played miniature golf afterwards. I’ve never seen my mother in law laugh so hard in all my life. It really was such a great time and brought us all a lot closer.
On our way home, my mother in law Lana had to stop at the Jewelry Television Gem Store in Knoxville. She watches Jewelry Television religiously (so much that she has the logo burned into their big-screen television at home) so she was very anxious to be able to stop in. She got a ring there, and while she was looking Tyler and I went to the new Fork’s Drum Closet. He looked at cymbals there. He’s needing a new one since one has a crack in it. Since money is always tight, he didn’t buy one; he’s such a deal-shopper!
We were glad to get back home Wednesday. We missed our baby Lola. Our friends Eric and Angela kept her while we were gone. She barked every night, so they had to bring her back to our house when they would go to bed so they could get some sleep. We gave her a bath to get the cat dander off of her since Tyler is so allergic. She was so glad to have us home.
All in all, it was a great time. There were some tense times with conflicting personalities, but overall everyone got along. I ate way too much unhealthy food, so my body has let me know it the past couple days. Most importantly, Tyler and I were able to have some quality time together. I was so happy that we were able to put all the stress of the daily grind behind us and focus on one another. Made me even more happy that I married him; I am one lucky girl to have a man as good as him.
I took tons of pictures, but they’re on my computer at home, so eventually I will post some of them on here.
