Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! What a marvelous day. What was Christmas like when George Washington was alive? It was much simpler. They might have some friends over, have a nice dinner, and feast on Martha's famous Great Cake. It was more of a simple religious holiday. What lessons can we learn from the Washingtons today? First, keep first things first. Yes, today is about family, but more than anything else, it is about Jesus. Today is celebrating the birth of Jesus. Today celebrates when God became Man. Today, We celebrate the birth of Jesus, a baby born to die. A baby born to become a sacrifice for our sins, so that we might become Children of the Living God. So, as I reflect on this amazing truth, this day is much more than what we have made it. Temporal gifts will leave us empty. The eternal gift of Jesus Christ will fulfill our souls day by day. Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving

Is Thanksgiving just about Being Thankful for family, football, friends, and food?  Well, I'm thankful for these things, but it is about something much bigger.  Thanksgiving is a day to thank, in the words of Lincoln, "the source from which they(blessings) come."  Please click below for Washington's first Thanksgiving proclamation as President.  I hope it will make your Thanksgiving that much richer.  Happy Thanksgiving!  Click Here for the document.

Shame on NBC

A new docudrama is on the drawing board for the life of George Washington.  To say in the most affectionate terms I can..... Shame on NBC.  Based on the wonderful book by Ron Chernow, Washington:A Life, the screenplay writer has instead decided to write his own version of history.   He has expressly stated that Washington had an adulterous affair.  Shameful.  Anyone with half a history credential knows that this allegation has been explored and never found to be true.  Chernow also examines this in this book.  His conclusion: not true.  I sincerely hope that NBC thinks better of this farce and doesn't try and sully the impeccable reputation of Mr Washington.  I implore you to boycott this docudrama when it comes out.  Here is the article if you are interested as to what I so strongly condemn.  Click here for the article.

Mount Vernon, Good-bye 11/2

For today's video click here

Gosh, the last day of Mount Vernon.  I remember sitting on the Piazza of Mount Vernon about three weeks ago and thinking, "this is amazing, we have tons of time to enjoy this!"  Well, the day has come and it's definitely bittersweet.  We are grateful to God for our lives back in CA.  We have also been grateful for our time here.  We are heading home tomorrow and will arrive in SF at 7:22 pm.  Please pray for no more cancellations and a safe flight!
How to sum up the last two days?  Yesterday was great!  One of my wife's dreams was to run the National Mall.  So, my daughter and I dropped off my wife and she started her run at the Lincoln Memorial and ran to the Capitol.  My daughter and I walked the Tidal Basin, FDR Monument and then picked up my wife.  She was on cloud nine.
Then, we headed off to Mount Vernon.  It was my day to assist Lady Washington.  What an honor.  She is an incredible lady.  As you know from a previous post, her name is Mary Wiseman.  She was the head character interpeter at Colonial Williamsburg, but found her way to Mount Vernon.  She has spoken all over the country; in fact several times in the Bay Area.  She told me, one of her favorite places is Half Moon Bay. Her ability to teach about Martha Washington, is astonishing.  Something I have found out here is that story is king. A great storyteller will always outshine the Ipad, Iphone, or other technology gizmos.  She entertained 2 year olds to 92 year olds.  Something special that happened yesterday:  Lady Washington was told by my boss that it was our second to last day at Mt. Vernon and most likely we wouldn't see her on our last day.  So, she wanted to make it special for our daughter.  In the middle of her speech to a crowd of guests, she stopped and called up my daughter.  She told her how special she was, and how much fun she had with her while we were visiting "her house."  At that moment she pulled out a little miniature Martha Washington doll and gave it to my daughter.  The smile on her face was amazing.  She has slept with her dolly Martha ever since.  Another amazing moment, was while managing the people coming into hear Lady Washington speak,  I was able to listen in on her presentation.  At one moment a man asked her, "How did Fanny die?"  Fanny was the daughter of George and Martha Washington and she died at 17 years old at Mount Vernon.  As Lady Washington conveyed the story, you could hear a pin drop.  People were moved to tears.  There were two guys in the crowd that looked a bit "tough"...these guys were mesmerized.  They were taking pictures of her and sat there for a long time listening.  Amazing.
Then we headed to Old Town Alexandria for dinner and our favorite homemade ice cream shop.  Yum!
Today, was our last day.  My wife got up, made a special breakfast, and we headed out.  We arrived at Mount Vernon and greeted my two bosses.  I'll be honest, I'm going to miss them.  Incredible people.  We bought flowers for them and my daughter presented them.  They are definitely going to miss her.  They both have a great bond with her.  I dressed up again in my colonial clothes and my boss drove me up to the Mansion.  It was a bittersweet ride.  We had a great talk about the great time we've had over the last month.  I conveyed the thankfulness I had for the time I've been able to spend at this amazing place.  It was a cold day here.  Wind chill was rough, but nevertheless Mount Vernon was packed with guests.  Thousands of students from all over were at the estate today.  Also, families and adults from all over the Union and World.  I had a great job today.  I was the Colonial Game Guy in front of the Mansion.  The best spot on the Estate.  I was in  charge of "Flying Circles".  It is a great game and all ages enjoyed it.  Little kids (my daughter digs it), teenagers, and adults.  There was never a dull moment.  My boss picked me up at the right moment.  I was starting to freeze and it was actually getting painful.  A guest was mad I was leaving because she wanted her kids to play longer, but he said, "He has been here long enough, and he's cold."  Nice.   I greeted the girls back at the Volunteer Center and we said our final good-byes.  Such a great time.  We then headed up to the Mansion to finish our good-byes.  I was able to say good-bye to some great people I met.  We decided to take one last tour of the Mansion and that was a good way to end our time.  We then headed over to see another guy I really grew to like.  He portrayed Mr. Shields, George Washington's Personal Servant after Billy Lee was injured.  He let me know that he would really like to have me watch him perform before I left.  So, we went to the garden greenhouse-his stage.  He is fantastic.  His video is on my phone and I'll get it posted after I figure out some formatting issues.
We then spent some time on the Piazza, a million dollar view.  My wife didn't want to leave.  That is a great compliment to this trip.  It really is a tremendous place and we didn't take any of it for granted.
We then headed down to the gift shop to finish our shopping.  For Christmas we decided to buy a painting we really wanted for our living room of Mount Vernon.  It is an oil reproduction of a 1792 painting of the Mount Vernon Estate.  It is tremendous and we can't wait to get it in the mail and hang it in our Quiet Lake Place Estate.  While we were placing our order, I recognized a lady in the shop.  It was the President and Head Regent of Mount Vernon Lady's Association.  The MVLA are the private owners of Mount Vernon.  I had just seen her in a video buying George Washington's personal copy of the Constitution on behalf of the MVLA for 9 millions dollars at an auction.  I wanted to thank her for the amazing experience we've had at the Estate.  So I walked over, and we had a wonderful conversation.  I was told she was an amazing lady, yet humble and gracious.  It is true.  I had my daughter with me.  She chatted with her for awhile and was so blown away that my daughter could name the whole Washington family, that she walked right over to a display, took off an autographed copy of a new children's book about General Washington and gave it to my daughter.  She said, "my treat."  She then met my wife and we thanked her again.  What a great way to end the trip at Mount Vernon.  We drove home...slowly.  It was the first time I drove below the speed limit on an expressway.  Now we are home, tired, but so grateful.
We are going to pack and soak in the day.
Will I continue to post blogs?  Not daily.  No need.  Believe it or not, I don't have that much to say!  So, as needed, I will post things about George Washington, but not on a consistent basis by any means.  Thanks to all of you for following along, I hope this blog brought you on the journey, and I hope you learned a ton about Washington.  We highly recommend you take a trip here soon.  If you do, I'd love to meet with you and talk about what to see!
Tomorrow, we are going to Arlington National Cemetery and DC, and then off to the Airport.  We will see a lot of you at Church Sunday and many others at school on Monday!!!!!!!

