Charleston SC

A trip to Charleston has been on MY radar for a while now, but life has gotten in the way and it had to be postponed.  This year I really wanted to make it happen, and we did.  Jonn, Jenna, Jack and Sam joined us for the first part of the trip and we had a great time.  Lots of biking, paddleboats and campfire with smores.  The weather was perfect and James Island Campground is perfect for the kids.  Take a look at this Superkid...

 

 

 

 The Livingstons were with us for the weekend and then it was our time.  We enjoyed the marketplace in Charleston, several lovely seafood meals, the pineapple fountain downtown, a carriage tour of the city and on the harbor tour I got a great shot of the beautiful new bridge to Mt. Pleasant.We took a picture of Rainbow Row and accidentally found the Dock Street Theater,  But in the last picture taken on Folly Beach you can see that a storm is a coming.  This trip, even though it was cut short,  was exactly what I was looking forward to and as it turned out our last trip in the Lance.  We sold it when we got home and set our sights of something a little larger, with central air conditioning.

................And then Hurricane Matthew began to bear down on Charleston and we had to evacuate. We cut the trip short by a day but we really enjoyed our time there.  After a couple of hours to pack up and fill up with gas we pulled out of James Island at 10 pm and got home at 3:30 am.  A typically 3 1/2 hour trip had taken 5 1/2 hours but we were very grateful to be safely home.  So long James Island, we hope to see you again very soon!

Celia and Lily (almost) go camping!!

It was our summer week with the girls and we were going camping!!  Maggie Valley is a beautiful area and there are lots of things to do.  Swimming pool, bikes, craft projects, lots of adventures planned and a fever that simply wouldn't go away.  Celia was sick and we just couldn't kick it.  We had a good time but it was not the trip that we had planned.  Maybe next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GTO highlights, dear friends and time with a special lady

John and I have discovered that one of the especially fun things to do in the GTO is take friends out for a ride.  Usually they either have memories of owning a classic, know someone who had one or they just have an appreciation of times gone by. ....... And it is fun to be out in it on a good day because this baby gets a lot of attention.


 
Tris and Tom came into town just a few months before their wedding.  A tour of downtown on a beautiful day with these two lovebirds was lots of fun!!

TJ and Meaghan were finally able to schedule a visit including barbecue at Hubba Hubba in Flat Rock. Little did WE know that they would soon be announcing that a baby is on the way!!!!!

Mike and Marianne are so much fun!  We made the sacrifice (just kidding) and went our for some great mexican food at Papas and Beer in Hendersonville.  Marianne's hair is so much fun in the wind!

Don and JoAnn came up for a quick weekend visit and while they were here we set the date and  started making plans for our May 2017 trip together to Hawaii.  

And this trip didn't include the GTO but I thoroughly enjoyed a long overdue visit to Valdese to see my cousin Marilee and her husband Ken.  She has known me all of my life and it warms my heart to hear the good old family stories. 

Jack and Sam go camping!!!

John and I got to have them for the week.....and it started with rain at StoneBridge Campground in Maggie Valley, NC.  So we delayed our trip for one day and went to Jones Gap State Park instead..... lots and lots of rocks to climb and trout to feed!  This is clearly a boys idea of a good day!!

The next day we are off on an adventure and did we get lucky!!!! The weather was perfect plus the campground was all that we had hoped it would be and more, we all had a WONDERFUL time. 
Ladder ball, lots of pool time, a new friend named Dakota, Chicken Fluffer and Noodle Face, games and more games, lots and lots and lots of bicycling, .....we are such a lucky Nana and Papa!

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Time flies much too quickly!!!

When you are young you think you have all of the time in the world!!  And then 50 years pass and you wonder where all of that time did go.  Well about 50 years has passed since the Hunter family became a part of our family.  And then there were camping trips and weddings and babies and relocations and divorces and deaths and weddings and babies and life goes on and on.  And if you are lucky you survive and celebrate the fact that we are still family and enjoy an occasion to remember the journey together.  This year Jane blessed us in a big way by inviting us to get together at the farm.  We have all heard stories of the farm and I have been lucky enough to visit her there many times but this year everyone got to spend a lazy couple of days there.  Will and his son Reid joined us and took folks on ATVs to tour the property.  It was a wonderful time of good food, good stories and great new memories. 

 

She was GLOWING!!

When Elissa graduated from UNCG with her masters she was actually glowing.  She had overcome the typical obstacles but there were additional challenges that had tried to trip her up and she would have none of it.  Between the financial challenges, juggling life with two active children, the commute to Greensboro and an unexpected move to Raleigh she had her hands full but perseverance is almost her middle name and there was never a doubt that she would run the course.  I am so incredibly proud of her and was thrilled that she decided to walk for graduation and give us the chance to celebrate her.  Chip, Celia and Lily put together a lovely party and a great time was had by all.  Yeah Elissa!!!!!  Can't wait to see what you do next!!!!!!!

The kiddos

I stopped in Raleigh on the way home to check in with the girls.  Celia and Lily posed for this "ninja, strike force, scary picture" for me before I headed home.  The morning light was hitting Lily's fist which makes it seem so much more scary!!!!  Makes me smile...

  And John and I were able to take the boys camping at Lake Hartwell during their spring break. They learned the art of helping out because there is lots to do when you are camping and they were great to do their part.   The weather was perfect for a hike in the woods and lots of card games at night.  Good times!!