Crazy Eights: Stepping Back in Time…Williamsburg, part I

Hi y’all!

Thank you so much for your patience as we’ve been a bit behind in getting updates posted! At this rate, we’ll be home before we finish and can tell you in person. ;) As it is, though, it'd be a shame to leave things half-done...SOOO, brace yourselves- here comes a slew of pictures!!!

WILLIAMSBURG

Williamsburg was high on our list of "Must-Sees", recommended by family and friends, and we are SO glad it was a priority! While some of us poor souls (ahem) were recuperating from illness and Dad took the van in for repairs, Mom and the rest of the clan spent a couple precious hours exploring Williamsburg on a VERY hot and humid Virginia afternoon. Man, do we miss CA's dry heat. Even the heat couldn't detract from Williamsburg's epic coolness, though, and the whole family came back the next day. And then the afternoon after that, choosing to forgo Jamestown for a few more hours at Williamsburg.

We think pictures are the best way to give you a good glimpse of our few days in Virginia, so here goes!

Isn't this cool? Why yes, it's seriously awesome. Saved you the trouble of answering.
But not as cool as listening to the Declaration read at the foot of the Capital.
There were some hearty Huzzah!s offered by the Grants...we were all the way in the moment!

We loved the gunsmith shop!

Taking a "portrait" with George Washington.

When asked if some Grants could take a picture with him, George Washington turned very solemnly and responded, "If it would please you." Savannah was very tempted to respond with "Why yes, it would please me, Mr. Future President.", but admirably restrained herself!

Washington giving a speech

And then there was the militia...redcoats the first afternoon and bluecoats the second! These people could play the fife like nobody's business. It was amazing! The militia marching... what a spectacle! No wonder the ladies liked it. ;)

Go figure...we can't seem to stay out of trouble regardless of what state we're in. These people just have no sense of humor.

The Armory was a source of contention during the period of history Williamsburg is supposed to be set in. According to the colonists, the governor intruded one night and stole away the gunpowder—leaving the colonists without sufficient ammunition. The governor claims that it was the King's gunpowder and, as the King's representative, he had full legal right to remove the powder. So how does one solve this complex issue?

Why, one joins a mob, of course! Which is exactly what we did on the lawn in front of the Governor's Palace. A particularly patriotic officer wanted to storm the Palace then and there, but fortunately for the health and happiness of a very disgruntled governor (see picture below...the dapper dude in the middle), the leader of Congress managed to calm things down and submit a peaceful proposition.

We confess that participating in a mob rather goes against the Grants' rational approach to mob dynamics and groupthink! Even as the mob dispersed, some of us kids were still discussing what the appropriate course of action would have been, how it would have been undertaken, the psychology behind mobs, etc. etc. School is never over, is it?

Only a few minutes after cheerfully mobbing the Governor, we decided to tour his home. Wasn't that thoughtful of us? Our big gang traipsed up to his back door, joined a tour, and took a long look inside. It was just as imposing and amazing as a proper Governor's house should be!

The entry way revealed to us Grants our new favorite kind of home decor- weapons. Who knew that this was the crucial decoration our home was missing? We do now!