tractors, nascar, and goodwill shopping

It was a true southern weekend.

Rick and my dad attended an event at a Nascar race. (Mostly so our good friends in the Army could throw Rick up on a stage and say, "Look, everybody! This good-looking guy joined the Army; don't you want to too??") They visited all sorts of interesting booths and attractions. Their favorite? A row of tractors that performed a synchronized dance to music, their lights flashing, their shovel-things swinging in time to the music.

Nascar + dancing tractors = a redneck event for sure.

They also got to do a simulation of sky-diving, called a wind tunnel. According to their description, there was a huge fan that blows you up in the air, and apparantly it feels the same as sky-diving.

(In picture to the left, that's NOT my dad, or Rick. They didn't let them go that high, thank goodness.)

While they were busy flying, my mom and I found a redneck activity of our own. We discovered North Carolina's largest Goodwill store!! Here are the goods:

Gap green cardigan: $3.75

Express tan sweater: $3.75

set of 4 Pottery Barn bowls, that perfectly match our dishware: $2

Banana Republic shoes: $3

(not pictured) books for Carson: $.50 each

Go Goodwill!!

And, to cap off the weekend, we discovered North Carolina's very own fast food chain: Cookout! None of us are regular fast-food eaters, but we fell in love with Cookout. Their burgers taste like they just came off your backyard grill, barbeque was equally delicious. And when your choices of sides include not only cole slaw, but chicken nuggets and a corn dog, how can you go wrong? Amazing shakes complete the huge meal for only 5 bucks. Mom and dad vowed to stop for dinner on their way down next time they visit, so we can enjoy Cookout as soon as they arrive.

So, I guess we're really southerners!

Now we just need to get Carson hanging around the right people so he can develop a Southern accent.