A Much Needed Vacation

We were long over due for a family vacation (as in just the four of us)...we figured it had been almost 2 years!! And we wanted to go somewhere before I was out a job. Plus, I hadn't taken any work off this fiscal year other than moving...so I was ready for a break, too!

We decided on Williamsburg, Virginia...and we loved it!! Here are pictures of our trip...LOTS of pictures...probably the most I have ever uploaded on here!! We left last week Sunday and got back this past Friday.

Day 1
Heading down to Indiana to stay with our friends Kelly and Tony for the night

Damaris taking a nap


Stephen sleeping in the van


Titus was pretty tired too...

We realized after we were already going that this stop didn't really save us any time on our trip at all, but we wanted to see our friends, so that didn't matter to us.

Day 2
Driving down to Williamsburg

Most of the snow we saw on the way down was ironically in West Virginia...they had lots of it, too!!


At one of the scenic stops along the highway...


And it was worth the stop...



Since I took pictures of everyone else sleeping, I guess it is only fair for Stephen to take a picture of me. :) We were both tired because we got up at 4 AM to start our 12 hour trip...

After we checked in, we went up to our condo...we have been part of a vacation club of sorts for the past 3 years, so we can go to any of their places and it is nice because we only have the cost of our gas. We cook our food and everything at the condo so that helps save money too. This place was smaller than most of the other places we can go, but still nice.

Our room


I really liked the shower in our bathroom!! The kids had their own bathroom, too, so that was nice.


The kids' room. Considering they don't normally share a bed, they did OK.


Our living room


Our dining room and kitchen

Day 3
Yorktown

Along the shore


A bridge over the river


In town...


Cannon in Yorktown


Titus wanted to take our picture. I thought he did ok, even though I had to crop a little. :)

We didn't stay real long because we wanted to go over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel. Unfortunately it was dark by the time we got there, but it was still cool none the less. You drive on a bridge for a while, go underneath the ocean, come back up on the bridge, back under the ocean in a tunnel, and then back on the bridge to land. It was about 16 miles total. It is the one thing I wanted to do more than anything else while we were there, so next time we will be sure to time it a little better. We want to go back anyway, because there is SO MUCH there, and we hardly scratched the surface. We really liked it a lot.

Day 4
Williamsburg

As I have already mentioned, we really liked Williamsburg a lot...all the people dress up in 1700's garb, and work as if they did back then. Even the shoemakers made shoes, and actually gave each of the employees two pair of shoes a year!


The Governor's Palace


The entry way had HUNDREDS of guns and swords. You would really have to be there to take it all in. It was pretty cool!




Going up the really cool stairway.


Leather walls with gold designs! And the style of the day was always what the queen liked, so that's why the fabric on the chairs. I think it looked good, and would fit in even today!


Just another picture of that room...


These neat stoves were obviously their source of heat. I thought they were pretty cool!


In the ballroom - very bright blue!!


Pipe organ in the formal dining room - again the bright colors.


This was a pretty neat (and big) garden...even though I am not really into shrubs...

Then on to another house that we were able to tour. Obviously not as grand as the governor's palace, but still cool!

In the horse barn...I thought it was neat. And then the people that took care of the horses lived upstairs.


One of the bedrooms


Typical study...well, typical for the wealthy in the day. :)


So many bright colored rooms! And we really thought this corner cabinet was really neat.


I really like the stripes in this bedroom. Might get a little overwhelming after a while, though...


My little cutie...


My little soldier...


What a nut...


My little shopper...


This is one of the shops where they make something as if they were a real person in the 1700's, working all day and then they even sell it. But you would never guess how much this little tea pot cost. All silver, but still - who could afford it?? It was $12,000...and no, I did not put too many zeros in that number. We actually talked with the guy who made it.


Our "friends" looking for a handout...


Taking a break from all the walking. The kids did great though! We actually forgot Damaris's umbrella stroller, so we figured it was worth the $12 to pick another one up. We were glad we did!!


He did really well walking around everywhere! We definitely had our moments, but what kid wouldn't?!?


The capitol building/courthouse when the capital of Virginia was Williamsburg.


Conference room in the state capitol building


In the courtroom

Day 5
Jamestown (which is again another place we want to spend more time at when we come down again) and finishing up Williamsburg

Taking a ride on the ferry across the James River. It was a little cold, but it was a neat experience. And best part? It was FREE :)


The seagulls followed the ships all the way across and back!


The kids loved it!!


Horse right by our hotel. Of course we had to feed him some carrots :)


He was a nice horse!


This is the jail where they used to keep prisoners.


Carriage rides...you know, if you actually wanted to pay $12.50 PER PERSON, for FIFTEEN minutes. Crazy!


I just thought this was so pretty. The stream went under this house, which is where the furniture maker lived and worked.


This is actually what hospitals were like back in the day - they treated you like prisoners with bars and handcuffs and everything! I had no idea. Thankfully the medical world has gotten past those times :)


Good night! She loved her doll that she picked out as a souvenir.

We are definitely going back sometime...but hopefully before Titus turns 6 so that everything is still free for him :)