Bush Gardens and Virginia Beach

So we finally got to go on vacation even if it was only for a few days it was worth it. We decided to go to Bush Gardens in Williamsburg and Virginia Beach. As most know Henry and I lived in Hampton for sometime while Henry went through the Apprentice school.

We left out at 3am Thursday morning and the kids and Henry crashed while I drove ( I had slept a few hours after VBS) Speaking of VBS I was bummed I had to miss the last 2 nights. I had a group of GREAT kids. They were so loving and well behaved.

Anyway we arrived in Williamsburg around 7:30 and stopped off at Golden Corral for breakfast and to stretch for a bit. We had a nice breakfast and as usual Zack kept us entertained even that early. Speaking of Zack I hadn't heard a word out of him and when we got on the other sided of Richmond he pops up and said when are we getting food. That is my dear teenage son.....

So after we left breakfast we went to pick up the 2 FREE tickets we got for the park and went on to Bush Gardens. We actually got there at 9:30 right around when they opened. We figured we would make the most out of the day. As we enter into the park we saw one of the displays where you can stick your head through. Well I would like for you to notice what each one says the boys are in. Dylans says,"The cost of an untidy chamber" and Zacks "for the want of a quiet tounge" They didn't read what they said before they got in. But funny how they fit perfect!!! Their dad and I got a big kick out of it.

Well Henry and I have always loved the Clysedale horses. We have pictures with them every time we go there. When we would have went before in our drinking days we would have bought all kinds of shirts and junk..... But here are a few shots of the horses.

We rode a couple of rides that are in 4D and they were very cool. They both were fun and there were things we liked bettter about each of them. There was one in Ireland which is were the picture is taken. The other ride is in Germany and a castle.

So we rode every roller coaster in the park. My favorite besides the Loch Ness (which will always rank at the top) is the new one called Griffon. We finally got Dylan on it at the end of the day. Dylan rode Loch Ness, Griffon and Big Bad Wolf.

Speaking of Wolves these two are wolves they have there they rescued. One is a white wolf and the other grey. Dylan got the biggest kick seeing them sitting there howling (which I wasn't able to get a picture of) Also they had several eagles they had saved from death.

There is a picture of all of us on the Loch Ness I will post when Henry scans it in for me tomorrow. It is a good picture....

This fountain cracked the boys up they saw it only as a naked lady on top and not art so I had to get a picture..... Those are my boys!!!!

So the next day we went to Virginia Beach and spent sometime there. I have missed the beach. We lived near Buckroe beach. I miss it. Henry and I took the boys around Hampton on our last day there and showd them where they would have gone to school our old house. We stopped to see one of our old neighbors. He was amazed at how the boys had grown Dyl wasn't even a year old when we left. We took them over the James River Bridge so they could get a good look at the shipyard and teh boats where their dad worked. We talked about how different our lives might have been. I worked for Cannon and we would have had our house halfway paid for at a little over $400 a month. Kind of depressing when you think about it..... But we do know God had other things planned for us.

I do have to say I was amazed at how things have changed. Things have grown and some of our favorite spots are gone.

Here are a few pictures of our time at the beach. We had alot of fun and wished we could've stayed longer. I am so looking forward to our trip next year with my whole family.

DC Trip LOTS OF PICTURES

So we went with Zack on his 8th grade field trip to Washington DC. We decided to make it a family weekend. Henry and I took off work and took Dylan out of school and off we went. This first photo is Henry and Dylan standing outside of the Smithsonian and the statue of a man named Jacob Henry....

This of course if our capitol. I have to say I was there when I was 11 but I must say as I get older it is very surreal standing in areas where you know the March on Washington took place, and things of that nature took place

This is the Washington Monument. I found out the hard way that you must at least get tickets to go up in it 2 weeks ahead. You can arrive that morining at 6am.. That being if anyone cancels and you could be lucky enough to get that ticket. WHATEVER.... When we go next spring or whenever I will go online as the woman said I could and get tickets.
So did anyone see the movie "Night at the Museum"? Well do you remember the part where the statue says "Hey dumb dumb give me gum gum..." Well here he is....

Henry loves poofer fish and here is one. We tried to get him to blow up but no luck. He was cute in a strange way all but the hook for a tooth in the front....

So this parona kept trying to attack Henry's finger. IT was rather funny watching it attack the glass and try to eat him.....

So Henry is here posing next to this old airplane engine. So does he look like Vanna and the letters or what??So here is me and my guy in front of the capitol. It was very windy. that afternoon but a nice dayThis is Zack's 8th grade class. What a bunch of goofy kids OH our future. Not all where there......So there is Zack next to his friends. He had something in his eye. .......

So this was so funny as the wind wipped through I had the boys stand in front of this waterfall outside the American Indian Museum. The wind blew water all over them. Their faces were priceless.....This is the Enterprise CVN 65 my sweetie worked on this boat when he worked at the shipyard in the Air and Space museum there was an exhibit of a mock boat, that we walked on. He got a big kick out of that.So I thought these 2 pictures of the monument were very cool.........So this is the one thing I wanted to see. I am a history buff and this just sent a chill through me. I don't really know why. .On one wall is the Gettysburg address and the other another speech he did but I wasn't sure which one. I took over 500 photos so I just picked some. There were some from the zoo that I am gonna post a blog about.

So these are from the Vietnam War Memorial. Enough said........................