#29: Christmas Wagon Ride

On Friday, December 28, my husband and I went to Acquibob Farm in Chesapeake for a Christmas wagon ride.  It's located off Tyre Neck Road in Western Branch.  We made the mistake of turning onto Saunders Lane and stopping at the first house.  We were warmly greeted and even got half-way inside their house before we realized that we had totally crashed some one's retirement party!  After wishing them "congratulations," we quietly made our exit and continued down the long dirt and gravel road to the farm. The road was lined with Christmas lights and I knew we had reached the right spot when I saw the stables.

 When we got to the large barn, we were greeted by Judy and Curtis who informed us that it would take about 10 minutes to hitch up the horses.  They wanted to see if we actually came (because they've had no-shows) before they got the horses all ready.  We waited in the large barn and this is my husband's "I-can't-believe-you-dragged-me-out-here" face. 

 

At first, he wasn't as excited as I was to go on this adventure.   Truth be told, I think he was nervous about the horses.  You see, my Jersey boy husband has never touched a horse before.  He had no idea what to expect with this "wagon ride."  I didn't either, but that's part of the fun! (And yes, he's wearing a Virginia Tech hat with a University of Virginia hoodie). 

 While we waited in the barn, I saw this sign.  I didn't know they were doing a coat drive too.  If I had, I would have brought some extra coats to donate. 

This is the barn where we waited for the horses.  You can see the wagon in the middle of the picture.  Yes, I should have zoomed in.  I can only hope that my photography skills will improve the more I write this blog. 

Judy and Curtis got the horses hitched up and we were just amazed at the size of the horses.  Simba and Prince are Belgian horses and weigh 2000 pounds each.  When I first saw them, they reminded me of Clydesdale horses, but not nearly that big.

The wagon ride was not what I expected.  I thought the farm and the field would be all decorated with Christmas lights.  The only lights and decor I saw was on the stables and on the road leading up to the farm.  However, what we experienced was so cool!

We got in the wagon and Judy drove us around the field.  We were lucky to have a moonlit ride and saw all the cows and horses on the farm.  As we were coming back to the barn, we saw a mama cow and her "newly born" calf.  Judy and Curtis told us that the calf had been born in the last 3-4 hours! Riding in the wagon under the stars and being out in nature, reminded me just how lucky we are to live in Chesapeake. 

When we returned to the barn, we thanked Judy, Curtis, Simba, and Prince.  Here's documentation of my husband's first horse-petting experience:

He's so excited that he's even thinking about taking horse riding lessons!  If we do, I'll be sure to document it here on the blog.

If you'd like to take a wagon ride at Acquibob Farm, here are some helpful hints:
1.  Call ahead to reserve your day/time.  (Note: I won't post their contact information here.  You can Google it)

2.  Dress accordingly for the weather.  It was less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit when we went.  I wore shirt, jeans, tennis shoes, coat, scarf, gloves, and 2 layers of socks.  I'd recommend wearing long underwear if you have any.  

3.  Pay for your ride in cash.  I don't know if they take other forms of payment, but cash is always best in these situations.

4.  In my opinion, these rides aren't for toddlers/little kids.  It seems like they would get tired, bored, cold, or some combination thereof.  However, you know your kids best, so make your own decision. 

5.  They offer 2 types of Christmas wagon rides--on the farm and through the surrounding neighborhoods--ask about each one when you make your reservation.

6.  They will be offering rides around Valentine's Day (day and evening) and tractor-pulled hayrides in the fall, so if you can't make it out to the farm by the end of the year, you've got options!

Final Review: Acquibob's Christmas wagon rides are a great way to escape from the holiday craziness.  Take a break with your family, your sweetie, or just yourself and enjoy the outdoors for a bit! 

#47: Use Recycling Perks (Part 1)

First, I want to thank everyone who has liked the "My Chesapeake List" Facebook page.  I'll be using it with this blog to keep you all informed and entertained of my adventures over the next year.  Please feel free to share this blog and the Facebook page with your friends and family.  Let's see how fast we can spread the word!

Next, I want to give you an update on the list.  After I created my list, I realized that I needed to plan it out.  Some of the ideas will need to be completed on certain dates (i.e. Wine Festival is October 12, 2013).  Others, such as Great Dismal Swamp Adventures or outdoor concert at Towne Place Greenbrier, will need to be completed seasonally.  Then there are others, like walking the Western Branch Park Trail or dining at a restaurant, that I can do anytime.  I''ll have to be organized to make sure I get it all done by December 24, 2013! Most of the festivals are already on my calendar and there are few that I need to call and schedule.

