Slice of Heaven

Bull Run and Halloween

This post is way late, but I've been very busy lately and haven't had time to spend posting. Anyways, I still wanted to include something about our fun Halloween/Camping weekend in Manassas, Virginia at Bull Run Park. We camped with some friends from church (Ray & Genia and kids, and Rhonda & Gene and kid). It was a beautiful weekend, and nice to do something different for Halloween. We brought along costumes for the kids, carved our pumpkins at the site, and did a scavenger hunt for candy instead of trick-or-treating. It was very low key and was amazingly easy!

In the above picture, from front left to right is Leah (a queen) and Bay (Spiderman with a cape). Next row behind is Eric (a sorceror), Elliott (face painted as a tiger), Grace (face painted as princess) and Ian (a robber-without his robber mask)

This picture is for my and Genia's friend, Holly, who drew this picture on a piece of canvas long ago, and gave it to Genia for us to have the kids color while on a camping trip sometime. Finally we did it and they enjoyed working on it throughout the day. Thanks Holly! I hope your ears weren't twitching on Saturday, 'cause we talked about you while we colored it :)

Saturday morning Dennis and I took our kids to Manassa Battlefield. Dennis grew up with the battlefield literally in his backyard, so he thought it was really neat to come back after so many years and see it with our kids. I learned a lot about this battle while at the park, and can't wait until Eric studies the Civil War in school to get into it a little more.

WARNING: HISTORY CONTENT AHEAD....

The First Battle at Manassas was in 1861 and was really one of the most monumental battles of the civil war because going into the war, most people had a romantic view of war, and really thought it would all be settled in this one battle. Instead, it marked the beginnig of the bloodiest battle the United States has ever fought. Stonewall Jackson also got his nickname during this battle...soldiers were asking where their commander was and someone said, "There stands Jackson like a stone wall" and so the nickname stuck. He was brave and fought on the front lines with his men.

Pumpkins lit up...the great thing about carving pumpkins while camping, all the mess is already outside, and you can just leave them there when you go!

Hanging out in the park near the Old Stone Bridge.