Wednesday, June 22, 2011

A Civil War Summer ... (2007)

As this summer draws on, I am reminded of what my family was doing exactly four years ago. We were touring Civil War battlefields.

When I tell people that we spent a month on a "historical vacation", I receive different reactions. Some folks think it's really neat that we want to experience and view history firsthand. Some others think that a vacation like that is totally boring. My family loves history, loves the history of the United States, and loves the United States. So we set off in the summer of 2007 to see some of the most famous Civil War battlefields and to tour Washington, D.C.

Fun Fact: During the Civil War, the South named battles after the nearest towns, while the North named them after the nearest body of water.

We visited Manassas (Bull Run), Sharpsburg (Antietam), Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Courthouse Campaign. In D.C., we visited the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, the National Botanic Garden, Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, the Navy Yard, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Library of Congress. We visited Mount Vernon, Great Falls National Park, and Hershey and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. We drove down part of the Blue Ridge Parkway and finished up our trip in Atlanta. What a trip!

Here are some highlights:















Here is the family at Great Falls National Park!
















Dad and AJ reading a marker in a field at Gettysburg, arguably the most famous battle of the Civil War.
















The fam on the USS Barry at the Washington Navy Yard.
















This isn't the best picture, but it's one of the funniest pictures of our trip. Dad and AJ are acting very upset in front of Jackson's Shrine, where Stonewall Jackson died. Stonewall is one of AJ's favorite Confederate Generals.
















The view from some of the grave sites at Sharpsburg. Such a mix of somber history and beauty!



I am so grateful to have had the chance to see and experience important American history up close!

A quote by Robert E. Lee that I think sums up my life quite well:::
"Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. It will enable you to live pleasantly, to do good, and, when summoned away, to leave without regret."

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Friendcation Cruise 2011

Summer has begun, and with it comes a crazy time of year! The school year ended, bringing with it the end of my teaching job as music teacher at Floral City Elementary. It's also graduation season, and with family members, plus over 30 graduates from our church, we made the rounds to plenty of parties and celebrations!

But after all the wonderful and bittersweet times were over, it was time to get together with one of my best friends and head on our next Friendcation! Lauren and I decided that we should go on another cruise to relax, see God's beautiful creation, and spend time together before I move across the country later this summer.

Our western Caribbean cruise took us from Tampa to Cozumel, Mexico & Belize City, Belize. Then it was on to Isla Roatan, Honduras & Georgetown, Grand Cayman. We had a wonderful time!















Sailing under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to exit Tampa Bay!
















One of my favorite things about cruises- the amazing sunsets!
















Lauren and I eating at a rooftop Mexican restaurant in downtown Cozumel.
















In Belize City, this is St. John's Cathedral, the oldest Anglican church in Central America! Built in 1812 from the bricks that were brought over as ballast on British ships.
















Mahogany Beach- Isla Roatan, Honduras!
















One of the shipwrecks in Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan, Honduras.
















Welcome to the town of Hell! On Grand Cayman Island. We got a kick out of visiting. It even rained in Hell for about 10 minutes while we were there!
















We went swimming with stingrays while in Grand Cayman. I kissed one on the snout; they say it's 7 years of good luck!
















The crystal clear water! You can see the rays swimming around on the sandbar with all of the people.



The cruise was wonderful! This was my third cruise, and my favorite one so far! If you haven't cruised, I highly recommend it as your next vacation!