Beautiful Biltmore........

Our visit to Asheville was short...too short! I didn't want to leave.. I can't wait to go back!(maybe a bed&breakfast trip without the kids) It was my favorite place so far. It's beautiful! I loved the Biltmore village and the Biltmore house was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!
To be honest, I've never heard of Biltmore. Until a blog friend suggested we make a stop.
I'm so glad we went! Thank you Beaver bunch:)
The 2nd night we were in Ashveille I made my husband drive around and look at all the houses.
If it wasn't for family and friends back in California, I think Asheville,NC CLICK TO SEE WHY!( would be up there in my places to move and raise our family.
What's your favorite place???? Or where would you raise your family and why????





The Biltmore Estate is known as the largest house in the United States on 8,000 acres of
land. It also features a number of gardens and the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains.(beautiful!)It took six years for a group of builders to build Biltmore, modeled after 16th century French chateaus. Imagine this:The mansion has 250 rooms, including 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. An inside swimming pool, gymnasium, servants lodging, kitchenS, a bowling alley and more. I was in dreamland:) George Vanderbilt had traveled the world and fell in love with the mountains surrounding Asheville,(like me) and commanded that Biltmore be built on the site.
And to think it was finished in 1895, makes it even more amazing!
Vanderbilt raised his family at Biltmore. He was the youngest of 8 children. The history on his family is pretty amazing too.

front lawn

It was very cold that day! The kids and I tried to find some sun and drank hot cider:)

They didn't allow photography, video taping or cell phones inside:(
It was decorated SO beautiful. I'm glad we got the chance to visit at Christmas time too!

Farrah and Finley started running fevers.(at the same time) They both wanted mommy to carry them. Lots of stairs to climb too. Finley is still pretty light, but Farrah felt like she had rocks in those boots!

Every room was decorated with priceless antiques and paintings.

Mom and Dad,
If I had the money I'd send you this Thomas Kinkade:)
xoxo
After visiting the Biltmore house we headed over to the Grove Park Inn to see the National Gingerbread Competition. (Thanks to another blog friend)

I don't know what I'd do with out all of you! Many of the places we have stopped at are because of you......so thank you so much! It's so nice to know I have friends out there helping us along the way....or we would be lost ha!

We Made It!

we didn't let the snow stop us (or the blizzard!)

or the deer in the road...

or any of his friends......



or the small tunnels and expensive toll roads. We got here honking our loud horn at all the crazy city drivers...
But we're here in NYC for Christmas!

Our very 1st white Christmas!

It's pretty cold, but so pretty this time of year!

We may be in the busiest city but I still feel like we are escaping and missing all the hustle and bustle. We sure miss our family, especially at Christmas. I miss my Grandma's cookies:( I miss all the traditions we usually do. Frost cookies with Grandma and all the other things we do every year. But there is something different about this year. Usually I am running around like a mad mama trying to get everyone something cute to wear for Christmas. Matching Christmas PJ's (all the other crazy stuff on my tradition to do list) All the shopping, baking, decorating and entertaining etc...It all seems like a blur and before I know it it's over. And I had no time to focus on what really matters. This year because we aren't doing the normal Christmas craziness, our family has had time to really enjoy this time of year. Really focus on Jesus. With all the driving, I've been able to invest time that has given this holiday new meaning and a true sense of joy! I know that blessings come from being with family and friends and reaching out to others but I think that we get so busy we end up missing out on the personal blessing that comes from spending time quietly resting alone in the Christ child's presence.
I'm glad God took me out of the crazy hustle and bustle and slowed me down a bit (even if we ended up NYCha!)
not sure if all that made sense,but it did to me.. ha!
I'm just usually really stressed this time of year and I feel so at peace:)




Merry Christmas from our family to yours

The Ryan's of the Road:)

I Sure Hope So......

We couldn't stop and get out to take our North Carolina picture:( We were too busy looking for a hospital to take Landen to. So I just snapped it as we drove by.

I pray this is the last ER visit we will have on this trip!

He woke up like nothing ever happened and started making Christmas ornaments...

Then we stopped to get some work done on the motor home. The kids found red clay and painted their faces......


Ate breakfast and yelled Merry Christmas on our way out to a bunch of the truckers:)
Then after I was just checking my email from a friend suggesting we go to Biltmore. At the same time Justin walked in and said that a trucker he was talking to said we should make the trip to Biltmore. So we decided to check it out......
4 hours out of the way. We ended up staying at a private Christian camp.
The kids got some work done on our way....

The kids heard that gold was found there.
So they took my frying pan down to the steam.....
and were determined to find some.....




So we have "gold" in an empty water bottle. The kids think they have struck it rich. I sure hope so! ha!

Guess???

where we are now??? (well actually we are in NYC spending Christmas here!)

But when this was taken we were in ...........

We stayed at a Cracker Barrel. Not only do they have good food and cool gifts they let you stay the night and park there!
We jumped in our car and headed to Fort Sumter.



The kids worked on their Jr. Ranger program......

Earning these badges aren't easy! I love how these Ranger's take the Jr.Ranger program so serious. Most of them are retired teachers or just love their job and are excited about nature and history.
The kids getting their papers graded.

They have earned 9 badges so far! They are hoping to get "road jackets" for Christmas and sew them all on.

While the older one's were studying the little ones were running around playing....

Liberty Square......









I love taking pictures of all my kids but Farrah just loves the camera and begs me to take her picture all the time.
I think the camera likes her too:)


It's hard to believe she's only 2! She is growing up so fast! Her vocabulary is growing by the day. She is always surprising us with saying new things. I just love her little personality.