No post!

No post!  I'm beat!  We went all day!  One more day

Washington DC and Halloween 10/31

For today's video click here
Happy Halloween everyone.  Be safe out there and remember too much sugar can cause diabetes (your public service announcement).  Looking forward to hearing about everyone's costumes.
This morning we got up and headed to Washington DC.  I wasn't working at Mount Vernon today, so we wanted to maximize our time in the city.  The place was a ghost town.  The Potomac was super high with lots of leftovers of trees branches from up stream.  We saw a few downed trees, but all in all, DC weathered Hurricane Sandy pretty well.  Today we wanted to catch a few more memorials and go to the National Aquarium (The oldest aquarium in the United States).  We parked in our secret spot (it will cost you money to know where it is), and walked to the Department of Commerce, where the National Aquarium is located in the basement.  We basically had the place to ourselves.  Some great exhibits.  We then walked to the White House, down Pennsylvania Avenue.  You really can't get enough views of the place.  Very nice.  Then off to Caribou.  You know we go there too much when my daughter says "that's Caribou!" when she sees it.  Then we walked to Pershing Park (dedicated to the American General in charge of our forces during WWI).  Then we saw the Wilshire Hotel (where we got the song "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and the term "lobbyist").  We then walked through the DC war memorial, which you see pictured above.
We were going to try and hit the Arlington National Cemetery again, but it didn't work out.  One of the cool things today was that it was cold.  We have experienced three seasons since we got here.  When we arrived it was HOT!  Then it was very Pleasant Fall weather!  Now it is COLD!  Very cool. I then spent some time talking with a class of history students at WCI.  That was great.  Super good questions about George Washington.
Then we spent some time getting ready for Halloween.  My daughter wanted to be a Ballerina for Halloween.  So we bought a tutu.  She loves it and has been wearing it the past three days.  We got ready, listened to the Nutcracker, danced, and then we headed out.  She loves Halloween.  The concept of "Trick or Treat" and you get candy.. She digs that.  I went around to several houses with the girls, and then headed back to man the house to pass out candy.  The girls continued on!
A great day!  Two more days to go, and flying home on Saturday.

An Inside Day 10/30

For Today's video click here
We hope you are well.  First off, we are doing well.  Alexandria was in the path of Hurricane Sandy, but it was not in the eye nor are we by the water, so we are okay.  We pray for the devastation that Sandy brought to the coastal communities north of us.
Nothing was open today.  Even Mount Vernon was closed today (click here), and that is rare.  So, we decided to have an indoor day.  Now, some would say, "bummer, you are stuck in a house, when you should be out somewhere doing something on your trip."  I definitely hear that sentiment, but I would say that we are BLESSED to have this day together.  First, we are safe, we are healthy, nothing has been lost.  That could not be said for millions.  Second, not many people have the honor of spending all day with their family.  I've had the opportunity to do this not only today, but for weeks.  Third, we must embrace what we are given.  We often cloud our time with "stuff", and miss out on life.  Fourth, I do not consider today a waste.  George Washington understood that we will one day be held accountable for how we use our time. God has given us a certain amount of days.  George would write in his diary "How I used my day".  I do not believe that we must do grand things, but honorable things.  For those of us that have a day to live, did you do it for God's Glory?  That can be as simple as trusting.  That is honorable.  I'm definitely preaching to myself here folks.  Today, was a good reminder of all the Blessings I have been given and the abundant gifts.  I chose optimism over negativity.
My wife planned a fantastic day today for us.  We braved the wet weather and 30 degrees and headed to Target (yep, it's open).  We bought food for a special meal she had planned, and arts and crafts.  We had a really nice time at Target as both my girls love this place.  At home we had a great time.  We made Candied Apples, Made a fall place mat, Made hanging pumpkins, painted, I talked with two of my classes, and made homemade chili.
At the end of the day, we ate the chili and added a cheese pumpkin (something my Mom used to do and I loved it as a kid).  Then we shared a candied apple, and called it night.
I would say today has been a fantastic day!!!!
On the video today, you will see our day, and also pictures from previous days to take a look back on an incredible journey.  We feel blessed.

