Yankee Candle Village

I love the smells of Yankee candles. I will open jar after jar and smell. My favorites are butter cream, sugar cookies, cinnamon rolls and newly maple syrup. Besides the smells that make me want to bake and eat everything over 2000 delicious, indulgent, yummy calories I also love holiday sents. The Autumn fragrances and Christmas fragrances hold many of my all time favorites.

There are Yankee Candle Stores everywhere and if there is not one close you can find the candles sold is so many other stores. I wonder if there is anyone out there who has not smelled one of these candles. In Williamsburg there is a Yankee Candle Village. It was huge. It had a toy shop, eateries, home shop, pet shop, a few Christmas shops, clothing, art, and of course candles shops. It had a bit of everything.

The boys of course loved the toy shop. There was a train going around the ceiling. Lots of toys and costumes which we said no to most of. In front they had a princess cut out with a knight in shinning armor. My two knights were handsome and brave. Our princess was also brave to have "her" picture took but just was not the pretty princess maybe she just needs some magic.

Daddy and Evan


Daddy and Gregory



Inside the Christmas shop we saw a familiar friend.



No matter what time of year the boys don't like to get close and take their picture with him.



Gregory went through a nutcracker phase a few years ago where he just loved them. Indulging him I bought quite a few of different sizes, and I love to pull them out. I do not have such a large nutcracker as this.





In the Christmas shop it literally snowed every four minutes. Everyone loved this. Amazingly it did not pile up on the ground. It was so decorated. There were carolers, more Christmas trees than you could imagine, bridges, gazebos, even twinkle lights in the stars. It was beautiful.



There were also cutouts of gingerbread men. Evan and Smiley...adorable. But of course I did not get one picture where the both were smiling. So I will share this with you here rather than on the Christmas card.



One of the reasons we went there was my mom and I had coupons for the boys to make there own Yankee candle FREE. There was a huge section where you could make any sort of candle you want any sent too.

The boys made tapers because they were easy to dip. Gregory dipped






then Evan dipped. They each made two candles. They were so proud and had fun. I have these great candles set aside to hang up. The boys want to burn them, maybe one day will. They would be great right now as we are with out power AGAIN and I am writing by battery in the dark.

Such a cool shop. One I will defiantly go back to. One for finical reasons am glad I do not live close to.

Dragon Land

Inside of Busch Gardens there was another kiddie part called Land of the dragons. We went to this part later in the day after we had been ridding some of the big roller coaster and rides. After ridding those the boys thought the kiddie rides here were boring. They still had to go on a few to test that theory though.



They had a small water part the boys played in and a huge jungle gym they quickly crawled up and we went up to chase them.

There is a statue of a dinosaur and eggs at the entrance to this part of the park. Every kid climbs all over it and every parent takes pictures. My boys were no exception.



Evan


Gregory


1994, when I was only 15 me (blond) and my friend Amanda (brunette) were no different. The boys got a kick out of this picture. I can't believe I still had it.



Even though the rides were to young for them the still had fun playing. Oh no Gregory is being ate by a dinosaur!

Busch Gardens

Our favorite part of the trip was Busch Gardens. I love amusement parks. The bigger the scarier the rides the happier I am. I will ride any roller coaster, but I never get to anymore because of the kids. This trip we just took the big boys and they are actually tall enough to ride all the rides except for the big coasters. But we still were able to ride the kiddie coaster.



You should see the smiles on their face, ear to ear. They loved it and actually it was a lot of fun.

We went to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. What a great park. I have been going there for years. It was so nice to take the family especially since they could ride most everything. Busch Gardens is or once was an Anheuser Busch park. This means that those big beautiful clydesdales were there. I did not get any good pictures of them. With it being so hot they were in the stables and had there back side turned to me. But if I would have got a picture it would not have looked like this one I grabbed off the web.



They are such big and pretty horses. Looking at the size of their shoes compared to that of a normal horse is amazing.

As with the rest of the trip it was a hot day, sweltering. But it was manageable there. It was 108 degrees that and we were out playing hard. We noticed the heat. But we were having to much fun to care and found fun ways to cool off.

As soon as we got there we to see Elmo 4D. We walked into an air conditioned theater where we laughed and jumped at the movie. It was fun with all the effects. The 4D was wind, water, bubbles and the seat shaking. It was much better than expected.

We went to the sesame street part of the park first. We thought this would be a good way to break the kids into the rides. They ran and jumped on every ride.



