A Day in Williamsburg

This morning, we weren't the sleepyheads we were yesterday, and got up to alarms. After breakfast here in the trailer, we went into town to explore the historical area of Williamsburg. The Lord blessed us with another beautiful day (I believe the temperature hit 80) with breezes blowing.

As we looked at the map of the town, we found ourselves a little overwhelmed at where to start. On the opposite side of the map, it listed all the activities taking place in the town throughout the day. Of course, we wanted to see everything, but there was only so much time!

While I was creating this post, I found a really great website in which you can take a virtual tour of Colonial Williamsburg. I wish I had found it BEFORE we went into town!
www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/visit/tourTheTown/

As I downloaded the pictures from today, I realized I only had a few, so I asked Tom if I could have the pictures he took on his camera. I had to laugh as I compared his pictures to mine -- mine are all about people, his are all about places. Between the two of us, we've got it covered! There may be some Freudian principles to apply here to our personalities, I think. Pictures of inanimate objects are much easier to contend with when photographing . . . . ~wink~

Make sure you click on the pictures to get a better view!

We began our adventure on Duke of Gloucester Street, the main street through town, which dead ends into the Capitol building.

The Courthouse

The first scheduled event we went to was at the town Courthouse where a mock trial was set to begin. Visitors filled the courtroom and were asked to participate —as plaintiffs, defendants, and jurors. Today's trial (which was taken from historical court records) centered around a Baptist minister who was being charged as a vagrant and for preaching a gospel contrary to the practices of the Anglican Church. The vagrancy charge was dropped, but he was found guilty of breaking the laws of the Anglican Church. I am thankful for men like these early in our country's history that sacrificed so much to preach the TRUE gospel!

Construction was finished on the Courthouse in 1771 and served the Williamsburg community for more than 160 years. It was also briefly used as a Confederate hospital during the Civil War.

Bruton Parish Church
This church has been used since 1715 and still serves an active congregation today. Attenders have included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry and George Mason.

A serene pasture full of buttercup blooms off of Duke of Gloucester Street.

The Magazine
This arsenal is the site of the Gunpowder incident of April 1775, an event which led the Southern Colonies into the War for American Independence.

The docent at the Magazine - Tom and boys loved this building! Inside, it houses both original and reproduction muskets and cannons.

Sarah sporting her new, colonial straw hat

This was my favorite find of the day -- the kids are standing in front of a lilac bush! When we lived in Michigan, our backyard was filled with lilac bushes. When they were in bloom, the scent would drift in through the windows filling the house. I nearly became intoxicated sniffing the blooms on this one!

We enjoyed a mid-day meal at the King's Arms Tavern. From the history given in our menu, in colonial times, this tavern was where the elite met and ate. We're glad that's not the case today, as we were hungry! The boys both ordered a burger, and subsequently asked for ketchup. The waitress told them to be careful what they ask for, as ketchup in colonial days was a mushroom condiment. They were promptly served tomato sauce (ketchup), whipped eggs (mayonnaise) and cream of mustard seed (mustard).

The Capitol Building
We truly felt a sense of awe as we realized the history that has taken place on this very plot of land. Here, the fundamental liberties that we cherish as Americans were debated and voted upon. We were able to tour the inside of the building and were a little disappointed to learn that the building we were in was not THE building where our founding fathers gathered, as it was destroyed by fire. The only original part of the building is the foundation.

The docent for this tour did an excellent job at causing us to think about what the colonists faced in their debates about whether or not to launch a declaration of independence from Britain. Truly, every odd was stacked against them. It was easy for us as visitors to call out solutions to her questions on the issues she raised because we knew the outcome. How the colonists must have agonized!

The only picture Tom took of animate objects -- these oxen were HUGE! It is difficult to tell, as the gentleman in the picture was also of a very large stature and stood at least 6'5".

This was very interesting to us -- the Williamsburg Historical Foundation is excavating this site, which used to be the Charlton Coffee House, operating from 1755 - 1769. Coffee houses were places catering only to men, served hot beverages and very little alcohol. Unlike taverns, they were not required to let rooms.

By this time, it was almost 5:00, and the town was closing down. We made our way across the street to the shopping area of Williamsburg, where we found a confectionery filled with yummy, hand-made chocolates! After indulging in massive peanut butter cups, we made our way back to our campsite. We decided on a dinner of hot dogs over the campfire and s'mores!

