Fun in Boone-Part 3

We spent a day hiking to Linville Falls and also visiting Linville Caverns. It was a very full day and the boys were very tired afterwards! We hiked to the falls two different ways to get two different views of the falls. I wouldn't say the boys were too happy about that part but they did enjoy the views from each of them.
Linville Caverns was really a cool cave. I wasn't expecting it to have as many formations as it did. Right at the beginning there is a stream that heads into the cave. Well out of the cave. We went in where it comes out. There are some HUGE fish in there.
One really neat part of the cave was where it was super narrow between two walls of rock and there is a grate below your feet where there is water underneath. They sent two divers down there a few years back and they never found the bottom. I think they said they stopped at 250 feet deep!

Aricin in the cave:



These next couple are a few of the formations. They have lots of colors in them from all the minerals:


One view of Linville Falls

The rest of these are the view from the top and hiking around the falls.

Fun in Boone-Part 2

So our second day in Boone we drove about 45 minutes to go to the North Carolina Mining Museum. It is an old mine, where they mined Feldspar for a cleaner called Bon-Ami. I guess they still sell it, but I had never heard of it.
It told all about the mining industry, how miners lived, etc. Can you believe they worked 10 hours a day for .10/hr? WOW! And the working conditions. WOW! They even had a reproduction of a general store, and all the real mining equipment used for that mine. The actual mine is underwater now. They had diverted a river to mine it and when the mine shut down they let it fill with water again.
We went gem mining with the huge $35 bucket. Ok so it wasn't that huge considering that they sell a $1000/barrel. Huge barrel like a 55 gallon size barrel or bigger full of rocks! We even asked the clerk if they ever sell any of those, and he says they sell all the time! He said mostly to people that will cut their own gems to sell them. But seriously? Mining all that rock just to get the gems. Wouldn't it be easier just to buy the uncut stones? I guess not as much fun.
The boys of course loved it and would have been happy as larks with the $1000 bucket. I think our $35 bucket took us a couple of hours to do. The gem mining was the highlight of the trip for the boys. Even after we were done they kept asking if we could go gem mining again!

Below: Niels and the boys around some of the old mining equipment


This is the actual mine itself, full of water now.

Enjoying the gem mining in these next few pictures



These two pictures are also at the mining museum

Fun in Boone-Part 1

Right before school started we took a 3 day getaway to the mountains in Boone. We got there and of course it decided to rain so it was perfect for taking the boys swimming at their nice and REALLY warm indoor pool. Aricin made some huge progress. He has been super scared of water and would only go in attached to me with both his arms and legs. He started going from the wall to me a few feet away which was huge progress and great for building his confidence!

Christian has no problem swimming around at all, in fact he quite enjoys it! I guess all that screaming going under the water in mom and tot swim class as a two year old has paid off with him. Maybe I should have done that with Aricin!






And here is some horseplay in the pool...

Greensboro Children's Museum

About a month ago we went to the Greensboro Children's Museum with some friends. There were 3 adults and 9 kids between all of us! Made for lots of fun and plenty of friends to play with.



Aricin enjoying playing in the hollow barrel

Christian in the fire truck

All the kids on the huge arm chair!

Mini Golf

We took the boys mini golfing a few weeks ago. Really cute course, and half of it is "underground" with black lights and such. The whole course is a pirate theme.

4th of July Fun

I know, it's been over a month since the 4th of July. Funny thing is that I just downloaded all the pictures off the camera and realized that it had been that long since I had done so!

We had a great time on the 4th of July at our friends' house, Natalie and Lance. They are friends that I met through horses (of course!) and they are lucky enough to have horse property. We went to a BBQ, and there was so many fun things to do for the kids! An inflatable pool, pony rides on the horses, food, and of course fireworks (which we brought.)


Below: Aricin rides Tucker


Christian hopping off Tucker

Aricin on the waterslide

Chrisitan on the waterslide

Camping Fun

We had the opportunity a couple weekends ago to go camping with our friends Natalie and Lance at Croft State Park. It is near Spartunburg, South Carolina, and yes it was hot! Thankfully the camping area was very shaded and since we were so busy doing things it helped us forget about the heat. It sure is a lot different than what Niels and I are used to. Camping in Utah at the high elevations away from the heat. I didn't sleep with any covers on at all, so you KNOW it was warm!

This first picture is what happens on the way home when you take 2 boys tent camping for a weekend in 100 degree weather with lots of mosquitos, their first horseback riding trail ride ever and swimming in the creek by the campground to cool off from said heat for 3 hours.

Enjoying the trail ride

Niels cooling off in the creek

more trail riding fun


And here is a video of swimming in the creek


There are more pictures including some more of Natalie and Lance in the slideshow above!
Fun times, and now we just need to plan another trip!

Aricin Graduates Preschool

Aricin graduated preschool from Gilwood Presbyterian Preschool near the end of May. He was so sad to be leaving his teacher, Mrs. Gwen. He loves Mrs. Gwen so very much. The graduation itself was very neat. His school goes all out with their program put on by the kids. They learn about 15 short songs, some with actions, and some in sign language! The ceremony was wonderful as well, and of course there was punch and cookies afterward, too! I can't believe Aricin is headed to Kindergarten in another 2 months! I am no longer the mother of preschoolers, but of school aged kids! Dad don't forget to click on the videos to play them, there are some cute clips from the program.













Aricin receiving his diploma




Singing "Mosquito Burrito." All the kids have a great time with this one!

More fun with the Grandparents

We had some fun and a jam packed week while my parents were here to visit. We went to the Lazy 5 Ranch, the park for Aricin's class picnic, and drove to Asheville to the Blue Ridge Parkway to see the mountains.





Above are pictures from the Lazy 5, near the playground and on the wagon ride feeding the animals.

Christian gets baptized

Ok so I know I am running quite a bit behind on my blogging but going to try and get caught up again here. In the middle of May we we so lucky to have my parents come out for a visit and for Christian's baptism at our church. It was a wonderful experience for all of us, and we feel so blessed to have been able to share with family. Of course we wish more of our family could have been there, but were SO thankful my parents were able to make the trip. Here are some pictures from baptism day. I should also mention that Christian asked Grandpa to baptize him, so that was extra special for him.