Category: Family on the Road

3 min read

Tragedy and the Tricorne at Colonial Williamsburng

Jenn

3 min read

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3 min read

Thing Two was mad at me. This is not unusual. Everyday, it seems one of my kids is mad at me for some reason or other. Mad because I “make”…

Thing Two was mad at me.

This is not unusual. Everyday, it seems one of my kids is mad at me for some reason or other. Mad because I “make” them do school. Mad because I ask them to wash four dishes. Mad because I won’t let them play on their devices all day. Mad because I make them wear sunscreen and try vegetables. I’m a terrible mother, I tell you.

Today, Thing Two was mad at me because I wouldn’t let him spent the rest of his money on an overpriced tricorne hat, the triangle shaped hats associated with American Revolution, we saw in a shop the other day. Now he was going to “have” to wear his blue Civil War kepi to Colonial Williamsburg.

In 1699, the capital of colonial Virginia moved from Jamestown to Williamsburg and remained the capital until 1780. Today, you can visit Colonial Williamsburg and experience for yourself what life as a colonist during the Revolution might have been like and if you are unlucky enough to have a mother like me you will “have” to wear your Civil War kepi while everyone else wears tricornes. Homeschooler problems.

Once we got there and sorted out the tickets—They offer two different homeschooling rates one for the kids through the group sales and one for the educator through the main ticket booth.—we had a fun time learning about life in Colonial Williamsburg. We toured the governor’s mansion, talked to various “tradesmen”, pet horses, admired sheep, and visited the art gallery.

We were having a great time. Thing Two even forgot he was wearing a kepi.

That was until a colonist taught them to bow and said to Thing Two, “You’re about a hundred years too late with your hat.”

Thanks Mr. Colonist.

It was over. I was the terrible mother. With tears in his eyes, Thing Two asked if he could spend the rest of the day without his hat. For the record, I never made him wear his kepi. I only require them to wear hats, any hat, when we are going to be in the sun all day and he wanted to wear something “old fashioned”. It just wasn’t old fashioned enough.

I packed the hat in the backpack and we enjoyed the rest of our day at Colonial Williamsburg where Thing Two watched wistfully as soldier boys walked by in their tricornes.

A few days later, I found a reasonable priced tricorne and bought it for Thing Two.

But the next time there is back-talking about dishes, school, or hats I thinking this may do. Maybe one of these will fit on the back of the RV.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

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1 min read

Family on the Road

I Mustache You a Question.

Jenn

1 min read

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1 min read

How long can someone be entertained by a fake mustache? Much too long, my friends, much too long. Love and Laughter, Jenn If you enjoyed this post you can…

How long can someone be entertained by a fake mustache?

Much too long, my friends, much too long.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

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2 min read

Family on the Road National Parks

Historic Jamestown

Jenn

2 min read

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2 min read

Historic Jamestown, located a few miles from Jamestown Settlement, is the location of the original Jamestown colony. There isn’t as much to do at the Historic Jamestown as there is…

Historic Jamestown, located a few miles from Jamestown Settlement, is the location of the original Jamestown colony.

There isn’t as much to do at the Historic Jamestown as there is at Jamestown Settlement. There aren’t any boats to climb on. There aren’t any Indian huts to explore. The fort is a little more than an outline on the ground.

But…

You can look out at river, the former lifeline to England, and imagine what it would have been like to be John Smith waiting for supplies to arrive.

You can see the spot where Pocahontas and John Rolfe where most likely married.

You can see graves of the early settlers who braved the New World for better or for worse.

You can imagine the defeat felt by the Powhatan indians as they were pushed out of their lands.

You can walk where the first Africans arrived as slaves in 1619 and think of the devastation that would follow.

You can sit and take in the significance of the spot where the United States, the great melting pot, began.

Historic Jamestown is a beautiful and moving place.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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2 min read

Family on the Road

Jamestown Settlement

Jenn

2 min read

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2 min read

After visiting St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied city in the United States and Roanoke, the first unsuccessful English colony where the settlers mysteriously disappeared, we surely couldn’t miss Jamestown, the first succesful English settlement…

After visiting St. Augustine, the oldest continuously occupied city in the United States and Roanoke, the first unsuccessful English colony where the settlers mysteriously disappeared, we surely couldn’t miss Jamestown, the first succesful English settlement in the United States.

