North Carolina Visit

We don't have a vacation planned this summer so we just decided to take a short trip to North Carolina for a visit with family.  We try to do this about every year or two.  We wanted to include Trenton on this trip so we had to run to Naperville on Tuesday night to get him and decided to head on from there.  We stopped after about 8 hours (11pm) for the night in a hotel to be safe.  We were back up around 9am on Wednesday and on the road again - ready to be at grandma Honeycutts by lunch time!

Gabi has been watching a show called Finding Bigfoot for the past couple of weeks and a prior show featured an investigation in North Carolina.  Since she saw that she has been gearing up to find Bigfoot behind grandma's house in the woods.  Ben helped her get the materials to do this...his trail cam that takes photos when anything moves in front of it, night vision goggles, walkie talkies and she even recorded the guys on the show making "bigfoot calls."  The boys did a great job helping her out with this - it took lots of imagination.  They hiked up behind grandma's neighbor (Robbie's - mind you she is in her 90's and still mows her yard!) and set up there - less tall grass and areas where snakes could hide.  Copperheads are something to worry about this time of year.  Tyler took a gun and Trenton took a saw.  One for protection and one to set up shop.  They looked so adorable all treking up the mountain side!  The kids set up the camera on Thursday and took it down on Saturday.  It snapped a few photos but didn't have any pictures of anything.  I know the boys were hoping to catch sight of a bear, considering they tried to set up in an area where one would like.  It was fun for them though.

We didn't do much since it was rainy on and off the first few days we were there.  We just enjoyed family time and my favorite...sitting on the porch swing.  The boys did get to help grandma mow her yard on Thursday when the rain stopped.  We got to visit with grandpa Honeycutt, aunt Boots, uncle Bob, Chris, Kary and aunt Alma.  We took a short trip over to aunt Betty's where we got to see lots of cows, plenty of hummingbirds and very small kittens just born weeks ago.  SOOO adorable. 

Also went to grandpa Honeycutts to see "Cocoa" the horse.  This horse would not even come to anyone but Gabi the last time we were there (about a year and half).  I caught a video of her the first time she saw Cocoa again and he came right to her!  They certainly have a bond.  And grandpa's dog, Curly.  What a cutie he is! 

Family time is what North Carolina is all about.  Listening to stories, laughing, talking, and another favorite...eating.  Our family loves grandma's house.  Fresh jams, biscuits, banana pudding, chocolate and coconut cream pie.  All faves.  Our kids are just at home there, exploring. They are just in awe when it comes to the space and open area they have. 

Grandpa Honeycutt sang some songs that he used to sing to his kids and I caught it on tape.  I actually googled it and found the actual song here!  Grandma was thrilled that I was able to do that.  She loves to pass as much as she can onto the next generation.  She even gave Gabi a VERY cool water basin and pitcher that her mom had (we think that "big daddy" - grandma's daddy made it).  She also sent home lots of canned goods for Trenton which he soooo appreciated! 

Another good time we won't forget it visiting with grandpa at his home...he told the boys that there was a new pizza place in Mars Hill.  Had great pizza he said.  The boys asked what the name was, expecting like a Lou Malnatis or something and grandpa's response "Papa Johns and they have goood pizza."  They laughed and laughed at that.  Can I just say, it isn't Papa Johns, it is Papa Nick's.  Grandma says he watches too much tv.  Trenton fell in love with a picture of grandpa back in the day.  He says he looks like a true cowboy!

A great visit, as always.  Glad to have spent a day with dad R, Jenny, Travis and Mackenzy who got there Friday night.  It was good to all be together for a bit.  I know I was extremely happy to have all my family together!