Busch Gardens

On Tuesday, June 14, I headed out to Busch Gardens (an amusement park) with my good friend, Tracy and her daughter Abigail and a friend, Alisa. It was my first time at this park even though it's only about 3 1/2 hours from here. Jamie, Jenna, Erik and Darin went more than a year ago and had a great time.

The park is set up like different countries. It's pretty cool. The rides are different, the music is different, even the food is a little different.

We go there before the "gates" opened so we could start off with a bang. And I really started off with a bang!! As we were walking in, the girls were running to get to the roller coaster. Tracy and I were walking fast. I was intrigued by the facade of the buildings and just looking around. I looked up and realized that Tracy was getting ahead of me and that I wasn't sure where the roller coaster was. I remember thinking--I need to walk faster! I was wearing tennis shoes and before you know it, I felt myself falling. Unluckily, there wasn't anything to grab on to (or luckily for those around me). The next thing I knew I was on the ground. Only some minor bumps and bruises. (Although my knees still hurt when I kneel and it's been two weeks.) Tracy hurried back and helped me up, but I was surprised that no one else even asked if I was okay. I was just like a rock in the stream and they all just flowed around me.

Being a rock in the stream has really got me to thinking over the past two weeks. How many times do I just flow around people in need (ok--I wasn't really in need--but you get what I mean) because I'm so busy with my own life and making sure I get where I need/want to be? My guess is that I do that more than I know. And sadly, sometimes I know I'm passing by someone that could use my help, but I'm too busy or I don't know them or I feel that they don't really want my help. I'm going to work harder to stop and help and listen as the spirit directs me to those in need.

A side note--my arms were so sore the next day--and not from the fall--from the roller coasters!! I hung on so tight to the restraints that I used muscles that I hadn't for a while. Now that's a fun workout!! :-)

Family Reunion

On Saturday, May 21, Donald, Jamie, Will, Jenna, Erik and I headed up to Vashti, North Carolina, for a Gilreath family reunion. Donald's dad, William Frank Gilreath, died in 1994 and we've only been to a couple of reunions since then. This was a good opportunity to go back and to also take our sons-in-law so that they could see where Frank grew up and meet some of the extended family.

We had a potluck lunch at the Vashti Fire Department. Look how welcoming they are:

Lunch was delicious and we enjoyed talking to extended family.

Here's a couple of pictures:From left:
Larry (Frank's youngest brother), Carolyn (Larry's wife),
Carol (Frank's youngest sister), Archie (Carol's husband),
Peg (Frank's oldest sister), JC (Peg's husband),
Loretta (wife of Frank's older brother, Jim)

the cousins who attended that day

After lunch we went to the home that Donald's grandparents built in the 1940's. This is the home that Donald would come to when visiting his grandparents. His Aunt Carol lives there now and generously gave us a tour.

What would a family reunion be without a visit to the cemetery?

The grave marker of Frank's parents

It was a long day, but a fun day. We're all glad we went.

Mother's Day Fun!

Just before Mother's Day, Devin and Donald took me here:We were on a quest to find some Salvadorean food and taste something similar to what Darin is eating. I especially wanted to try a "papusa". Darin lived on papusas in one of his first areas. So for Mother's Day, I got to head out with four of my favorite people in the world.

Delainey wasn't feeling great so she sat close to me and often had her hand on me. I loved every minute of it! (Well, I didn't love that she didn't feel good--I just loved that she wanted to be close to me.) Sallie was loving the food (as usual) and was happy as long as someone was feeding her!

(notice Sweet Delainey's hand on my arm....love it!)

Here is a papusa:
(on the left)(not sure if Darin gets to have the cabbage/sauce stuff on the right...)


I had the sampler platter. I don't remember everything that was on it. I do remember that it had a papusa, a tamale and fried plantains.

Devin had the tilapia

Donald had more 'Mexican" fare
Thanks for a fun Mother's Day outing!

Delainey's Dance Recital

We got back from the beach and that Saturday was Delainey's Dance Recital. I had been able to attend one of Delainey's dance classes and the teacher was amazing--so kind and patient with a whole gaggle of little girls that really just wanted to twirl and run around. Delainey's dance recital was held in Chapel Hill and Jenna, Jamie and Erik drove over with us.

The recital was SO cute!! I had forgotten how adorable little dancers are! My girls both took dance and both had recitals and I remember now how much fun it was (for me at least!) and how cute they were.

Here's some pictures from the recital. I can't get my video of the recital to load. Maybe later....

Spring Break

This year, as most years, we all had different spring breaks. I moved my preschool days to span most of the time off and our family headed off to the beach. Donald and I went down to Topsail on Wednesday. Devin, Sarah and the girls came down on Friday morning and Jamie, Will, Jenna and Erik came down Friday night. Sunday night Devin, Will, Erik and Jamie went back to Raleigh. Sarah and the girls headed back on Tuesday afternoon. Jenna, Donald and I went back on Wednesday. It was a great week--I love having my family together!! It was hard for me to go on Wednesday knowing that one of Darin's favorite places is the beach and that he was the only member of the family to not be with us that week--and his birthday was that Sunday as well. I'm already looking forward to Summer 2012 when ALL of us get to go to the beach!

I thought I took pictures--but they weren't on my camera card so I guess I didn't. This is the only picture I had:

I brought some Disney Princess Polly Pocket-type dolls and Delainey loved to dress them. Sometimes we would find a princess in an odd spot. It always made me smile.

It was a great week and I only wish we could do it more often. I also learned my lesson: next time--more pictures and blog about it sooner!!

Family dinner

We had a fun family dinner in March that included Donald's sister and her husband as well. The best part was sweet Sallie and her pretzel-eating...Of course we played some cards--Sallie is learning early that if you're going to fit in at family dinners, you've got to play some cards....

Trip to New Bern

I've wanted to go to Tryon Palace since we first moved to North Carolina and I heard about it. I love history and love seeing the places people lived and their furnishings and hearing about their lives. Finally, in March, Donald and I took a Saturday and went to New Bern to see Tryon Palace and the other homes that you can tour in the area.

We parked and walked along the river to get to the Visitor's Center.

It was a beautiful sunny day and it was just felt so good to be outside and near water...

No pictures were allowed in any of the homes, but here is the front of Tryon Palace....
(just after stepping through the gates)
(the kitchens are to your left and the stables to your right)

and the back....
Donald and I commented on how fun it would be to have a backyard like this for the kids to play on. Can you imagine the soccer and football games that could be held?
(the view from the back of the palace to the water)

No pictures were allowed inside--but it was a great tour. We had about 10 people in our group and a costumed docent took us through the entire palace telling us about each room and life in the 1700's. It was so much fun! The gardens outside were amazing! I took a lot of pictures, but I'll just share a few of my favorites....

We toured three other historic homes--one from the 1770's, one from the early 1800's and one from the 1850's. Again, no pictures were allowed...

From Tryon Palace, we headed down the street to "downtown" New Bern. We went to the birthplace of Pepsi and had the best Pepsi I have ever had.

After our Pepsi, we headed back to the visitor's center to go to more of their exhibits. They were wonderful. At the end we took some fun pictures...
(Donald liked this one because he thinks he looks like Ben Franklin!)

We then meandered through the town before heading back to Raleigh. It was a great day trip!

Next Adventure: Mount Vernon!!
Anyone want to come with us???