Saturday, April 28, 2012

Great Wolf Lodge

While in Williamsburg, we stayed at the Great_Wolf_Lodge. Go ahead and click on that link. There is a picture of 4 people on a tube with a yellow and orange background. Yeah, I screamed like a little girl on that one. Emma and I went with 2 other girls about her age. It was dark, and I was in the front facing backwards when we got dumped into a giant funnel. I couldn't tell what was going on. And I screamed.

By now, you may have figured out that Great Wolf Lodge is a hotel with an indoor water park. We have been meaning to go there for some time. The girls got this cool area sleep inside of our room. They loved it and even made little bunk beds for their dolls to sleep in too. 
 Riding the fake waves.
 The other really cool thing they had was MagiQuest. The girls each got a magic wand. Then you would receive your quest from a Magi on a video screen. They had to run around the halls on 2 different floors to find what they needed. Point your wand at an item and it would light up, or open, or talk to you. It was pretty cool and exactly what Emma wanted.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Colonial Williamsburg

The last time we went to Colonial_Williamsburg, I looked like this:
6 months pregnant with Emma. We went for our 3rd anniversary in 2002.

Now it is 2012, ten years later. Seems like a good time to go again. Emma is in 4th grade and has been studying Virginia history. She has also been asking to go ever since she bought Felicity, her American Girl doll. It is a perfect time to go again. Rebekah also brought the doll she just got for Christmas. 

 They loved trying out the games at the Children's building.
 First we toured the governor's palace and grounds. 
The symbol of England with a chained up Scotland. On the governor's palace and above the gate as you walked in.
Okay, this is the ONLY picture that I am actually in. Had to prove that I was there.
I love all the detail in the molding in these old homes.
 When we came out they were demonstrating some various children's games. The girls (and Clay) tried their had and rolling the hoop. It proved to be very difficult.
 Rebekah really wanted us to buy this hat for her. It was $40 and would have been broken before we even returned home. Though it does bring out her eyes. We took a picture instead.

 Check out this really cool tree. It was huge! We couldn't figure out what kind of tree it was. Turns out  it is a crepe myrtle. Never have I seen one with such a huge trunk. It was a very old tree. We went inside the wig shop. Learned some very interesting things. Like the fact that the rich would shave their heads and wear a wig instead. Rebekah really wanted this braided piece with the pearls. Behind the Weaver's shop was the best garden in Colonial Williamsburg.
 "Look, I'm a tree." 
 This was absolutely the best tour guide I have ever seen. He kept things interesting for both the young people and the adults. I learned so many new things from him, and I thought I had been learning a lot from Emma's homework this year. 

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Piano Recital

Tonight was a happy and sad night for us. It was Emma's piano recital. Her last one for a while. Her teacher, Emilee Tikalsky, is moving to Mexico City. I think Emma started lessons in May 2007. That means she has been taking lessons with Emilee for 5 years. We will miss her!!
Adeline, Emma, Natalie, and Sydney
Emma with her teacher.
The three pieces Emma played are Spanish Caballero, Pagoda Tree and Minuet, all arranged by Nancy & Randall Faber. (For those reading this in an email, you must click to the actual blog to view the video clips.)

Saturday, April 21, 2012

CAR and the Flower & Garden Festival

Our day began with a Children of the American Revolution (CAR) meeting. We met a the Red_Rock_Wilderness_Overlook. Emma and Rebekah, along with the Rosenlunds, we inducted into the society. My girls have been members since our the local chapter was organized in August, but we missed that first meeting. Our local chapter is called the Reverend_John_Marks_Society. My friend, Wendy Bye (in the orange jacket below) is the Senior Society President, and I have been serving as the Senior Society Vice President. The youth hold offices, but there is always a "Senior" member to help and assist with each office. After the official business was over we went on a short hike down to the Potomac River. It was a beautiful day.
This beautiful dragonfly got tangled in Rebekah's hair. The other Rebekah  worked hard to get him out.
 Once we got back from the hike we headed into town for the Annual Leesburg Flower & Garden Festival. My favorite part of spring! I love just to walk around and look at all the displays to get ideas landscaping and gardening. 
Love this little natural stone bench!
Rebekah got a butterfly painted on her cheek.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Discovery Has Landed

This morning Clay and his coworkers traveled to the roof of their building for a view of the space shuttle Discovery. It was on the back of a 747 flying from Florida to make it's new home in the Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport. It made 3 passes over eastern Loudoun County before landing. Discovery is the longest-serving shuttle in NASA's fleet and flew 39 missions. Clay forgot to bring our camera, but here are some great shots from some of our friends.
Flying over the Udvar-Hazy museum. See all the people lined up along the street to watch. I think this is a shot from the fighter jet escort.
Flying over the highway. All cars just stopped where they were. We had some friends who were stopped on the overpass to watch the shuttle fly over.