Virginia - Mount Vernon Tour

The Mount Vernon Experience Begins Here

It is Labor Day 2015 and the final full day of my visit with my son and daughter-in-law.  It was a beautiful day to walk and Mount Vernon is just the place to do it best!  With some limitations, we were able to bring the family pets along too.  For more information and photos check out the website for George Washington's Mount Vernon.  You will even find a virtual tour on that site!  

Our visit began with the short drive from my son and daughter-in-law's condo through the familiar territory of my early years.  Mount Vernon is less than a half hour drive from Old Downtown Alexandria.  These two areas were my father's sales territory when he raised his family in Alexandria.  He was a Fuller Brush Man from 1949-1968 and supported his family well and my mother was a full-time homemaker.  I believe I got an appreciation of beautiful homes and their gardens from my early experiences in this area.  Since my father knew the area so well selling household products door-to-door, he shared new and exciting places with his family.  He also got to meet interesting people who welcomed his regular visits and associated with other salesmen in the popular meeting places for meals and refreshments.  It was a simpler time when people kept their doors unlocked and welcomed strangers, especially merchants who made their living by coming into people's homes to became regular visitors and even friends.  Can you remember the milkman, bread man, ice cream truck, vacuum and encyclopedia sales people?  Surely you can remember the Avon Lady, my father's biggest competitor for cosmetics? 

I sometimes went with my father on Saturday deliveries; my brothers went regularly to help.  Our family all worked together every Friday evening after the big blue truck unloaded the week's product orders in large boxes that made great "box forts" when we were younger. We organized the individual orders and got everything ready for delivering every Saturday.   My job was to organize the "free samples" and stamp the new catalogs with our contact information.  Friday was always "seafood dinner" and on a good sales week, we had all the shrimp we could eat and sometimes live lobsters! We lived close to the ocean, of course.  Saturdays, we were rewarded with hamburgers/fish sandwiches from McDonalds and donuts from Krispy Creme that my father stopped to get and bring home after all the deliveries were made.  Saturday night was scary movie night.  Good times!

The Fuller Brush Man of Downtown Alexandria and Mount Vernon 1947-1968

The estate of George Washington at Mount Vernon was a frequent day trip while I was growing up in the 1950's and 1960's.  It was one of many interesting places in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. and is still today the most popular historic home in America.  The area grew so fast and changes were constant.  But the estate at Mount Vernon is wonderfully preserved as it is privately owned and operated since 1858 by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association who do not accept any government funding.

Here is a brief summary of the highlights the historic area has to offer, then click on my musical album at the end for more of my photos:

The Mansion - Acquired by GW in 1754, it is detailed to look as it did in 1799, the year GW died.  Rooms feature original furnishings, period pieces, and replicas.  Timed tour tickets are provided for purchase; no photos or pets allowed.

Blacksmith Shop, Slave Quarters, & Other Outbuildings - Original and reconstructed buildings show what life was like on this 18th-century plantation.

Garden & Grounds - The gardens, greenhouse, and nursery show what grew in GW's time.  A ¼ mile forest trail connects the historic area to the Pioneer Farm and represents the vast forested areas of the estate.

Pioneer Farm - The Farm is a 4-acre demonstration farm and home to a reconstructed slave cabin and a replica of GW's 16-sided treading barn where horses walk around on the top level stepping on cut grain plants to release the seeds through cracks in the floor to the bottom level where the clean grain is shoveled up.  Costumed interpreters demonstrate GW's innovating farming practices.

Washington Tomb - GW is buried alongside his wife, Martha, and near other family members in the Tomb, which was completed in 1831.  The original burial vault is located nearby.

Slave Memorial & Burial Ground - The burial ground is marked by a memorial honoring the lives and contributions of the enslaved people who lived and worked here.

Heritage Breed Animals - There are Hog Island Sheep, Ossabaw Island Hogs, and other rare breeds in the historic area and at the Pioneer Farm.

Wharf - There are sightseeing cruises offered in season.  GW had a successful fishery business at the wharf and you can find out all about it here.

Distillery & Gristmill - GW used technologies that were cutting edge in the late 1700's.  These fully functioning reconstructed buildings are open for tours.  It is located 3 miles from the estate with shuttle service included in admission.

The Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center - Plenty to do here should the weather bring you inside!  It is a day-trip in itself as it would likely take many trips to see and experience it all!  There are more than 700 original objects and 25 theaters and galleries - including a multimedia theater where it actually snows!  Some examples of what you can see at the Museum are acclaimed art, original objects, taste and style, books & manuscripts, and military legacy.  At the Education Center you can experience the Revolutionary War, GW's teeth, GW at different ages, plantation life, and hands-on-history center.  How lucky are the school children in the area to take field trips here?

Checked out another frequented restaurant by my son and daughter-in-law at Shirlington on the way back to their condo.  Also treated to some goodies to take home from a bakery. The last quiet evening was spent watching another movie and enjoying some wine…tomorrow it's back to work for them and an early flight back to Missouri for me.  

It was the best time!  I appreciate my son and daughter-in-law's time for me and their warm hospitality in their lovely modern condo.  Next year I will visit them in California as they make a new life together with new memories to make and share with me.  

Virginia Trip - Going Home to Old Town Alexandria & My Neighborhood

Seafood Lunch at The Wharf Restaurant in Old Town Alexandria

Another late Saturday night staying up watching movies with my son and daughter-in-law resulted a sleep-in Sunday morning again.   We were only a few miles from today's destination which was to check out where I was born and raised in the area my father made a living for 18 years selling Fuller Brushes door-to-door…Old Town Alexandria.  Monday was to be a day in Mt. Vernon which was the other part of my father's sales territory.

We parked and walked along King Street about six blocks to the waterfront on the east side checking out all the changes in store fronts since the early 1950's.  We stopped first at the Visitor's Center near Market Square and City Hall.  So many memories came to my mind and my son and his wife graciously tolerated my bursts of conversations about what I remembered.  My father would drop us off on his way to work at Murphy's 5&10 Store on King Street and S. Washington Street usually 2-3 times a month or more.  There was a lunch counter there that I remember well.  It was also the sight of the transition I observed from where the "colored" and "white" people were separated by restrooms and water fountains as well as lunch counters.  That was the way it was and then it changed and I was too young to understand the big deal; everyone should be able to use the same facilities!  This was also the area where all our doctors, dentists, and other services had their offices; usually above the store fronts.  My favorite clothing stores were here too - J.C. Penney's and Learners although it would be many years before I had the luxury of a variety of clothing styles since I went to parochial school and wore uniforms for seven years.  

These few square blocks were my world where I hung onto my mother's skirt until I was old enough to navigate the streets on my own looking both ways.  I was turned loose at a very early age by today's standards!  My most vivid memory was in November of 1963.  That was the day I got my first pair of eye glasses.  I was almost 10 years old and happy to have the day off school.  I could see the world so much better!  As I crossed King Street with my mother after leaving the eye doctor office, I saw a horrible sight as people were crying and coming outside buildings all over with such a wave of sadness…our young president, John Kennedy had been shot in Texas!  From that day forward, my happy days were few and far between.  The rest of the 1960's is history and I survived it. There were times I had my doubts. All the riots and demonstrations were only a few miles away from my home and school; our local news was national news.  When I left Virginia in the fall of 1971, I began a new kind of life in Iowa that allowed me to thrive.  When I progressed all I could in Iowa, I moved onto Missouri with my Iowa husband where every year has been better than the one before and I am happier than I ever thought possible!

Back to the present time!  I just had to share a wonderful seafood meal with my son and his wife as my treat.  The Wharf was the place to go and we were not disappointed! Afterwards we continued on King Street to the waterfront park noticing all the different shops we may want to spend some time in on our way back to the car.  The Torpedo Factory Art Center was the next destination.  It was founded in 1974.  It is definitely a must-see for any level of art-minded individual.   My father introduced me to it many years ago as he always encouraged my creativity.  

The City of Alexandria bought the government storage building in 1969.  This original photo above shows the U.S. Navel Torpedo Station as it opened in 1919 and then operated for five years before becoming munitions storage.  With the onset of WWII, it produced Mark III and Mark IV torpedoes.  By the war's end, it converted to government storage.  In 1974, a group of visionary artists proposed to renovate part of the neglected factory into usable studio spaces. One of the country's earliest examples of creative reuse of industrial space, the Torpedo Factory Art Center became a catalyst for the revitalization of the Potomac riverfront and the historic preservation of Old Town Alexandria as a thriving visitor destination.  The Torpedo Factory Art Center continues to be a prototype for other visual arts organizations around the world.