Here we are around the campfire enjoying a conversation with our next door neighbor, Jim Breton, whom we met this evening. Jim is a lone traveler, heading north in his fifth-wheel home, to the state of Massachusetts, where he sets up a hot dog stand in his hometown each summer. We've had a great time getting to know him, and were glad to have met another believer (we figured that out before we met him, when we saw him sitting outside of his fifth-wheel reading his Bible). He spent 25 years as a train engineer, so he is thrilled with the trains that come barreling through here every couple of hours. He and Tom have been running to the track each time they hear the whistle in the distance! They had a good conversation this evening around the campfire discussing "big boy toys."



Roastin' hot dogs and marshmallows!

Our First Day Exploring in Williamsburg

Well, some of us got more rest than others last night! After we settled into bed, we heard a thunderous sound, and realized that there are train tracks about 50 yards from our campsite. Tom, who put in earplugs, slept fine. The kids and I didn't fare so well. As a result, we got a mighty late start to our day this morning. Our first activity was walking through the streets of Colonial Williamsburg. It wouldn't have been worth it to purchase tickets for all of the exhibits and historical homes through here for the short time we had available, so we will come back tomorrow and spend the whole day.

Remember, you can click on the pictures to get a better view!

Posing for a picture in Colonial Williamsburg -- thanks to the handy, dandy tripod in Tom's backpack! Oh yes -- we are techno geeks wherever we go!!!!



The kids in a garden in Colonial Williamsburg -- it was beautiful!

Following our brief walk through Colonial Williamsburg, we decided to take a drive on the Colonial Parkway, thanks to the advice of a local resident. The drive was absolutely beautiful! The dogwoods and cherry trees are in bloom, and the trees hovered over us like a canopy as we drove along.

Here is a view out the front window of the Excursion -- can't you just feel the wind on your face and smell the fresh air?!

We had a nice surprise that I was able to snap a picture of as we rounded a curve -- water! No, that's not debris falling from the sky -- it's bug guts on the windshield! We were thrilled to find a beach where we could get out and walk.

Sarah and I have been enjoying the plant life on this trip. Here she is after discovering a field of buttercups!

Posing for a picture on the beach.

Walking on the beach after looking for shells.

Sarah and Mom

Following our drive on Colonial Parkway, we stopped at Chili's to grab a bite to eat. Here is Christian enjoying his Shrimp Pasta, and Andrew enjoying his Buffalo Chicken Salad.

After we left Chili's we drove to Yorktown, and then over to Jamestown, just to check things out. What we found is that everything costs around here. Even though the sign read that the park at Yorktown is owned by the National Park Service (a federally funded agency), they charge $10 per person to get in. Isn't that double-dipping?! Given the lateness of the day, we decided that Yorktown and Jamestown will have to wait until a different day. Tom treated us to long johns at Dunkin' Donuts on our way back to the campsite.

Here is Sarah enjoying her long john while swinging in the playground adjacent to our campsite.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Another Day on the Road . . . .

This is the only picture I took today -- sorry! Here is Baxter, asleep in the arms of his favorite human in the world, Andrew.

After Christian's Mythology class ended at 10:00 this morning, we headed back out on the road for our next destination, Williamsburg. Christian had a government class from 3:00 - 4:30, so we were parked in a Cracker Barrel parking lot to ensure a good connection on the Sprint card. I enjoyed a nice snooze in the meantime! We finally arrived in Williamburg after dark, but were delighted to find that the campground we are staying at (Anvil Campground in Williamsburg) has lighted hook-ups on every site, something we haven't seen before. Praying for a good night's sleep so we can explore tomorrow!

Ready to Get on the Road!

Here we are, minutes before pulling out of the driveway.

We really enjoyed our drive today! It was so wonderful to be able to stop during the day and use the trailer for all of our needs. We stopped and fixed sandwiches for lunch, and when we finally arrived at our campsite in Lexington, North Carolina, we warmed up some Shane's Rib Shack barbecued pork. The secret is in the sauce!

Sarah's Big Day!

