Yorktown

 It started with a late Saturday evening to get up and leave early Sunday morning.  We had attended a friend's sister's wedding reception and left Liam in charge.  It was near Easter, which means candy.  Apparently, Bret was unattended.
As we make sure everything is loaded up in the car, Jarom notices chocolate all over our fairly-new-almost-white couch, that was being returned when we got back from vacation (another story). 
Either way, if you could hear a soundtrack in my head, it would have been music of doom, maybe even some type of horror film soundtrack, as I thought of killing someone and praying over and over that this chocolate would come out.  For goodness sake, we are trying to leave on vacation!  Why now?  Inside I was having a meltdown but kept myself fairly composed, I believe.
What a way to start the trip.
And I did get it all out.  Scotch Guard is worth every penny.

In the car, moving right along. Nine and a half hours of beautiful scenery and for the most part happy kids.  The seventh hour seemed the longest.  We were finally in the state of Virginia and seeing signs of our destination but then it would say something like "120 miles."  At this point, no one really wanted to sleep anymore.  We were getting tired and Bret could no longer handle the prison car seat.  Before I knew it we were breaking the law all over the place.  Baby in my lap and walking around in the car; under 13 in the front passenger seat; Marshall on the floor sleeping, kids sprawled everywhere.

Ready to drive.

We finally arrived!

Marshall kept calling our hotel our trip and thought it was amazing.  The little things that impress children.  It was a comfy suite with a great breakfast in the morning and even dinner in the evening.  Jarom did well picking out this place.

DAY 1--Yorktown
It was cold and wet.  Bad way to start the day.  There were also bus loads of high school kids from New York.  It limited our participation.  The boys managed to keep a fairly good attitude and make what fun that was available.  Had it been better weather we would have spent more time there, I'm sure.

The set up was a full village for the Revolutionary war.  People all dressed up cooking, spinning wool, and shooting off guns.  They were full of knowledge.  Everything was hands on.  You could walk through the tents and homes and touch everything.

 Top left to right: the kitchen fire; the parents' bed in the house (it was the same room as the eating area and work space, kids upstairs in a loft); the back view of the kitchen; the cook (there were dried plants everywhere hanging from ceiling); the house; garden; the military tents and campout; women spinning wool in the house

 Joining the military and getting their payment (Hyrum said he wasn't joining, period.)  Tipton couldn't hold the gun because his arm was broken and still in a cast.  One of the militia workers was showing how they cooked each night, each man for their own.  The gunman had to shoot 5 times before the shot ever went off.  That's how unpredictable those guns were back then.

 Marshall laid down in every bed displayed. 

 

Who needed history when you've got wild chickens everywhere?

 

Bret, also found several things he loved at the gift shop.

 

A little dress up:

 The perfect thing to pick us up and warm us up, games.  We love games and they had several games out that kids at that time period would play.  They were fun.  Hyrum and I created our own version of the games when we got home from vacation to play.