Carver's Hotel Trip

For the past couple of years (since returning to Asheville), I have taken Carver out to see a play at the Asheville Community Theater as an early birthday celebration-- just the two of us. This year, the show at the theater didn't seem like one Carver would be interested in. I started trying to think of what to do instead.

Carver has a love of hotels-- so I searched for a hotel that also had an indoor pool, and I found one (hooray!). The Friday night before Carver's birthday, the two of us headed out on our adventure.

First we went to the hotel (about 20 minutes from our house!) and got checked in.

Then we went to dinner at Bonefish Grill. One of Carver's favorite foods is grilled fish, and Bonefish Grill was right by the theater, so this was perfect. After dinner we had a bit of time until the movie so we walked over to the Lifeway store and did a little shopping.

He wanted to see the movie, Trolls (again). And it is not my favorite. But I suffered through it (again), and he loved it just as much the second time as he had the first.

After the movie we headed back to the hotel. We stayed up late and watched some TV and talked. He was pretty excited about sharing the king-sized bed :)

The next morning we went down to eat breakfast and then headed back up to our room to change into our swim suits and then spent a couple of hours in the pool. He loved it! (Sidenote; the pool was surrounded by windows. At the end of the room was the windows separating the pool area from the fitness center. Running the whole length of the pool areas was the wall of windows of the breakfast room. This meant that when Carver and I were in the pool (me in a bathing suit in December), we had A LOT of spectators. It was...awkward).

After we checked out of the hotel we did a little  more shopping and then headed home.

It may not be possible to do an overnight trip like this every year, but I hope we can do it occasionally. But even if we never do it again, I think I will always remember that weekend as one of my favorites. Carver and I have a close relationship and he just really loves one-on-one time; he refers to it as "mommy-time!" We have fun together and I think the breaks from his little brother are good for him.

I know that our relationship changes at every new phase and age-- but I hope we are always close. I am so thankful for him and I love him fiercely.

This weekend was the best.

December Phone Dump

Making Christmas crafts.

"A Winter's Tail" Day at the Western North Carolina Nature Center.

Just when I thought I couldn't be more proud of him-- he got an award :)

I drop Carver off at school a bit before 8:00 every day. Then I have about a 20 minute gap before I can drop off Carson. He likes to take car line selfies :)

Carson's (last) Christmas program at Montreat Monring School. He GREATLY anticipated this program, practicing his songs all day long. He did a spectacular job. 

Carver's class has a binder with profile pages for each kid. This is Carver's picture...

Carson was "helping" me sweep. And he complained a bit about how sweeping was hurting his back, etc. But he really did try so hard to help. 

Cocoa and Carols at Biltmore Church. Actually it was at the local Harley Davidson shop (ha!). It was an odd event. Carson thought the caroling was "too loud."

Seeing Santa at the Harley place. 

I cleaned and organized the pantry!

Carver had a tooth that was barely hanging on. I was sympathetic....but I do not do loose teeth. So I held him for moral support and turned my head away and squeezed my eyes shut, and he pulled it himself :)

Carson's Christmas party at school.

Pizza Hut for lunch after his Christmas party. 

Carver's Christmas program at school!

Snacks in Carver's room after the program.

I introduced Carson to the massage chairs at the mall. He thought it was hilarious.

Christmas craft day at Becky's house. We planned crafts and ate lunch and the kids played outside. It was a perfect day!

Going to see the Christmas lights display. We left the house before 6:00 p.m. and stopped at Culver's for a quick dinner. Then spent well over an hour in line to get in to see the lights. I think we got home at about 10:00 p.m. The lights were great and the kids were pleasant, but this probably won't be an every year activity. 

We kept Creed for awhile before Christmas. The boys love and adore him...and he went to bed with Carver every single night.

More crafts...

It was really nice being home this year for Christmas-- and the very first time we have ever celebrated Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with just us. It was a night of sweet family time as we got ready to head out to the service at our church.

All ready for Christmas morning. 

Mid-morning on Christmas day we headed to Daniel's parent's house. We ate lunch with all of Daniel's extended family (who we usually only see every couple of years). The boys played on their new Big Wheels and we stayed the night there. The next day we got up and the boys and I began our trek to Baltimore (with a stop-over at Lyle's house in VA).