Today's view of the waterfront from the upper floor of the Torpedo Factory Art Center.  There's a magic show happening as the people gather!

The walk back to the parking garage had many stops at all the shops we checked out on the way.  My favorite was The Spice & Tea Exchange.  I bought six different kinds of paprika, Vietnamese cinnamon, a couple unique tea blends, and will be back to the website for sure for more; so many unique shops!  We finally got tired shopping and decided it was time to drive by my old house and neighborhood on Birch Lane a few miles away.  On the way was The George Washington Masonic National Memorial I grew up knowing it as the Masonic Temple.  My family visited it many times as it was on the west end of downtown Alexandria on King Street on our way to do business.   I also pointed out a couple of the churches the teenage youth of my day would frequent for public dances and I mentioned very briefly to my son and his wife how much "growing-up" was done there.  I could tell the less details I revealed the better!  Good ol' St. Alban's and John Calvin's…how our parents would drop us off and pick us up thinking we were so very well watched by the church people!  It was yet another part of my youth I survived!

Very little time was spent parked across the street of the house I grew up in on Birch Lane.  We sold it over 20 years ago after my parents died and I had been back a number of times just to see it deteriorate more and more.  It is now the worst house in the neighborhood and likely a "sick house" from the non-updated building materials.  People are living there and the photo in the album below shows all the junk, trash, and weed growth.  You can also see the house next door…or should I say mansion?  Yes, property values have increased greatly and it is likely that the land our old house sets on is worth much more than the improvements!  I believe we were very smart to sell the house within four months after my parents passed away.  The problems of mold and asbestos in houses was barely recognized at that time.  Back in the 1950's, we were the last house on the gravel, dead-end street with woods on two sides.  It was a wonderful neighborhood and a beautiful middle class house built in an innocent time.  The last photo in the album below is what our house looked like when we sold it in the fall of 1993.

So far, nothing seems to stay the same and usually you can never go back to the home of your youth and only have the memories of a time gone by.  We left the old neighborhood to see the place that was the center of my spiritual and educational childhood…St. Michael's.  It didn't seem to have changed much from the outside and brought back many memories!  My high school (1967-1971) was walking distance from my home on Birch Lane.  It has changed from Thomas Jefferson High School to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.  At some point in the name transition shortly after I left, I believe there was some Mensa association.  I'm not sure if it is that way now.  For sure is the fact that it costs much more to live in the school district now than when I went there and the opportunities for students to progress is greater!

I have included some old black and white photos of my youth along with the recent photos taken in the album below.  The old photos include me first in line on the first day of first grade.  The first grade classroom was inside the convent basement.  Another photo is of the nuns and teachers I had from Kindergarten up to and including 7th grade.  The nuns were a teaching order from Pennsylvania called the Order of the Immaculate Conception.  There is a photo of me 2nd in line for May Procession in my First Communion outfit with the newly built church and the school at that time in 1960-61.  Finally my 7th grade photo in 1967; I went to public school after that.

It was so wonderful for me to share these memories with my son and his wife.  They will be blessed, I'm sure, for tolerating this old lady and driving me around probably for the last time to the old places.  If there is to be a next time, it will be to make new memories.  We have made a good start on this trip with both of them taking me to their favorite places in a familiar area to me!

Virginia Trip - DC & Dog Park

The Capitol Building Under Renovation

The drive from Lansdowne Resort to Arlington went quite well in the middle of the day Friday even though it was the beginning of Labor Day Weekend.  My daughter-in-law was at their high-rise condo to greet me and get me into the right parking spot.  We relaxed and visited with my son who came home from work shortly after.  It was so thoughtful of them to begin the weekend with some grocery shopping at their neighborhood whole foods and organic market.  It was very much like the Mama Jeans market I go to in Springfield, Missouri and their favorite market was called MOM's Organic market.  That is so cool!

After putting away the groceries that would serve for breakfasts and snacks at the condo, we went out to eat.  Their new favorite restaurant is an Irish Pub nearby that had the best chicken pot pie with puff pastry I have ever had!  I also tried a new way of drinking beer that mixes Guinness with lemonade sometimes known as a Shandy.  When we had our fill of good food and drink, we went back to the condo and relaxed with snacks and a movie.  Saturday was going to be a trip into Washington, D.C. to see the United States Botanic Gardens.  Their condo is just a few minutes from a Metro line that takes us to the National Mall.  Everyone slept in Saturday morning and ready to go by late morning.

