This morning we decided that as long as we're still in the area, we might as well swing by Jamestown and have a look around before heading all the way back to Blacksburg! Actually, Tim's parents and grandmother have been doing most of the looking. Joseph took a turn for the worst last night and is on the feverish and grumpy side, so Tim and I are mostly tending to him. We really don't mind, though, since chances are much greater that we'll have a chance to come back here than Tim's parents and grandmother. I think Grandmother Allison, in particular, is really enjoying Jamestown. I just love this shot of her in front of the brickwork ruins!


The fun can't last forever, though! It really is time to head back home now, but we're going to follow a slightly different route, beginning with a free ferry trip across the James River. We sure have had a great trip!

After lunch, we're off to see more of the Yorktown Battlefield!

These are Redoubts 9 and 10, the capture of which sealed the French and American victory here over the British. I hadn't really been sure what a redoubt was before seeing them firsthand, but I suppose the shot of Tim's dad sort of sums it up. The redoubts here don't seem much different from the rest of the earthworks, except that they're enclosed rather than linear and surrounded by sharpened beams!
There are lots of cannon on display here, too. It's sort of a strange juxtaposition to see little Joseph playing merrily around them on this sunny, peaceful day!
Of course, Joseph is so little, he's almost the right size to fit inside one!

Only of few days after the capture of Redoubts 9 and 10, the British army here at Yorktown surrendered. Lord Cornwallis, leader of the British troops, was so embarrassed he wouldn't even attend the official ceremony, which happened here in this field on Oct 19, 1781. The last major battle of the American Revolution was over!


Although we had been planning to head home today, there's just too much to see and do! Since our tickets to Williamsburg hadn't expired yet, we decided to swing by and see a few things we missed yesterday. Tim, Joseph, and I headed to the gaol, Tim's mom and grandmother watched a movie in the visitor center, and Tim's dad went on a tour of the capitol! By the time we were done, it was too late to go back to Blacksburg. I guess we'll just head home tomorrow instead!

We got going a little bit earlier today than yesterday, so we actually made it to Yorktown before noon! The surrender of British troops here to combined French and American forces effectively ended the Revolutionary War, forcing a surprised Britain to grant independence to the ragtag American patriots! I suppose we're all just overflowing with American pride in this shot, including little Joseph!

Seeing all the siege lines and cannon, both original and reproduced, makes me wonder what it would have been like to be a soldier then, crouched low, bayonet at the ready. It must have been so immediate and personal compared to the high-tech warfare of today!
Meanwhile, little logy Joseph is catching up on some much needed ZZZs!

After our tour of the battlefield, we headed toward Victory Monument, built 100 years after the Yorktown battle and topped with Lady Liberty. It's a lovely day outside today, and note the beautiful blue York River directly behind us!

Just as we started wondering where to stop for lunch, we spotted this charming historical house with a restaurant inside! The interior of the house is just as well-preserved as the exterior, and the food is divine — fresh, simple, and unique! What a fun day it's been so far!

Here we are today in Colonial Williamsburg! Williamsburg, of course, was the capital of the Colony of Virginia from 1699 to 1780. Many of the original buildings have remained standing all these years, and someone had the bright idea of restoring them, rebuilding others, and turning the whole area into a living history museum of sorts. In fact, it's not like any living history museum I've ever visited. Sure, there are plenty of folks in period costume working in their shops and fields, but Colonial Williamsburg also features shopping, dining, lodging, golfing, VIP tours, and even spa services. It's really more like a theme park than a museum! We're having plenty of fun, though, just looking around at the buildings and shops!





Being a tourist sure is different with a toddler, though! By the time we finally got out of the hotel and made it to Williamsburg, it was time for lunch! Oh well, we're still having a lot of fun watching Joseph be silly in the restaurant!





Now that lunch is over, it's time to get into gear and see as much as possible before it gets dark! Here are the harness and saddle maker, the shoemaker, and the silversmith in action...



and here we are checking out the magazine!

As we walked along, we really enjoyed seeing all the lovely Williamsburg-style wreaths decorated with fruits, dried flowers, shells, and more!











Tim's mom took photos of as many of them as she could. Here's a little sampler of them!

Who could resist a shot like this?

Poor little Joseph might be getting sick, but in any case he's clearly tuckered out. This is only the second time on record he's ever fallen asleep in his stroller! He's been doing so well, though, coping with all the disruptions to his sleep schedule. What a little trooper!

Here we all are at the end of our day, ready to head back to the hotel to eat and rest...

and get Joseph his bath, of course! Here's our little hot pepper all cuddly and cute just before bed. What an eventful day it's been!

Today we left Blacksburg headed for Virginia's Historic Triangle: Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown! Tim's parents and grandmother were the inspiration and impetus for this trip, but we're more than happy to tag along! This morning we took a detour through Lexington, and since part of our route parallels the famous Blue Ridge Parkway, we're driving along it now in hopes of seeing some beautiful scenery. As these pictures show, it's no secret why they call those hills blue!



Since we wouldn't all fit into the same vehicle, we decided to caravan, but we're still able to chat some at the stops along the way. It also happens to be Tim's mom's birthday today! Can you guess how old she is? Here's a hint: look closely at the photo of Tim's dad with his hand up!
Here we are at another of our fun stops, Monticello! It's Thomas Jefferson's home near Charlottesville, and it's full of neat and quirky artifacts from Jefferson's life. We sure are glad we stopped by along the way!

We still haven't arrived at our destination, but the sun is going down! Here's a shot of the brilliant VA sunset tonight!

Well, things are looking better in the health department around here today, although we were sad to see Rob off early this morning. Even Tim's grandmother was feeling up to taking a walk around the neighborhood this afternoon! It's a lovely day, a little on the cool side perhaps, but still nice and sunny!

Here we are a little later tonight playing Blokus, the new fun game we received as a Christmas gift from Rick and Shelley, and finally all enjoying some apple pie and hot chocolate!