Last month (exactly one month from yesterday ago - because I'm really on top of it!) we took a "little" trip to Virginia. We left on Friday and didn't come back home until the next Friday. A WHOLE week of FUN!
We have now been a family 8 years (that's another post) and this is the longest (and best) trip we have taken together.
AND we took Gene's mother-in-love! What a blessing! (really!)
Friday, May 8, 2015
We head up to Liberty University in Lynchburg so The Daddy could check-in for GRADUATION! (happy dance! He's DONE with school!!!! - at least until several more of my students graduate from our little Academy, I need the principal!)
Check-in at Liberty and a trip to a local park/play ground
We stayed at the Amherst Inn about 25 minutes from Liberty (cause they are WAY less expensive!)
It was a very nice, clean hotel, but had very small rooms and no pool. Thankfully, VA is full of little parks - you just have to look for them. (Google is a very helpful app).
Back at the hotel we played games, watched movies and saw most of the Baccalaureate Service via streaming video.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
We got up really early. Graduates were asked to arrive and begin lining up at 7:30 am. The first graduation ceremony didn't begin until 10:00 am. Josiah was asleep by then.
Jeb Bush was the main speaker and did a great job. As did Dr. Falwell - whose son proposed during the ceremony (she said yes).
on the left: This has got to be one of my favorites of that man.
on the right: Top - He was sitting just a few rows from the front
middle - this is the back of a chair, he took it - you can see the shadow of his tassel
bottom - he took this one also, headed into the stadium
There was the big "to do" in the football stadium and then they divided up by "school" to call names and hand them a fake diploma (the other will come in the mail - eventually).
The School of Religion had their commencement at Thomas Roads Baptist Church. It was lovely! (but it took forever! The last dude across the stage got a standing ovation.)
WooHoo!
Us'uns with our very own Graduated person
We went for a celebratory (and very late) lunch at Cracker Barrel. Then we went to the Lynchburg Historical Cemetery. Is it wrong to say that visiting a cemetery is fun - cause it was!
History and beauty. Peaceful and restful.
My babies, the oldest tombstone 1807, My Mama and me
At the Confederate section. Most of the men buried here died of disease.
Have you noticed? I might have really loved all the OLD flowers here. What a beautiful place!
The top left photo is a swing hanging from a large tree in the children's section. It was swinging (because of a very light wind - lovely, meaningful, a little creepy). I wouldn't let the kids swing on it. That seemed disrespectful.
Many of the flowers were of the antique variety. This rose bush had a marker. Planted in 1900 by Sir Thomas Lipton.
Since we had lunch so late we went to Coldstone Creamery for supper.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Mother's Day! These are my NINE very good reasons to celebrate.
Grandmother and the gaggle (from Saturday at Liberty)
We had planned to go to service at Thomas Roads but after such a full Saturday decided we'd rather just sleep in.
We got up when we wanted and headed to Appomattox.
This is where Generals Grant and Lee signed the terms of surrender. The county name is Appomattox, the name of the little town where it actually happened was Clover Hill. And the surrendering didn't actually happen at the Appomattox Court House (where you begin the tour) but at the McLean house.
Kids at the Courthouse; With a VERY GOOD reinactor - totally in character; looking around
The McLean house; the room where it happened; the "silent witness" (not the real one, she's in a display case in the courthouse/museum)
Like father, like son.
We might be a little historical . . .
A lady and the soldier; tulip tree?; fence (i.e. opportunity to talk about Lincoln); those kids
the ridge where the Union and Confederates battled;
"of the United States of America. . . One nation, under God . . ."
The Jail house. There were bars in the walls and rings in the floor.
The bottom floor was office/living quarter and the prisoners were kept upstairs.
Monday, May 11, 2015
We headed north towards Aunt Melba and Uncle Mike's house near Manasses.
They took us to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Center (an Annex to the Smithsonian).
Left: The Enola Gay (that dropped the atomic bomb); a view of the Airport; SR-71 Blackbird (spy plane)
Right: us with those
SPACE STUFF!
When I was little I was sure I'd be on Mars by now (I'm glad I'm not - although as I type I'm sure I live with martians).
Space Shuttle Discovery
More planes, more us, and one 6 year old headed to bed
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
We (including Uncle Mike) headed into Washington, D.C. and acted like tourist.
