The Tweetsie Railroad

Today we decided to check out the Tweetsie Railroad in Boone, NC. It's a wild west theme park packed full of cowboys, Indians, trains and other great things for kids. Although it was 49 degrees and overcast, Grady loved every minute of it. Myles even liked the train ride.

The boys in front of the Tweetsie Train. As you ride the train cowboys and Indians jump out at you and put on performances. Not so PC but Grady loved the action! He kept asking where the "aliens" were. We finally figured out that he meant "Indians".

We put the boys in the Tweetsie Jail. They thought it was pretty funny. Don't get use to that kids!!

G decided to sit down and take a break. He wanted to watch the train and didn't care that he was in the middle of the sidewalk.

We bought G a giant lolly pop. Needless to say, he was covered in it by the end of the day. Nothing like lolly pop and black fleece stuck to your face and neck.

The guys on the little train.

G loved feeding the deer at the petting zoo.

G in the drivers seat. Watch out!

G and mom on the Tilt-a-Whirl. I haven't been on one of those forever. We both got "busy"(Dizzy) as Grady says.

Ride 'em cowboy!

Happy Myles!!

Missing Mimi and Papaw already!!

Mimi and Papaw's house was turned upside down when our two little boys arrived. They are used to the peace and quite of retired life. Little did they know they would have to answer the question "WHY" 500 times a day or deal with a baby who is the biggest mamas boy ever. They still say they are happy we came.....

I picture them drinking heavily as soon as we got out the door!

We also made it up to visit Aunt Patti, Uncle Steve and AJ. It was great to see them and let the boys get to know them better. Like true Scala style, there was food galore! Patti, thank you so much for the wonderful pasta. I swear every time I visit Josh's family I gain 10 pounds. It's all that irresistible Italian food. It was so fun catching up with family!

Grady is already asking when we can go back up to visit Mimi and Papaw. We need to give their nerves some time to settle!!!

Mimi and Grady are two peas in a pod. I don't know any two people that like to laugh and be silly as much as they do.

G would do anything for Mimi. He even wanted to put her shoes on for her.

Myles loves his Papaw

Uncle Will getting some kid time in

Attack Uncle Will!!

Mimi bought these sweet dino pjs for G

Do I see another green thumb in the family? G loves to help Mimi garden.



Cleaning out the pond for Mimi

Walking around the block

G first taste of Maryland Crab. Josh was so proud!

Papaw and the boys

Watch out!!! Myles can crawl. It's funny, Grady started crawling at the same age and at my folks house.

Papaw is one of the only people Myles will tolerate holding him. He only has eyes for mom.

A Taste of DC

I love the fact that my parents live so close to Washington, DC. There are endless museums for the kids to check out. During this visit we decided to go to the National Aquarium and the National History Museum. One great thing about it, most of the museums are FREE!

Grady found a great bug at the insect zoo. What a wonderful exhibit for kids...and adults. It was full of insects, spiders and other creepy crawlies.


Myles wasn't sure about all the bugs.

This was Grady's favorite exhibit. Well, maybe not his favorite but he was fascinated by it. It was a diorama of some t-rex dinosaurs eating another dinosaur. He wanted to "smash the glass and save the little dinosaur and wipe off that red paint". Here is Mimi trying to explain that it isn't real. I don't think she convinced him. If you ask him what he saw at the museum he says,

"you remember that little hurt dinosaur?"

The look in Mimi's eye!! She is thinking...don't leave me with both of these kids!!!

G finds an ant hill you can crawl through

Mimi and G looking at insects

What a great spider

Uncle Will plays hookie from work and joins us at the Aquarium.
He bought G the little stuffed crab he is holding. Right after he bought it Grady took it into the bathroom with us. While I was changing Myles, I heard the water running in the sink. Grady had turned the water on and dropped the crab in it. He then stated that, "crabs belong in the water."

Myles enjoys the aquarium too

Walking around DC. We had great weather, SUNNY!!

Dare Devil

As a kid I remember my driveway as being SO long and steep. Will and I use to roll down it in anything we could find. Wagons, bikes, skateboards and other various modes of transportation were all used to conquer the hill. One of our favorite past times was going as fast as we could on a skateboard until we hit the grass. At that point, we would see who could launch themselves the farthest when the skateboard came to a screeching halt.

So, to my delight, Grady wanted to master the hill as well. Before I knew what he was doing, he raced up the driveway and was rolling down on his little bike. Good thing the kid can balance because he had a few close calls. Here is the dare devil in action...

Getting braver and higher up the driveway...

Myles gets some pavement time too!!

Bad Hair "Day"...I mean "Year"

Poor Myles!! He was born with crazy hair and it continues to get stranger as the days go by. There is not a day where I go out in public and don't get a comment about his do. Usually people laugh at him or want to touch it. What can you do? It is pretty funny.

He had a particularly fun hair day today. This is what happens when I don't try to tame his locks. It just runs wild. It is also growing out blond which make the tips darker, adding to his uniquely styled coif.

Even Mimi laughs at his hair...

What can you do about this???

Mohawk???

Not many kids can pull this off!

Hidden Ponds

We decided to take a trip to Virginia to visit my folks. Kind of spur of the moment but I am always up for hanging out with my parents. (I could use the help with the kids too!) Josh drove us down on Thursday and had to head back on Sunday. The boys and I are going to stay and visit for the week. It has already been a ton of fun.

While Josh was in town we checked out Hidden Pond Nature Center. Who knew there was a great Nature Center right next to my parents house? I guess Nature Centers are not top priority when you are a teenage girl. I must have had better things to do while I lived in Burke, such as figuring out what I was going to do on the weekends and what boys I liked...

I never knew about it!!

Grady was checking out some "Leprechaun Turtles", or so he named them. Apparently, they live in the pond and "jump". He has such a crazy imagination!

Smelling a "spicy" black walnut

Getting a closer look

Mom and Myles. M is just along for the ride. Don't worry kid, you will be chasing G before you know it.

Not that close!!!

Checking out the snakes at the nature center