We started out with lunch at the National Museum of the American Indian which features a large variety from the Mitsitam Cafe inside that serves native foods cafeteria style from different regions of our country.  So many choices!  Didn't spend a lot of time with the exhibits except what was on our way to and from the cafe.  Since I spent my first 17 years growing up just a few miles away, I was familiar with most of the national landmarks and museums.  Of course, every trip has something new and exciting and as anyone who has ever been to DC knows…you can't do it all in one day…or a week even!  The best way to get the most out of the volume of information and sites is to take it one at a time until you feel you know it as well as you would want.  Last fall my husband and I spent a whole day at the National Gallery of Art.  Today we will spend our time enjoying the US Botanic Gardens.

"The United States Botanic Garden is one of the oldest botanic gardens in North America.  More than 200 years ago George Washington had a vision for a botanic garden in the nation's new capital city.  This garden would demonstrate and promote the importance of plants to the young nation.  The Garden was established by Congress in 1820 and was strengthened by collections from U.S. Exploring Expedition (1838-1842).  Several historic specimens collected during the U.S. Exploring Expedition are still on display.  Since 1934, it has been administered through the Architect of the Capitol.  The Garden maintains approximately 65,000 plants for exhibition, study, conservation and exchange with other institutions.  Sights, smells, sounds and textures abound in the Conservatory.  From tropical rain forest to desert plants, the Conservatory highlights the diversity of plants worldwide."

The building has about a dozen specific rooms to walk through to experience up close the diversity of plants and the climate and soil they need.  Here is a brief summary of the different rooms:

Hawaii - plants native to Hawaii where species have adapted to live on remote volcanic islands.

Garden Primeval - plants that are reminiscent of the Jurassic era including mosses, ferns, and cycads.

Plant Adaptations - some of the fascinating adaptions that have evolved in the plant world.

Children's Garden - kids can explore, dig, water, and learn about plants in this seasonal outdoor garden.

World Deserts - succulents, cacti and other plants adapted to arid environments.  A star-shaped plant is called a "corpse plant" because it smells so bad!

Medicinal Plants - plants from around the world.

Southern Exposure - a seasonal courtyard featuring North American native plants of the SE and SW.

Orchids - ever-changing display of blooming orchids from a collection of over 5,000 specimens.

Mediterranean - plants, culture and food of this climatic region.

Rare & Endangered - plants that are threatened and their habitats.

The Tropics - rain forest has a canopy walk above and a walk through the understory below.

Garden Court - economic plants that provide fiber, food, beverages, fragrance, wood, spices, and more.  Especially love the coffee and chocolate plants!

Inside the building are also the East and West Galleries which have special exhibits to teach and be inspired.  The exhibit about roots and how they benefit our soil was very interesting!

Outside is the 3-acre National Garden which includes:

The Regional Garden - native plants from the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain and Piedmont.

The Margaret Hagedorn Rose Garden - an ongoing experiment showcasing roses that thrive when using organic methods.

The Butterfly Garden - demonstrates plants that provide vital resources for butterflies and other pollinators.  Lots of butterflies were out this day!

The First Ladies Water Garden - honors our First Ladies contributions to the well being of our nation's people.

The Lawn Terrace - welcome area for public ceremonies, festivals and summer classes.

The Open-Air Amphitheater - gathering place for educational programs.

Bartholdi Park - a 2-acre park that showcases a tapestry of theme gardens surrounding the historic fountain.  Also highlights innovative plant combinations and sustainable garden designs at a scale suitable for home landscaping.

So many photos were taken that I put them all in a musical album below that you can click on and enjoy.

After we walked about as much as we thought we could and seen all that we could in DC in one afternoon, we got back on the Metro and soon were back at the condo.  But some family members didn't get a good walk like we did today and it was time for The Dog Park.  Just when I thought I couldn't walk anymore, I found a new energy with my son's and his wife's two little dogs whose energy had no bounds in a really spacious dog park nearby.  It was a nice fenced in area along a creek where the dogs were allowed to run and play and swim as much as they wanted.  Everyone was dog and people friendly and got along like they really know how good they have it here and don't want to mess up and lose the privilege.  What a joy to see so much energy and people smiling!  A great end to a special day!

