Dolly Parton Spotting!!!

So we are home from our adventure from Dollywood for the day. I probably should take a nap cause I'm exhausted but there is lots of excitement going on and I want to share! This morning at Dollywood it was "Sneak Peak" for all Season Pass Holders and Dependent Passes (me). Dollywood's actual season starts tomorrow. Let me tell you; today was wet and cold. I had intentions of letting Hayden ride some or us seeing a show but it was really cold and drizzly and we got hungry to say the least. When we got on park we called Joey's Director Bill Black. There was a show that was going to be happening to welcome everyone to Dollywood for their 25th Anniversary. Bill and Cindy were so kind enough to save Hayden and I a seat like 5 rows from the front. WOW!! We had heard that Dolly was going to be making an appearance here and that this would be a great time to meet a lot of local faces and see the faces of higher authority for the Dollywood Park. One of these people who also is the most important one is Ken Bell, President of Dollywood. Yes that's right; I shook his hand. Luckily, Bill is not going to be quizzing me over this. These people also wouldn't be wearing the same clothes the next time I saw them which makes it hard.

So the show stars and it gets really dark and flashing lights and Hayden is sitting watching so well (and of course very excited too)!!! If there is action going on you will not have to worry about Hayden. His eyes are glued. We were able to get a "sneak peak" of one of the shows that will be going on for the next couple of months for the Festival of Nations as well as THE lady herself....Dolly Parton! Hayden waved at her but I don't think she saw him. Ok so I'll stop chatting and let you see the pictures.....




She had lots of wonderful things to say including a special show of some sorts where she is trying to get Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus to do it with her. As most of you know (hahaha) Dolly is Aunt Dolly on Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) and I just read this week that Dolly Parton is Miley Cyrus' godmother. Little bit of extra info for you.

Joey unfortunately missed the show but I'm hoping he was able to go again later. Rumor was it was happening at 12:30 as well. So after this show the plan was for Joey and I to eat lunch real quick and Hayden and I were going to go see "Kingdom Heirs." Some of you probably have no clue who they are. I prolly couldn't point them out if I saw them but about 15 years ago I saw this same group at Dollywood and I remember loving their show. So I thought I'm going! Well lunch ran a little longer and I didn't get to go to the show. So since it was rainy and cold Hayden and I started our journey to the car to come on home. Tomorrow the forecast says its sunshine and 65. I'm going to be brave and toughen the crowd tomorrow. Its the first official day so it will be crowded. Our goal may be to ride 1 ride and watch 1 show.

I'll close with this. A lot of you are familiar with Undercover Boss. Well this Sunday evening the President and CEO of the Herschend Family Entertainment, Joel Manby will be featured. HFE is part owner for Dollywood along with Dolly Parton. He will be working at Silver Dollar City and "Ride the Ducks" in Branson, MO. Keep watch for that this Sunday March 28th.
We'll have to get a family to record it around here; we don't have cable yet.

Love you all,
Katy

What's New

Well I haven't been very prompt to update our blog. Things are going great here in Gatlinburg. We are starting to see a peek of Spring Weather. We had some snow yesterday and today its suppose to be 61 degrees. Sounds familiar doesn't it: just like Texas weather. I've enjoyed reading my friends on facebook that are in Texas talk about the weather because I know in about 2 or 3 days we will be getting that weather here.
Here are some things that are going on:
--Hayden is showing signs of OCD. Haha! I'm just teasing about this; but it quiet funny. Hayden will get his cars out to play with and well the pictures will describe it all. Hayden makes sure that he lines his cars up just perfectly. Sometimes we will walk in the room after we have all be in the living room and we will see that his cars are lined up. It is just fun to see how particular he is about this. One other thing he did was; he was sitting in the recliner with me and wanted me to hand him his OJ sippy cup. So after he got his drink I was putting it back next to my cup and he said, "turn mommy!" He wanted me to turn the cup around to where the sippy part was headed the right direction.





--Joey has been enjoying his time on Ober Ski Mountain. Its nothing like Jackson snow so he having to adjust to that and relearn this atmosphere. He is doing a great job though. The ski services for him are done and this weekend he will be at Dollywood for his first service there. There are a couple of pictures of him below with the chapel. He is going to do a great job. He said he not nervous about this but very excited to be doing this and have his group of people gathering for church!


--So since Joey has been going to the ski mountain, Hayden and I have been visiting some area churches. We have gone to 3 of them. I'm hoping that we can have a church home before Hayden and I really start regularly at Dollywood. Dollywood opens up this weekend and rumor is that Dolly Parton herself will be there on Friday for the season pass holders. Which I get to be included in that. So you know where we will be on Friday!
--The crowds are starting to come to the area. We saw our first glimpse of some traffic this past weekend. We have also been talking to new friends and learning the backroads to get around that! We have a feelings its because of Spring Break right now. I'm excited though cause there is more action when the tourist are here; otherwise it is a little quiet.
--Another thing is we started a new form of potty training yesterday. Its called run around naked. I told Hayden he could not put on a pull up or underwear. At first he was little upset about that but then he was fine. Another thing is when he goes he gets 1 m&m plus his one sticker. Yes I have broke down to candy. Its working though! He has been telling us he needs to go potty and he actually goes. If anything this is giving him practice at telling us!! So we decided to stay close to home today and he has still done great. This next part is for grandmas.....he was kind of holding his rear end and said poop so he is currently sitting on potty trying to poop but getting distracted with other things in the bathroom. No pictures for this new thing going on. I'll save your eyes on that.
--The last thing is we bought a new vehicle. We got an 02 Chevy Trailblazer. We knew we were going to need a new car by May. Joey had been using the ministry van. We happened upon a great deal on this vehicle and the salesman (fellow Southwester Seminary graduate) gave us an even better deal. We love it and Joey has found a site on the internet that is like a club for Trailblazers to do new and cool things to them. I told him; one step at a time....we need the clicker (to unlock and lock the car). So that is in the mail to us now. So far I am loving it and I like that I'm not so low to the ground. This is now my primary car and Joey has the Buick.
--Ok there is one more thing; we were able to join the Pigeon Forge Community Center Workout Facility. I'm so very excited because with the weather being the way it is I have not gotten to workout much. We joined yesterday and so I got to workout and got 2 miles of running in on the treadmill. So very excited that the month off that I had did mess up my distance. (Joey and I are planning on running a 5K May 1st so I'm about ready)

Thank you all for reading my long blog! I guess that is what happens when you wait too long between posts! Hopefully the next one won't be as long!
Love you all!