Friday, December 27, 2013

All together at Christmastime 2013

This holiday season was an extra special one for the Birdwell family in Virginia.  This time, John would be home for Christmas, the first time in 3 years.  We always put up the tree and carried on with our traditions when he wasn't  home but all of those traditions  are much more fun when we're all together to enjoy them.  Ian and I baked cookies and we sat by the fire, watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and enjoyed being together during this festive season. 



One of our traditions is to visit Colonial Willamsburg on Christmas Eve.  The Colonial village is decked out with traditional decorations and I always think that next year or this winter, I'll decorate the same way.  I found these ideas to tuck away.  I think I need to start decorating in October!!  HAHA  This year, Arrick had to work Christmas Eve so he didn't get to join us.  John, Ian and I went but didn't stay this year for the fife and drum corp or the candle light caroling.  We still had a wonderful time in the brisk Christmas air meeting new friends, helping families take pictures in front of the beautiful decorations and enjoying see visitors enjoy the beauty we live near!
 A great way to spruce up a brass candle stick!!  ;)
 I do love the decorations that are made fresh and using real fruit!!  They even use ginger bread men in their decorations.  Each year the decorations are different and awe inspiring!!

                                          I especially loved this one!!  It took a blue ribbon!!
                                              This was the main window for the above doors!!
                                       Our Jewish colonists also decorated their door!!
                                                      This one was particularly interesting!!!
 The colony's seat of government before it was moved to Richmond!  John and I went inside, there are interior pictures in an older post from our visit this fall.
                        Looking down the street in Williamsburg...the street lights came on...
 Some decorations were made from dried flowers.  Still unique and beautiful!!
 Even the birdhouses were bedecked for the holidays and a flag to boot!
 John loves bears and I had to take this Bear's picture in Merchant's square!
 Inside, a winter Christmas wonderland filled with decorations from Germany!! Lovely!!!
                                 This one is huge, I just love them!! One day, I'll have one!!  :)
 The Williamsburg Inn is always beautifully decorated this time of year.  This is the same Inn where Queen Elizabeth stayed when she came to the colonies for a visit a few years back.

 Eva, our Golden, got  a baby doll from Santa.  She was thrilled!!  She does love her baby dolls and heaven help the other pups who try to take it from  her!!  She's my cutie.
 Ellie, our newest addition, was tuckered out from Christmas!  She went to bed and crashed!!
This year, I took the week of Christmas off from work to enjoy the season a bit better!  The days we were all together were restful and quiet but absolutely lovely!!  I cherished every moment when all three men home!  Time goes on and soon Arrick and Ian will be on their own paths after school to make their own adventures!  Maybe they will invite their dad and myself along on a few!!  I hope your Christmas and Holidays were warm and filled with friendship and love!!  Merry Christmas, hold on to your hats, 2014 is just around the corner!!!

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Fall Escape to Williamsburg

After a long summer and being a part, we escaped to Williamsburg.  It isn't too far away, but far enough to relax from the day to day grind and spend a wonderful autumn weekend away in the heart of colonial America.  I made reservations with our vacation club and away we went.  Unfortunately they didn't have a condo available for us, however, they did have a house available for us!  Let me give you a tour!! Here is what you see upon entering the front door to the left!!  



 To the right, a staircase to the three bedrooms! Yeah, we had three bedrooms...no kids...it was a bit overkill but hey, it was NICE!!
                                               The dining room and kitchen!
     A lovely kitchen complete with all that one could possibly need except for the food!
 Another sitting room.  Each room had a gas fireplace!!  It was nice to "turn on " the fire as the evenings were a little chilly!!
             The back deck and a lovely table that over looked an inlet of a little lake
 John was wanting to run to the store to get some steaks for this grill and a few cold ones for the friends next to the grill!!  lol That's when he called my dad to plan their next trip out!
 You can't really see the pond, but it's there!!!  just beyond those trees near the deck.
                                              Of course, this is the entrance...
                      The master bedroom!!!  A King size bed..no dogs...I slept like a baby!!
                         Of course, the Master had a gas fireplace in it as well!!
                                             one other bedroom

And yet, another
 The master bedroom had a bathroom in which there was a walk in multi headed shower,...and the mirror in the bathroom had a tv in it!!  What a way to get ready in the morning!!  I could watch the news in the morning as I got ready!!


 I settled in after our fantastic Italian dinner in town to warm my toes by the fire

 Saturday, John and I took in Hallowscream at Busch Gardens. We go every year to get scared and enjoy the haunts and shows.  If John is home, off we go. It's his favorite time of year!
Sunday, we toured Williamsburg with our passes to go into the buildings. This time up, we went to the armory.
 Where they had quite a few weapons and stuff!!
 and more stuff...
 Some we replicas but others were from before the Revolutionary War.
 We stopped at the blacksmith shop...and as I wandered around...I made note of the detail that was taken to rebuild Williamsburg as it had been before.


 As we toured, we met some colonials....riding horses....
 and some making wigs.  Folks back then, who had means, shaved their heads so their wigs would fit better.  The wealthy had many wigs in and would have the hair changed to reflect what was in vogue that season.  All those curls you see in colonial wigs are pinned in place.
 We went the capital building for Colonial Williamsburg.
                                             This is the general assembly room...

                                      This is the Governor's office..
                                               This is the court room....
 I love this lantern...it was a big room so I can only imagine how dim the room could be on a cloudy day.
                         We visited the prison.....but not for long.  Looking might be catching!!!
                                         We saw some colonials training for war....
                                 and their encampment....
                             even their laundry!!!!  I took a closer look of their shirts...

       and we saw more colonials...taking care of business in the colony.
 it was a lovely weekend...only 50 minutes from home, but it was centuries away to let our minds and bodies escape to a simpler time.