Alida, Terah and my time in North Carolina was all we were hoping it would be. It was full of fun, relaxation, sweet times of connection, seeing beautiful things in the area where they live, many conversations, learning how to do new things, and much more! I had joked with Colette that if I ever came to visit her, I would prove that I was actually quite good at doing very little when given the opportunity. Picking up a new romance novel from our local library to take along was a perfect aid in me proving how I could lay on the couch for hours on end! Unlike when I'm at home, the kids weren't bothered at all by me checking out as they were paying very little attention to me anyway!
Colette and I share a lot of things in common, even beyond family heritage and history. Three of the many things that give us fodder for our conversations are that we are both doulas (me mostly birth and her postpartum), we both live in intergenerational households, and we are both navigating parenting and unschooling.
This is their sweet home along a little creek where she lives with her spouse, his mother, and their son.
Up the lane is the workshop where we stayed in the guest quarters on the upper level. And then beyond that up by the road is where Colette's parents live (her dad is my mom's first cousin).
We were very cozy in our roomy accommodations and without the sounds of people up and about in the morning, I found it very easy to follow our late nights with late risings (often being in bed until nearly 9 a.m.!).
The days were full of endless fun, new discoveries, creative play, and for me substantial lounging! Terah enjoyed a ride on the go-cart with Birch but wasn't quite ready to drive on her own. Alida took a few spins!
There was a lot of times when the moms were forbidden from entering the kid zone. They were working on various shows - both trampoline and magic shows that we got to enjoy during our stay.
The kids learned to make gummies and also homemade paper. Both were fun, but Alida especially is VERY eager to get set up to be able to make paper here at home.
Their imagination was endless, including making up a way to play soccer indoors on a white board.
There was so much fun to be had right around their home that it took a bit of convincing to go beyond the bounds of their land. That said, I think our bike ride around the lake by their home and an outing to see Triple Falls was among the highlights of our visit.
We were hosted so graciously and generously and were fed so much delicious food! We ate some meals in both homes, contributing very little to the work of the food we savored. One night we made soft pretzels all together. I love observing how a different household operates because it nets me new tips or things I want to try. Yesterday I baked our bacon for the first time and I'm converted - less messy and turns out equally delicious!!
In addition to all the fun human interactions, we also enjoyed meeting their cat Willie and I got some good kitty snuggles in one evening when Colette and I sat by an outdoor fire chatting.
The visit went fast and we are already dreaming of the next time (especially ways to get these three kiddos together for long blocks more regularly!). We thoroughly enjoyed the adventure away from home and Kali and Jason seemed to soak up the quiet for a few days. That said, I think we were all very ready to be back together again. I was pining for home by the time Saturday rolled around. It's a good feeling to love the place you call home and to be eager to return to it and the people there, even from a place where you were enjoying yourself so thoroughly! 
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