In 1607, 13 years before the pilgrims landed in Plymouth, The Virginia Company sent 104 men across the ocean in search of fortune. On the banks of the James River in Virginia, they settled Jamestown.

Despite the struggles with disease and strained relationships with the local Powhatan Indian tribe, Jamestown prospered and served as the capital of the colony until 1699.

Today in Virginia, there are two ways to experience Jamestown, Historic Jamestown or Jamestown Settlement. We started with a day at Jamestown Settlement, a living history museum that tells the story of the settlers and the indians. The museum is divided into four parts: a recreated Powhatan Village, a recreated Fort James, replicas of English ships, and a museum gallery filled with artifacts, films, and exhibits.

It’s a homeschooling mom’s dream and well worth the price of admission.

Our exploration of Jamestown Settlement began with the guided tour.

Powhatan Village

The tour started at at the Powhatan Village, where we learned about the tribe that had been living on the land long before the settlers came and pushed them out.

The detail put into everything was amazing.

Sitting on real animal skins.

Fort James

Inside the fort we learned about how the settlers carved out their existence despite tremendous struggles with disease, strained relationships, and limited supplies.

Musket firing is always a favorite.

Trying on armor.

Learning about early medical practices.

Jamestown Settlement Ships

There are recreations of the three ships, the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery, that landed at Jamestown.

We learned about their route and the living condition aboard the ships.

The best part was exploring the ships….

and some getting hands on the cannons.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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1 min read

Family on the Road Our Backyard

Our Backyard in the Eastern Shore of Virginia

Jenn

1 min read

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1 min read

The Eastern Shore of Virginia is seperated from mainland Virginia by the Chesapeake Bay and for four days it was our home. We saw the wild horse of Assateague Island…

The Eastern Shore of Virginia is seperated from mainland Virginia by the Chesapeake Bay and for four days it was our home.

We saw the wild horse of Assateague Island but mostly we just lived and explored our backyard.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

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4 min read

Family on the Road National Parks

The Wild Horses of Assateague Island

Jenn

4 min read

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4 min read

You didn’t think I’d give up on seeing the wild horses of Assateague Island that easy did you? After squinting to see the “fenced” wild horses on the Virginia side…

You didn’t think I’d give up on seeing the wild horses of Assateague Island that easy did you?

After squinting to see the “fenced” wild horses on the Virginia side of Assateague Island, we hoped in our truck and decided to make the hour and a half drive to the Maryland entrance.

Really, what’s an hour and a half after driving from California? We didn’t drive all the way across the country to have my childhood dream of seeing “Misty” (the horse in one of my favorite childhood books, Misty of Chincoteague) roam free on the beach be contained by a stupid fence.

This drive was filled with more anxiety than before. I know it was silly and certainly childish but I really really REALLY wanted to see the wild horses. It was as if I’d have a life of regret if I didn’t get to see these legendary creatures roaming free on the beach.

I’m not obsessive or dramatic or idealistic, not at all.

It was late afternoon when we arrived at the Maryland side of Assateague.

I held my breath as we drove through the entrance gate. I secretly prayed we would see some horses. (Yeah, sometimes I pray for trite things like that.)

Then I squealed and I’m pretty sure there were some tears.

A wild horse!

He was grazing freely on the side of the road completely indifferent to the crazy girl telling him how beautiful he was and taking pictures as if she had never seen a horse in her life.

Satisfied that there were indeed wild horses on Assateague Island, we went to the visitor center just minutes before it closed so the boys could turn in their Jr. Ranger stuff we had picked up on the Virginia side and we could learn a little more about the horses.

The horses have been living on Assateague Island since the 1600’s. No one knows exactly how the the wild horses of Assateague came to be. Legend is they swam to shore after a Spanish shipwreck. However, the more probable story is they were put on the island by their owners who wanted to avoid paying livestock taxes on the mainland.

Spanish galleon or tax evasion? Hmmmm…..

We drove further into the island and it wasn’t long before I was screetching again.

