Mount LeConte---revisited--- Dennis decided it was time for a mini-vacation /torture trip. Most people consider a trip to the mountains as restful but not Dennis. He is not one to sit around and enjoy the scenery. On our trip to Gatlinburg in October we got a good nights sleep and then hit the trail head early. It is about 5.7 miles up and I mean straight up....we made it up in 4 hours or so...can't really remember the exact times and rested around the lodge area for about an hour. We saw the llamas, ate some cookies, drank coffee and hot chocolate and then headed back down to civilization and a hot shower. The trip down is always the easiest unless one of us falls down and turns their ankle. Dennis has one ankle that continues to bother him...he probably doesn't let it heal from the previous injury before he referees, umpires or decides to hike 10+ miles in a day. In a very flat and thankfully wide area of the otherwise steep and narrow path he stepped on a stone that was standing vertically in the pathway. He took a pretty good tumble and grabbed his ankle. It was huge pretty quick but we managed to get down without the helicopter ($10,000 for a lift). I wasn't nearly as sore as i thought i would be but don't want to do that hike for a while.

Baby Garner

Baby Garner arrived on dec. 11. It is the first time i have been able to make it to a grandchild's birth before they popped out. Holder, Sims and Tripp and were all cleaned up and wrapped in blankets before i got to see them. This time it was a little different...no one was in a hurry so I made it down in plenty of time. I even stayed in the delivery room and witnessed the whole (words can't describe it) thing. I thought for a while I was going to have to deliver the baby myself. They checked allison and said it was time to push but when they pulled back the sheets there was a little surprise waiting. The nurse had an almost panicked look when she asked that the doctor come alittle faster. They even told allison not to laugh again much less push. I guess I didn't know you could have a baby without pushing....oh well it was fast and furious and they both did great. Adam and I just stood close to the wall and waited for the time we could snap some pictures.