Jamestown and heading home

We had to use our last day to check out the historical towns of Yorktown and Jamestown.  With this, Kaden found out that because of his handicap, he gets to get him, his family, and a few friends into national parks for free for the rest of his life!  He was pretty excited about his special card. 

The towns were amazing, with cannons, and just so much rich historical information and sights.  We loved it!

 

 

 Since it was a Sunday, we packed a lunch and ate at a picnic spot in Yorktown.

 

 We had a friend come visit us, and he ran up the tree and turned around tio eat up-side-down.  We thought this was pretty cool!

 

 Me aiming the cannon, ready for fire!

 

Silly Nels, he got on the wrong side of the cannon.

 

 At Jamestown they had all the state flags and plaques that stated when it was founded, etc.  We can never pass up an opportunity to pose in front of Texas, where the craziness of our family began!

 

 This was the front of the flags and state museum.

 

This was the back end of the flags, symbolizing the boat that brought explorers across to this magnificent land!

 

 

We drove back to Mannases, VA where we stayed with some friends, the Atkinsons (I knew the wife growing up in Modesto, CA, and then we met them again when they moved into our ward in Texas).  Nels and I have never met a family so like our own in daily routines, and behaviors,  It was so fun to see the kids get along as well as they did--better than they ever have with anyone!!  We're so glad we got to see them!

 

What a fun trip!!!!

 

Virginia Beach

The next day, we headed for Virginia Beach and had a great time (other than the bit of thunder that made them kick us off the beach for about 2 hours). 

 

 

 We only got to play about 20 minutes before they kicked us off due to thunder!

 

We had a few tears, and a few sad faces, but we made it off the beach.

 

 We passed the time by walking along the boarkwalk,

 

 Listening to the ocean inside a few shells,

 

and having lunch at an Italian Ristorante (Sarah appreciated her first taste of french fries).

 

 

After over an hour, there was no sign of them letting us back on the beach, but no thunder or lightening in sight, so we headed to the car and almost left, but decided to turn back for one last look, and they had opened the beach back up.  Finally, we made it back onto the beach!!

 

 Kaden getting hit by the waves

 

Nicolas was busy diggin the entire day!

 

Shaylin and Elise

 

 Me, Brynlee, and Sarah

 

Haley

 Sarah loved her first feel of the ocean, but something about it scared her a little, and she spent the entire day with her head buried in my neck.  I tried to capture it, but this is all I got--her eating my hair and clinging onto me for dear life.  I loved the tight hugs all day!



Washington D.C. Temple

While we were in Wasington, we wanted to see the temple, so we drove over and met the parent's of a friend, who are serving a mission there.  They showed us around, then fed us some wonderful food before we left. 

 

The temple was under a little bit of construction, so don't mind the big crane next to it. 

 

Some crazy things the Parry's told us while we were there was of how people in that area are so greedy that they have actually tried to steal Moroni on top of the temple, thinking that he was solid gold, and tried to steal the steeples for the same reason, but didn't realize they were attached so far into the temple, they were unsuccessful.  And the other thing was as it was being built, people kept stealing the things on the temple grounds that were needed to build the temple, and through many prayers to figure out what to do, a dog showed up each night for the remiander of the construction, and nothing was stolen from that day on.  The dog was then adopted by one of the workers, and passed away a few years ago and is buried on the temple grounds. 

 

Haley and Sarah in the visitor's center

 Kaden and Brother Parry

 

The Whole gang

Washington D.C. Temple

Sis. Parry teaching us about what the symbols on the temple doors stand for

Gorgeous temple grounds