A history lesson... Creamer style!

Saturday we headed to Hempstead for an annual Civil War reenactment
(You can find more info. HERE).
I'm usually not into such things, but Doug and the boys were really excited and I didn't want to spend a minute away from them this weekend, so I tagged along. I'm really glad I did! The trip was very educational for all of us and we had a great time, too.


I really loved the camp sites.
They were true working camps and everything in them was authentic.

It was really amazing to see how these folks lived.
I think it was a real eye opener for the boys!

The smell of the campfires and chicken and dumplings cooking over an open flame was right up my alley! I think I could rough it here for a week or so.

The battle was just amazing. There was a narrator over a loudspeaker who described everything that was going on. It really helped us to understand how these battles took place.

Kyle was shocked to see how they "took turns" shooting at each other. One line loads and fires at the other. The dead and injured fall, then the line advances and takes their turn to shoot. When the lines get close enough then it's hand to hand combat with bayonets.

The boys were also shocked to learn that young men their ages were among the soldiers there. This dedication to God, country, and willingness to die for what you believe is right is so lacking in so many Americans to day (despite age) and makes me very ashamed of what we've become today. I'm very thankful to these early Americans for their sacrifice and I hope to instill such a love for God and country in our boys.

When the battle was over we strolled through the vendor markets. There was homemade root beer, lemonade, ice cream, and candies.

A medical tent where the war injured were treated (I'll spare you the gory pictures), music from the 1860's, and blacksmith demonstrations:

They also had demonstrations on soap, broom, and furniture making.
And fiber arts such as weaving, spinning, quilting, and sewing:

The handmade clothing was my favorite.
Oh how I wish I had a little girl...

I totally squealed in delight when I came across these bonnets!

And yes, I DID buy one!

Outside "The Ladies Parlor" the ladies of the day were having a meeting complete with tea and cookies. Oh how I wanted to sit with them and discuss the topics of the day....and wear one of those FABULOUS dresses!

Instead, the boys wanted to hit the food carts. If you've ever wanted to know what a 'Tater Twister' was, here it is just seconds before it was completely devoured!

They even had the original 'General Lee' from the show 'Dukes of Hazard'. I made the boys stand in front of it for a picture even though they had no idea what it was. You see, I was a child of the 70's and I totally had a thing for Bo & Luke Duke!

We came home smelling like campfires and gunpowder and were completely exhausted! It was really a lot of fun and led to some great discussions on the way home about the true cause of the War Between the States and what it means to be true to yourself and country. I'm really hoping to make this an annual event in our family.

Maybe next year we'll see you there!