Tree Removal

We had some trees cut in the front yard and a couple in the back. They were mostly pines, particularly a very large one one that was right next to the master bedroom. BEFORE

AFTER

Having the trees removed should make the house look a lot better, i.e. less like a haunted house and more like someone's home. Also, the added sunlight should allow grass to grow once we get all the pinestraw cleaned up and probably plant some grass seed down the line. We've gotten the house cleaned up on the inside and have started to do some work to the outside. There won't really be any marked difference on the outside for a while, but we're going to start painting this weekend, we hope, and then we'll move in some time later this month.

Mom and Dad's Trip to Charlotte

We're about the close on the house, but before posting about that, I wanted to go ahead and post about my parents' trip to Charlotte. We had a great time while they were here, and we're hoping they can make it back up here sooner rather than later.

Mom and Dad came in on Thursday afternoon, and we went to dinner at a restaurant called Gado Gado after seeing the new house. Friday, we rode the train in to uptown Charlotte (downtown).

We walked through the indoor/skyway mall that stretches through Charlotte and came out at the foot of the Bank of America Corporate Center, the tallest building in town.

There is a fountain out front that Mom took a picture of that I actually like a lot. On the right, you can see trees lining one of the main streets in uptown, which is the way all of the roads are down there. It is an interesting combination of a grown up southern downtown and a metropolitan area with skyscrapers.

We then went to Discovery Place, a museum that has a standing exhibit about general science and has some birds in a simulated jungle environment.

The main exhibit, however, was the Pompeii exhibit, which had actual relics from the destroyed city. I had been meaning to see it since it was opened, but hadn't had an opportunity until they came, so I took advantage of it.

Saturday, we went over to Asheville, another trip Lauren and I had not made, and visited the Biltmore. As you're riding away from the house in the shuttle to the parking lots, you get an idea of how massive the house actually is.
There also were some amazing gardens next to the house that we actually drove through on the way from the house to the winery for dinner. After that, we came back to Charlotte. Sunday we went to church and then drove Mom and Dad to the airport. It was a great weekend and everyone had a lot of fun!