Gosh! It's so hard to believe that we're more than half-way through 2009 and well into summer! It's been super hot here (triple digits with humidity) and I feel like I'm constantly out back trying to keep the ground moist for our "garden"!
We had a great visit with Patrick's parents over the long weekend! This was their first visit since we got married, so you can imagine I was a nervous wreck trying to make everything absolutely perfect. From planning meals to dusting every nook and cranny to finishing the flower bed in our back yard (aka "The Courtyard" since it's so small!) I was a busy bee! Either to help me relax or to get out of helping clean toilets and ovens, Patrick coaxed me out of the house to Yorktown Beach Thursday afternoon. Even though I've lived in this area since 2000, I didn't know the York River had it's own beach right in the historic part of town! Patrick's command has PT (Physical Training) there every now and then, so he knew about this little-known gem and I'm so excited he showed me! We packed a cooler with snacks and drinks and enjoyed a few hours of sun while watching the tall ships pass in preparation for Harborfest in Norfolk!
Friday afternoon, Patrick's parents (John and Ginny) arrived! We hadn't seen them since Christmas, so we were all excited for the visit...and since Patrick's birthday is later in the month, I thought we'd celebrate early so that his parents could join the festivities! After relaxing at home for lunch, we piled into the car and headed down to Olde Towne Portsmouth and took the ferry across the river to Norfolk's Waterside. We walked to the Nauticus Museum and USS WISCONSIN to show the Hagans the decommissioned battleship and Naval Museum there. After our tour, the line for the ferry back to Portsmouth was super long, so we enjoyed a cold drink at one of the outdoor bars at Waterside while we waited. Back home we had a great birthday dinner for Patrick (thank you, Harris Teeter, for your amazing crab cakes...and thank you Patrick for not telling your parents that I didn't make them myself!), cake, and presents!
Saturday, we woke up early and had a light breakfast and packed the picnic basket before driving through Yorktown on the way to Jamestown. We had a picnic under some great shade trees and toured the National Park Society's historical site (for those interested, there are TWO Jamestown attractions in the area; Jamestown Settlement is a recreation of the original and Historic Jamestowne is the excavation of the actual site...both have great museums and are "must sees" if you're into history). We took the car ferry from Jamestown back across the river and drove past Bacon's Castle (another great historical attraction) on the way home. Then we had dinner and drinks out on the patio while watching the far off fireworks somewhere in Suffolk!
I hope you all had as great of an Independence Day as we did and paused to thank all those who have fought and died for our freedom! I am so proud to be an American!
