Ellijay Retreat

We met our great friends, Brandon and Clarissa, up in Ellijay, Georgia for a few days before Christmas.  It was nice to go away before Christmas because it required us to have most of our Christmas preparations done before we left....and then all that was left to do was enjoy our friends and then to enjoy Christmas Eve when we got back home. 

A view of the Smokey Mountains from Amicalola Falls.

Clarissa and I ..we could be sisters, right?  She is one of those people that come into your life and will never go out.

Ben with his finished gingerbread house.

Sam and Daisy with their work of art.  They were great partners in the construction project, playing ideas off of each other and just getting along great.

I naturally had to be involved in the gingerbread process.......it is a long standing tradition of our family!

Harley and Mara were partners on their house........they did a good job together, despite the fact that they are both the oldest child in their family.  I think the age difference helped!

Here is most of the gang on the way down/up to see Amicolala Falls......and yes, that is our dog Bubba's behind that you see in the background!

I didn't know natural attractions like this existed in the South!

We went to Blue Ridge, Georgia to board the Santa Express Train........we have no idea who we are going to encounter on the train ( yah, right)!

Who is this?  How did Santa get on board our train?  I don't know, but this is definitely the real Santa.  No fake hair or beard at all!  I am a believer!



The Grover kids



O.k., so we know that Santa's picture is on all the Coca-Cola cans this time of year, and now we know why.  We caught him taking a break on the train with a drink in his hand...yes, it was a Coke.

Does Santa have something cooking with Coca-Cola, or what?

Elyse and Duncan........Elyse loved being around Duncan because he was a REAL baby.  I think she discovered that real babies are a lot more fun that toy babies.

Oh, Clarissa.....it's all over now.  Duncan will never look back after he drinks that hot chocolate!

Yes, Ben was in heaven on the train.......the wheels in his mind were spinning out of control as he observed the workings of the train!

  

Just remember, Mara, Santa sees you when you're grumpy!

Sam by the train. 

 

Sam and Daisy loved their hot chocolate!

 

Hey you guys......don't you know it's not safe to stick your head out of a moving object!

Yes, the hot tub became a swimming pool while we were there.  I got hot tub duty the first night, and the water was lukewarm, so it inspired the kids to jump and splash and have a jolly time - I did not have a relaxing time sitting in the hot tub.  By the last night, the water was an appropriate temperature and the heat sucked all the energy out of the kids - I wish I would of have hot tub duty on that night!