Our Gatlinburg Getaway *Day 1

As a mini fall retreat from everyday life, Chris and I ran away to the mountains.

To Gatlinburg.  To the Smoky Mountains.

We tried to time it when all of the leaves would be perfect.  They were, but just barely.  We had a rain come in the weekend before that took away some of the loveliness.

The first event of our trip was to the spa.

That's us in our spa robes.  Yes, I asked the lady to take it of us.  By this point though we had oil in our hair and the shower behind us was already steaming up the camera.

We splurged for a couples massage at the All About You spa.  It was Chris' first ever massage.  He loved it and I'm pretty sure he fell asleep during it.

After we pulled ourselves out of the mini spa coma, downtown G'burg called our names...

So we took some time to walk around and visit the touristy shops.

and to ride the Sky Lift.

We hadn't done that in years and the view didn't disappoint!





Wanna see where we stayed?

Look at your own risk.  It's such a beautiful place!

The Buckberry Lodge.

It's the same place we stayed for the first night on our honeymoon.  We love it and highly recommend it!

This is one of their gallery suites.  Since we went on a Thursday night, the room rates were cheaper.

The sweet kitchen that we never use.

It's sad, but true.  We also avoided drinking the waters because we were afraid we'd have to pay $5 for one.

Note the large king size bed.  Charming!

However, Chris will tell you it doesn't matter the size of the bed, somehow he always wakes up to find me directly beside him.

I tell him it's love.

He's also the warmest thing under the covers and I can't help myself.

Sometimes I can't help but put my ice cold toes on him either.  I've gotta be sneaking about this though and work them over there or he'll yell because they're so cold.  But then sometimes he'll soften and let me.

Just part of our bedtime process.

Bathroom.  To the right was the huge shower.  The lighting was bad though so I didn't take a picture.

Later, after a nap, showers, and fresh clothes, we got ready for dinner.

Self-timers go a long way on two man trips.  Don't be afraid to use it.

Just try not to put the camera lower than you.  It can lead to double chins.  We were actively trying to avoid them in these pictures.

Dinner was at the Peddler.

It's famous for being a steakhouse, so of course we ordered steaks...  Right after we chowed down on the delicious salad bar they have.

Chris had new york strip and I'm always a filet girl.  It was SO GOOD!  I loved my steak - it was cooked perfectly and had the best flavor.  We ate as much as we could, but saved room for...

Dessert!

We were on vacation, so we splurged the big $9 for it.

Go big or go home is our vacation motto.

(After this trip though it looks like we would eventually go home, just bigger!)

This cake was unreal!  There's an ice cream layer between the two pieces of chocolate cake.  People were watching and commenting on it all the way to our table.  There was definitely some left over, so we offered some to the table across from us when we were done.  They almost accepted.

Dinner at the Peddler was fabulous!  I'm bumping it up on the favorite list.  Right up to the top!

Sneaking a picture with Mr. Connell in bed while he's reading George Bush's new awesome book.

(I haven't read it but that's what he tells me.  Chris, not George.)

I'll be back later to tell you about day 2 of our romantic runaway trip to Gatlinburg.

One hint?  Horses smell awesome in the am!

"Guilty as Charged" and a funny story

Mr. Blue needs surgery...



On another note, before I go, I have to tell you what happened to my husband in Birmingham.  (We went a couple of weeks ago to the funeral of my friend's Daddy and stayed with Chris' grandmother.)

As we were getting ready at Gran's house for the service, my husband yelled for me from the bedroom "JULES, WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM!"  I scrambled to open the bathroom door to find him standing there with black pants on.  The problem was they were hitting him mid-calf and flaring out.

Men's pants don't flare.

and they don't shrink that much in the wash.

He was wearing my black pants.  Black pants that he thought were his and had brought all the way to Birmingham to wear to the funeral.

[Beth and Will were with us, which makes the story even better - there were witnesses.]

After I fell to the floor from laughter (or from the inability to breathe), we assessed the situation.  Chris had already put on his button-down and refused to lift his shirt.  (He said it was vulgar.)

I tried to tell him crop pants were in style.

He could just leave his shirt untucked and his plaid socks weren't so bad.

That no one would notice.

*Insert lots more laughter from Will, Beth, and me*

There was no way he could really wear those black pants.  We only had 30 minutes to get across town for the service, which meant we couldn't stop to make a quick purchase.

So, he went with his only other option of lower body clothing:
jeans.  Designer jeans.  with attention to the back pockets.

and he was wearing a blue button down.

I couldn't make this up if I tried!

At one point he refused to go.  That he would just sit in the car.  But we had come so far and it would mean so much to the family.  In situations like this, clothing matters, but not that much.

He went.  And announced to the four of us he would standing behind me the entire time.  He didn't, but he did try to count all the other people who were wearing jeans too.  Two teeny boppers and an older man (who really didn't count because the old man was wearing his black jeans meaning it was intentional and dressy for him).

We were glad to have been there for our friend.
My husband just wishes he hadn't been there in a full blue denim outfit. :)

Time change

The fall time change is my favorite.

Time magically moves back and we gain another hour.  {Another hour of sleep in my book is priceless!}

I also love driving to work when it's light outside and doesn't look like midnight.

However, driving west when the sun sets is not my favorite:

It's beautiful, but you cannot see the car in front of you at times.

At one part of my drive, the sun sets directly on the road I'm traveling.

Visability is awful!  And friends, please don't pull out in front of people when they can't see.  It would not be wise.  You'll pull out in front of someone who can barely see the road in front of them and the next thing you know, you'll be meeting a stranger on the side of the road while dodging oncoming traffic who can't see either.  It'll be like dodge ball, just replace the balls with cars.  You wouldn't believe how many did this just on my little stretch home.

