Cast off!

Jimmy got his cast off this week! Life is certainly easier for him with it off. For one, he does not need to wrap his arm in bubble wrap for soccer practices and games anymore. And he can bathe himself again. Mostly, I think he enjoys being free to move his arm as he pleases.

Amelia's birthday

"YIPEE! I'M FOUR!" Amelia shouted as she barrelled down the stairs on the morning of her birthday. She looks forward to learning to read more words now that she is four.

Kidwell Farm

Earlier this week, I took the kids to Kidwell Farm in nearby Fairfax County. We met up with friends and had a lovely (but chilly) time looking at all the new babies that were born this spring. There were twin sheep that were one week old (one black and one white,) piglets (black and white striped) and a baby goat that was hiding behind the woodwork and couldn't been seen. The kids were most fascinated with the month old sheep. They were very active. A worker went into their pen and picked one of the lambs up for the kids to pat. Jonathan got very excited. "Doggy!" He exclaimed. "No," I explained. "That's a sheep." Upon hearing my reply, he eagerly began to growl and roar at the sheep!

Tidewater Fun

Last week during Jimmy's spring break, we took a trip to Virginia's Tidewater region. We visited the National Maritime Center , which is in Norfolk. But first, we spent two days in Colonial Williamsburg, which is in (get ready) Williamsburg.

Colonial Williamsburg is a mostly rebuilt rendition of what Williamsburg was like when it was the colonial capital, and original state capital, of Virginia. Jamestown, where the British first landed in 1607, and Yorktown, where the Americans won a decisive battle, are right down the road. Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg make up America's Historic Triangle. There are big highway signs to that effect. I was just glad to be in America's Historic Triangle and not Bermuda's.

Williamsburg is important mainly because of who all was there together in the House of Burgesses at the same time: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry, to name a few. They, along with the Adamses in Massachusetts, more or less started the American Revolution.

The surrounding city of Williamsburg is quite modern and touristy, but the historic area is old-fashioned and touristy. Like the Novell campus, Colonial Williamsburg (CW) is preserved and staffed by a non-profit corporation. But unlike the Novell campus, CW is very quainte.

Upon arrival, the kids were convicted of disturbing the peace and got the pillory:




After being released, they got to work in a colonial corn field with hoes:


We visited the very regal Governor's Palace, home of the crown-appointed and colonist-reviled governor of Virginia:


The palace was dull for the kids, but then there was a girl's bedroom, which Amelia enjoyed seeing (you can't read it in this photo, but Amelia's free badge says "I Am Under 6"):


Jonathan had a great time too, despite this photo:


Each afternoon at Williamsburg, they hold a regularly scheduled revolution for a couple of hours. You stand in the street and see authentic characters talk about the British abuses, the war, etc. This photo shows Tracy enjoying the revolution (the boy in the orange is Jimmy; the girl in the stripes is *not* Amelia):


At the end of the revolution on our second Williamsburg day, they invited able-bodied men to join the march to the courthouse before moving on to battle at Yorktown. How could I refuse? (That's me in the green colonial shorts and white colonial baseball hat.)


Civilians, including children, were invited to march behind, but they had to provide their own weaponry if desired. Luckily, Jimmy had chosen out an authentic Pirate Rifle the day before from the colonial gift shoppe (that's him in the yellow shirt; his glow-in-the-dark cast is hiding behind the more authentic soldier):


At the end of the day, we stopped for one last picture before heading back to the colonial parking lot:


The next day, after our last night at the posh Travelodge Williamsburg, we headed to Norfolk. The proper southern way to say "Norfolk" sounds quite impolite; as a squeamish Western prude, I incorrectly say it like it looks: "Nor-Folk." Whatever its pronunciation, Norfolk has several mermaid statues:


It also has a great place called the National Maritime Center, which includes Nauticus, a wonderful museum about all things related to boating, and the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, a free U.S. Navy museum that includes the U.S.S. Wisconsin. I didn't realize the place would hold our attention for the entire day, but it did.

We got to tour the outside of the U.S.S. Wisconsin battleship:

It has been suggested that the kid to our left, your right, needs some manners pertaining to photo-taking in public places. Our kids do it too. What can you do? All we can do is photoshop him right out of there:

The Wisconsin is part of the Navy's Inactive Fleet, which means she could be activated and used at any time. She took part in WWII, the Korean War, and the First Gulf War. It was fascinating to be on a ship so large and with such a long and rich history.

Here is the type of shell that the Wisconsin's big 16-inch guns fire:


Jimmy said he learned a great lesson on this trip: "Guns are important!"

He's right. What else is important? Bunk beds:


Underwater exploration pods with claws:


And of course, families are important. We really enjoyed this little vacation. If you ever come visit us in Virginia, there will be plenty to do!