Mount Vernon and Hurricane Sandy 10/28-10/29

For Today's video click here
We hope you are well from the wet east.  We cancelled our trip to Philadelphia, and we are glad we did.  The roads are all being restricted and it would be tough to get there.  From our vantage point, it feels like a normal California storm at this point.  Windy and Wet.  So, hopefully that continues!  Thank you for all your prayers on our behalf and the people affected more North.
Yesterday was masterful.  Mount Vernon wanted me to come help with Harvest Festival Days.  I was required to get dressed up again, but his time with another layer (it was steadily getting colder). Needless to say, I had a total blast.  My job was taking care of the line for the Horse Drawn wagon on the 14 acre lawn area.  This wagon ride simulated what guests coming by land would have seen as they entered the estate in the 1700's. Guest of all ages loved the ride.  The little kids loved being pulled by the horses (Shire horse, like a Clydesdale), and the adults loved re-living something people would have experienced.  Most guests in the 1700's did not arrive at Mount Vernon by land, but rather by the Potomac River.  The wharf there today (rebuilt in 1951) is in the same spot the previous wharf was.
I had a blast talking with people from all over the world and country.  Ireland, Germany, Russia, Georgia, Maryland, Kentucky, Iowa, Kansas, California, Washington.  I was able to talk with an eighth grade teacher from Georgia for a long time. I was also, in lots of pictures with people as they wanted a "Colonial" man in the picture.  I often stayed in character when we chatted, and the guests got a big kick out of that.  For instance when the people from Ireland told me where they were from I'd say, "I hope your sea voyage was to your liking."  Or to the people from Kentucky I'd say, "The wilderness, welcome."  Tons of fun.  It was also great talking with the Livestock experts that I was working with.  Not only are they knowledgeable about livestock, but also the history behind the breeds.  After I was finished, they gave me a ride on the wagon about half-way back to the volunteer center, dropped me off, and I walked the rest of the way on the back-lot of Mount Vernon.  I had three thoughts:  First, Thank you God, my district and Family and Friends for their support as I pursued this amazing adventure.  Second, I just experienced what it would have been like to get a ride home in the 1700's.  Third, I felt like I was part of History Disneyland.  Walking in costume, behind the scenes.  What an adventure.
My girls explored the Estate again for several hours.  They enjoyed it so much the previous day as a family, they wanted to do it again.  Apple roasting, Corn-cob dolls, A picture with Washington, and Wagon rides.  The highlight of my day was seeing my girls towards the end of their day.  My daughter was running up the hill (called tomb road) and laughing and saying "Daddy."  She ran right into my arms and we hugged.  Right behind her was my smiling wife.  You can't get a better picture as a Husband and Daddy.
We then treated ourselves to the best ice cream we've ever had at this point in our lives:  Pop's Old Fashioned Ice Cream.  We figured, if we have to ride out a Hurricane, might as well eat Ice Cream.  Then for a nice, restful night.

Mount Vernon Harvest Day Festival, DC Night 10/27

For today's Photo slideshow click here
For today's VIDEO click here
First off, I want to say Happy 16th dating anniversary to my wife!  Yep, 16 years ago, I made one of the best decisions of my life, and asked my wife to become my girlfriend.  It all happened at a Lyon's restaurant.  Well, 16 years later, we love each other even more.
We started this day off by heading over to Mount Vernon's Harvest Day Festival.  It was such a great event.  I wish everyone I knew could have been there today.  Especially, those of you that have kids between the ages of 2-10.  They had Apple Roasting, The General in person, Hay maze, Potomac boat cruises, Carriage rides, Corn Husk doll making, music, etc.  There were SO MANY people there today.  We absolutely enjoyed ourselves today.  My daughter loved all the activities, and they do a great job as I mentioned quite a while ago, at hitting all ages interest levels.  Hightlights for me, were watching my wife dancing with George Washington (have it on tape), our Potomac River Cruise, the wreath laying ceremony at the Washington Tomb (On tape), and watching my daughter navigate the Hay Maze.  We had a total blast.  I hope that everyone of you someday make it a point to come out here in October.  It is a wonderful time of year.  The video tonight has a good amount of the actor that plays George Washington.  Very instructive.  Also, I'm happy to report, that after four weeks of wandering, exploring, working, and learning, I have officially seen every part of Mount Vernon.  Yep, it took that long.  This place is remarkable.
Then, we headed out to the city again after dinner to take in the sites we didn't get to the other night.  We walked a ton.  We did the WWII memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial.  We also saw the President come into the White House, but couldn't see it land.  Three helicopters come in and two fly off at the last second, and the official Marine One lands at the White House.
It is absolutely a fantastic night here in DC.  The calm before the storm.  Many of you have asked if we are going to be affected by Hurricane Sandy.  The forecasters are saying we are going to be a direct hit.  We are planning on heading up to Philadelphia Monday and Tuesday, but are assessing that in the light of this storm.  We are all prepared though, if it is a big storm.  We have sought counsel from veterans in the area today, and we are ready!  We just pray for those the Hurricane has already affected, and pray that it becomes a minor storm.
On a light note.  Just watched the Giants score the first run of Game 3!  Nice.  Go Giants!