Finally, I wanted to start my blog on a simple note.  Trying to come up with a list of 50 things to do in Chesapeake is challenging! I was scouring the City of Chesapeake's webpage and going through the A-Z Citizen's Guide (located under the Residents' section) when I came across the Recycling Program.  My husband and I just moved from a one bedroom apartment in Greenbrier to a single family home in Western Branch.  We love having 2 trashcans and a recycling bin! No more long walks out to the apartment dumpster! Yay!  With all the unpacking we've been doing, we have made real good use of our recycling bin.  The only challenge for us has been remembering which week to put out the recycling bin.  Luckily, we have awesome neighbors who are on the ball, so we just follow their lead!

Chesapeake has a Recycling Perks program that is so easy to use! First, you create an account at www.recyclingperks.com.  After you activate your account, you'll be asked to provide some basic demographic information and to register your recycling bin's identification number through the website.  You earn points by registering, referring your friends and family, filling your recycling bin, and putting your bin out on the curb for pick up.  Currently I have 175 points on my Perks account.  I cannot wait to use them! They have a variety of shopping categories to choose from and a lot of them support small businesses in our community!  Doing your part to help the environment + supporting local businesses= SCORE!

Later this year, I'll write about how I actually use those points.  Maybe I'll even do a series about them?  Only time will tell :)

P.S. I'm also working on #49: Read a book about Chesapeake history.  Last night I ordered A History of Chesapeake, Virginia by Raymond Harper from Amazon.  It should be here in early January! 

The List

It's Christmas Eve and I'm already thinking about New Year's resolutions.  I've never kept up with them in the past, but I know I'm ready for a change.  My hope is that this blog, its followers, and my family's and friends' support will keep me accountable. 

I've attempted blog writing before, but have found that unless one has a specific focus, the blog is difficult to keep going.  My goal with this blog is to document my experiences with a variety of activities and events in Chesapeake.  Coming up with 50 things to do in Chesapeake was challenging because it is not one of the "big" tourist destinations such as Norfolk or Virginia Beach.  I used a variety of websites from an extensive Google search, my own ideas, and the City of Chesapeake's webpage to create my list. 

Here is the list I came up with while sitting at my kitchen table this morning.  I may need to tweak it as the weeks go by, but I think most of the activities/events will remain the same.

1.  Sing in the Chesapeake Community Messiah Production
2.  Enjoy a show at the Chesapeake Planetarium
3.  Do a Night Hike at Northwest River Park
4.  Attend the Chesapeake Wine Festival
5.  Attend the Waterways Heritage Festival
6.  Go through Bergey's Breadbasket Corn Maze
7.  Attend the American Indian Festival in June
8.  Attend at least one part of the Chesapeake Jubilee (concert/fireworks?)
9.  Take a trip with Chesapeake Fishing Charters
10.  Bike the Dismal Swamp Canal
11.  Take a golf lesson
12.  Travel Chesapeake's Civil War Trails
13.  Go to the Chesapeake Veterans Memorial
14.  Hike the trail at the Chesapeake Arboretum
15.  Go on Great Dismal Swamp Adventures
16.  Play putt-putt at Lunar Mini Golf
17.  Go to the Flea Market at SoNo
18.  Have a sunset dinner at Amber Lantern restaurant
19.  See a band perform at the Eagles' Nest
20.  Eat at Grandpa Joe's for breakfast
21.  Eat at Terebinth Patisserie and Bistro
22.  Enjoy some seafood from Wickers Crab Pot
23.  Have tea at the With Flair Tea Room
24.  Make my own wine at Carafe Wine Makers
25.  Go to a class at Portlock Galleries in SoNo
26.  Have a session at the Float First Flotation Center
27.  Walk the trail at Western Branch Park and Sports Complex
28. Dine at Amory's Seafood Restaurant
29.  Go on a Christmas Wagon Ride
30.  Attend a Community Garage Sale at Harbour View Self Storage
31.  Attend the Battle of Great Bridge
32.  Participate in Novel Nights at the Central Library on September 21st.
33.  Attend a craft class at Michaels
34.  Take a home improvement class at Home Depot
35.  See a "classic movie at Cinemark Movie Theaters (Wednesdays at 7 pm)
36.  See the Met Opera perform
37.  Attend the Fall Open House at Gum Tree Farm
38.  Buy fresh produce from a community farm/market (Clarke Farm)
39.  Go antique shopping
40.  Attend an outdoor concert at Towne Place Greenbrier
41.  Attend a school play/musical/concert
42.  Have a Mary Kay booth at a craft show
43.  Play Bingo for a charity event
44.  Attend a City Council meeting
45.  Ride Ghost Train at NW River Park or go to haunted house/ghost tour
46.  Go to Parade of Homes/Home Expo
47.  Use Recycling Perks
48.  Attend a paint/pottery class
49.  Read a book about Chesapeake history
50.  Volunteer/contribute to a non-profit organization