Sky Top Orchard- here we come

These pictures are from last year when we went to Sky Top Orchard.  We are headed there this weekend and we are so excited. 

Looking back at these pictures makes me realize how much the kids have grown physically and in maturity in the last year. 

 

We will share pics from this years adventure when we get back. 

Have you been to the orchard yet?

Getaway and Reynolda

While my parents were visiting we planned a day and one night away. We started our day at The Table for breakfast.  The decor is so fresh and comfortable.  

My date

We had a relaxed breakfast and the owner had us pick a pastry to take to our Inn to share later in the day. 

Ready to head out on our destination, Reynolda village and gardens. 

This is a picture of the outside of the greenhouse, it has been so rainy and humid here and I did not realize my lens was foggy.

orchids, they were all amazing

The gardens were gifted to Wake Forest but originally were part of the Reynolda estate, which was built by RJ Reynolds and his wife Katherine. 

there were vegetables

grapes

flowers, I love echinacea

the gardens are huge, this is a view back toward the greenhouse

the roses were amazing and there were hundreds if not thousands of bushes

the children's playhouse

Reynolda house, actually I should say a portion of the house because it was too big to fit in one picture

The house is now a museum and you can pay to tour, it was well worth the 14 dollars.  Bill and I wore a device around our neck that you could enter the number into for a room or a painting and you heard the narrator give you history.  At times it was family or staff from the Reynolds family. Much of the original furniture is still present.   In the basement of this house is a bowling alley, shooting range (rubber ducks), a skating rink, bar, ping pong tables, billiard table, changing rooms, squat quart (like racquetball I guess) and a pool. 

The rest of the village, at one time they had a post office, school, barns, and servant quarters on the estate, has been turned into restaurants and shops.

I highly recommend you read The Gilded Leaf by Patrick Reynolds and Tom Shachtman, even if you are not into history it is fascinating.  RJ Reynolds became a multimillionaire with the tobacco industry and his brother Abram eventually developed reynolds wrap.  So much of the Reynold's fortune was invested in Winston (which became Winston-Salem). 

You can visit the gardens for free and of course shop at the village.

 

This building was just down from our Inn and I thought it was cool, it is right in the middle of the road, and it may actually be a residence.

We stayed at the Brookstown Inn, which was built in 1837 and was an old textile mill.

We returned to Mozelles for dinner and it was fabulous. 

We had a great time away!

Airlie Gardens

While we were in Wilmington a few weeks ago we visited Airlie Gardens. The garden had a special Ribbit Exhibit featuring the work of JA Cobb and copper sculptor. 

They had a scavenger hunt for the kids to find all the frogs, it was fun for the adults too!

 

"Three horn players jazzin it up, the old Oak likes our groove, show us your moves."

 

 

 

 

 

" I have to keep working, that I know, the grass is never finished, it continues to grow."

this is the bottle chapel

see the butterfly

I loved all the tile designs

inside the butterfly house

"scuba gear on and toes that are wet- I'm on some steps, come see my big catch"

love this!

Val and I

Sydney imitating the sculpture

"My name is Zenny and I'm a peaceful frog, I am floating on a lily pad, not a log."

We had the best time, the kids loved running and looking for the frogs and we enjoyed all the scenery. 

Wilmington trip

We went to Wilmington for part of Memorial weekend and stayed with my friend Val!  We went downtown by the water and enjoyed the scenery.  We ate ice cream at Kilwins (twice actually), it was so good. 

I sat next to my sweetie on the horse drawn tour we went on of the historic mansions (more pics later). 

The boys, born 6 days apart, sat side by side and watched a movie.  Val and I were pregnant together and now we have boys growing up together. 

This is our family at the movie, we saw Epic which was so fun.  It was Griffin's first trip to the real movie theater.  He only had to get up once to go to the bathroom.

We let the kids get the snack tray, yummy!

Griffin enjoying his ice cream, chocolate!

Sydney also eating PB/chocolate!

Wilmington was so fun.  I still have more pictures to share......soon.