Spring Break-- NC or bust

This year, we were even more fired up than ever to head down to North Carolina.  We'd be meeting up with four other families and the anticipation for all that fun was high!  Plus, we got to drive our minivan and that made the trip that much more comfortable.

First stop was dinner and a sleepover with Nana and Grandpa:

New sweater from Nana

Playing ukulele for Nana

dancing for Nana and Grandpa

Family photo

 Next stop was an overnight with Hester, Hudnell, Ollie, and Foof in Middlebury, VA:

Ollie told us this is the most flattering angle

Beautiful light on a fence in Middleburg

We arrived in NC to a rainy day, so we decided to stay a night in Asheville for a change.  Asheville is a super cool town, full of breweries and art galleries and very cool shops.

We hadn't realized that my Aunt Sherry and Uncle George had planned to meet us in Brevard that night (perhaps because they hadn't responded to an inquiry?).  We decided to spend the following rainy day at the Biltmore Estate.

We set up camp in a wet campground, but avoided anymore rain.  Sherry and George joined us for a great dinner and campfire.

The rain stopped and the kids settled into unabridged FUN at the campground:

We went out on some kids rides:

We visited the Oskar Blues Brewery:

John and I got out for some riding together:

We had some great family time, too:

We ate out at a great Mexican restaurant:

And we had a really, really great fun with these zany kids and their parents:

I love that we are modeling great friendship with fun families for our kids. 

These two amazing friends have been coming here for at least 5 years, since they were 14 months old:

Next stop was Merlefest.  And this year, the Kelsey's and Thompson/Davis families joined us:

 

Last stop was a hot, hot visit to see Will, Nif and Rob:

Easter

It's been almost 10 years, but we did it!  We got up to Mount Washington for some spring skiing!  We nailed it with the weather, but it could have been a little warmer for the true corn experience.  In any case, it was incredible!  We left as soon as the kids got on the bus and made it to the base of the Ammooosuc Ravine by 9:30 and we were at the Lake of the Clouds hut before lunch.

 It was such a treat to ski with my favorite mountain buddy in the White Mountains.  And the temps cooperated for some final days of skiing at Smuggs with the kids.

These little Easter egg hunters were rarin' and ready to go this year.  It was a grey morning, but temps were perfect for a P.J. wearing adventure.  So fun to see them still so excited about boiled eggs.

 

We were lucky enough to get to do a second egg/treat hunt at the Kelsey's house:

And the big treat was heading up to Howling Mountain Animal Rescue Center- a.k.a. Medora & Spencer's house to meet their newest addition:

Meet Foxy!