We rode them too, why not. We usually watch the kids but today was about them and having fun. But there were a few we were to big for so we watched and took pictures with the crowd of paparazzi parents.



After the kiddie we decided they were ready to try something fun. Dad and I were ready to cool off again. Around the corner was a water roller coaster of sorts. You got into a boat it pulled you a few stories up, then you go through some falling pillars, raging hot fire, and then doors open. Boy are you high. The boat keeps going out and heads over this drop till the weight makes it fall down. And you fly so fast and steep down a waterfall. Jay was terrified the first time we went. I was a little worried the kids would fly out. Everyone loved it. The boys loved it so much it was the ride we rode most. All the way into the night. It was nine thirty before we could pull them off.





Hungry and thirsty we set off to get some food. The boys crushed some grapes and made us wine.



We made are way to the German area and found some great food. The best part was we also caught a show. There was a band that marched in playing German music and dancers. They were all dressed in traditional costumes.



We watched them for a while. It was also air conditioned it the restaurant. They were doing a lot of audience interaction linking arms and singing. Gregory had a great time getting involved to. Wow these two even resemble each other.



The Curse of DarKastle was the next ride we rode. This was a haunted house ride where you got into a sleigh and it took you down levels in a 3D experience. Jay loved these 3D, 4D rides but they made me queezy. Evan did not know what to expect just that it was going to be scary. So we played that up. We had our 5 year old trembling before he got on the ride



He covered his eyes for much of the ride, but was always peeking at what is going on. Eventually after we but him on this air conditioned ride over and over he got less scared and enjoyed it. Enough to tell the other riders don't be scared because this is what will happen. Ride spoiler.



We rode rides all day. I even got to go a super roller coaster while Jay watched the kids. It was great!





They kids rode in the dark. Nothing was getting them off the rides.



One of the wettest rides we went on also a great deal of fun. It spun you all over as you rode a large inter tube down some rapids. Poor Evan got the most water. It seemed as if every time there was a waterfall or spout that shot out it got him. He was all smiles and ready to ride it again.





It was a great day. We stayed all day watched amazing fireworks at night. But by the time we left the kids were exhausted. So soon they were asleep in the car.

jump ropes

The boys attended a few events in colonial Williamsburg. They played some games in Merchant Square and saw the soldiers in the patriots parade.

It was to funny to watch them play games. Four boys, two being mine, walked over and grabbed two very long jump ropes. The two other boys grabbed each end and Gregory and Evan were going to jump.



Now my two could not even jump rope with one but yet they decided to try to double dutch? Okay, good for them. But it went off about as well as I though it would. They sized up the situation.



They jumped in and tried it. Gregory pretty much ran through it not jumping. Evan gave it a good but my boy got tangled up with his balloons.



After that they tried hula hooping a little more their speed. At least it is something they have done before on wii.



They saw a parade of soilders march through town. Differnt then the parades they were used too. They expected candy.



Locked up I think we might have a new punishment option?


Evan

Gregory

The James River

One of the places we really wanted to go while in Virginia was the beach. Sadly time did not permit this. The closest we got was the James River. It is a large river that leads into the Chesapeake Bay. We stopped to play after a quick ferry ride.



They boys had never been on a ferry and thought it was just a pretty cool big boat. They like watching the cars and they enjoyed seeing the seagulls on the piers.



Being so big the James River had a nice beach to with tiny waves. As soon as they saw it the big boys started collecting shells.





Smiley watched his brothers from the bank but as soon as I came to get him. Squiggles and squeals he was ready to go join the big boys. As soon as I unstrapped him from his stroller he fast as lightning got in the water and started searching for shells too.





When we were on the ferry looking down the water looked so deep. And wouldn't it have to be to float a ferry? But it was not. Not at all. The boys walked out over 100 yards into the river. I could barley see them.



My father got out binoculars and I used the zoom on my camera and as you can see they are still way out there. Too far out. So far out they could not here me yell to come back in. Maybe they could and just ignored me. Either way I had to trench out there and get my boys before something happened.



I walked all the way out to where they were and the water never went past my knees?! It was so shallow. And that was their argument as I made them march back in with me. They were out to far for comfort.

When we got back Gregory and I built sandcastles. He covered them in the shells they found and had fun splashing me. Until I scolded him for getting my camera wet. All is good and we had fun.



Now Smiley would have followed his brothers out if he could. But I kept him close by.



He is looking forward to the day he can run with the big boys but for now he is happy doing all he can do. And all he thinks he can do.