We began this trip by flying to Newark, where Mary picked us up.  We enjoyed a week with them and had the opportunity to spend time with the children, since they were on half-days the beginning of the week.  Also, William was ill and we were able to stay home with him while Mary and Randy worked. 

It was also very nice to be with them for Thanksgiving.

  

We were surprised how much the children had grown.

 


They were also beginning to enjoy the Christmas season by looking at the ornaments on the tree and wearing their Santa hats.

 

We even gave them some of their Christmas presents early.

  

 

After a wonderful week with them, we took the train to Washington, DC.  Although it was cold there for us, we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon walking around the monuments.  First was the Jefferson Memorial.

  

Next we walked to the relatively new FDR Memorial.  It was a rather large memorial, with beautiful waterfalls and statuary, some representing FDR and Eleanor, and others representing events of his presidency.  An example of the latter is the statue of men standing in line during the darkest days of the depression.



 

The Lincoln Memorial is always impressive, as is the view of the Washington Monument from there.

  

The Vietnam Memorial is very moving.  We were able to find the name of Major Richard Elzinga, the son of  friends of ours. 

    

We were also moved by the statue of the soldiers and nurses of the Vietnam War.

     

The newest monument is the Korean War Veterans Memorial.

 

  

We spent the next day in two museums, the National Gallery of Art and the Museum of American History. In the National Gallery  we were especially glad to see some of our favorite Vermeer paintings.

  

In the Museum of American History, Elizabeth was especially interested in the quilts and  clothing and Don spent a lot of time at the computer history exhibit.  We had intended to do more sightseeing the next morning but it was too cold and windy for us to get out.  So we spent a leisurely morning in the shops in the hotel and Union Station before boarding the train to Williamsburg.

Nancy took us to see Carter's Grove, which showed the slave's area as well as the great mansion built there.

 

The interior of the mansion was warm and decorated for Christmas, but it was cold outside!

      

In Williamsburg we saw the Governor's Palace and the Courthouse. 

  

Every building there had  the traditional Christmas decoration, wreaths of all sorts.

 

  

 

We did enjoy some of the other sights of Williamsburg as well.

 

 

Elizabeth enjoyed seeing the spinning of the wool into thread.



As part of the Grand Illumination celebration, there were performances by four Fife and Drum Corps. 

   

The grand finale of the Grand Illumination was the fireworks.