Wherein the Family Vacations

Spring Break:

A joyous event for mother and offspring.  Where they have a week free from school attendance/homework, and I have a week free from early mornings and the after school shuffle. The Hub and I decided to take the fam to Williamsburg VA, (with some family friends), for a couple of days to appropriately commemorate our first Virginian Spring Break. 

Day 1: 

We drove about 3 hours and kicked off the festivities at Colonial Williamsburg, the long ago capitol of VA.  'A', 'N', and 'Z' indicated that rather than experiencing any sort of living colonial history, they preferred to run willy-nilly through the replicated streets with their friends.  For 'Z' and his buddy, throwing small rocks into sewer grates that were strategically located every 20 feet was a highlight.  

This is when family fun (forced learning) should have taken place, but it was lunch time, children and men were hungry, so we went to eat.  

We also visited Yorktown - the site of the final battle of the American Revolution. 

Day 2:  

In planning our trip, we found a deal: 3 nights and 4 days + 2 tickets to Busch Gardens for under $200.00.  This made our room practically free. (Except for the 90 minute vacation ownership presentation we had to attend.)  Excuse me, did I say 90 minutes?  Maybe if my hub had just listened and said 'no thanks' we would have kept it to the allotted time.  Instead, he talked more than the sales guy.  He lectured on fiscal conservatism.  He lectured on purchasing things that we don't really 'need'.  He debated the definition of 'need'.  He lectured on living within our means and how the current national economic situation is a direct result of people making poor financial choices.  When told that people in France vacation more than people in the US, making their marriages stronger and their lives happier/more carefree, the hub lectured on the dismal state of the French economy.  There was also a lively debate on the precise cost/benefit analysis of vacation ownership.  All 'discussions' were good spirited - and long.  

Note to self: 1-I will always pay full price for vacation accommodations, thusly avoiding a never-ending sales pitch/fiscal debate.  2-My hub has a surprisingly strong grasp of the minutiae of the French economy.  Historic Jamestown with the kids was by far, a preferable experience.

Day 3:

Busch Gardens was fun-fun for the whole family.  It was here that 'N' tried to impress us with his newly acquired skill of speaking German - which went something like this:

"Doooooo youuuuuu liiiiiike meeeeaahhh shpeeeeeaaaakinnnng geeeeermaaaaan?"

It was technically English, with a thick slurred sort of 'accent'.  Kind of like the chef from the Muppets.  Or Jerry Sienfeld saying 'hellllooooooooo'.  

'Z' mourned his height which was 'not fair for the good rides!'

The Hub was a good sport and went on all rides - even though he gets motion sickness.  

'A' and I LOVED the big coasters (big thumbs up for the Griffon and Alpengeist)!

Day 4: 

We visited the Jamestown settlement before heading home.  It was fantastic.  There was a recreated Powhatan Village, the Jamestown Fort, and the three ships that the colonists arrived on.  'Z' cracked us up when we went into a Powhatan hut and found a large pile of animal pelts

Z: (In shock and horror, with tears in his eyes) Who has done this!?

Me: (brief explanation of the many reasons that Native Americans needed to use animals)  

Z: (still tearful) Is this a puppy?

Me: (trying not to laugh) No, it might be a fox.

Z: (alarmed) A cute little fox?

Me: (quickly) Maybe it's a deer.

Z: (tearing up) Not a deer!

We spent much time discussing the needs of the Powhatan people, which he seemed to understand but later on when we walked through the museum and saw a life sized replica of a native man, aiming his bow and arrow at a deer this is what ensued:

Z: (angry) This is the man that did it!

N: (loudly) Ha-ha!  That woman's butt is showing!  (Native Man's wife - who was indeed bare in back)

Me:  'N', don't say the word 'butt' so loud.  'Z', remember we talked about how these people needed animals for food and clothing.

N:  (Yelling) Hey 'A'!  Come over here and see this girls butt!

Z:  (Shaking his head) This man is bad.  VERY bad.

A: I didn't think that I would see a butt at Jamestown.

Me either.

After lunch at Chick-fil-a, we drove across the road to the gas station to fill up.  The Hub purchased a car wash (a bird had left it's mark on 'A's window while we ate).  Upon pulling around the back of the service station, we found ourselves to be 10th in line.  Another car pulled behind us, boxing us in.  And so we sat.  For 35 minutes till we got up the to wash. When entering our pre-purchased code, the machine indicated the code was invalid.  So I had to run around the building, enter the station to get a new code, and run back to the car.  I made it right as the vehicle in front of us was pulling out.  40 minutes after entering the line, we got into the car wash.  THEN, right as the dryers kicked up, 'Z' announced:  "Good thing we are done here - I need to go number 2."  So, we drove back across the street to the Chick-fil-a (clean bathrooms) so he could do his business.  In the end, it took us ONE HOUR from finishing lunch, to get on the road.

Thanks to my Hub and my awesome kids - for a fun filled trip with lots of laughs!  Now, the post-vacation laundry!