A mama and a baby or “Phantom and Misty” for us once (still?) horse obsessed little girls!!!

Someone has an itch.

I think I took 200 pictures of these guys and Thing Two loves animals as much as I do.

The horses were every bit as beautiful as I had imagined and so were the beaches.

As we drove around the island, we soon saw there were horses everywhere.

In the campsites.

Hanging around the bathrooms.

This guy just stood by the water spicket for the longest time.

People were petting the horses but I had seen pictures of the horse bites in the Visitor’s Center and having been bite by a horse before I know horse bites are no joke.

But more than that they were almost too wild and too beautiful to touch as if petting them like they were dogs would a sign of disrespect.

As the sun set we found a quiet spot near the beach.

Brent grilled.

And I read Misty of Chincoteague to my two favorite little boys.

Yes I actually brought the book all the way from California. Over the top, I know.

Then we watched the sunset from our little spot of horse heaven on Assateague Island.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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3 min read

Family on the Road National Parks

Chincoteague Island and Assateague National Seashore (the Virginia Side)

Jenn

3 min read

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3 min read

My heart was bouncing with anticipation as I packed our stuff for a day at Chincoteague Island and Assateague National Seashore. Assateague National Seashore is most well known for wild…

My heart was bouncing with anticipation as I packed our stuff for a day at Chincoteague Island and Assateague National Seashore.

Assateague National Seashore is most well known for wild horses. Very few things make me as excited as horses!

Especially wild horses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have wanted to visit Assateague National Seashore, since I read Misty of Chincoteague as a child about 25 years ago. Since we hit the road full time in our RV last October, seeing the wild ponies of Assateague Island had been at the top of my list of things to see.

Assateague Island is divided into two sides, the Virginia side and the Maryland side. We decided to go to the Virginia side because the entrance was closest to our campground and you pass over Chincoteague Island, where they have the yearly pony round up, to get there.

I was antsy with anticipation the entire drive babbling on and on about finally getting to see the wild horses. Like a kid on Christmas Eve….

I. Could. Not. Wait.

We drove onto the island, our eyes peeled for wild horses. Finally we spotted them faaaar across a marsh in a fence.

In. A. Fence.

Not only were they behind a fence, they where were so far you could hardly tell them from a deer even with my zoom lens.

This was not what I had imagined nor seen on the internet. I had seen pictures spotted horses roaming freely in campgrounds and on white sand beaches. Thanks Google for getting my hopes up.

We went to the visitor’s center and I asked about the wild horses. I was told they keep them in corrals, albeit very large corrals, on the Virginia side. They only roam free on the Maryland side.

I stood there staring at the park ranger my eyes full of tears.

It wasn’t awkward in the least.

I stammered out a thank you and left, my childhood dreams crushed.

We may not have gotten up close to the horses but we did get up close and personal with some horseshoe crabs.

We also came across some pony tracks ice cream at Island Creamery on Chincoteague.

But no free roaming wild horses.

The highlight of the morning was the Assateague Lighthouse.

For a small fee you can go up to the top of the Assateague Lighthouse.

If you squint hard enough you may be able to see the wild horses roaming in a fence. Or not.

Or you can beg your husband to drive an extra hour and a half to the Maryland side of Assateague National Seashore and hope you see some wild horses there.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

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1 min read

Family on the Road National Parks

North Carolina through Instagram

Jenn

1 min read

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1 min read

Our time in North Carolina through the eye of Instagram. (I want to go back to the Outer Banks.) Love and Laughter, Jenn If you enjoyed this post you can…

Our time in North Carolina through the eye of Instagram.

(I want to go back to the Outer Banks.)

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

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2 min read

Family on the Road Our Backyard

Family on the Road and Our Backyard in the Outer Banks

Jenn

2 min read

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2 min read

As a family on the road, I write a lot about our lives as “tourists” but what is it really like to be a family living in an RV? There…

As a family on the road, I write a lot about our lives as “tourists” but what is it really like to be a family living in an RV?

There is so much more to the fulltime RV lifestyle than National Parks and museums. A few people have referred to our trip as a vacation. I understand how it would seem that way.

But it’s not a vacation.

