Washington, D.C.

We're only six hours from Washington, D.C. I've been considering the idea of taking the boys for quite awhile. Initially, I only wanted to drive into Mt. Vernon and take them to Homeschool Days at George Washington's planation. Last year I didn't go because Cade was so little and it sounded too overwhelming to do by myself. This year I just couldn't pass it up. Tom was able to take a day off work and we went for a long, but really jam packed weekend. I have thought the boys were really too young to do the whole D.C. tour. It's so much walking and I figured they'd appreciate it more when they were older. But, I didn't want to drive six hours and just do one thing so we committed to hitting the high points in D.C. We studied all about what we would see before we left so the boys would have an idea of the significance of what they were going to see. We arrived Sunday and toured the Spy Museum. The boys had a challenge as they went through the museum in which they had to act like spies and figure out clues and such. Overall, it was pretty fun and interesting. On Monday we went to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The boys were so excited about this place, as they should be. It was so cool to see different animals and gemstones (the HOPE DIAMOND!) and the boys got to see the narwhal exhibit they had been waiting for. We then met up with their dearly beloved Auntie Jenny and she was our own personal tour guide. We went to the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, World War Two Memorial, Korean Memorial, White House, and finally we went to the Smithsonian Museum of American History just to see the first flag of the United States. I could have stayed in that museum for a long time but we were all so tired we decided we'd just have to do it another time. We had dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill which is a bit of a popular D.C. restaurant and then back to our hotel. Tuesday we drove to Mt. Vernon to tour George Washington's plantation. It was pouring down rain and freezing so we didn't get to experience it quite as I had hoped but still had a wonderful time. The grounds are beautiful and we toured his mansion and saw Washington's tomb. We happened to be at the right place at the right time and Tom got to be the person to lay a wreath in the tomb during the wreath laying ceremony. It was a very moving experience. George Washington wasn't a perfect man but he gave birth to freedom in our country and we are thankful for his service and courage and his faith. We drove home extremely tired but we had a wonderful time. The boys did fantastic and loved each minute of it. I hope they always love learning as much as they do now.

The boys assumed and had to memorize a false identity when entering the spy museum.

James Bond's Car

I told Cade to be serious and well behaved because "he's watching you."

The vintage toy cars on display in the Spy Museum were Cade's favorite

Aiden and Auntie Jenny working hard to crack the code.

Gazing at the city. It took Sage a bit to acclimate to the sights and sounds of the city. He warmed up slowly and had some apprehensions but soon found he loved it.

The White House at Night.

The architecture in the city might have been my favorite thing.

Cade loved the Nemo and Dory fish.

Finally, the long awaited Narwhal exhibit.

Holding a Narwhal tusk.

How tall are you compared to the tusk of a Narwhal?

The boys watched a tarantula eat lunch.

Tom was so excited to see a Black Widow Spider and a Brown Recluse Spider

World War Two Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Four score and seven years ago.....

I saw Jenny twice this year!!! It was so fun so see her in D.C. and let her show us around.

This was a difficult picture to take. We tried.

Dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill. The place had cloth napkins and table cloth and Cade took off his shoes and socks and tried to climb under the table. We're still working on manners. 

We were lucky enough to stay right downtown D.C. at the Mayflower Hotel, just 4 blocks from the White House. It was beautiful and it was so nice to be within walking distance of just about everything.

This tree was planted in the late 1700's (I forgot the exact year) by George Washington. 

I'm not sure if photography was allowed inside the mansion or not. I snuck this one picture of the dinning room.  Colored paint at that time was extremely costly. This green was a sign and symbol of wealth. The details in the rooms of the mansion were amazing and beautiful. It told a story of life in the 1700's. There was an original bassinet that one of Washington's grandchildren slept in. It was in the room where the baby was born and it was beautiful. If only the walls of the house could talk.

Washington's tomb.

Tom got to lay the wreath in the tomb and the man heading the ceremony let the boys go in for a picture. The weather was so cold that's all the pictures I have. We want to go back when we can actually experience a day in the life on this plantation.