Gettysburg

This is Dave's birthday weekend! We celebrated with cake and presents last night (and a nice breakfast out in the morning-just the two of us....AND a Tarheel win in the afternoon) and then today continued the celebration with a trip up to Gettysburg.

We couldn't have asked for better weather! It was amazingly beautiful, with just a bit of a crispness in the air. The fall colors were just emerging and the views, especially from the hilltops, were gorgeous. We hadn't been there before (except Nick, who went with Scouts) and are so energized to go back and spend more time. It's only about an hour and a half drive from here! The only downside of the day was that because of a big commitment she had yesterday, Alyson wasn't able to go with us. Instead she stayed home and figured out the coefficient of variation....(I have no idea what that means...)

We saw a film on the battle, viewed the incredible cyclorama, and explored the museum before heading outside. There are 10 square miles of park. We drove a lot, walked a lot, and even hiked.

I'm not going to put a lot of narration so I can get the photos loaded tonight. If you really want to know about it all, you'll just have to come visit us and we'll take you there. :)

This is the High Water Mark:Looking out over the open field. The Union soldiers were lined up where we stood, looking down at the Confederates at the far tree line.Little Round Top:Wedged in at Devil's Den:There are over 1300 monuments and memorials at the park:Eagle eye view from the top of a tower:

Joshua took on a big task at the park. He wanted to become a junior park ranger. He had a lot of requirements to fulfill--both inside the visitor's center and outside at the various areas of the battlefield. He (and we!) sure learned a lot while he completed his requirements. Here he is showing the fruit of his labor. He got a junior ranger patch and a certificate. It was a wonderful day and a fun way to spend a birthday, I think! :)