The nature center

We spent a glorious December day at the western North Carolina nature center.  It is a great place where William did volunteer work before his mission.  Until recently they had his picture up in the barn!  The kids loved looking at all the animals that are native to the western North Carolina area.  It is a like a really nice small zoo, but with animals that are only native to that part of the state.  The boys loved it!

Here they are looking at the otters

Just to prove that we can find a bob everywhere we go!

The wolves were right up at the glass just sitting there and staring at us.

They had all these picture places throughout the nature center.  We had to stop and take pictures at every one.

My baby river otter

Here they are heading up to slide!

Lil'Will driving the tractor around

James doing some tractor driving.

The boys loved petting the sheep and goats!  It was their favorite part.  I think they were getting ready for when they visited Papaw

Here is mister destructo being super nice!

The health adventure

While in Asheville we did many fun things.  One of them was that we went to the health adventure museum.  It is a science museum solely for the purpose of studying health.   They also had the Curious George exhibit while we were there.  I think the Curious George part was their favorite.  Considering their ages there was a lot for them to do.  There was even a room just for ages five and below.  

Grandma making sure that Lil'Will gets his shots

Lil'Will using the wind machine in the Curious George exhibit.  Him and Grandma even made pinwheels to blow in the wind!

There was this great conveyor belt that moved blocks around that William loved.  They even had hard hats and bob vests that the kids could wear.  We were here moving the blocks for over an hour.  He absolutely loved this section.

James had just bitten the toe on this Curious George!  My camera is to slow!!!  It was hilarious.  He just walked up to the statue and bit the toe!

I tried to make him pose next to Curious and he was not happy!  This is the best picture of the bunch but he did not want to sit next to Curious.  I guess since his toe wasn't all that tasty he didn't like him! ;)

The bobs at Grandma and Grandpa's house

One morning I was in the kitchen cleaning up the breakfast dishes and when I come in to the living room to check on the boys I find Lil'Will up on Grandpa and Grandma's radiator cover!  I was shocked since the cover had picture frames and such on top of it, but the frames were nowhere to be seen.  Thankfully he had stacked them and put them to the side so he could look out the window to get a better view of the bobs.  They were digging a section of the road up in front of Gary and Carol's house.  Lil'Will was fascinated by all the work and the machines that they brought to do it.  After I convinced him to get dressed, he didn't want to leave the view of the bobs, we went outside and watched them.  

Lil'Will with the bob in the background

The view when I came into the room!

A conversation with Lil'Will

On our way to church on Sunday we drive through a section of road that intersects the base so there are walls on either side of the road.  

Lil'Will- Mommy, we need a bigger car!

Me-  I agree Will mommy also thinks that we need a bigger car, but why do you think we need a bigger car?

Lil'Will-  Cause I can't see over the fence!

Me-  Oh, I see!  So you want a higher vehicle.

Lil'Will- Yes!

Me- Like Nana's Car?

Lil'Will- No!  I want a monster truck!

Me-  Well I am not sure that we are going to get a monster truck, but we will have to get a bigger vehicle when Mommy and Daddy decide to have another baby.

Lil'Will-  No!!  I don't want any more babies!

Me-  Are you sure?  Don't you like having baby James?  Don't you want to have a little sister? Or another little brother?

Lil'Will-  No!  Just James-James and me!  No more!  I am good with Baby James!! :)

James- No!!

I had tears running down my face I was laughing so hard.  He is very adamant that we should not have anymore children!  Apparently he is good with baby James!  Too bad he doesn't realize its not his decision to make.  James also doesn't want another.  Though, when asked about a little sister he screams no and asked if he would like a little brother he just mumbles.  So I think we could get him on board if we promise him a little brother that he could torture like Lil'Will does him!

Charleston, Sc

After we visited with Amy we were lucky enough to go to Charleston, Sc.  Carol had a work conference there to attend. I was thrilled since Charleston is one of my favorite cities.  We stayed in the middle of historic downtown Charleston.  While Grandma was at her classes the boys and I toured the downtown area.  After Grandma's conference we were lucky enough to get a hotel on the beach.  We had so much fun playing in the sand.  Especially since my boys love construction vehicles and diggers.  It was cold and windy on the beach but it was perfect weather for exploring.  We took walks on the beach and collected shells as well as played in the sand.

This is the boys eating breakfast. Grandma gave them these great little toys that they were playing with. Baby James loved making the animal sounds.

Here we are on the beach that first night.

James did not like wearing his hat at all!

Here they are playing on the beach!

One of my favorite pics!

Arriving in North Carolina!

We flew into Charlotte North Carolina on December 3rd.  Carol, Grandma Bennett, was there to meet us at the luggage carousel.  The boys instantly cried Grandma and wanted nothing to do with me.  It was awesome!  Since we flew into Charlotte we instantly went to Will's sister, Amy's house.  The boys instantly fell in love with her children, Hunter, Alyssa, and Olivia.  I think that Hunter and Lil'Will are the same child, just a few years apart.  They had the best time sword fighting and doing "cool tricks".  

Here the boys are showing off their funny faces!

Some how I got a repeat and I can't get rid of it without redoing all the pictures so here it stays! 

Alyssa and Will doing super silly faces

Hunter showing the mightiness of his sword!

Hunter and Baby James have caused the other kids to hide in the closet!  Hunter is going to chop down the door to get to them!

Preface

I just wanted to preface the new blogs with a quick note.  I will be blogging in the sequence of our trip.  So we will start out in North Carolina and end in New York.  I also wanted to let everyone know that we had the best time on our trip and it is because all of you so selflessly gave of your time and homes, so thank you very much!  In fact when I told Lil'Will that we were going home soon he cried and told me he wanted to start all over again!!  I then told him that wasn't possible, besides we have our puggies at home with Nana.  To which he told me that Nana could keep his puggies!!  Way to funny!!  But thankfully for us and Nana the first thing he wanted when we got home was his puggies!!  We also wouldn't have been able to leave for such a long time if it hadn't been for Nana who kept our Sweet doggies, Sophie and Winston!  She has been amazing with them, even taking them to the vet for me!!  Thank you so Much!!  I also need to say thank you to Kirsten Armstrong, Aurie Jenkins and Jessica Lawson for watching over our house and Allie, our turtle while we were gone.  Thank you Ladies!!!  

We're Back!!

We are finally up and running again!  We arrived back home on Tuesday afternoon and it is already hot here in Vegas!!  The boys were so sad to get off the plane, but I was super happy to be off the plane!!  Lil'Will cried when he realized that there was no snow here in Vegas!  He kept asking where all our snow went.  I had to explain to him that it doesn't snow here in Vegas this made him cry even harder.  He really loved it this year!  We are adjusting to life at home.  We have been super busy with appointments and cleaning!  The boys have been super happy to have their friends and are loving being with their toys.  I will be uploading photos and blogging on a daily basis.  I will try and do just a few blogs a day.  So keep checking to see all the wonderful adventures that we had!!

These are just two cute pictures of the boys at the beach in South Carolina.  They are just teasers until I do more blogging!