Fun Times with Grandparents!

It's always such a delight to have family visiting, especially our parents. The kids love to soak up time with their grandparents! They always treat us to dinner, the kids' choice usually being Red Robin. Noah and his bottomless root beer floats!

Another favorite - playing cards with Grandma.

And more cards!

One day while the kids were at school my parents and I headed up to Valley Forge. It was a gorgeous day and we really had a wonderful time! We picked up a CD from the gift shop that we played while we drove and we learned all about the events that took place here during the American Revolution. First stop - the Muhlenberg Brigade Area.  The area consists of nine rebuilt log soldiers' huts and a reconstructed redoubt.

Next we visited the National Memorial Arch. This was erected to commemorate the arrival of General George Washington and the Continental Army into Valley Forge.

Actin' silly!

The Pennsylvania columns.

The Anthony Wayne Monument. He was a big wig in Pennsylvania and was a member of the Pennsylvania Convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution. During the encampment, George Washington relied heavily on Wayne's leadership. Wayne's duties included recruiting replacement soldiers and providing clothing for the men of the Pennsylvania line.

The Unknown Soldiers Monument pays tribute to all the unknown soldiers buried at Valley Forge.

We spent some time checking out Washington's Headquarters.

The information on a sign near this statue of General Washington: "The Father of our Country wears his military uniform but carries a civilian walking cane rather than his sword, which has been set aside. He stands by a farmer's plowshare, a symbol of his love of peace and agriculture. He rests his hand on a bundle of rods called a fasces, a Roman symbol of civil authority. Here, the thirteen rods represent the joining of the original states and the strength gained from that unity."

This is the flag that flew over Washington's headquarters. "It symbolized the 13 colonies united in what then seemed a hopeless struggle for independence."

Also known as the Isaac Potts House, the entire home, along with some furnishings, was rented to the General and his military family during the 1777-1778 encampment.

Soldiers of New Jersey Monument.

We felt like we had stepped back in time for a few moments when we ran into these guys!

Artillery Park.

General von Steuben overlooking the Grand Parade where the soldiers would drill! He personally demonstrated the steps to the soldiers during training and was quite the colorful character.  While at Valley Forge he initiated progressive training for troops, new and more efficient steps for handling firearms, and improved camp sanitation. He earned George Washington's trust and respect and was given the commission of Inspector General in the American army.

And me with the Grand Parade behind me!!

The Waterman's Monument, Valley Forge's first monument. It was dedicated in 1901 by the Daughters of the Revolution of 1776 to all soldiers who died and were buried at Valley Forge and was erected near a headstone at one of the supposed burial grounds.

The Daughters of the American Revolution also had this reproduction of a soldiers hut erected.

A statue of one of our favorites, Nathaniel Greene.

The Washington Memorial Chapel which was built in 1903 to serve as a tribute to George Washington and his service to our country.