A day at Chapel Hill

 To my mom's chagrin, beautiful blue skies feel me with a warmth of happiness as they remind me of the wonderful times at UNC- Chapel Hill. Though I remained a Duke while at Carolina as a student, my blood now runs light blue. I get excited just to be near the campus. I almost want to tear up when I hear the fight song. So every time we are in the US we have to make a trip to UNC with the kids. It only took us 5 1/2 months to get there this time! We ended up going on a Saturday for Tarheel town before the football game. D and Brett went to the game.

On the way. They were so excited. Now if you remember two years ago, this is a vast improvement. Kenan had been brainwashed encouraged to be a Duke fan. Honestly, that's fine but not when your name is Kenan and we are going to take pictures in front of Kenan Stadium. Kenan showed us what he really thought as he threw up on the only shirt we could get him to wear that slightly supported UNC. (It was green eggs and ham but the ham was blue). He had stayed a Duke fan over the years but for some reason, something changed that day (maybe it has something to do with D always telling him he can't be a MacLean if he doesn't cheer for UNC) and he is all for Carolina now. So we ALL got to enjoy UNC.

 All three wanted to wear the hat so we had to keep passing it around. This was K's turn.

                    At the ram which also has udders. I don't fully understand that. Cute picture opp regardless.

                                                                 Daddy had to join in

                                                   At the old well trying to get a drink of water.

                                                                       A family picture!

Thrilled to meet Ramses. When we had talked about going to Chapel Hill before, the boys wanted to see Ramses. Since we were going to go on a random day this was impossible so it worked out great that it was game day. D and K loved meeting him. S hid behind me.

Talk about propaganda to get your kids to be Carolina fans. Jump castles, free food, face painting! Who cares about the football game!
                                       

 
Before the game the players walk from the Old Well to the Stadium. We lined up to shake their hands (though Dawson let us know afterwards that we weren't SHAKING their hands but rather hitting them. Oh that boy keeps us on our toes!) Silas had been acting tired and didn't even play on the jump castles. I thought he would hate the parade as the band was there and it would be loud. He hates loud noises. For some reason, though, he got into this. He stuck his hand out to touch each player.

                                                         Ready to "shake" the guys' hands.

To escape the heat, we went into the bookstore. We got some new shirts but it was so crowded that Brett and the boys hung out upstairs in the student book section. They decided to play hide and seek. As Brett says, he didn't feel bad to do it at the UNC bookstore because they see a lot worse in a college bookstore than little boys playing hide and seek! :) This was Kenan's spot. He stayed there forever. The other two finally had to give up because they couldn't find him.

Second game all the boys tried Kenan's trick. D was not happy that I found him or that I took a picture. He wants to use that spot again if we go back. We assured him it would be several years so it's ok. But if you ever end up playing hide and seek with him at the UNC bookstore, don't tell him you know his hiding spot. :)

                         Again, D still showing his disapproval. Yet what a fun memory to have!

Meeting the real Ramses. The former one died last year so this one was only 6 months. He wasn't quite as happy to be on display but the boys loved him. We had to go back through the line a second time so they could touch him again.

And then the face painting.

Brett and D went to the game. It was so hot! They only made it to almost half time. It was already 40-0 so they figured it was safe to leave! :)

                                                              They had great seats!

The younger two and I went to a children's museum while they were at the game. It was fun. The highlight was that we got to ride in a taxi. They weren't into walking and I couldn't get them up to north campus. The buses weren't running as usual so I didn't know what I was going to do. Then a taxi pulled up to drop someone off. We jumped in. The front seats have tvs in the headrest. The boys loved it. It was only a 5 minute ride but they loved it. When we reconnected with Brett, Silas began telling them about how we'd be in a car and watched a man close to sharks and he didn't get eaten. Brett thought he was making it up at first. :) Here he thought they would be sad that they didn't go to the game but they were just as excited to tell them about the fun we had had! Yeah for a taxi ride! :)