My husband and I went to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg this weekend without the boys and did everything you can’t do with children. We waited in line for breakfast, we shoe shopped, we walked long distances without asking anyone if they needed to use the restroom. It was magical!

We slept in until a shamefully decadent 9:30, then, having missed our hotel's breakfast, we drove into Gatlinburg to go to the Pancake Pantry. We parked at the first garage on the strip, then trekked up the hill and ran into a Santa Claus parade! Santas were riding scooters, driving in pickups, throwing fake snow, and giving out toys. Afterward, we got into line and only waited fifteen minutes for our pancakes. Do things like this always happen when you sleep late?

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 After breakfast, we walked to the end of the strip and back, stopping at points to look at shirts and pick up soaps and marmalade. We were looking forward to visiting a shop back at the beginning of the route, across from the cantina, next to the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. But when we returned, we found it closed, so we went through a mud puddle (that was just me, actually) and behind a construction site to the school center.

We were told that the Arrowcraft shop closed last year, but the school had several neat pieces for sale from its artists in residence. We were also encouraged to go look in the galleries for more of their work. (http://www.arrowmont.org/)

This is going to be a new tradition for us. The art gallery had interesting and varied pieces, as the artists in residence were very different stylistically. And the building itself was a nice change of pace from the hustle and crowds of Gatlinburg. I can’t recommend it enough. And I think the woman in my favorite piece will be fine, really. I think.