Bull Run, Plane Spotting, Hurricane Sandy 10/26

For today's here click here
Today was a very strange day.  I guess you just have to laugh at it.  We woke up a bit late today, and headed down to the First Battle of the Civil War:  Bull Run.  This battle was also called 1st Manassas, based on the town nearby.  It is bit of drive, but very nice.  The battlefield is lovely.  We did a fair amount of walking.  We saw the place Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson received his name "Stonewall".  We also saw the bridge that spanned the creek Bull Run.  A very nice day.
Then, it all went crazy directions wise from then!:)  We basically, were lost all day.  I must say the new Apple Maps app that came out with the update is very bad.  50% of the time it is wrong.  I kept thinking of the "Office" episode when Michael is listening to the GPS and he drives right into a lake because the GPS says turn!  After awhile I just turned it off (along with the google maps) and just figured it out.  We finally got to the zoo (after I turned off the app) and it was closing!:(  So, then we headed to a park where you can watch the planes land at Reagan National Airport, and mistakenly listened to Siri again.  After being put in random areas, we turned it off again and found the park!  It was amazing.  You will enjoy the video of the planes landing.  It was incredible!
We then headed to ShopHouse (A Chipolte owned company) and it was so good.  It is Southeast Asian fare, and at this point, the one we went to is the only one in the nation at this point.  I hope it comes to the Bay Area soon!
Another thing we have been doing today is following the track of Hurricane Sandy.  We are trying to figure out how serious it is.  Everyone here, thinks there are life threatening earthquakes in CA everyday. (Not kidding)  Mainly because of the media.  So, we are trying to figure out the plans we need to take.  We will be talking to people at Mount Vernon (who do not seem worried) to figure out the precautions we need to take to be safe.  Please pray that the Hurricane would dissipate and would not be an issue!
Blessings!

Mount Vernon and Nighttime Memorials 10/25

For today's video click here
So, this is going to be short today.  Spent the morning at Mount Vernon (dressed up again) and helped with the hay maze and corn cob darts.  Had a blast working with tons of kids 2nd-8th grade at Colonial Days at Mount Vernon.  The small kids had the funniest questions like, "Do you know George Washington?"  "Do you see him?"  Hilarious.
Fun working with my colleagues.  It is a blast working with a whole bunch of history dorks.  Today I worked with a 16 year old and a 75 year old.  History dorks come in all ages.
My girls just hung around the house.  I think they were pretty worn out after our trip North, and my daughter definitely needs 2 year old time.  So off the park and good naps!
We decided to go to DC tonight and walk around the Tidal Basin.  On the way there we dropped off my wife at the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. (loading and unloading only)  She said it was a great memorial, and a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives at the Pentagon in the 9/11 attacks on that building.  After picking her up we were off to the DC Tidal Basin.  The Tidal Basin is really a flood lake for the Potomac River.  Until this area was build by the Army Corps of Engineers, DC would flood every year up to the steps of the White House.  It is a beautiful walk.  We walked to George Mason's Monument (Main reason Bill of Rights were added to the the Constitution) and had dinner right by his statue.  We watched planes for awhile, and then headed over to the Jefferson Memorial.  Very big and impressive.  Then we walked back through the Tidal Basin (quick stop at the FDR memorial again), got in the car and did a nighttime driving memorial tour.  The Monuments have a different life at night.  Very pretty.  Now we are at home and the girls are in bed.  I'm watching the Giants game (go Giants!) and it is 9:00 pm and it is the 3rd inning.  Not sure I'll make it through the whole game!
Hope all is well today with you!  A quick shout-out to my students.  I hope you enjoyed Colonel Wells American Revolution Presentation at school today.  The guns he used are so loud, aren't they?  A week and a half left.  See you all soon.

Harper's Ferry, Antietam, Gettysburg, Eisenhower's House 10/22-10/24

For Harper's Ferry and Antietam Video click here
For Gettysburg Photo video click here
For Gettysburg Battlefield Guided Video tour I made click here
For the Eisenhower House video click here
How fortunate we've been the past few days.  I finally have a little time to reflect on the past few days. Find a good spot and get cozy, this is going to be along one.   On Monday 10/22, we hopped in our car and drove FOUR STATES!  Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.  Believe it or not, they actually look different.  The trees and terrain are similar but different.  Quite an experience.  It only took three and half hours.  The states are much more compact out here.  Our first stop was Harper's Ferry, the small West Virginia town that has played a huge part in American History.  This small town is in-between to major rivers, and housed the United States Arsenal (where they made guns) for several years.  Merriweather Lewis stopped here on his way West on the Lewis and Clark expedition to get guns.  Also John Brown took over the Harper's Ferry Arsenal in 1859 to procure guns to lead a slave rebellion.  His attempt failed and he was captured, tried and hung.  Many historians believe this event was the spark that started the American Civil War.  It is beautiful country as you can see from the slideshow.  We really could have spent all day there, but had about two hours.  We first walked down to the Arsenal.  It was destroyed during the Civil War, but the remnants are still there.  As we walked there, we were attacked by Gnats!!!!  Thousands.  In our mouths, ears, eyes, hair!  Man, it was thick.  So we stayed there for only a few minutes.  Then we joined a tour of the Firehouse where John Brown fought against the US Army.  It is still there, albeit in a different location.  The Park Ranger opened it up, described the events (incredible storyteller), and we just took it in.  Fantastic.  My daughter was listening intently the whole time, but we are never sure how much she is really listening.  On the way out she said, "John was shot, why?"  Ummm......  This little girl is getting so much history.  In fact her words today after the Eisenhower house tour  was "Eisenhower".  NICE.  Just a quick shot-out to the National Park Service of the Interior Department.  They just do an awesome job.  Every time we leave a site, we say, "Wow, that was nice!"

