Fall

Thought you all would enjoy these pretty fall pictures. We found a park in the center of town with more trails and walking paths for us to explore today; only 10 minutes from our house. The colors are definitely beautiful this time of year, and of course, I couldn't help but take more pictures of them:) Hope everyone has a great week and happy fall!!!!!!!!!

Raven Rock State Park

Sunday was such a nice day that we really wanted to go hiking and see some of the fall colors before they were gone. So we packed a picnic lunch and headed 45 minutes south to Raven Rock State Park in Lillington. It was a really pretty area and had a lot of different trails to hike. We chose two and ended up hiking 3 1/2 miles. I would say that my 6th month pregnant self did a good job and was able to keep a normal pace for the majority of the hike. It was really at the end, after hiking back up the HUGE stairway from the caverns below, that I realized once again that, yes, I am pregnant. So, the walk back to the car wasn't quite as fast as the hike there. Jamie and I definitley want to go back and try out some of the different trails that we didn't have time to hike.

We're Having S'more Fun

This past week, we were excited to have another visitor, Jamie's brother. In the short time that Mike was here, the weather was nice, so we were able to do some fun things outside and explore a bit more of the area. On the first day, we went to downtown Raleigh to the Museum of Natural Sciences and to the History Museum. The science museum was neat, and I thought the creators did a good job. The second museum, however, left a little something to be desired. After the visit downtown, Jamie and I decided that we definitely wanted to do some more exploring in Raleigh and see what else there is to offer....especially before the baby's born. Also, during Mike's stay, we went to the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and to Duke University again in Durham. Overall, his time here went fast. We were really happy that he came down to see the new area that we call home.

Slideshow Fun;)

Since Jamie and I had a relaxing weekend at home, I decided to update the blog with a fun slideshow of my favorite pictures that I've taken over the past four years. Everyone who knows me well, knows that my first passion (as far as a career/hobby goes) is education and that no matter what stage I'm at in life, I'll always want to teach. God definitely has instilled that in me, and I couldn't have asked for a better profession to pursue. I can't wait to actually start teaching my own son....how cool will that be!? My second passion that I have developed has been photography. I've always liked taking pictures of people and things as well as having my own picture taken (much to Jamie's dismay:) So, the other day I was taking some old documents off of our computer and started to look at all of the pictures that I've taken in the past four years. I've been blessed to travel to many places and take some fun/memorable pictures that I've included in the slideshow. I forgot a few of my family that have been my favorite that I thought I would also add here. Pictures are a great way to remember the different times in your life that, as we age, seem to fly by. I'm so excited to take pictures of the new addition to our family and share them with you all!!

USS North Carolina

After the beach, we decided to check out the USS North Carolina battleship that was used in World War II. It was right across from downtown Wilmington and was easy to find. The ship was just massive, and we were able to go on a self guided tour (my favorite) throughout the many levels and decks. When in use, it held 2,300 passengers, which is truly amazing. I was surprised at how roomy it was, as it was basically a tiny town below the decks. The restoration of the ship was incredible too, as everything felt like we were back in the 1940's. We really got a feel for what it must have been like to be on that at sea and how life was so different back then. Made me feel really thankful for the men and women that fought and died during that time for our freedom (yes, cheesy statement, but I am definitely thankful). You also got the feel for how many huge guns there were above the deck and just how difficult they were to operate. We enjoyed checking them out. And for those of you that want to see my "baby belly", there you go. You can see it more from the side view:) Overall, another great weekend.

A Day at the Beach

Jamie and I had a pretty busy fun-filled weekend. One of the reasons why we wanted to move here was to explore a different part of the country and really experience everything about the region that we could. So, on Saturday we went to the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh. If you like a variety of food, especially fried, this would be the place for you. Since I'm pregnant and really the only thing that I crave so far is fattening, fried, food, I was in luck! We really only tried two fried things though. The fried mac n' cheese wasn't very good, but the fried Twinkie was awesome. I would highly recommend it! Overall, we had a good time and enjoyed seeing what there was to offer. I think we both agreed in the end, though, that the Illinois State Fair in Springfield was bigger and had more to offer. Also, after a long conversation about fairs/festivals, we both agreed that the Morton Pumpkin Festival is by far our favorite. Gotta love the pumpkin chili and ice cream!!

On Sunday, we woke up early and went two hours east to Wrightsville Beach. The drive was super easy and a short trip. It's always so fun to go to a beach, and we were glad that it is definitely within a days drive. The beach was really pretty and reminded both of us of the beach outside of Charleston, SC, that we visited last year. It seems like the east coast beaches all have a similar feel, a little different than those on the Gulf or Caribbean. We had a picnic lunch and then walked along the beach to the pier. There were a lot of people out and we saw a large group of surfers, which was fun (felt like we were in San Diego again). We both needed the exercise after all of the food that we had eaten the day before;) Although, there were times when I realized that I was indeed getting bigger, because I couldn't walk as fast as I used to be able to in the sand. We're excited to go back and check out other beaches in the area too.

Birthday Fun!

After a week of trying to unpack and get everything in order, Jamie wanted to do something special for me to celebrate my birthday. So, we first went to the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh. It was great and because it was a Sunday morning, there was virtually no one there, so we could take as much time as we wanted exploring. After wishing I could take all of the old European paintings home with me, we went to lunch and then to Duke University to the famous chapel and the Duke gardens. At first, I thought that it would just be a typical college campus. Wow, was I wrong. It felt like we had stepped onto a college campus in Europe, as we heard the chimes of the chapel and saw all of the buildings that looked like they belong in movie Dead Poets Society or on some ivy league campus. When you walk on the campus you run right into the garden which is basically a huge park with different types of ponds, trees, and flowers. Much different than looking at the Iowa River, but you can still feed the ducks in the pond:) It was so pretty and a place that you could definitely get lost in looking at the scenery and beautiful landscaping. All in all, it was a great birthday and first weekend here.