Biltmore

The day after thanksgiving my mom, Caitlin (she is a girl that is living with my parents for the year. She is doing an internship for music therapy for special aid kids), Alice & I jumped in the car and headed down to Asheville, NC to visit the Biltmore. The men folk were golfing for two day from sun up to sun down so we figured why stay around. I have lived on the east coast for 10 years now and this was the first time I have been to the Biltmore. I think it's kind of crazy since when Andy and I were dating we spend many a weekend in Asheville, but were never visited the Biltmore. The Biltmore was the summer home for the Vanderbilt's. Yes, that giant thing was just for the summer. It is one of the largest if not the largest home built in the United States. For Christmas they decorate it for Christmas. It is gorgeous.

Alice was so excited to spend the day with Caitlin. Caitlin is Alice's most favorite person in the entire world. Every time the phone rings alice asks if it's Caitlin. When we pull up to my parents house she always says, "poppy, gama," then screams, "CAITLIN." When we say our prays Caitlin is the first thing Alice says after Dear Heavenly Father and if you don't say Caitlin right away then she will yell Caitlin until you say it. As you can see, she really loves Caitlin.

My fabulous mom who drove us down enduring the Fresh Beat Band and Yo Gabba Gabba for 3 1/2 hours so we could explore the Biltmore together.

Out back on the giant patio enjoying the view and Alice entranced by the Ipod touch. We were already 30 min into the tour and that was all alice could endure just sitting in her stroller so I brought out life savor the ipod touch. i felt a little bad about it since we were in this gorgeous historic building and Alice was missing everything, but then I passed another family with a kid about Alice's age also playing with the ipod. We just looked at each other, smiled then laughed. You got do what you gotta do when it comes to kids.
The tour too 2 1/2 hours and man was it a workout. There where so many stairs. I would either have to carry Alice in the stroller up the stairs or take her out, fold up the stroller carry her up the stairs, then unfold the stroller, put her back in just to go through a couple rooms and then have to do it all over again. Alice was a trooper and was good for the whole thing. I'm sure it had something to do with the Ipod. It was gorgeous seeing the home and the decorations especially the library, kitchen, indoor basement swimming pool and the room that Mrs Vanderbilt chose to birth her kids in. Yes, that was it's only purpose and it was gorgeous.
I have to admit at the beginning I was in awe but by the end I couldn't believe how ridiculous people lived back then especially since most of the people at that time where starving and just making it. They would change there clothes 8 times a day depending on what they did. Heaven forbid they where the same outfit they at breakfast in at morning tea. But I do understand. That's just how it was for like 2% of the population. They did do some really nice things. They servants quarters where nice and the kitchen actually had tons of windows looking out at the view. Vanderbilt also built a church in the town and every christmas the preacher would leave his book with the church's expenses for the year in his carriage and when he would come back out there would be a check for the full amount. I think Alice's favorite part was running around the front lawn. She ran around for about 45 minutes before we left. I still can't believe how good she was. I have to admit, even though I was annoyed at the end (I"m over it now) I would still recommend it to everyone. It's a cool experience, it's gorgeous, and it's amazing to see such a cool part of the history in Asheville.