Party time!

This year we were so lucky to have some family here for Taylor's birthday.  Taylor knew she had to have her cousins around to celebrate turning 8.  So on her special day Justin and uncle Ken took the girls to seven peaks.  They had tons of fun.  After the park they came back to the house for cake and ice cream. 

The kids around the cake. 

Jessica, Ellie, Aysha, Ari, Joslyn and Adam

The girls are really into my little pony right now, so that is what kind of cake Taylor picked.  She got some new ponies for presents, and if you sent her money that is what she bought!  I wish I still had all of the ponies I used to play with. 

Taylor's bridals

As you know our little Taylor Lynn got baptized on the 7th.  It was such a wonderful experience for our family. Taylor had been so excited about it for so long!  In fact, we bought her baptism dress a couple of months ago.  She picked it out and was SO excited to wear it.  I cried when she tried it on because she looks so grown up in it.  Justin thought it looked like a wedding dress.  She has grown into a beautiful and wonderful girl and I am so proud of everything she does.  I feel lucky to be her mom!  I wanted to take a few pics of her in her dress, so here they are.

Joslyn and Ellie

                                      This is what happens when I lay down for a quick nap!  The girls are pretty creative aren't they?  I think Joslyn looks lovely!  It is also good to know that they know how to use the camera all by themselves. I have a feeling that it was all Ellie's idea.

Trafalga!

Justin and I took the kids to Trafalga a few weeks ago and they loved it.  Andrew loved the airplane ride and pirate ship.  He didn't quite understand that you just can't ride them over and over.  He was really upset when we had to get him off the rides.  The girls had fun on the water boats and Noah and Justin loved the go-carts.  We also played a round of miniature golf.  After a couple of hours Justin and I were pretty worn out, but the kids didn't want to leave.  That's the best thing about having season passes, you don't feel like you have to stay all day!

Last vacation post!

We decided to go back to Willamsburg for another afternoon, because you really can't see it all in one day. This day I had much better shoes, so it was much more enjoyable.  We toured more homes and stores, ate, shopped, relaxed.  It was so nice to have a week to spread out all of our activities.  Finally on Friday we decided to drive to Virgina Beach, it had been so long since I had been to the ocean and I couldn't wait.  It was about an hour and half drive, but well worth it.  The weather was perfect and the beach was beautiful!  We walked along the shops on the boardwalk and had a really yummy lunch at a place called Rock Fish.  I heard it had the biggest collection of Beatles stuff!  The food was so good too.  There is nothing like fresh seafood on the beach.  I am so glad we took the time to go, it was so fun!

This little guy was hanging out at the bakery in Willamsburg.  It was so used to people, that it would eat right out of your hand.  I didn't share any of my lunch with it though, because it was too good!  The homemade apple cider was the best!

Justin in jail again.

Justin making sure that the prisoners could use the toilet while they were chained to the wall.

A pretty stream that was right outside the wood shop. 

Virgina Beach, so fun!

I really miss living close to the ocean, I could visit this everyday, couldn't you?

Jamestown, Berkley plantation and Yorktown

Here are pictures from three more places we visited on our vacation.  We didn't do this all in one day, but I am trying to condense all the pictures!  All of these places have really awesome museums, but you can't take any pictures in them.  I learned so much history that by the end, I wasn't able to retain all of the information I was told, so sorry if I write something that isn't really true.  I can't believe we did so much, it makes me tired just looking at these pictures. 

Inside a pocohantas hut.  Thats not the real name of the tribe, but I don't remember what it was.  This was where Pocohantas would have lived though.  Did you know she didn't really marry John Smith, he was much older than her and they were never romanitically involved.  Her husbands name was John Rolfe. She did go with him back to England, where she died before she could return to Jamestown.  She only lived to be 23 or so. 

Justin was picked to be the preacher in a re-enactment of a chuch service in Jamestown.  I think he did a geat job.

This is one of the three ships that came to Virgina and carried the people that stayed and colonized in Jamestown.  Obviously these aren't the real ships,  but exact replicas.

I wasn't feeling too well that day so I just watched Justin explore the ship.  He said it was actually a lot nicer than he thought it would be.

The ghost of the Berkley Plantation.

This is a site of the first thanksgiving, they claim it happend here in Virgina. This is the James River, all of the plantations are along it.  It was so pretty and peaceful there.

Justin in front of the side of the house.  The circle plaque gives the date is was build.  1762, I think?  I can't remember the exact year, but it was REALLY old.  This was one of my favorite places because everything was original, not a remake.  You wouldn't believe the history that has happend here.  I also asked the guide about ghosts that might be at the house.  She told me all kinds of things that had happend to her there.  She has woked there for more than 30 years and had lots of experiences to share. 

I think I look good in front of this home.  I think that means I should live in a house like this.

This one speaks for itself.

Did you know that you can keep meat like this for years and years. Justin was pretty hungry, but I don't think he actually took a bite.

I got a little silly and bored......

They shoot a cannon off at the camp in Yorktown, it was loud.