We got close enough to Warrenton, VA for a reunion with foster daughter Karen, her husband Glen, their daughter Kelly and her four-year old, Adam. The last family reunion Kelly was able to attend in Murphys was in 2004. My first time to meet her son. (Their daughter Sherry and granddaughter, Penny, couldn’t make it on this day.)
For travelers with children, Winchester has a great spot for kids and adults. The Pedestrian mall in the historic district of Winchester has no cars, wonderful shops and restaurants, tree-shaded walkways and benches. Adam, under Grandpa Glen’s ever watchful eye, has decided the flowers need watering and he needs a flower in the cup to water it. He must have seen mom put flowers in a vase.
Trying to grow big like Grandpa.
What I thought was really cool about being out and about with a very active four year old and still get to visit, was the discovery center. We girls and Adam headed in one direction while Jim and Glen headed for the Civil War Museum, both on the same street, just blocks from each other.
The building is kid proof, has a king snake and live fish, art projects, play dough by the bucket full, Indian bark houses, everything imaginable to capture a kid’s interest. Adam loved dressing like a medic, taking his patient in the wheel chair…
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Putting his patient on the ambulance gurney and checking her vital signs.
Without any instructions at all, he knew to use the radio, make a siren sound and drive his patient to the hospital.
We were having fun watching Adam and didn’t stop and get Jim to take a picture of all of us. Darn. When we entered the building, the clerk asked if we were sisters. We told him yes.
Adam climbed this tall ladder to a bunk bed and then realized it is different coming down. It didn’t take him but a few doubtful seconds to figure out he had to turn on his tummy to retreat. A very smart kid.
Adam climbs a wall.
Adam was delighted when his mom did too.
All of us had to see what we looked like in the silly mirror. It takes a kid to get you to play.
We didn’t know he would need a swim suit, but his cut-offs worked fine to cool off on the Splash Pad. He loved it and didn’t want to leave.
We rejoined the guys and Adam and I investigated the Do Your Own Pottery at the Polka Dot Pot, but it was not within the realm of a four-year old. The owners were great. They patiently explained to him how they make plates and dinnerware and how they melt a bottle into a dish.
This is a shot of the walking area of the mall in one direction, it is equally long in the other direction. Just a lot of good stuff to see and do here. We found the Red Fox Creamery and stopped for good old-fashioned ice cream.
Then we headed back for the car, just a block from the mall, a big covered parking garage that only charges fifty cents an hour to park your car in the shade. Such a deal. And, crossing the country in a Motor Home doesn’t always get you exactly where you want to go, especially in congested city areas in the East. I’m so glad it worked out for us to have a suitable meeting place, like the Moose Club, and one fun day together.