We took a few more pictures and headed north to Sharpsburg, Maryland aka the Battle of Antietam.  This was the bloodiest day in American History, 22,000 casualties in one day.  The battlefield was epic.  We are now trying to guard my daughter a bit more from the people that "fell down", so I just watched the video.  We then headed out to the battlefield.  Our first stop was the Dunker church.  It was strange.  You will see the famous picture in the slideshow of the dead soldiers laying by this church.  So, to see the church and walk in the place of the dead soldiers was strange.  In fact when I was eighth grade I got my first credit card, and it was  Civil War Preservation Trust Credit Card.  On the credit card was the Antietam picture with Dunker church.  So, since I was 12, I've seen that picture. Now, 24 years later, I was standing in front of it.  We then did a driving tour.  The Cornfield, Sunken Road, Antietam Creek, Burnside Bridge.  Incredible.  My knowledge of the Antietam Battlefield isn't where I want it, so I bought a video, and we left.  The drive through the Maryland countryside was amazing.  Lots of "tickle-belly-hills" as my grandparents called them.  My daughter loved it.  My wife and I were in awe of the little towns, quaint homes, green hills, and beautiful fall trees.

Off to Pennsylvania! Fourth state!  We arrived in Pennsylvania, dropped off our stuff and went out to eat.  I think it is only our second time out to eat.  We went to Hunt's Cafe in Gettysburg, PA.  A SMALL place, but it had good reviews on Tripadvisor.  The waitress was pleasant, but we were the only ones there.  A little concerning.  The waitress suggested the Cheesesteak sandwiches.  She said, they were fantastic.  We figured, what the heck!  For our first Cheesesteak sandwiches we need to be in Pennsylvania.  Folks, they were incredible.  My wife and I couldn't get enough.  Fresh, tasty, delicious. A great way to end a long day!

Tuesday 10/23
We headed over to the Battle of Gettysburg Center.  It is a massive center.  We knew we wanted to do an auto-tour, because we have a two-year old.  We were thinking about the possibility of hiring a guide to go with us, as were were told this was the best way.  After thinking about it for awhile, we decided that my daughter couldn't handle it.  So, we decided on the self-guided auto tour.  After teaching Gettysburg for 14 years and my wife just finishing the movie "Gettysburg" we figured we would figure it out.  The day was rainy.  That's okay, that's how it was the third day of the battle.  My wife and I agreed that Gettysburg was incredible.  The Battlefield is so momentous.  There were not a ton of people there (great time of the year), and it was just so beautiful.  The auto-tour is laid out wonderfully, and my wife was my co-pilot. We saw Seminary Ridge, Devil's Den, Culp's Hill, Pickett's Charge, Little Round Top.  To see the same sights as my heroes saw (Hancock, Chamberlain) was just so great.  This was a brutal battle. A highlight for all of us was walking the field where Pickett's Virginians charged at the Union Army on the third day of Battle.  That was eerie.  Another highlight was to walk up to Little Round Top and see where the 20th Maine Regiment fought to their final bullets in an effort to preserve the United States.  That was again, humbling.   A vicious fight to perserve our great country. Gettysburg is a sickening place and a beautiful place.  To see the carnage was humbling and too see the bravery was inspiring.  We did a fair amount of hiking and a ton of driving.  The whole battlefield took us 5 hours.  Then we went to the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.  Wow.  The graves everywhere, the symbolism.  At the stop where Lincoln gave the speech, I whipped out the speech and we listened to it.  Very cool.  To be standing in the same spot and listen to the speech that people listened to 150 years ago.  We spent a fair amount of time there.  My daughter was beat, so they took a nap and I headed out to watch the Gettysburg movie and see the Cyclorama.  The movie was pretty good and the painting was cool.  The museum was excellent, about the same caliber as the Smithsonian.  We then all went swimming in another indoor pool.  This indoor pool concept is strange. On one hand it is cool you can swim whenever you like, no matter the temperature, or time of year.  However, being a Californian, a indoor pool just seems awkward.  Nonetheless, we really enjoyed our time!  Gettysburg was amazing, and definitely in the top three on this trip.

Today, Wednesday 10/24 we headed out to Eisenhower's House.  Dwight David Eisenhower was a Five Star General, Leader of D-Day Normandy during World War II, Supreme Commander of NATO forces post war, and two-term President of the United States.  In my estimation, one of the greatest Americans to have lived.  He chose Gettysburg, PA for his home, for many reasons, and we had the chance to go visit today.  It is a 189 acre farm right next to the Battlefield.  You need to get a shuttle there from the Gettysburg Visitor Center, otherwise it is closed to the public.  One of the first things we noticed was how normal it was.  This larger than life man, was human.  He ate his dinner with his wife in front of the TV using TV dinner trays.  He loved to golf, had a putting green in his backyard, and loved his son and grandkids.  In fact he once said that when he got a hole-in-one at a golf course in Palm Desert, CA that it was almost as fulfilling as being victorious on D-Day in WWII.  I'm sure that was hyperbole.  His bedroom was normal, his cars were normal, he was a very normal man.  We spent close to two hours there, and packed up ready to go home.  After traveling three states (Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia) in an hour and forty minutes, we are home.  The girls are out getting Caribou Coffee for us, thus giving me time to write.  We hope you are well.  Tomorrow I work at Colonial Days again at Mount Vernon and get dressed up as a Colonial Man!  No pictures this time, as I don't need anymore blackmail pictures floating out there.

