North Carolina! (Lots of Pictures)

In December we were able to go to North Carolina and visit Carson's family. It was a 2-week trip and it was a lot of fun. We covered a lot of distance in those two weeks going to Charleston, Charlotte and then all around Durham. The girls had a lot of fun getting to know their uncles better and spending some time with Nana and Papa. I have a lot of pictures ahead, in no specific order, so I will just narrate as I go...

Carson's parents took us to a nice lunch at Maggiano's Little Italy. The food was amazing!! It was all-you-can-eat and we ate a lot! Rylee probably ate as much as any of us:) These two pictures show Collin's mood swings (haha - jk Collin)

The above picture was on our way back to the car. I am pretty sure Rylee was 10 pounds heavier than when we entered, I am not even kidding.

These cheesecake slices were huge! They were so good!

Durham has an awesome Life and Science museum for kids. We took the girls there and Kambree really enjoyed it, especially the butterfly house. She wouldn't touch the butterflies but she talked about it even after we got home from NC.

Christmas morning was spent with Carson's family. Kambree actually got the concept of Santa Clause this year and it was a lot of fun. She also kept telling the Christmas story over and over and it was so cute. Even now whenever we have family home evening she tells use about how, "Jesus was born in a stable and Mary the Mother Mary Fair." Unfortunately, Carson was manning the camera that morning and we didn't get too many pictures, but here is one of Rylee anyway...
One of the highlights of the trip was traveling down to Charleston, South Carolina. We were able to stop on the way out and visit the Isle of the Palms Beach. It was Kambree's first time understanding that she was at a beach. It was freezing cold that morning but we stopped for about 10 minutes just to show her the sand and so she could find a sea shell.

Cold, but still beautiful!

This is a bridge on the way out to the Isle of the Palms?? (Don't quote me on that). I thought it was a really cool bridge and had to take a picture for my dad;)

The rest of these pictures are from Charleston including the picture above. They had the original guns around and Laine was showing us how it worked.

This is one of the cannons facing out towards the beach.

Above is just one of the cool houses/mansions that were original to Charleston. I love the Southern style pillars. These houses were huge and so awesome!

Kambree getting a sea shell on the coast below Rainbow Row.

These are a few of the houses on Rainbow Row. It is a long row/series of houses that were each painted a different pastel color. It was a really cool site, and people actually live in them now. I would love to go inside and tour one.

The above picture is of Fort Sumter.

Notice that Papa and Rylee have the same hairstyle:)

These were the old slave markets that are now flea markets. On the left they had really cool baskets some of the locals weave. They have some really cool things for sale there. We left with a painted sand dollar ornament.

This is a picture just outside of the slave markets. I am not sure what this building was used for during civil war times but it was really pretty. Then notice the East Bay Rd. street sign, that is also Rainbow Row.

Other things that we were able to do in North Carolina that I didn't get pictures of:

• Visit the a graveyard near an old chapel in Charleston. Collin told us some cool stories from when he took his haunted ghost tour.
• We went down to Charlotte and visited with most of Carson's extended family. We don't get to see them too often so that was special and fun for Kambree to get to know some of her cousins.
• Carson and I were able to go on a few date nights sans kids.
• Play basketball and catch up with some of Carson's ward friends.
• Go out to eat a lot! That is one thing Carson and I love on vacation, we save up just to go out to eat:)
• Hang out and catch up with Carson's family
• New Year's Eve and games with family and friends.