Lansdowne Resort - Retreat & Renew Day

Spa Minerale

This is my full day at Lansdowne Resort and it began by sleeping late in a very comfortable bed in my room on the 4th floor.  I had planned on checking out a white water kayak trip at Harper's Ferry near Purcellville, Virginia on the Shenandoah River.  I had kayaked that river before with my niece years ago and thought I might do it again.  But the weather forecasted scattered storms so I decided there was plenty to do around the resort.  But first things first…breakfast!

The award-winning daily breakfast buffet at the Riverside Hearth has a wide selection of items.  The chefs prepare made-to-order dishes from an exhibition style kitchen.  This is definitely a place to relax and enjoy good food and a spectacular view through the large picture windows overlooking the golf courses with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background.  The resort is only a half mile from the Potomac River.  After eating as much as I could (as this was a breakfast and lunch combined for me today) it was time for a walk.

I have included my photos in a musical album you can click on below.  But first let me tell you more about my day...

I began my walk enjoying the interior of the resort as this time of day there were very few people around and I could enjoy the decor and take my time with all the resort amenities.  There were several pool areas including the large water park with giant slide, small children's areas and an adults-only pool with waterfall outside as well as a hot tub.  Inside was a beautiful heated lap pool.  The health club had a variety of machines and plenty of them as well as TV screens all over.  There were several smaller gyms and fitness classes available.  I was too tired for the yoga class that evening but I almost made it.  It was nice to see the Rascal Room for children all neat and tidy ready for the next bunch of kids to have fun.  I reflected on all the activity we had last evening with eight children 12 and under and five adults!  

Then I walked around outside to see the tennis courts, basketball court, sand volleyball court, and the playground again.  This time I found the walking trail which runs along the golf cart trail.  The Golf Club was quite the exclusive clubhouse and restaurant.  I walked around and went inside the store where I purchased a cute outfit.  There is a dress code around the golf course and clubhouse.  I didn't stay long and went back to my room to get into some proper attire for a walk along the Potomac River which was a half mile away by way of the golf course.  There were several maps at at this spur of the trail...

…the trail is primitive and goes on for many miles.  I don't know how far I went but I kept walking until I had enough time to get back for my spa appointment late afternoon at the resort…probably walked for several hours.  On the trail I met a fawn.  The little deer was hardly afraid of me and let me get close to take some pictures.  There was some oyster mushrooms on a tree that was very cool to see.  Many native flowers and plants were observed.  I lingered at the waterfront for awhile and tried for the first time to take some time-delayed photos of myself (finally got a couple that are okay) in addition to a regular selfie.  I also found a very nice pair of men's sunglasses which I later gave to my son.  Then I walked back to the resort in time for my Luxury Day Spa Retreat which I booked for 190 minutes.

At the Spa Mineral, I came early to use the steam room, sauna, and hot tub. I relaxed with some herbal tea in the lounge until it was my time.  I had the Just Breathe Massage for 50 minutes, the Hydra-memory Facial for 50 minutes, and then the luxurious Mani/Pedi.  The bundle spa package is $100 less than each item separately.  

The attendants were different nationalities which is something I grew up around being first generation Czechoslovakian and miss a lot living in the mid-west.  My masseuse was a man from Greece, my facial was from a Pakistan lady, my mani/pedi was with a Colombian lady and a Vietnamese young lady joined us in conversation!  It is so cool to talk about the different nationalities with natives without any tension like is found in the small towns of the mid-west typically.   I was absolutely relaxed and ready for a quiet evening enjoying my room.  First I stopped and ordered a meal from Stonewalls Tavern on my way to my room; it was ready in just a few minutes.  Now I had the late evening to relax in my room, call my husband and tell him about my day, and sleep soundly.

I woke up early enough to get a nice swim at the indoor pool.  After a long shower, I got dressed, packed, and enjoyed another great breakfast buffet.  I had planned to take the extended departure up until early afternoon but the front desk told me since it was Labor Day Weekend, I could only stay about an hour longer than normal.  So I left as the crowd came to check in about noon.  I got in my rental car and drove to Arlington where I was to stay until Tuesday with my son and his wife at their high-rise condo minutes from their workplaces.  It all worked out for the best to leave a little early as my brother called to see if I was okay. About the time I arrived at my son's home 45 minutes from the resort, a severe thunderstorm came to the area I just left.  Good timing!

