Jamestown(e)

For those following our descent into vacation, I'm glad to report that today was a vast improvement over yesterday. The kids are feeling somewhat better, and Grace has decided that she now feels well enough to enjoy her surroundings with only an occasional shriek.

This morning we ventured over to the Yankee Candle, uh, store. Actually it's referred to as a "village" in their literature, and that's probably more accurate. Needless to say, it's not the dinky, stinky store we're all accustomed to in our local indoor shopping mall. There were animated characters, candle dipping, a couple of small restaurants, and a real live Santa. No crap. They had an employee who looked JUST LIKE SANTA. I'd never seen a better Santa in my life. I was checking the dude's boots for reindeer crap I was so convinced.

Grant and Grace loved the place, and it was an easy way to kill a couple of hours. Unfortunately just before we were to leave, the employee of the popcorn store gave Grant a sample of cheese popcorn. We're not sure if he got a little kernel in his throat or just a big mouthful of "cheese dust" but he started his usual hacking and gagging. Erin got him to the parking lot before she caught a handful of regurgitated cheesy corn. She caught the second batch in Grant's removed shirt, so Grant had to wear a winter vest back into the village while we checked out. It was a good look for him.

I'd like it noted that this is the 2nd time in 2 days that Erin has successful caught Grant vomit without a single drop of spillage. She's really becoming a pro. And let me tell you, if bile had a sexy odor, she would be a S-E-X-Y mama. Yes, sir. (And for those of you who are wondering, no, Grant doesn't have some sort of stomach disorder. He simply begins gagging and hacking whenever he tastes something he doesn't like, and this usually leads to spewage. It's been this way his whole life, and unfortunately, it seems to bother everyone but him.)

This afternoon after naps, we went over to the Jamestown Settlement, another Virginia "living history" museum. In an effort to create confusion, there is a "Jamestown Settlement" with a replica of the fort and Indian village, and there is a separate national historic site called "Historic Jamestowne." Apparently adding the "e" to the end makes it boring for kids, with nothing to look at except a bunch of signs that say "sick people trying to keep Indians from killing them lived over in those bushes once." I found the actual site interesting, but I had to do it at 35 MPH to keep the family happy.


For dinner we went to a place called "Food For Thought." This was highly recommended on Tripadvisor, and we heartily second their endorsement. Erin had potroast, and I had Jamaican jerk chicken, and both were full of flavor. The side dishes were excellent, and we had a wonderful helping of bread pudding for dessert. Do yourself a favor and bypass the 600 chain restaurants on U.S. 60 to try this place if ever in Williamsburg, as it was well worth the trip.

We're now getting the kids ready for bed, and we couldn't be happier that today went so much better than yesterday. Grant did pee his pants when we tried to go to a playground after dinner, but given the variety of bodily fluids Erin has endured in the past 48 hours, wet jeans didn't seem so bad. If neither of these kids bleeds from the eyes between now and the end of this vacation, I will consider it a hearty success.