Washington D.C.

We went to Washington, D.C. over Spring Break last week, and packed many activities into our few days there.  In a moment of serendipity, we found a video at our library the day before our trip entitled, "Washington D.C. for Kids", which included information about 25 top sites in and around our nation's capital.  After watching it, L&L had a "must see" list, and after a brief stop in Richmond to drop off Winnie and see cousins/grandparents, we arrived mid-afternoon.  We decided to visit Arlington National Cemetery first, which was eye opening for the children:

Among the most powerful sites at Arlington National Cemetery were John F. Kennedy's gravesite and Eternal Flame:

Arlington House (Robert E. Lee Memorial) is in the background.

We caught our first glimpses of the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, and Luke was very excited.  The cemetery is beautiful this time of year, with blossoming trees and spring flowers covering the grounds:

The kids were awed by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and it was poignant to watch the soldier walking the mat as he guarded the graves:

We also showed the children where Boppa (my grandfather) is buried.  The last time Mark and I were at Arlington National Cemetery was for his funeral before L&L were born, and it was special to point out his burial site to our children:

We had dinner in Clarendon (a bustling commercial center in Arlington), where there are lots of shops and restaurants, and the kids were elated to be staying in a hotel that evening.  On Friday morning, we walked around the area near the National Mall and saw the White House:

Mark and I couldn't believe the number of police officers and additional security precautions surrounding the government areas, monuments, and museums.  We both grew up visiting Washington D.C. often, as we had extended family in the area (and I worked at the National Rehabilitation Hospital downtown during a graduate school fieldwork placement), and so we were amazed by the concrete barriers, police dogs, and armed guards everywhere.  (We later learned that a few hours after our White House visit, someone attempted to jump the fence, so we are thankful to have missed that drama!)

Daddy was excited to show us how tiny the Washington Monument was compared to him, and Luke and Leah enjoyed showing us where the brick color changed on the monument and telling us facts about its construction and history:

Next, we saw the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  The wall listing the names of soldiers who fought in this war is mind-boggling and never ceases to amaze me:

The Lincoln Memorial was a huge hit, and Luke enjoyed reading the Getttysburg Address that is carved into the wall:

Both kids posed with Good ol' Honest Abe, and were dwarfed in comparison to this giant sculpture:

We showed the children the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his "I have a Dream" speech, and this is one of my favorite pictures from our trip:

View from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial of the Reflecting Pool & Washington Monument.

On Friday afternoon, we visited the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where U.S. paper currency is made.  Mark remembers his family doing this when he was a child, but apparently he was too little to go.  So his older brothers came home with bags of shredded $100 bills that they bought as souvenirs, and Mark has had an unfulfilled dream for the past 30 years of owning his very own bag of shredded money (Yes, I married a finance guy).   All tickets for public tours of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing are distributed first thing in the morning at a ticket booth outside the building.  When we arrived on Friday morning, there was a sign stating that all tickets had been distributed for the day, and that there were none remaining.  As I walked back to the car to share this news with my family, I looked down on the sidewalk and there was a strip of exactly 4 tickets lying there, damp and dirty from people stepping on them.  After a close inspection, I realized that the tickets were for 12:30 that afternoon, and we were the luckiest tourists in Washington D.C. at that moment!!  So, we were able to use our "tickets from Heaven" to take an official tour, and Mark positively quivered with excitement when we entered the gift shop at the conclusion of our visit.  He bought 2 bags of shredded currency ("for the kids, Carrie"), and his Spring Break was now complete!   

Friday was a beautiful, warm, sunny afternoon, and we walked to the Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms and Jefferson Memorial:

We took advantage of the gorgeous afternoon to also explore Old Town Alexandria, where we got ice cream and walked around the historic area:

Afterward, we drove down the George Washington Parkway, saw Fort Washington along the Potomac River, and saw Mount Vernon.  By Friday evening, we were pooped from our busy day, and had a pizza and pool party at our hotel.  (The kids list "swimming at the hotel indoor pool" as one of their favorite parts of the trip!)

We recharged and on Saturday morning, visited the National Air and Space Museum, which is one of my childhood favorites.  The kids were amazed that there were "real planes inside the museum!" and loved touring the exhibits:

The Wright Brothers actual 1902 glider.

One very special part of the Air and Space Museum was locating the Air Mail exhibit and finding a picture of Representative Clyde Kelly, who is considered to be the "Father of Air Mail".  He also happens to be Luke and Leah's great, great grandfather, and it was really neat to see him honored here:

We chose to eat lunch from one of the many food trucks that lined the National Mall, and the kids were amazed at how many different choices there were for food "that is cooked on trucks, Mommy!".  There was Afghan food, Greek food, Indian food, etc!  Often, these little moments were my favorites of the trip.  We loved seeing the famous sights, but also want to expose our children to different parts of the world through travel, and show them life outside of our little "bubble".  Comparing urban life to our suburban setting was eye opening for Luke and Leah, and we loved watching their excitement with something as simple as the Metro as it whizzed by.

Next, we went to the National Archives, where no indoor photography is allowed.  In the rotunda, we saw the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.  Luke asked me to name the 10 amendments in the Bill of Rights and after rattling off a few, I was glad to have Siri to help me name the rest.  Thank goodness for "smart" technology!

On Saturday afternoon, we sat outside at a street cafe and listened to a street performer play his saxophone.  The kids were intrigued by the hustle and bustle of city life, and as Luke watched people place tips into the musician's open case on the sidewalk, he declared, "Well, I now have another job that I want to do when I grow up... be a street performer!".  We told him that he could practice in our cul-de-sac and see how that worked out for him.  What a hoot!

We drove down Massachusetts Avenue that afternoon and passed many of the foreign embassies, and Luke absolutely stunned us as he called out the correct countries by recognizing the flags on Embassy Row.  Some of the countries that he identified were Trinidad and Tobago, the Philippines, Columbia, Peru, and Bulgaria...  We then drove through Georgetown and saw the beautiful historic homes there.  On Sunday evening, we stayed with our dear friends in Arlington, and had a wonderful time visiting and catching up with them.  These Wake Forest babies just keep multiplying!

On Sunday, we drove back to NC and concluded our Spring Break adventures.  The trip was such a success that I started planning our next vacation in the car on the way home.  How fun to be at a stage where family trips are so much fun!