Sarah has been wanting to get her ears pierced for a few months. After getting her Daddy's blessing, I made the appointment for her to have them done this week. She was pretty nervous, and has asked often, "Will it hurt?" I told her that it would sting and then her ears would feel very warm for a few hours. Then I told her that they would put a cape on her so that the blood wouldn't get on her clothes. Oh, wasn't that mean?!! I took her to the salon where I get my hair done, as I learned last week that my stylist pierces ears.

A very nervous Sarah before getting her ears pierced!

Whew! It's over! She chose a very dainty pair of diamond posts for her first earrings. I would have taken pictures of the actual procedure, but she was squeezing my hand too tight!

Sarah with Miss Paula who pierced her ears.



Shortly after we came home, guess what wandered into our yard?!!! I'm so glad we are leaving on vacation tomorrow, or I know we would have felt obligated to find a home for these two cuties. The poor boxer is sooooo skinny! We fed them lots of food and treats, which they hungrily woofed down (no pun intended!).

This little girl was very skiddish, but she let Sarah pet her right away. The rest of us, it took awhile.

Can you see his ribs?

The bichon boys came out for a sniff!

Annual Trek up Stone Mountain

The Thomas' and the Gilliam's made their annual trek up Stone Mountain today. I am ashamed to report that the 27-week pregnant, 30-something woman struggled less up the mountain than the nearly 40 year-old woman! Claire rode atop her Daddy's shoulders (using his eye sockets as her point of grip -- I can't tell you how funny this was!!!!!!), and Charlie was a trooper and walked up the whole way by himself. Sarah, Abby, and Megan lead the way, followed by Chuck, Tom, and the boys, with Charlie, Julie and I, bringing up the rear.

After reaching the summit, the guys (minus Charlie) hiked back down to get the cars and meet us at the Crossroads Village, while Julie and I took the younger ones down by way of the tram.

Finally at the top!


After our trek up the mountain, we decided to eat dinner at Miss Katie's in the Crossroads Village. We were enjoying our dinner, when Chuck said, "Is it me, or is this table getting taller?" Sure enough, the table was rising higher, and was now level with our chins! We quickly alerted our waiter, who got quite a laugh out of our reaction. It seems this is a trick they like to play on their customers who sit at this table!



When we first realized that the table was getting taller, Tom pulled out his video camera and began filming the progression. He pulled this frame off of his camera, so it's a little blurry, but you can see the table height -- a little higher than normal! And there's our waiter, acting like nothing is wrong . . . .



Here is a picture of the table fully extended -- very funny!

After we finished our dinner at Miss Katie's, Julie and I decided to scope out a spot on the pavilion to pitch our lawn chairs and blankets for the laser show, while the guys went and got our stuff out of the vans. We followed the wooded path from the Crossroads Village to the pavilion, and made our way on to the green. As we begin to look for a place spread our stuff, we realized that we didn't see the girls. We were concerned but not panicked . . . . . YET.

Julie told me stay where I was with Claire and she would go look for them on the path we were just on. A few minutes later, I see her appear far down below where the path ends with her arms lifted up signaling that she didn't find them. Then the panic set in. At that same time, I saw two security officers on the green between Julie and I. I began running down the hill with little Claire in her stroller towards the security officers. Poor Claire! She was holding on for all she was worth, and slowly turned around to see who in the world was driving! Julie and I reached the officers at the same time and breathlessly told them what the girls were wearing and how long it had been since we had last seen them. Then we phoned our husbands and told them that they we couldn't find the girls. The search was on . . . . . .

By this time, a full 20 minutes had gone by, which doesn't seem like a long time, but it's an eternity when you don't know where your child is. The only thing I could do was pray for the Lord to protect them, give them peace and wisdom, and return them safely to us. In the meantime, darkness is setting in . . . .

By this time, Chuck, Tom and the boys had reached the green and had joined the search. As I was standing on the green, surveying the multitudes, I heard Christian shout, "There they are!" I thought my legs were going to give way beneath me as I ran to the other side of the green where the three girls were standing! I was the first of our party to reach them, and all I could do was grab them and cry. Oh, the relief and joy knowing they were safe and sound!!! I quickly called Julie on her cell to let her know they were safe and sound.

