Since we've been married, I can't really say that B and I have any set traditions as far as where we spend Christmas or with whose family we spend it. We've moved around so much (seven moves in four states in less than eight years of marriage), that sometimes what we do for Christmas depends on how much money we have left after moving and which family lives closest.

This year was a little different. Early on in the year, someone in B's family said, "Hey, why don't we rent a cabin in the Smokies for Christmas this year and all meet up there?" It's an ideal location, with some of B's family coming from Michigan, some coming from Texas and B's dad coming all the way from Mexico (where his job transferred him last year). So, that's exactly what we did. The cabin we rented was huge (5 bedrooms, 5 baths), and perfect for the number of people we had. B and I did most of the food shopping since we were coming the shortest distance, and we stocked up on lunch meats and cheese, and crock pot-type meals that we could make ahead of time and reheat later (chili, mastaccioli, beef stew, etc.) There was a pool table in the basement, which ended up being a big hit and we had our own week-long tournament. Smokey Mountains National park was just a short drive, so there we did a couple hikes. Otherwise, we all just relaxed around the cabin and enjoyed hanging out.

On a personal level, it was a very satisfying vacation. There was no wi-fi in the cabin, so I could let go of my tendency to compulsively check my email every five minutes. B gave me a Kindle for Christmas and I gave it a good breaking in and read two and a half books while we were there (I love days where there is nothing I need to be doing, and I can just sit and read the entire day). Very relaxing.

The weather was unseasonably warm (mid-50s to low 70s!), and absolutely beautiful most days so we got out of the cabin to hike or (if we were feeling particularly brave) hit the Tanger Outlets. Here are a couple shots of our hike to Laurel Falls in Smokey Mountains National Park. It was about 2.5mi round-trip. We took M on this one and she hiked the entire thing without needing to be carried! What a little trooper!

Merry Christmas!