And learned that using the Parking Meter App is easier than trying to run keep a meter fed.
Tourist in DC
As a side note: Before we figured out the parking meter app Gene had gone to feed the meter while we looked at planes. At some point in his adventure he spoke with some people and was recognized as being from Georgia because of HIS ACCENT! (he's from Michigan, but he's been here for long enough - plus, he lives with me).
At the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
Air Craft Carrier
Left: Awwwww... The little LOVE Uncle Mike!
Middle: Big propeller; the most expensive McDonald's food ever!; the Red Baron
Right: Boys admiring more space stuff
Clockwise: Josiah & Jacob; Lora & Jorja; Alex & Elijah; Ava & Autumn
Meeting the Wright Brothers (that's really THE plane!)
After the Air and Space Museum we went (quickly) to the Art Gallery
Art Gallery
Then the National Archives. How impressive to stand and read our founding documents!
You can't take pictures - but you can buy postcards and magnets.
Then we rode back over the river to the Marine Memorial.
Us People at the Marine Memorial
At the Marine Memorial - the view, the inscription, the Grandmother with some big girls
Making Shadows = having fun
We ate Supper at Five Guys Burgers and Fries - Yummy!
At Five Guys
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
We were off again to DC. We started with FREE parking and the FDR memorial.
Fireside Chat; Melba and Mike; Bread line; feeling blue; depression
Alex as a statue; FDR; Mrs. Roosevelt; Jorja as a statue
The Lincoln Memorial
A Picnic; a cousin; the Jefferson Memorial
The Korean Memorial
27 WWII Vets were visiting. We had the privilege of speaking with some of them.
Vietnam Memorial
WWII Memorial
Left: Photo bomber; Cousin Kelly & Aunt Melba
Middle: Squirrel; questionable signage; spider web on the van
Right: The real faces of DC tourist; Peeking Duck
Washington Monument
Left: Two Dunagan Sisters
Middle: Kite Flyer
Left: Jacob; Mama
More at the Washington Monument
Arlington National Cemetary & Changing of the Guard; USS Main
At Arlington
Uncle Mike's Uncle Harry
After Arlington we went "next door" to Fort Myer to see Twilight Tattoo. (not a picture on skin but a memorial performance by our guys and girls in green).
Twilight Tattoo
Meeting the troops after Twilight Tattoo
Between my phone and Uncle Mike's here's a video of the Changing of the Guard and the Twilight Tattoo. The 27 WWII vets are seated by the fence to the right - I love it when they stood up!
Before we move on to Thursday I must mention what a great, fantastic, wonderful time we had with Uncle Mike and Aunt Melba. Their home was beautiful and welcoming. They were kind and hospitable. The kids would have just stayed (we would have stayed with them).
Thank you, Aunt Melba and Uncle Mike for happily allowing us to invade your space. It takes wonderfully (brave) kind people to entertain our crowd so sweetly.
At the Harris House, VA
Thursday, May 14, 2015
We said "See ya later" to that GRAND pair in northern Virginia and headed southeast towards Williamsburg and Jamestown. It took longer than we thought to get there but we still had fun.
Bathrooms in Williamsburg Touristy place; Colonial Parkway; Jorja at a reststop with a clam castle; Deer
From Williamsburg we rode the Colonial parkway to Jamestown. It was late when we got there so with the Park Pass we purchased we got in Free (it usually cost $4-$5 dollars for everyone over 16 years old). By the time we left everyone else had been gone. It was very peaceful.
At Jamestown (the real one - the national park - not the pricey tourist trap)
More Jamestown
Meeting Pocahontas
Some more Jamestown: John Smith, Jorja, a cross, geese, Grandmother, more deer (lots of deer to be seen once the tourist are gone)
Still Jamestown: little girls, The Ambler House - one of the only remaining original sturctures; tree birthing children; Lora's beatle; big heliocopter; another deer
Friday, May 15, 2015
We got up and went to the pricey-tourist-junk-store and spent money.
Then we rode on a Ferry across the James River - which happened to be named the Willimsburg (we were hoping for the Pocahontas). Jamestown-Scotland Ferry (a free & fun thing to do)
Jamestown-Scotland Ferry
And then we came home.
Saturday, May 16, 2015
A busy day. We had to restock the kitchen and do laundry. But the some of the children were on a "history high" and did a reinactment (of sorts).
