Our very good friends Ace and Jen got married on APril 18 in Gloucester, Virginia. Brad and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and took a mini-vacation, leaving Savannah and Landon at home with Grandma and Grandaddy. We flew up to Norfolk on Wednesday the 15th and from there drove into Williamsburg. It was so beautiful up there, really breath-taking. We stayed at a cute little hotel within walking distance of colonial Williamsburg and William & Mary College. Our friends Curt and Jenn were also staying in Williamsburg so the four of us had dinner together Wednesday and Thursday nights.
We didn't get into town until around dinnertime on Wednesday, so on Thursday we decided to venture out and see the area. We ended up going to the original Jamestown settlement which was just incredible. I love history, and it was so surreal to be walking on the same ground that the settlers did almost 400 years ago. We had a choice of either going to Colonial Jamestown, where the people dress up and immerse you in colonial living, or going to the actual settlement and seeing the buildings and things, so we decided on the latter. It was beautiful, being right on the banks of the James River, and so quiet. It was funny to think of Disney's version of Pocahontas (one of Savannah's favorites) and picturing that all happening right where we stood.
This beautiful cross stood outside the museum at Jamestown, which holds all the artifacts that have been uncovered over the last 30 years.
This is the plaque at the base of the cross:
It reads: "To the Glory of God and in the grateful memory of those early settlers, the founders of this nation who died at Jamestown during the first perilous years of our country. THeir bodies lie along the ridge beyond this cross, in the earliest known burial ground of the English in America. "
A stunning headstone at one of the burial sites.
A monument erected in memory of the settlers.
From Jamestown we headed over to Yorktown, which was the site of the final battle of the Revolutionary War. This was actually a driving tour, so we bought a CD at the museum and headed off on our own. It was a bit awkward, since it was originally a walking tour, so half the time it would tell us to get out and start walking toward something, but they were still talking about what we'd be seeing so we just kind of followed along and stopped where we wanted to. It was really neat, the bunkers are all still visible.
This was the actual field in which the British surrendered. You could really imagine all these British soldiers tossing their weapons in a pile, probably boys younger than we are.
This was a quiet little river meandering around the battlefields. So pretty.
After Yorktown we went to the
Williamsburg Winery and went on a tour and did a wine tasting. We've always wanted to do this before, and it was really a lot of fun and something we want to do again. We ended up buying a nice bottle of Chardonnay, and I was so nervous about flying back with it. Good thing we checked our luggage!
Friday afternoon we went to lunch with Curt and Jenn, then headed to Newport News to pick up the tuxedos before driving up to Gloucester, where the wedding took place.
This is the
Inn at Warner Hall, where we stayed and the location of the wedding. It was actually owned at one time by George Washington's great-grandfather, to give you an idea of it's age. It was so beautiful, we really enjoyed ourselves there.
Mike and Jen, the bride and groom. From where I was sitting I couldn't get a good shot of the whole bridal party so you can't see Brad in his tuxedo.
Mr and Mrs Acevedo
Brad, me, Jen, Ace, Ali, Rob, Curt and Jenn. We just wished that Rory and Kim could have been there too!
The boys.
We had so much fun and were so sad when Sunday came around. But it was a nice little trip for us and we were happy to get back to our babies at home!