After piecing it all together, we realized that we had a breakdown in communication. The girls were a few steps in front of us on the path, and they called out, "Watch us do this!", while Julie and I said, "Come on girls!" as we walked out onto the green. Neither one of us realized that the other didn't hear and wasn't following. As I was running down the hill towards the security officers, the girls walked out on the green where I had been standing just a few minutes before. As they paced back and forth, a kind lady came to them and asked if they were lost. They said that they were, so she took them to the Coke stand to alert security. The security guards that Julie and I had spoke to earlier, arrived at the Coke stand at the same time as I did. This story had a happy ending -- many do not. We had a brief glimpse of what a parent must go through when their child is missing. Horrible things begin to run through your mind -- such a helpless feeling! We praise God for His hand of protection on the girls!

We were all emotionally exhausted at this point (at least Julie, the girls, and I were!) but we managed to enjoy some sweet treats and the laser show.

Megan, Abby and Sarah after their rescue.

Tom chowing on some butter pecan ice cream, despite the chilly temperatures.



When Chuck asked for the popcorn to be passed to him, it sailed through the air and landed with an explosion of popcorn all over the ground. Perfect, thought Charlie who quickly scooped it up!

When the guys went out to the vans to get our chairs and blankets, they discovered that is was Monster Truck Week at Stone Mountain, and snapped a few pictures. That's one obnoxious truck!

It's been so long . . . .

I ask all of the faithful readers of our family blog to please forgive me for such a long time between posts! Sickness has been in our family since February 14th, hitting me twice and putting me far behind in my responsibilities. Computer time becomes a low priority when I've so much to catch up on!

The past few weeks here in Georgia have been just beautiful! The beauty began in mid-March when the Bradford pear trees were in full bloom. After gazing at leafless tree branches for a few months, it is such a blessing and delight to see these burst forth in bloom, while all the other trees around them are still bare. This past week, I noticed the wild wisteria blooms around town -- another one of my favorites. It is a sight to behold when driving down the road -- imagine tall trees with thousands of lavender, grape cluster shaped, blooms hanging from them. Breathtaking, I assure you! Other blooms I noticed this week were the azaleas and the dogwood trees. Springtime in Georgia is glorious!

Christian and Bryan showed their robot project at the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair in Athens this past week. They were given a third place standing, which they were thrilled with, as they never expected to even qualify for advancement to the state competition. The ideas are already flowing between them for next year's entry. Andrew and Sarah have some ideas of their own and are hoping to enter their own projects in the local fair next year. I am so proud of all three of them, as I never had any interest whatsoever to compete in any academic competition!

Christian and Andrew went to the Anderson's house last week for the primary purpose of Bryan and Christian putting final touches on their project for the science fair. After the work was done, the boys enjoyed exploring the woods by the Anderson's house. Christian now has a case of poison ivy on his right leg, despite the fact that he had on socks and long pants! We have learned that Bryan also contracted some, even though the boys reported never seeing any. As I write, Tom and Christian are attempting to cover his leg in gauze and an ace bandage to prevent it from spreading any further. Last time Christian got into it, we didn't cover it, and you could trace the pattern of how it spread from body part to body part coming into contact with each other. We pray this passes quickly for him!

I am anticipating some long-time friends visiting us next weekend to celebrate my 40th birthday this month. Yes, you read right -- 40!!! So hopefully, I'll have some fun pictures to post next week! Also, we are leaving on vacation in about a week and a half, so check back for those updates.

I have updated below with a couple of happenings of these past few weeks!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

For the first time ever, the Thomas' are putting in a garden!! WE ARE SO EXCITED!! Well, Sarah and I are anyway . . . .

Sarah and I measured and staked our garden outline, and Tom rented a rototiller (the Mantis hadn't arrived yet) to begin work on our garden. There was some dispute about whether to take the sod up first, or just 'till it under, and 'tilling it under won.

It was thought that the rototiller would easily begin to chew up the underlying sod and earth and pulverize the grass. Within the first 30 seconds of setting the blades to the ground, reality set in. Our little piece of earth is very compact and dry, and not easily cultivated. My heart ached for my husband as I watched him wrestle with the rototiller!

After about 20 minutes of little progress, Tom suggested that we saturate the ground in hopes that the blades could maneuver through the soil better. (I think we probably violated our watering restrictions -- I'm hoping we don't see a fine on our water bill!) It helped somewhat, but the chore of 'tilling up the soil was a grueling task for poor Tom.