Lansdowne Resort - Family Day (revised)

Balcony area is the center of activity

Lansdowne Resort is a Destination Hotel and a place to "Retreat, Renew, Reconnect."  It is located about a half mile from the Potomac River near Leesburg, Virginia.  It is a few miles from my brother's home and about an hour from my niece's home so it is the perfect place for family time together.  I had stayed here before with my husband a few years ago when our son got married in Middleburg which is not far away.  I knew I would be back!

As I was making reservations online weeks earlier, I learned about what is means to be a Destination Hotel and signed up.  I love the perks given to members as it reminds me of the Priority Club membership I have had for many years with Holiday Inn hotel groups when I worked on the road a lot.  Basically, it allows members to have early check-in and late check-out, good discounts on food and spa services.  It also gives you free bottled water in your room and newspaper.  There are many other things too.  Just look at the Lansdowne Resort website for more information.

The first day of my vacation was a busy day!  I had to drive over two hours to the Kansas City International Airport getting up at 4:30 a.m. to make the early flight.  I choose the early flight because it was very cheap especially when bundling with a car rental and it was the only non-stop flight to Dullas International Airport, less than ten miles from Lansdowne Resort.  I was at the resort by noon and was allowed to check in and get settled before family arrived in the afternoon; my brother and his wife, my niece and her husband and eight children.  I was ready to entertainment all 13 of us using all that Lansdowne Resort had to offer.  They had a LOT to offer!

I put all the photos in a music album you can click on below.  But first I will tell you about all that we did that afternoon…

The front lobby has many comfortable areas to wait.  As soon as I got the arrival phone calls, I came down from my room to meet and greet everyone.  Of course, everyone had to see my room so up we went in the elevator to the 4th floor.  All eight children fit on my bed!  While everyone was taking it all in, especially the gorgeous picture window view, I took orders for pizza to be delivered.  The concierge  at the front desk was very helpful is so many ways!  He suggested a local family pizza place that is very good and delivers; Manhattan Pizza in Leesburg.  The order went in from my room and all the younger children thought their Great Aunt Beti has a big beautiful house!  That made the rest of us laugh but we kept the belief alive just like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny for now.  I had always visited the children at their house in the past so they didn't know where Great Aunt Beti lived.  I guess living here makes me that much "Greater."  Haha.

So with more suggestions from the concierge, we found the Rascal Room just off the exercise and indoor pool area.  We had planned to use the large water park on site but the weather had some lightening earlier and a storm was in the forecast.  The Rascal Room was more than perfect!  It had everything for all ages including all sizes of balls, and rough-house toys, building toys, cars, arts & crafts, and a Wii.  Best of all, the room had a tall ceiling and rubberized floor and sound-proof walls…just what energetic children (and their playful dads) need.  I believe everyone worked up a good appetite for when the pizzas arrived.

We were directed to the large Great Room by the balcony that had very comfortable chairs and many small tables and a large table with cozy fireplace atmosphere.  Here everyone had all they could eat supplemented by drinks and fruit brought in by parents and grandparents.  So when everyone had their fill and the leftovers were put in the car to take home for the children, it was time to check out the walking and biking trails on the property.  The trails were surrounding by scenic golf courses.  I found out later that we were on the golf cart paths instead of the walking/biking trail but, hey, when you are a group of 13 you go wherever you want!

As it was getting dusk, we found a playground and the children had more fun and energy to burn while the adults found benches to sit and watch.  By dark, we found our way to the fire pit in back of the resort just below the balcony and Great Room where we had the Pizza Party.  Thanks again to the helpful concierge I purchase s'mores kits and the staff lit the fire pit as we settled around in the dark.  I helped each person get their marshmallows on the provided sticks and into the fire they went.  I stayed busy until all the marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers were gone; enough for two each or more.  The children want some more s'mores but Mom and Dad said that was enough and they had to drive over an hour back home with all those sugared-up kids.  Then we got everyone to settle in and get comfortable for Grandpa's Ghost Story.  It all got quiet and ended with lots of laughs.

The final goodbyes for this trip to "Great Aunt Beti's house" ended with lots of wet wipes and kisses and hugs and pictures by the lobby.  Then they were all gone.  I was exhausted in the very best way after a very long and wonderful, family-filled day!  Called my husband and re-lived it all again as I told him about my day, then showered, went to bed and slept very well in a very comfortable bed.  I may do this all again next year!

Note:  Please check back again at a later date if the musical album below is not moving when you click on it.  It appears that there are some technical issues at the time of original download.  I will come back and try fixing it.