Harpers Ferry, Antietam, Gettysburg 10/22-10/24

Hey folks!  No update tonight!  Had an incredible day today, but just got settled in, and no time tonight!  Hopefully I will do an update tomorrow, but definitely Wednesday night.  Enjoy the debate

Washington DC, and other things! 10/20-10/21

For today's video click here
This weekend my wife will be taking over the blog entry!! GRACIOUS!! YEAH!
How to sum up another God given Saturday in DC?
Fantastic Family, fascinating fun & fabulous fall flurries!
We started at the Air & Space Museum taking in the exhibits of the
Wright Brothers plane:  http://wrightbrothers.info/
Spirit of St. Louis:  http://www.charleslindbergh.com/plane/index.asp
Hubble Telescope, and a replica of the first moon landing space shuttle.  There were some fun hands on buttons and activities for little girl.  She was able to pilot her first plane, experiment with gravity, investigate air pressure, analyze buoyancy, and research the items through a space station.  You can see she is all smiles...we're thinking we have a future scientist on our hands!  But let's not forget the incredibly entertaining escalators and alligators (elevators)-they are always a delight as well.
Our next stop was the very popular Natural History Museum.  Lots of fun and life sized stuffed animals-(although we enjoyed seeing the real thing at the zoo-minus the dinosaurs and Woolly Mammoth). Now we need to watch Night at the Museum again! Next stop was a picnic lunch along the National Mall.  Afterwards baby girl slept in her stroller.
While she napped we walked and stopped for photos at the backside of the Capitol building.  The construction you see happening just beyond the grassy area is for the upcoming inauguration!
We continued walking and made a stop at the National Botanical Gardens.  It was fabulous!  We thought of our good friend Martina.  (You would have LOVED it Martina!). While there we got our Hawaii fix with humid greenhouses and Hawaiian flowers and plants.  Next, we walked around to the front of the Capitol building, took a few more pictures and then went to the Visitors Center for the start of our tour.  Upon our arrival we learned they have strict rules about no food, water, or anything of the sort inside the building.  We had with us snacks, bottled watered, etc. and in addition there were no tours going on of the Congress floor, so we left.
Our last stop for the day along the National Mall was a visit back to American History Museum to finish up unseen exhibits.
One exhibit we stumbled upon was a live presentation of an actress giving a portrayal of what the 1960's Lunch Counter Sit In at Woolworth's in North Carolina would have looked like and felt like.  It was very moving and powerful.  In addition the actress sang beautifully and had a strong gospel voice.  Our daughter LOVED it, so of course we had to snap a few pictures with the actress.  What's funny is that she waited patiently to have a turn for a picture and to sit in these special stools and then when it came time to snap the photos she got really shy...the photos say it all.
We then walked back to the car-made a quick Starbucks stop and drove to the MLK Monument, Tidal Basin & FDR Monument.  This whole place was beautiful, full of fall colors, and is a generous tribute to these men. All in all it was a day full of laughing, running, tickling, and "gitch me daddio gitch me mommio"-little girl loves to be chased.  We put about 6 miles on our feet for the day.  It made the Dunkin' Donuts we had for breakfast worth it!:)
Today, Sunday, started with brilliant sunshine at about 50 degrees out...bbrrrr for those of us born and raised in California.  We went to Alexandria Bible Church were the sermon was on one of my favorite Bible verses:   Colossians 3:5-17.  Afterwards we stayed for the potluck lunch and enjoyed meeting new people and talking with them about being born and raised in Virginia.  Everyone has been so gracious and hospitable.  In the late afternoon we drove to the Marine War Memorial (also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial.)  It was an incredible monument and an inspiring recognition of the brave men and women who keep our country safe so we may enjoy the vast and varied freedoms we have today.  It was sad reading all the wars and conflicts we've been a part of, but at the same time I was full of pride & gratitude for these people who make the United States of America amazing!  Thanks for reading!  Hoping you and yours are well!

Mount Vernon 10/19

For today's video click here
Right now we are experiencing a cool Virginia rain storm.  God just opened the flood gates.   My daughter and I just ran out into it for fun and we got pretty wet!
Today was a very fun day.  I served at Mount Vernon's Colonial Day program.  Super fun!  I got dressed up into Colonial garb, and it took me forever!  My wife was cracking up.  Here is the order: shirt, breeches(pants), waistcoat (vest), stockings, leather garters(hold up socks), shoes, and tri-corner hat.  It was uncomfortable, but super fun!  Then all of the workers and I (&my wife and daughter), jumped on a golf cart and got brought down to the pioneer farm!  My job was to work with 2nd-6th graders today.  We talked about chores in colonial times for children.  We had them make cornmeal, pull wool with clapper boards, and pull seeds from Cotton.  Tons of work and super fun.  I'll be doing some of this with my students when I get back.
As I was working, my girls were taking in the estate.  Doing all the activities they had set up.  My daughter loved the music station and pulling seeds from cotton with Daddy.  She also liked the threshing of the wheat.  A cool station today was laying a flower at George Washington's tomb.  As you see in the video, this was a sweet moment.
My wife and my daughter ended the day with a Mrs. Fields cookie, well-deserved.  Yes, they have one right there on the estate.
After work, my girls picked me up and we headed home.  Naps for me and my daughter!  I was beat. Then the girls went shopping at the local mall and I met online with students at WCI today.  Specifically Mr Hoy's 6th period.  It was awesome.  It took place via FaceTime and they asked me questions for about 20 minutes.  Well done guys!
We are going to spend the day in DC tomorrow all day!  Looking forward to that again.  Sunday is church and then Mount Vernon.  I'll be meeting with Mr. Lear and Mr, Shields at Mount Vernon.  More information on that meeting in a future post!  Hope all is well with you and yours!