After the initial 'tilling of the ground, we decided that we needed to mix in a nutrient dense garden soil. So the next day, Tom and I headed to Home Depot and picked up 600 lbs. of garden soil (which wasn't enough -- we had to get 800 more). As I spread the soil around, I was so concerned with what the top of the ground looked like. I wanted to cover up all of the poorly cultivated dirt with "pretty" dirt. It occurred to me as I was doing this that it didn't matter what the top of the soil looked like. The real issue was the quality of the dirt at the root level of the plants. I realized that I do this in my own life! I seek to cover up the sin in my heart, the root level, by making the outside, or top layer, look attractive. It doesn't matter what the top of the soil looks like if the roots aren't being nourished and are unhealthy. The plant will still wither and die. It is the same way with me -- I can wear the latest fashions, put makeup on my face, and color the gray out of my hair, but the real issue is what is underneath -- the condition of my heart before the Lord.

Our garden plot before the additional soil was spread on it.

The question arose of how to transport a rented rototiller, to which Tom had a simple solution. He needed a new toy! Here are Andrew and Sarah catching a ride in Tom's latest acquisition, a utility trailer. We are always needing to haul something somewhere, so this will be a useful tool.

Since we are going to be living in this house for awhile (Lord willing), we are going to begin to plant around the whole house. This is the east side of the house, which receives shade 80% of the day due to trees and the house, so we are going to turn it into a shade garden. Here are Sarah and Andrew clearing out some beds. They were great helpers!

This first year of gardening will truly be an experience. We are starting with poor soil, and I think my list of crops is very ambitious, and probably too many for this small plot of land. As I was planting strawberry plants the other day (a June-bearing strawberry for you experienced gardeners here in Georgia reading this, panicking that I haven't planted them early enough!), I realized that we are going to have a real battle with the grass that we tried to 'till under taking root. Honestly, I am not hopeful for much in the way of produce from my garden, but I think I will gain much experience!

A Visit From Nana and Papa

Nana and Papa came for a visit March 16 - 18. It was the first trip Dad had taken since his stroke in October. They arrived Sunday evening, and we enjoyed sitting around the kitchen, eating homemade beef barley soup, and enjoying conversation. Monday, after a yummy breakfast at Cracker Barrel, we headed up to the Antebellum Plantation at Stone Mountain. To make the excursion easier on Papa, we rented a wheelchair and had fun pushing him around.

Tuesday morning, they left for home -- we were sad to see them go!

Atlanta Storms

We had some really intense storms move through Atlanta this weekend. We were spared of any tornado activity here on the south side, but there were a few cells that came through with heavy rain and winds. One that came through Saturday afternoon brought hail with it. The kids and I were standing in the dining room at the front of the house, peering out the window at the wind and rain, when we began to hear a "tinking" sound, and realized it was sleet hitting the window. Right before our eyes, the little pieces of sleet quickly grew into pebble-sized pieces of ice, and then into marble-sized chunks. The wind sent them pelting into the windows at a frightening speed, which sent us running to a different part of the house! The sound was deafening, and we were sure we were going to find a cracked window when it was all over.

Just prior to this cell hitting our area, we had ordered pizza. Shortly after the hailstorm ended, our doorbell rang, and there stood a frazzled delivery boy! He was on the road with our order when the hail began and suffered a cracked windshield as a result. I felt so bad for him! He left with a nice tip in his pocket!

After the hail stopped, I ran to find my camera. By the time I finally found it and got a shot, the ice balls had started to melt. You can still get an idea of what they looked like if you click on the picture below.

Music Festival

Sarah played two piano solos in a local Music Festival and received the highest rating, a superior!
Way to go Sarah!

Both boys have begun taking lessons from her teacher (making Mondays very looooong while each of them have a one hour lesson consecutively), so we are looking forward to reporting 3 superior ratings for Festival next year!

Henry County Science Fair

Bryan and Christian presented their science project "Can a Robot that Distinguishes Between Acids and Bases be Easily Created?" at the Henry County Science Fair today. There were 81 entries, and only 25 will be proceeding on to the state level. I'm thrilled to report that they received a first place rating, and will be going on to state! In addition, they were among five selected to receive a one-year subscription to the Department of Defense publication, Signals, and were the only ones to receive the Naval Science Award from the Office of Naval Research.
CONGRATULATIONS BOYS!!!!!