Tour of Biltmore--America's Largest Home!

We went on a tour of the Biltmore in Asheville, NC, on June 21st.  It was AMAZING! I would have loved to show you the inside, but no photos were allowed.

The Biltmore is the largest privately owned home in the United States 

at 175,000 square feet (16,300 square meters).  It was built by George Vanderbilt.

Ryan and Marc on one side of the house by a Lion waterfall

A New World Château

Architect Richard Morris Hunt modeled the house to look like a 16th-century French chateaux. It features 4 acres of floor space, 250 rooms, 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. The basement has a swimming pool, gymnasium and changing rooms, bowling alley, servants' quarters, kitchens, and more.

Inside the Biltmore.

   

After the house tour we went on a tour of the gardens.  They had a huge vine covered awning.

Going towards the Conservatory

The Conservatory Building with all the tropical plants.

Walking back to the house, Ryan had to take a break  It was really hot and humid.

Can you tell that Ryan was tired of walking and tired of photos.

In front of the house

  

Tour of the Winery--it used to be the estate Creamery.

Vanderbilt's 1913 car

Has anyone else toured the Biltmore?  What did you think?

Dad and Ryan at the Pool

Ryan loves to have his dad help him do flips in the pool.

Marc couldn't see some of them because he throws Ryan over his head....so he wanted me to take a video of them. :)

Ryan at Jiu Jitsu

Ryan started taking Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts last fall at Creighton Mixed Martial Arts. 

 Renzo Gracie Jiu Jitsu teaches that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger assailant by using leverage and proper technique—most notably by applying joint-locks and chokeholds to defeat the other person.

He's been having fun and doing well.  Ryan is the blond, yellow belt in front doing the rolls.

Ryan gets lots of actual hands-on experience sparring with classmates.

June Flowers

I took some photos of flowers in our yard the other day.  I just love the hydrangeas.  

In the south the pH of the soil  determines how blue or pink they are.

These are my neighbor's hydrangeas. You can see they are a lighter blue than the ones I have.

Two years ago for my birthday my friend Sarah gave me this Bee Balm .

A tea rose my husband gave me last year for Mother's Day.

Just a note:  The clay soil here in Georgia is just like what you'd find if you went to a pottery class.

Ryan's Shakespeare Play

Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.  

Ryan was Claudio.

Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy by William Shakespeare about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero.

Benedick and Beatrice are engaged in a "merry war"; they both talk a mile a minute and proclaim their scorn for love, marriage, and each other. 

In contrast, Claudio and Hero are sweet young people who are rendered practically speechless by their love for one another. 

By means of "noting" (which sounds the same as "nothing," and which is gossip, rumour, and overhearing), Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into confessing their love for each other.

And Claudio is tricked by Don John into rejecting Hero at the altar. 

However, Dogberry, a Constable, 
discovers the evil trickery of the villain, Don John. 

In the end, Don John is captured and everyone else joins in a dance celebrating the marriages of the two couples.

Tricking Benedick by letting him overhear them say that Beatrice loves him.

Sydney's First Solo Flight!

My Daughter, Sydney

Sydney is majoring in Aviation at Utah State University

She's getting her Private Pilot License this semester.

She had to do her first solo flight.

Take off

Logan Valley

Taxiing back after flying by herself!

Sydney with her flight instructor Kizna

We are so proud of her!

Family Photos "Dressing Our Truth"

Some FUN Family Photos we had taken in 2009. 

This is one of our first family photos where I didn't try to color-coordinate our outfits.  I took the "Dressing Your Truth" course in the summer of 2009 and I knew that we would look best in the colors that match our "Energy Type."   As a Type 2, I dress in tones.   My daughter, Sydney, is Type 1-- she looks best in bright tints.  My husband is Type 4, and looks the best in pure colors.   At that time I wasn't sure what Type my son, Ryan, was.  Since then I've figured out he's a Type 4, like my husband.   

Marcus and I

We couldn't get Ryan to give a "natural" smile so Marc thought he'd help him out by tickling his ear.

And it worked!

   
More Family Photos "Dressing our Truth"

My Post about Energy Profiling