Generations

We're on to day three!!! We awoke  early Saturday morning and let TOri's friend, Sarah, sleep in a bit after very long 2 day journey to NC. Jaime, mom, dad, and the grandparents (along with D) took a drive into the Banks family history. Wowzas. Awhile back I watched a Dateline special on the Appalachian residents and all that goes on there. Our drive was truly like a trip into the past. Many of my dad's great, great (fill in the blanks) still had houses standing from the 1800s... one had been abandoned for so long there were flowers and vines growing out of the chimney! It was really neat to see the types of homes people used to live in back then and imagining what life must have been like. I didnt have my camera with me but when my sister downloads hers I'll post 'em. It's a different kind of life up there in the beautiful NC mountains... we thought we saw someone standing on the porch of one of our relatives homes but by the time we got there, they were gone! Apparently "outsiders" are not exactly welcomed and shotguns are at the ready.... 

So, from there we readied ourselves for TOri and Logan's reception... what a great time we had! Tons of delicious food, Logan's family and friends and many of our extended relatives. In fact, we got a five generation picture from the Banks family (Danika, Me, my dad, my grandpa and his uncle pug) .... Later on in the day we traveled a few blocks over to the Hot Springs Bluegrass Festival ... Danika had a blast! She kept staring at the speaker wondering how in the world it was singing! When we put her on her feet she started bouncing to the music, and when grandma held her on her shoulders she started strumming grandmas face in beat:) Grandpa Banks (Poppy) had to play tourist as always and get himself a tshirt. They had some wonderful bands and an outstanding group of cloggers. It reminded me of our old family reunions with the fiddles and banjos and us banks kids "clogging" with grandpa in his bibbers! I would love to do that just one more time....

We had such a good time that day... everyone just HAD to hold Danika and insert their opinions on how she's turning out... it was great :) I learned a big lesson on how to let comments roll off my back. I loved spending the day in the beautiful mountains by the river and seeing all my aunts, great great aunts/uncles, and cousins... though I dont know that I would ever move back to NC it sure motivates me to visit my grandma and grandpa as much as I can in the future... they are good, good people and little Danika would be very blessed to know them.