Election Thoughts

So, my colleagues wanted me to share my thoughts on the upcoming election.  Being in the Nation's Capitol definitely lends itself to thinking about the upcoming election.  No, this will not be a "Vote for ......" blog, but rather an analysis of where I think the election will go.  As we know, the Presidential Election system is not based on Popular Vote.  It is rather based on State by State voting or the Electoral College System.  I believe this to be an excellent system set up by our Founding Fathers.  Every four years you will hear the "loser" complain about the system, but I do not take them seriously... It is just sour grapes in my opinion.  This system was set-up by our founders to ensure that all the states would have a say in the election of the President, not just the big states.  This would ensure a "more perfect union". If the elections were based on solely popular votes, the candidates would spend all their time in the big states, and the smaller states (Population) would be left out.  What would keep North Dakota in the union? What would keep Oklahoma in the union?  So, I believe this to be a great system.  Below you will see my two possible outcomes.  One is a President Obama win and one is a Gov. Romney win. This election is definitely too close to call.  In Washington DC, you definitely hear people talking about it.  Even in on our White House tour, you could hear people talking about it then.  We will see on November 7th, how close I got it either way.

Gov. Romney Win.. Click on picture for full screen shot

Pres. Obama Win.. Click on picture for full screen shot

Yorktown 10/18

For today's video please click here
Hello all from Alexandria, VA again! We arrived here a couple of hours ago, after the long drive back from Yorktown, VA.  You will notice that in most pictures today we are being goofy.  My wife wanted today to be "goofy picture day".  So after smiling nice for hundreds of pictures, we decided to have a bit of fun.
Today we spent our time in Yorktown, VA.  It is out in rural Virginia to be sure.  This is the site of the final battle for American Independence.  If you don't know much about the Battle click here  The earth works from the siege are still there, as are many of the cannons used.  My wife turned to me as we were getting off the free trolley and said, "We have now been to Lexington and Concord (start of the American Revolution in MA) and Yorktown (end of the American Revolution), so cool!"  I didn't even think of it till she said it!  We felt really blessed!
Yorktown has some cool walking paths, but there isn't a lot to the spot.  You definitely need to know your American Revolution History to enjoy it.
One of the coolest spots for us was the home of Thomas Nelson Jr. in Yorktown.  In the purest sense, he was an American Patriot and Hero.  He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and he ultimately gave his fortune and his life in sacrifice to defend our country.  It was an honor to stand in front of his house.
After this, we started our drive home.  My girls fell asleep, and I just thought and prayed.  That's what I do when I'm alone.  I was thinking about some differences today between California and Virginia.  So, I decided to list them below.  Some are serious, some are funny:
1.  In Virginia, there are SO many more bugs.  They don't attack you or anything, but they are everywhere.  I've killed four cockroaches here, and many more bugs that I have know I idea what they are.
2.  The trees in Virginia are incredible.  In California, we have some nice fall color, but not tons of trees.  In Virginia, we are actually experiencing fall colors for the first time.  On our drive home today, I was staring at yellow, red, orange and green trees the whole way.  WOW!
3.  In Virginia, everyone is willing to talk politics.  Maybe it is the whole being next to our Capitol city or something.  Also, there is a nice mix between both political parties here.  Lots of Democrats and lots of Republicans.
4.  The weather in Virginia is super different. One day it will rain, the next day brilliant sun.  In California, it is pretty consistent.
5.  Lots of new stores here or restaurant chains. Dunkin donuts, Harris Teeter, Cracker Barrel, Dollar General, Caribou Coffee, Bus Boys and Poets, etc.
6.  The accents in Virginia vary, but mostly southern.  I found myself starting to have a southern drawl here.  Seriously.....
7.  THERE IS NO WAY ONE CAN BE A BAY AREA SPORTS FAN HERE!!!!!  The games start at like 9:30-10:00 pm.  You'd be a zombie here. Thanks to my buddies who keep me up to date, after I go to bed!
8.  Both California and Virginia are gorgeous.  Just a different beauty.
9.  Eighth graders are eighth graders.  I've talked to lots of eighth graders here, and they are very similar as to what they like, dress, and talk as my eighth graders back home!
10.  Washington D.C. hands down beats San Francisco in beauty, walkablity, safety, and awe inspiring nature!
11.  Definitely a CA boy, but loving our time here in VA.  Just felt blessed to experience a new part of our wonderful country.

Jamestowne 10/17

For today's video click here
First, we want to ask for your prayers for our friend.  She is a dear, dear friend to us.  She has had a very tough year.  After tons of health issues, she has battled back.  She unfortunately contracted pneumonia again and is back in the hospital.  She is a faithful reader of this blog, and we want her to know that EVERYONE reading this blog is praying for her, along with us!  We love you!  Keep relying on God sister.

Jamestowne, the first successful English Colony in the the new world.  This was the adventure we had today.  It was really a two-part adventure.  The first part we visited Jamestowne the National Park.  This is the park that preserves the original location.  The second part is Jamestown Settlement.  This is where a company has re-created Jamestown, the Indian fort, and the three ships that brought the settlers to America (Susan Constance, Discovery, and Godspeed).

