We celebrated Abby's 4th Birthday this weekend in conjunction w/ Culpeper's Remembrance Days. She really wanted a Stonewall Jackson party. Knowing that there would be an encampment at the museum in town, I scheduled it for the same weekend so we could combine the festivities. Aside from the terrible rainy weather on Sat. it worked well.
Friday night the kids dressed up and we visited the encampment. We had the place to ourselves and got to help as they lighted candles in the oldest house in Culpeper which is on the museum grounds. The kids got to touch all of the period children's toys and see the camp set up. On Sat., Abby had her soccer team pictures and we ran a thousand errands. We spent the rest of the rainy afternoon making hardtack and getting ready for the party. Patrick took the kids back to the encampment when there was a break in the weather so I could work out. On Sunday, the weather cleared and it was a great day for a get together on Heelen hill. Bubby and Grandfather showed up as a wounded soldier and his nurse! Abby was facinated w/ Grandfather's white whiskers he grew just for the party. Popa and Nana came all the way from MD.
Our neighbors also came and joined in the fun, donning Civil War attire and old fashioned games and music. We made two tents for the north and the south and decorated flags for each. The kids made drums, churned butter and baked apples over the fire. They also got to fill a haversack w/ soldier essentials and try out Abby's hard tack. I was exhausted before it all began but everyone seemed to have a good time, especially little Stonewall "himself!"
Click on the picture above to see more pictures from the party.
