Sunday, March 31, 2013

Family Vacation (Field Trip) to Virginia's Historic Triangle - photo heavy post

(Catch - up post and follow-up to our American History studies part 1 post)

December 2012 - our family made the trek to Williamsburg, Virginia to spend a week vacationing and touring the historic triangle of Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown.  Our final day was spent touring George Washington's Mount Vernon. This was a perfect way to end our studies on the American Revolution.  Seeing things through new eyes, and then also witnessing the light of understanding turn on for the boys was incredible.  :) I feel so fortunate to have the privilege to homeschool my children, and then to be able to take trips such as this one where we could help make learning come to life.  
Watching the cooper in Colonial Williamsburg
David and Aidan enjoyed getting to drill as new recruits in the Virginia militia.

The boys' senior officer - teaching the steps for preparing an 18th century firearm

David and Aidan were allowed to help out in the kitchen at the Powell House in Colonial Williamsburg.

More helping out in the kitchen at the Powell House

Having a race with the wooden hoop in the courtyard area at the Powell House in Colonial Williamsburg

David wanted me to take a picture of the powder kegs in the magazine at Colonial Williamsburg

The boys had to spend some time in the stocks for poor behavior ;) (just teasing!)

Aidan was learning how to play battledore and shuttlecock 

The back of the Governor's Palace at Colonial Williamsburg - I was very excited to get to tour the palace on this trip!

Our family out in front of the Governor's Palace

This was one happy 10-year-old at the Yorktown National Battlefield - he wanted his photograph taken with almost every piece of field artillery we came across!

Fog hanging lightly over the field at Yorktown 

That musket was HEAVY! I think that my purse accessorizes it nicely though. :)

All 3 of my guys were part of the gun crew at the Yorktown Victory Center - each one learned their role and did a practice run or two before they actually fired the piece.

Another one of the gun crew--very fun!

The glassblowers between the old Jamestowne Settlement and the new Jamestown Settlement and visitors center. The boys loved watching the artisans at work. David said that he would consider apprenticing as a glassblower, a blacksmith or as a gunsmith. I think it has something to do with the fact that they all work with fire.

Boys wearing 17th century style armor at the Jamestown Settlement

David and Aidan - holding Pocahontas' hands at Jamestown

The boys with one of our interpreters at the Jamestown Settlement

David and Aidan on the replica of the Susan Constant

The Susan Constant (from the dock) 
Mount Vernon

The Christmas camel at Mount Vernon
Aidan led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and David read George Washington's prayer for our country during the wreathlaying ceremony at George Washington's tomb

The boys after they did the wreath laying ceremony at George Washington's tomb (the wreath is one they made with some of their friends in their Cub Scout pack here in MS - it traveled all the way to VA with no mishaps!)
The magnolia, holly and evergreen shrub wreath positioned between Martha and George Washington's sarcophagi 


 Overall, this was a very fun, albeit exhausting trip. My head hurt at times from all of the information I was learning.  :) Colonial Williamsburg and the Yorktown Battlefield were probably my 2 favorite stops on this particular trip, although I did truly enjoy it all. I think I can honestly say that the others enjoyed this trip as well.

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