Boo and I have been in North Carolina since the 12th visiting my family. I’ve tried to stay unplugged as much as possible. Boo and I have turned most of our technology for good old fashioned compositions books the last week. It feels really great to write with a pen a little more. Maybe this will be the start of some new habits for me.
Here are a few of the things that Boo would want me to share with you so far:
1. North Carolina has very interesting leaves and trees. (The most interesting part for her is that there ARE leaves. There aren’t a lot of leaves in the desert. If you live in NC….notice your trees today please.)
Is that a squirrel? It’s like a zoo here!
2. There’s a cool restaurant concept called a cafeteria. (She had her first experience….and she’s hooked for life….which would be an issue in this family if she wasn’t.)
K&W Cafeteria – Charlotte, NC
3. The best part about becoming a better swimmer year over year is not having to anticipate the bottom of a waterslide with dread anymore. Yahoo.
4. Bojangles is the best restaurant ever. (The goal is to eat as much as possible until we can’t stand it anymore so it won’t be hard to leave behind.)
5. Deer poop is easily recognizable when your Aunt and Uncle have 2 deer families using their yard as a nightly hangout.
6. This….is a good slingshot stick. Found at a haunted house. A real abandoned haunted house. Well….it was really abandoned. Not sure about the haunting….but the odds are about 72.44% based on looks alone.
7. Moon Jellyfish can hypnotize you. We think. Ok I think. They hypnotized me. (We went to Discovery Place in Charlotte. Our family was the row of criers watching Flight of the Butterflies in the IMAX.)
8. Having a fashionable Aunt has its perks. These shoes would not look great with my yoga pants.
9. This little church in Linville, NC reminds Boo of Little House on the Prairie:
10. Walking through a cloud is kind of magical:
11. Cracker Barrel is the 2nd best restaurant ever. The candy rocks.
12. The Biltmore House exceeded Boo’s expectations a gazillion times over. She hung onto every single word of the tour and cried when it was over (she’s definitely my kid.)
Boo recommends the kids’ Biltmore audio tour over the adult Biltmore audio tour. (So do I. And so does my mom. And so does my sister. It’s told from the perspective of the family dog.)
Boo would like to move into the Biltmore House. (I’m getting a little tired of having to explain that it’s not for sale.)
The conservatory impressed everyone BUT Boo:
Eh….just a lot of palm trees.
13. Grandma’s guest room has a creepy hand in it.
13. Rain rocks.
I found this quote today in one of my mother’s books. It just summed up what I’ve been thinking about lately…..how easily the joy in life can become elusive if you let it. Don’t let it!
These were some small highlights of the trip so far. We just got back from three days at the Hemlock Inn in Bryson City, NC. I’ll share those stories soon when they have time to sink in a little more. I’m convinced that Hemlock is one of the most unique places I’ve ever been to.
Those shes are faboulous….but you are right about the yoga pants.
When we were in NC last year my oldest actually captured a cloud in an ampty jar.
My youngeest calls it crapper barrel…innocently.
My favourite place…NC. enjoy your time with the famalam
Really cool photos. What a great experience for Boo to see a whole different environment – desert vs. more of a city life. TFS.
As a Tarheel gal, I love every single thing about this post! I’m an eastern NC gal, but old churches, Bojangles, K&W, Cracker Barrel, and deer… right up my alley! Glad you are keeping the Carolina in Ms. Boo. ( The hand, though… what???)
It’s ok, I cried in the Flight of the Butterflies, too! We took our kids to see it at Moody Gardens in Galveston earlier this summer. My 4 year old (who LOVES butterflies) was so captivated by it all. It was the 3-d version and she kept sticking her finger out to let a butterfly land on it. Probably the cutest thing ever. Our 2 year old was less impressed. He fell asleep (which had NOTHING to do with the fact that we were watching the 1pm showing, which is his nap time. ha!)
The Biltmore Estate is a favorite of mine. You can’t beat the views from anywhere in that house.
LBB Retreat? I’m there. Cracker Barrel is the best. Been is NC 10+ years and still haven’t gone to the Biltmore! Hi from Clayton.
LBB Retreat… YES! Please…. 🙂
Love the Hemlock Inn. And the Biltmore House. And Discovery Place. And of course, K&W.
Hope you are having a great trip!!!
Bojangles went straight to my thighs, I’m convinced!
Fun! It’s so great for kids (and adults) to know there’s more to this beautiful earth than just their everyday surroundings. Love it that Boo can find appreciation in a leaf. More of us should stop to appreciate the small things. 🙂
Totally jealous of your Bojangles! Lived in NC for 15 years before moving to FL and I think I miss Bojangles the most. When I go to Raleigh to visit my sister I always make sure to get my boj fix while I’m there!
We have had a wonderful visit with Ash and Boo here! Extraordinary…to say the least!
So full of love, tears, joyful and sad memories as we look thru albums.
Ashley’s brilliant idea to gather the family at the Hemlock Inn for a few days was perfect!
Playing Barbie for hours with Boo, putting up a new hammock as the clouds of fog swept by, hearing Boo thanking the Lord for all our blessings, seeing a herd of deer pass thru Perry’s backyard!
Happiness is wanting what you have!!
God is so good to give us a loving, caring family. I love you , mom
I took my daughter to the Biltmore when she was 10 years old. She worked at the Biltmore Inn for many years and got free tickets to tour “the house”. It was even nicer to see it again for free but I still can’t believe that she didn’t remember visiting it when she was older than Boo.
We were just at the Biltmore this past Friday on vacation. Loved it. The highlight for our 4 year old was the potty that looked like a chair. That, and the bowling alley.
We love Cracker Barrel, even if my husband calls it Crack Whore Barrel!
Grew up in Charlotte–Go East Meck! and family is still there, I’m in Winston Slem now. Carolina girl through and through! I love the zoo comment! Rabbits, turkey, ground hogs, raccoons, deer, all kinds of critters! Enjoy NC! So much to experience…you should check out Mt Aiiry aka Mayberry and Pilot Mountain, the town and the state park. Beautiful area!