Mom's bday at the Biltmore

We surprised mom on Monday with a bottle of Biltmore wine and a note to "pack her bags" because were going to Disney World.  Just kidding, we told her we were headed to the Asheville.  Family road trip!

I love living close to my family.  But one of the major downfalls to living close by is you never spend a whole day together.  Brad and I always come home to put Lillie down in her own bed- even on Christmas night.  Well, that, and the fact that we are both highly allergic to dogs- of which my mom has two and my brother has one that sheds enough to be ten.

Regardless, there is just something special about a sleepover.  Like a sleepover in middle school- you are instantly closer with those friends.  No?  Well families are the same- sleepovers make you closer.  I'm thankful for a weekend of family, hands to help entertain a sick little bear and a car ride full of uninterrupted conversation with my man.

Can you believe this is/was someone's house.  It is almost unimaginable that someone says to themselves, I need a mountain house to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and then end up with this.

Lillie enjoyed her visit.  We all got a good laugh out of the fact that later in life the Biltmore will come up in conversation and Brad and I will inevitably ask if Lillie remembers her visit.  And be totally serious about the question.  Why do parents do that?

Uncle Kevin did a lot of this...

Aunt Kelsey did a lot of this...

Brad did a lot of this...

and this...

Hahahaha... just kidding- Brad was actually behind the camera much of the weekend.  So it ends up these were the only photos he actually made it into!

And my mom and I did a lot of this.. 

This was a wonderful birthday adventure for the whole family.  Hope Mom enjoyed it as much as we did!

Priceless, mom the second grade teacher, chose to blow out "fake" candles.

And the proof that we were all actually there together :)