We have been having a great time in North Carolina visiting family. We came down and visited Mark's parents for several days and then spent a few days with his Grandma as well. Also, we were able to have dinner one evening with out Aunt Kim and Uncle Roger who live about an hour from Mark's parents and we spent lots of time with our Aunt Ruth and Uncle Keith who live within a block or two of Grandma.
Since we have been in North Carolina we have done many fun things. Matt and Lori and the girls were her the first few days and we enjoyed visiting with them and the four of us adults were able to go out White Water Rafting and the place we went to was where the Olympic teams practice. After they went home we went with Mark's parents to Lake Louise and Chimney Rock and we were able to go up the mountain and my what a beautiful view it was. We also took a boat tour and discovered that in one of the little alcoves on the lake is where most of Dirty Dancing was filmed.
Not quite sure where I went wrong - this house is about 20-30,000 square feet and was a gift from a wedding gift to their son when he was married. Now, the parents also have their sand flown in from Florida where the sand is the only true white sand too and they also live on the lake...
We also had a great time going to a local amusement park - kind of like a Cedar Point but named Carowinds. With much convincing Lilly went on the upside down rides and LOVED them. She thought all the other rides that she went on were pretty fun except the one that was really rough - the wooden one - that truthfully none of us liked. It was the first one we went on and it was rougher that the other wooden one but it gave Lilly an aversion to the other wood one and to the really big ones for about an hour. The water park was pretty fun too that they have there and we really were glad to have it once the mid-afternoon heat struck as it got down right hot.
Finally, on the way to Gma Rice's house we stopped and visited a drive through ranch that had semi-exotic animals. While there weren't lions and tigers there were Zebra's and Giraffe's, antelopes, Water Buffalo, etc. Mostly animals that wouldn't cause harm as they are all allowed to roam free amongst one another.
