A Christmas Surprise in Colonial Williamsburg

What an unbelievable life I have had already!! First my puppy siblings and I are saved from the shelter by AGA and then I get named Lou Who. Next a nice man drives a long way to meet me and then we drive back to his city, Williamsburg, VA, and I get a new name, Sotheby. Dad keeps telling me about my new brother and sisters but I have to wait to meet them in a special surprise.

Mom and Dad set up a history-based hunt with the kids and I was the gift at the end! It was awesome!! Savannah (8) almost cried when she realized that I was hers forever, and Piper (6) thought Savannah had wished me to them. My brother Cole (11) simply couldn't believe it. It was a great day and I'm the luckiest girl in the world!

Here's how the hunt worked. My parents are SO smart!!

There were 18 clues in all which took them from the Capitol in the East end of Colonial Williamsburg, to the Palace in the West end where they "found" the "present" that Santa brought for them. Some of the cards were green and some were red. The red ones each had a letter on the back of the clue. At the end of the hunt they had to put the letters together.

• #1 What is the name of the Queen inscribed on the Capitol? (Queen Anne)
• #2 What flag flies above the Capitol? (British Flag)
• #3 When was Sheild's Tavern established? (1745) Red clue: S
• #4 Where did the Burgesses meet to call for the Continental Congress? (Capitol)
• #5 What is hanging outside of James Craig's store? (a gold ball) Red clue: o
• #6 Where can you find a barber pole? (the wig maker)
• #7 What is the sign of the cabinet maker? (a chair) Red clue: t
• #8 What does a cooper make? (barrels and casks)
• #9 What fuel does a blacksmith use to bend metal? (coal) Red clue: h
• #10 How many sides does the magazine have? (eight)
• #11 What is the name of the shape of the Magazine? (octagon) Red clue: e
• #12 How many shoes on the shoemaker's sign? (four)
• #13 How many pears on the trees in the sign next to the saddle shop? (42) Red clue: b
• #14 Where did the colonial people go to worship God? (Bruton Parish)
• #15 Who is the famous boy buried in the cemetary? (Matthew Whaley) Red clue: y
• #16 Go to the school named for this famous boy. Find your next clue by the bench in the front.
• #17 The school named for Matthew Whaley was built on the grounds of our 1st Royal Governor's home before it burned. What is the name of this royal place? (the Palace)
• #18 Go to the home of our 1st Royal Governor and seek the princess with the red bow waiting for you at the Palace. Put the letters from the backs of the clues together in the order you found them, before you go so you will know whose name to call out for at the gate.Princess ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ (Sotheby)SHE will be your next clue!

There is a path that the locals take to go between Matthew Whaley Elementary and the Palace. The family started down that path and the kids are yelling, "Princess Sotheby...Princess Sotheby...." When they got to the clearing in front of the Palace, a nice lady from Colonial Williamsburg came running down the Palace Green with ME. I was the princess!!

Thank you, AGA, for saving me! I am so happy to hear that all my puppy brothers and sisters have found amazing homes for the holidays too. What a wonderful world it is!