Just ask Brent about how many hours he works a week. And ask the boys how they feel about school. And just because our toilet is in the RV doesn’t make it any more fun to clean.

My point is this is our life and much of our life takes place at “home” and in our “backyard”. An ever changing backyard is the second best thing about being a family on the road. The first best thing is slowing down and just being together.

With this in mind, I’m starting a new series of posts called Our Backyard. Our Backyard is to remember the simple moments that happen in and around our RV, to capture what it’s really like to be a family on the road, and to share the campgrounds we call home.

Don’t worry. I won’t be taking any pictures of me cleaning the toilet.

Thing Two enjoying his quill and ink.

Thing One walking the dogs.

An after dinner walk to watch the sunset.

Sunsets make everything magical even a beach covered in trash.

An abandoned camper.

There were a lot of choices for camping in the Outer Banks. We stayed at Sands of Time campground because they gave us our Passport America discount (50% off) every night. It was the least expensive campground we could find in the Outer Banks.

While it wasn’t fancy it was clean, quiet, cute, and the staff were super nice. It is also near the middle of the Outer Banks making it an easy drive to many places.

Our backyard in the Outer Banks.

It’s good to be a family on the road.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

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4 min read

Family on the Road National Parks

Exploring Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Outer Banks

Jenn

4 min read

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4 min read

The Outer Banks in North Carolina is not only a place where you can watch sunrise and sunset from the beach but a place rich in beauty, history, and recreation….

The Outer Banks in North Carolina is not only a place where you can watch sunrise and sunset from the beach but a place rich in beauty, history, and recreation.

The drive to the Outer Banks was long. As we drove through the seemingly endless wetlands, we counted basking turtles on the logs to pass time.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

See the Jr. Rangers in the background?

We started at the Outer Banks Visitor Center and found out Fort Raleigh National Historic Site was just a few miles away. Fort Raleigh was the first English settlement in North America. (St. Augustine is the oldest continuously occupied city.) It is better known as The Lost Colony because the fate of the 116 settlers has never been determined.

In 1587, Sir Walter Raleigh appointed John White to lead a group of settlers to sail for Chesapeake Bay in hopes of starting a colony. However, they stopped on Roanoke Island and, for unknown reasons, they were forced to stay by the ship’s captain.

The colonists’ attempt to build relationships with the Indians failed due to conflicts with English explorers the previous year. After one of the colonist was killed by an Indian they persuaded John White to go back to England to ask for help. White departed leaving his family behind including his newborn granddaughter, Virginia Dare, the first English child born in North America. Due to circumstances beyond his control, he was unable to return to Roanoke for three years. When he made it back to Roanoke in 1590, he found the island deserted, hence, the name The Lost Colony.

Ocracoke Island and Ferry

Ocracoke Island lies at the end of the Outer Banks.

We took a free car ferry from Hatteras Island to Ocracoke.

The best way to see Ocracoke Island is by bike.

We biked past the harbor…

…to the Ocracoke Lighthouse.

We also went on a short hike to and had ice cream before returning home.

Riding the Ocracoke Ferry back to Hatteras.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and National Seashore

Cape Hatteras National Seashore stretches over 70 miles and whispers tales of shipwrecks, pirates, and treasure.

It is also the home to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. With 248 stairs, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in North America.

Unfortunately, we missed its opening by two days. Two days. We considered staying but knew we had to press on.

We built sandcastles along the Atlantic’s edge.

And found seashells.

And filmed another kettlebell workout.

And watched sunsets.

I hope the boys always remember how much we love each other.

And our silliness.

You can watch the sunrise over the Atlantic and the sunset over the sound.

Wright Brothers National Memorial

A little over 300 years after The Lost Colony, the Outer Banks claimed another first.

The first flight was made by Wilbur and Orville Wright at Kitty Hawk. We spent the afternoon at the Wright Brothers National Memorial marveling how much world change hinged on that cold December morning in 1903.

It was inspiring.

See the white markers to the right of Thing Two? That’s how far the first three flights went – 120 feet, 175 feet, and 200 feet. The fourth marker is further out at 852 feet.

I found myself praying that our boys would share the same sort of camaraderie and friendship that the Wright brothers shared. I’m still waiting for that miracle.