Newfound Gap and Picnic at Chimney Tops

Saturday we planned to drive up to Clingman's Dome BUT it was closed for paving until

June 21st:(

We drove to Newfound Gap.

It is 5,046 feet high- it is the lowest drivable pass through the

Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The trip over the Newfound Gap Road as often been compared to the drive from Georgia to Maine in terms of the variety of forest ecosystem one experiences.

Baby black bear
Running away

Newfound Gap

Notice all the dead trees? They are Hemlock trees (Fir) and the Woolly Adelgid is the insect that drinks the sap and cause the needles to fall off before dying. They are not native to North America.

Daddy and Austin

On the state line

Family Photos

Austin during our picnic at the Chimney Tops.

If you get there early you can get a picnic table overlooking the river.

I would recommend stopping here for a picnic- lots of shade and awesome river with rocks to climb on- the water was freezing

Austin and Mommy

View on the way down

Family Photos - thanks to the tripod

Cades Cove

After the Aquarium we walked around Downtown Gatlinburg and ate lunch at No Way Jose (Mexican).

Along the way we "saw" a bear- so obviously Austin NEEDED to have his picture made.

Just for Grandma Jenkins
Beautiful View in the National Park
Love all the rushing water along the way

These pictures are from Cades Cove- it is an 11 mile one way loop.
We drove about 15 miles per hour.
We saw deer, horses and wild turkey.
There are also historical buildings and churches that you can stop and look at.

I do not know these people:)

I would HIGHLY recommend this driving tour if you are in the Smokey Mountains

It was absoulty breathtaking.

The Aquarium in Gatlinburg

On Friday we headed into Gatlinburg and spent the morning at the Aquarium.

Me and Austin at the entrance
Austin watching all the fish

This was the shark tunnel- it had a people mover- Very Cool

Saw tooth Shark

Jaws!

Austin needed a lunch break:)

Funny looking Fish

Crab dinner- those would be awesome crab legs

Austin checking out the penguins

Penguin Playhouse

I love the Penguins

Me, Austin and our new friend

Daddy and his buddies

Chris petting the stingrays

This look means--I am over the Aquarium and ready for a nap

He was asleep before we got out the door!

If you are in Gatlinburg- the Aquarium is family fun!

Austin is 6 MONTHS OLD!!

The latest stats are:

Weight- 18lbs 8.5oz (50%) gained 4 pounds in 3 months

Lenght- 27.5 inches (78%) Grew 2.5 inches in 3 months

What is Austin Up to These Days?

He wears size 2 diapers

He wears 6-9 months clothes

He wears size 3 shoes

He eats 4 times a day (28oz)

He sleeps THROUGH THE NIGHT!!

from 7:30pm to 6:30am

He usually takes an hour morning nap (2 hours after he gets up)

and he takes about a 2 hour afternoon nap (2:30-4:30pm)

He LOVES bathtime in his rubber ducky

He LOVES to splash and watching daddy make quack quack sounds

He LOVES to EAT- I am making his baby food- we stared with sweet potatoes

He LOVES the pool

He HATES his life jacket- BUT LOVES the boat

His attention span has gotten much longer

He gets distracted easy- look the dog, oh hi daddy, what I am supposed to be eating:)

He LOVES the bucket swings

He LOVES watching his cousins (especially Zach)

He is scooting on his back and moving on his tummy in circles and backwards

He is such a HAPPY BABY BOY!!-

I am so blessed to get to spend each day with him-

Everyday there is something new and fun happening.