The Biltmore Estate

Cheryl and I left all the kids with the Nanny for the day. Wahoo!! They had a fun time playing on Hudson's jungle gym in the backyard, while we enjoyed a visit to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. It was amazzzzing! I loved it!


The balcony view was spectacular!
This was the Banquet Hall. It was huge. This is the biggest fireplace I have ever seen. There were three side by side. We weren't allowed to take pictures, but I found a few online. It was so neat to learn about the history of the house and all the treasures inside. We purchased the audio tour. It was well worth it!
This was the library. The fireplace looks normal size, but take a closer look at it compared to the chair to the right of it. Up above the fireplace is a balcony that wraps around the room. There was even a Sistine chapel-like painting on the ceiling. This was one of my favorite rooms.
OK. This place was built in the late 1800's. An indoor swimming pool??? Yep, complete with it's original underwater lights.
And a bowling alley too.
Cheryl to the rescue!!!
When we were headed to check out the gardens, there was an old lady, who had fallen down the brick stairs. Yikes!! Cheryl and I were one of the first on the scene, along with a dorky Biltmore guy. Good thing Cheryl is a medical professional, she jumped right in and asked the lady her medical history, what medications she is on, and started to take her pulse. It was low (But not low enough for Cheryl to get her defibulator from the trunk of her car. Yes, Cheryl owns one and carries it in her car.) Cheryl started to notice that Margret could not move anything on her left side and was worried about a potential stroke. The biltmore guy started to panic and was radioing "Where is the ambulance??? She is having a stroke!!!" The biltmore proberty is huge, so it was a good 20 minutes before they came. Anyway, Cheryl was impressive. She got the lady covered in a blanket to help her from going into shock, kept her talking and kept taking her pulse, while the Biltmore guy got her an ice pack. Those Biltmore people need to go to Cheryl's CPR/healthcare provider classes and get some better training. When the ambulance finially got there, Cheryl told the EMT's Margaret's medical history (which was lengthy, she was 72) and what medications she was on. By that time, Margaret wasn't talking much because she was in so much pain. We were pretty sure she had broke her hip again. The EMT's told Cheryl she was "on top of it" After seeing the poor lady being lifted onto the stretcher, we were one our way to the gardens. I managed to get a shot of Cheryl and the ambulance.


This was a crazy plant!
lots of pretty flowers!
This was really cool. It was a snail shell, hanging from a tree with some suculent plants growing out of it. There was a lot for a horticulturist to appreciate!
The dogwoods were huge!! It was fun to see them in full bloom!
(This pose was just for me, Cheryl wasn't cooperating to let me take her pic next to the ambulance. I think she is making fun of me though!) I love these stone bridges! We got to build some in college.
I love bamboo! It is amazing how fast it grows, fast enough you can almost watch it grow.
There was a lot to do and see at the Biltmore Estate. I was sad we did not have more time. Next time, I will be sure to go during the "grape stomp" at the winery and take the behind the scenes tour.
Travis wtched the kids in the evening while we drove home. After being there a week, Alyssa mastered the iphone. Travis was nice--its risky to let a kid play with it. She also enjoyed the wii. Travis was so good with the kids. Cole tried ridding a ride on car up the slide in the playroom and so Travis helped him ride the car down the slide and around the basement. Cole was laughing so hard and got nicknamed "Cole Canevil" Hudson and Cole Canevil took turns riding the car down the slide. They loved it!
Me and My Huddy Buddy, the night before we left.