Never Surrender!

Welcome to the South

Today we drove up to Durham to Bennett Place, the site of the largest troop surrender of the Civil War with some friends. This was a special day to be there since it was the anniversary of the surrender negations in 1865. The North Carolina Historic site marked the day with a living history staging of the meeting and negotiations of the Union General William T. Sherman and Confederate General Joseph Johnson.

My other car is a horse

The people who dressed up were totally into it. They wouldn't admit it was 2008 when you talked with them and they would make jokes about the poor condition of our shoes (we had flip flops and sandals on). They were wearing full get up in the hot sun and seemed to be loving playing the parts they played.

Oh yeah, my bayonet right here says Federal rights trump States rights!

I notices that more people dressed up in Union uniforms than Confederate uniforms. Most of them were mature men. They were all really knowledgeable and made historical inside jokes that I didn't really get.

The staging of the surrender occurred in this building and the actors were really into it. Sherman was very commanding in his portrayal. Sherman talked about how he hadn't told his troops of Lincolns assassination but would if the confederate troops did not surrender under his terms. Next to the building there is a marker commemorating the sight and a walking trail around the area. All in all a fun little historical and cultural experience.

Meeting Team Harper in Charleston

We just got back from a wonderful weekend with the Harpers in Charleston,SC. Jenny has been my best friend since I was 5 months old. She is now 30 with a great husband Ridge and 3 beautiful daughters living in St Mary's Georgia. We met up at a good halfway point and the trip was great from the minute it started. Right near the beginning we had dolphin sightings and rainbows. Here we are AHHing at the rainbows.

The next day was jammed packed with adventures to the aquarium, Fort Sumter, a picnic, a slave market that was converted to a museum, parks, walking, and yummy barbetoo (as Shelby calls it). Here is Ryan With Shelby and Coby James at the Aquarium.
This is Coby James, the middle child. She is full of energy, pretty mischievous, and a lot of fun!
After the aquarium, we took a boat out to Fort Sumter where the Civil War started. The first shots were fired on this fort and the Confederacy overtook it in 1861.

Jenny and Ridge are such great parents and as you can see, they have their hands full.


This is Shelby. She is such a princess and she definitely has stolen my heart with her dainty ways.
This is Bay. She is going though the "I just want Mommy and Daddy" phase. A few times I would hold her against her will. She is just like a little doll.


We stumbled on this old historic cemetery with people buried from the 1700's.
Jenny and I doing the "Zombie Dance."
It really was a perfect weekend. Here is a link to more pictures and a few videos of creatures in the Aquarium.

P.S. Ridge beat us all at Ticket to Ride game TWICE! (Wendy and Justin.... I think we found your competition).