Our first stop of Historic Jamestowne was awesome.  They have preserved this area very well.  You are right on the James River.  The drive there is awesome.  You drive right through swamp land.  You start off with a great video (my daughter loved), and you head out for a great walk up to the site.  You can't be anything but humbled by being in this spot.  This is where America all began.  Roanoke was the first English settlement, but mysteriously disappeared.  You walk up and see the partially completed Palisades surrounding the site.  Archaeology is continuous.  They found a few years ago the original post holes for the wood wall (palisades) surrounding the site.  So they cut the wood and did it exactly the same.  They also have found the original church where Pocahontas and John Rolfe married.  My wife and I loved it because it was super authentic and peaceful.  My daughter loved it because she could run around as much as she wanted. It was a great experience.

We then headed over to the Jamestown Settlement, where they have recreated Jamestown.  It was amazing.  Definitely more crowded than the previous site.  This is the Jamestown equivalent to Plymouth Plantation up in Massachusetts.  The Indian village was cool.  The James Fort was cool.  We were able to put on the armor, watch an early 1600's gun being fired (I didn't know how the fired them!), and walk in the buildings.  The highlight was definitely the ships.  FULL-SIZE replicas of the three ships that brought the settlers.  The only ship that stayed with the setters was the Discovery, the other two were rented and returned.  We spent a long time crawling around these ships.  These ships were definitely not made for a 6'2 man.  I was hunched over the entire time.  These two sites were fantastic.  The way we did it was the key.  The original and then the re-creation.  It made it much more understandable.

We came home, took a nap (lots of walking makes you tired), and went to the playground.  We hope you are doing well!

Colonial Williamsburg 10/16

For today's video please click here
So, this update is going to be a bit shorter than it really should be, because I need to make time to get ready before tonight's debate!!!!
We headed over to Colonial Williamsburg, which is about 10 minutes away.  Beautiful drive.  Williamsburg was the capital city of Colonial Virginia until Thomas Jefferson as Governor switched it to Richmond.  This is a city Washington would have visited on several occasions.
We arrived at the Visitor's center, got in line for tickets.  As we were about to buy tickets, the ticket person for some reason asked if we were teachers!  YEP!  50% discount!!! NICE!
We then walked to the main part of the city. They were portraying the year 1775 today.  We were then swept up in the euphoria of marching on the Governor's palace!  You can see it on the video.
We walked around the city today for about five hours.  We heard Patrick Henry speak (awesome) and George Washington speak (pretty good).  Well, five hours definitely does the city justice.  I would say that you really wouldn't like this experience unless you were a little bit of a history dork like myself.  The horses and cows were big draws for my daughter.  The total beauty of the area was my wife's favorite.  We then walked down to the College of William and Mary, that is at the end of the street.  Very nice facade.  Inside the halls, definitely the 1970's, the outside is gorgeous.  After our time there we ran some errands, got a Starbucks, my daughter talked to Tutu, and headed to the Indoor pool at the resort.  This is only the second time in my life (several for my wife) that I've swam in an indoor pool.  We are definitely more south than north as the accents are getting heavier and heavier.  In the pool area, you can hear this.
Well, that's it.  Enjoy the debate tonight.

Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Williamsburg 10/15

Just an FYI.. The wifi is super slow here, so I don't know if I'll be able to update everyday!

For today's video please click here
Wow.. We covered a ton today.  Lots of driving.  I really don't mind driving here in Virginia.  There is so much to see.  The trees are turning different colors now and there really isn't traffic like in the Bay Area.  Plus, everywhere we drive, it is like driving through a history book.  We drove through several important Civil War Battlefields today on our way to Colonial Williamsburg.  Places like Cold Harbor, Spotslyvania, Mechanicsville, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville.  We made time today to stop at two of those.
Really, I would need a lifetime to see all of these battlefields.  I guess that means we will all be coming back here again.  My wife loves it here, so that won't be difficult.
Our first stop was the the Civil War Battle of Fredericksburg.  If you don't know anything about this battle click here.
It was a brutal battle.  Today we spent quite a bit of time at just one spot of the Battle.  Marye's Heights and the Sunken Road.   This place is amazing.  As you can see, you can walk this part of the battlefield and you end up in a National Cemetery where 15,000 Civil War soldiers are buried.  Several of them are unknown and are marked with a number.  You can follow the stone wall that the Confederate soldiers sat behind as they fired down on the advancing Union troops.  There is something about standing in a place where 9,000 men died.  One great story is about the "Angel of Marye's Heights"  They have a great memorial here for him.  Here is a brief documentary about what this confederate soldier  did in the middle of the battle to help the Union Troops that were suffering, click here
We then headed to Chancellorsville.  This was the site of a great victory for Robert E. Lee, and a great loss as well.  While Robert E. Lee won the battle, he lost his greatest commander, Stonewall Jackson.  Gen. Jackson was accidently fired upon by his own troops as they mistook him for Union Calvary.  We visited where this took place.  You will see the monument and area.  It was eerie and spectacular at the same time.
Then we headed over for lunch at Chik-fil-a.  Our first experience.  I must say, it was SO GOOD!!!!
The place was super nice.  They had flowers at each of the tables.  The workers were so helpful, and the food was so good.  My daugther played in the indoor place structure with some friends she met.  It was a daunting structure, believe me, but she rocked it.
Then we continued to head South.  Rain started to fall steadily and now we are experiencing thunderstorms.  Pretty cool.  My girls fell asleep, and I just drove looking at all the sites.
We arrived in Williamsburg around 4:00 pm.  The place we are staying was founded in 1735, and it is super nice.  We have a 2bd, 2ba condo on the property with a covered spa on our deck.  Wow.  We went on a walk around the property, played in the spa, had dinner, and watched parts of "Sound of Music." We as a family love that musical.
Now, my wife and I are figuring out what we are doing tomorrow, and I'm working on this blog!  Hope all is well with you.