A Mother’s Journal

Dear Friends,

I sort of took off without saying anything.  Okay, I DID take off without saying anything, but I always feel funny announcing to the world that I am leaving to go somewhere, and I also get so busy trying to work enough hours before I leave and taking care of things, I do not always have time to say goodbye. 

Thank you for all the comments about the frugal fashion show!   

Once again, my sister and I had a vacation together in Yorktown.  I love that place! 

Michaela and I set out together last Thursday, just the two of us!  I love that girl time with her!

Getting to Yorktown is quite the drive for us.  The excitement of being there becomes real when we hit either the James River Bridge or the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel Bridge. 

We rolled our windows down and listened to the sounds and felt the warm air on our faces!  Michaela was the photo-journalist on this trip, since of course I was driving. 

The tunnel at the end of the bridge!  Michaela shut her eyes and told me to let her know when we were safely out!  It is a bit daunting to know you are driving under water. 

One of my favorite things about going to Virginia is seeing Belle, my sister’s golden retriever.  She is a sweetheart of a dog!  She gives hugs and will just put all 75 pounds of herself in your lap.  She’s a big baby!

One of the cutest things is how Belle carries her own leash on her walks.  Of course if she gets too curious, say getting into things she should not, my sister will take the leash. 

Belle sure wanted to go with us when we left for a day of fun. 

Our first day there, the girls spent the day at Water Country USA.  They had fun, fun!  But they were so exhausted by the end of the day.  We forced fluids on them that night, knowing they were bordering on dehydration. 

But fear not!  You know they rebounded enough to spend the entire next day at Busch Gardens where they rode every scary ride, including the Griffon and the newly opened Mach Tower.   Whoa.

My sister and I spent some of our time doing something much more relaxing than roller coaster rides.  She took me to the huge Yankee Candle store.  Huge! 

The Christmas area was really amazing!  The ceiling, which looked like a night sky, had snow falling from it every four minutes! 

Is there anything better than spending time with someone you love?  I think not.

My sister and I also went to the Jamestown Settlement, where we toured three ships:  The Susan Constant, The Destiny, and The Godspeed.  Beautiful, beautiful replica ships!  It was humid and there was not much in the way of a breeze, but the guide seemed comfortable in her clothing.  I guess it is what you are used to!

The Destiny and The Godspeed.

The Susan Constant.  (I love that name.)

Sisters.  At Jamestown Settlement.

This picture does not do this beautiful food any justice!  We went to the best seafood restaurant, Harpoon Larry’s, which is referred to as a “dive,” but oh my they are known for their food!  There was a line waiting to be seated but it was worth it.  Steamed shrimp, blackened tuna, sweet potato fries, and the dipping sauces were out of this world.  (This is making me hungry.)

As is our custom, we did go down to the water at Yorktown, where the Victory Center is.

There is something about an American flag blowing in the wind, and especially here where we became our own country, finally, that strikes a cord deep in the American heart.

We enjoyed eating Ben and Jerry’s ice cream while walking in the sand and just taking in the beauty of the lights’ reflection and the feel of the breeze off the water.

As much as it felt good to get away, it was sort of hard getting back into a routine.  I don’t like myself for feeling that way, but life had been so stressful for so long before I moved here to the apartment, and after awhile a person can train herself to believe that she deserves that kind of stress.  It felt immensely good to just get away and rest and not work and not worry about cooking or anything.  My sister was the perfect companion too, and I needed her steady demeanor to help me talk through some things.  It was just sort of hard coming back to face the responsibility of work, bills, cooking, etc.  But I am thankful, so thankful, to have had safe travel and to have the apartment and my job to come back to! 

I hope you enjoyed the pictures!  Even if it was hard, it really is good to be back.

Enjoy this day.