I pray for my safety {and my eye sight} at this time of day.

By the time I'm home, it's dark.

On a positive note, don't you love the sun flare?!

It's pretty beautiful if you ask me.

If you want a little flare to your photos, put the sun in your view finder and shoot away.  Just don't focus directly on the sun.  I don't know what it would do to your camera, but I imagine it wouldn't be good.

Safety first!

GO VOLS

Chris and I just got back last night from our whirlwind Gatlinburg getaway.  We stayed one night, spent $500, and took a million pictures.  But I'll tell you about that later...

On our way back home, we stopped to pick up Macy in Morristown and to visit family.  Our brother-in-law, Will, had four UT tickets for today's game against Ole Miss and one of them was reserved for Chris.

He's never been one to say no to anything football related.

Chris and Macy as we waited for the others to come pick up Chris.

Ben, Chris, Dad, and Will ready to go.

Note to any men who will take a picture with the Turner men:  Arms aren't needed for picture posing.  Just stand close together...  You can even put your hands in your pockets.  Chris has been alerted to this for the next picture.

Macy wearing her "GO VOLS" necklace for the game.

The game was a great one to attend!  The Vols won and all the men went home happy.  Speaking of men, my man just walked through the door and now I'm turning my attentions to him.

Have a lovely, orange colored weekend!  

I always want a fur baby...

...that I can carry around!

Macy doesn't like to be picked up, but doesn't mind being carried around by her momma.  Chris took this picture the other night while I was toting Macy.

Off to feed her a yummy breakfast treat!

Hope you have a great day.

flag football

Every fall and spring that I've known Chris Connell, he's played on a flag football team.

In the beginning, I was there as much as possible.  It was a great reason to run to Knoxville to see that tall, handsome boyfriend of mine at the time.  and it's just so fun to watch them play!

On the day Chris proposed to me, he actually told me not to come watch him...  I should have been suspicious, but I really wasn't.  He told me later that he had business to attend to afterward.  {like the row of candles, old ticket stubs, and rose petals he laid out in his house}

I've been to every game since!

Okay...  all except the games that interfered with my religious Sunday nap.

Now that I don't look like the supportive wife that I am, my ratio of games attended is definitely much higher than games missed.  It really is fun to watch those guys play and cheer from the sidelines with the other girls.  And if I'm being honest, I just like being where Chris is.

This fall has been no different for us.

Chris was out on the flag football field and I was on the bleachers.

Chris has the red 9 on his back.  One of the few remaining camo jerseys from the old days.

Why do boys rip the sleeves off their shirts?  I've still not figured this out.  My brother did that to one of my high school t-shirts.  It became his after that.

The men huddle to say things like "we're killing them," "good job guys," "we're so much faster than those boys," "I can't hear you so I'm going to bend down lower," "check out those babes cheering for us," or "how good do we look in mismatched green t-shirts?"

Chris is the one with a tall stance towards the left on the line.

Sometimes, as you can see above, it gets physical.  This picture is the appropriate way to block someone.

You've gotta be physical, but you can't be too physical as Cousin Chris found out one Sunday.  He body-checked someone on the line, which was unfortunately considered excessive.

His opponent is still wondering what happened.

The Scallywags {aka: green team} won this game.

And they beat this team again later in the season.

But, unfortunately, when it came down to the championship game on Sunday, the Scallywags couldn't pull out three wins against this team.  The other team won in the last 3 seconds.  A crushing loss to a team they were historically better than.

{Macy watching the men play from the car}

There were two games back to back on this particular day.  Once Katie and Emery left us for bedtime, Macy and I retreated to the car where we could still watch them win the second game.  It's dedication staying for two games...  :)

Bring on the spring league!

Old Man Wright

Our friend Derek just turned the big 3-0.

It's true.  We're old enough to have friends who are 30.  In fact, Mr. Connell will be 30 in four months.

I would like to now state to the press that I will be turning 28 in December. 

Two more years to be in my twenties.

You know, it's good to have friends older than you...  Makes you feel better about yourself...

Friends?  Are you still there? 

With that said, I may have just lost my older friends. 

{Friends, don't leave me!  I didn't mean it!}

But really...  30 isn't so bad {from what I hear}.  Age is just a number.  Derek...  remember this - it's all a matter of the heart.

Leah, Derek, and Chris

Melissa, Derek's wife, arranged a fun surprise party for him at a restaurant in town.  And being ones to not miss a good party, we were there ready to celebrate Derek!

And this cutie is Leah.  She's the younger sister of Kealan.

She had me at "want to come live on my pink planet?  The planet is completely pink with lots of glitter, sprinkles, and unicorns that fly you around."

The girl's got an imagination!  And, of course, my answer was YES.

Later at dinner, she sang two songs for us.  Seriously sang them.  As in the whole four parts to each of them.  But, Leah, if you happen to read this, just know I thought your singing was beautiful!

Sarah, Kealan, and Leah

Leah was spending the night with Sarah and Kealan and loving every minute of her evening!  {See open mouth excitement.}

PS:  Sarah and Kealan are expecting a baby REALLY, REALLY soon!  Good luck you two - we'll be waiting on the mass text!

PPS:  Is good luck what you say to someone who's going to be delivering soon?

The man of the hour, his beautiful wife, and their baby Logan

How cute are they?!

Melissa, how would you prefer I get these pictures to you?  via email or cd?

Bennett (above) is their oldest son.

He couldn't help but get every last bit of his blue iced slice of chocolate chip cookie cake...

I couldn't either... I, however, got rid of the evidence better this little man.

The Connells and the Wrights

Happy Birthday, Derek!  It was a treat for us to celebrate with you!

It was also fun seeing all those old pictures of you Melissa had printed as handouts for all the guests.  Our favorite was your high school senior picture.  :)