I learned a lot on this trip. I can't bring myself to call it a vacation. What with the two VBS and all the sight seeing, I
need a vacation now. I slept in until after 8:00 this morning. That didn't happen the whole trip!
More Lessons Learned
Important lesson number one:
Any more than 6 outfits (6 bottoms/6 tops) is superfluous. Not necessary. You can come up with endless outfit combinations. If we can survive with only 6 on vacation, why not just 6 for life? (can you tell I am in my post vacation purge mode?)
Important lesson number two:
Field trips with kids are a whole different ball game than field trips with just 2 adults. Kids need breaks. Kids need rest days. It is not profitable to cram your days full from top to bottom.
Washington DC
Have I mentioned how excited I was to tour our nation's capitol? Maybe it goes without saying.
I have been to London-twice. I have been to Ottawa. I have been to Amsterdam. I had not been to DC. But now I have.
The best part for me in any big city is seeing the sights. I love to walk or bike around a city, just soaking up the atmosphere, architecture, and history.
I would recommend visiting the Air and Space Museum. There is a lot to do and see. Lots of technical stuff and history. Having been to the Henry Ford, and the Flight Museum on Love Field in Dallas, I have to say that this blows both of these out of the water.
We dipped in at the Archives. We will definitely go back there when the kids are a bit older and can appreciate it.
The Natural History Museum was a bust. I am not a fan of ANY natural history museums that I have visited. I hate being inundated with evolutionary propaganda. It irritates me. I did enjoy seeing the Hope Diamond, as well as the Deep Oceans Exploration movie.
Here is a whole lot of pics. Rest assured-I left a whole lot more out. (Like 24 out of 108)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMq-nREIpBM-nRpykdCKpm5Ne6F-Ub3IVXw9OAZJy8c4350J4D6-PZq_wX5tC94OrO5eKlKQjBKdSFYSOZqbiDUhK8_FWPb8qkFDXnPwobnO55RsckqUZnneVeZgVIE5J2NWAKLW_uBrfg/s1600/IMG_3422.jpg) |
National Archives |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibW14Gt6aVPEUJDKd8AMxU-bNx-7e068iboQfOON64i3ItPyNyNuopnn4T-xtSbQRhMsINM9-LQshYK-j2aK2TfQHA2OmM-_ChrB6ZBj58F4Tfrys29ngD4ishWSpSzDAh9jdMbYVH4Gkx/s1600/IMG_3426.jpg) |
Elephant at the Natural History Museum...Henry??? |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6w3FqFvD-fudVkgLtvCm3WTsCBU-4Osvmyc6Dw9L-hPKFYcflF1mVD-GDLpyaBlfK8GV7414u4ZW11vpE-R77qGkkhUqhNzJgPMYeGiyF71m9-UeER7bTNzhkWNfQq9uCRQomjXlD1XrE/s1600/IMG_3430.jpg) |
Smithsonian Castle-who knew? |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwRx84JwxAj1pz1LD1782zDf7jUKfF5eDj_68qPFSdGpGtQ5uToFYge44lfAic1waOQcAsLUpYVrfhnO6vWlKf_VaLHhojySXT7mQZknAmbodtWdl0RgWc0gRlFyfoOYwKdG1sIDopMsm/s1600/IMG_3435.jpg) |
Yay for women! WWII monument |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3KCkNYseepF29iZ3EKXohmvB_ThMJIP9O-R5NHMeg48Yiq5tHIB7CkUXpacvNR7cLqXi4fhrom5Rwqe0R4i_GrvfUcMIhHZMmAQymTvXCPOO3tSphyOGIUso7BzzFqoC2fEQ6B4_cJg-/s1600/IMG_3441.jpg) |
I tear up at monuments |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAZTMpOgrfTL4EdFpClYeBDaV6HGxkm7fzN3aNxl_e9k0wEslmDII5v0rl0g7Hh6vbDslHzLjmcnZguTiojf4p8HARtGEqQxabBfR70TwZoWarbss9niMuwPKRC75-KWpfWdkhbBEppWK/s1600/IMG_3442.jpg) |
Meres dipping her toes at the WWII monument fountain |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemPit5L5JcCEmgGGLy-ZyLR7oAH8aUoTvzJ9K0Yix9tIw4MOipUVm0GwdekAxG1Kz2BoexGGp8G02Nu8yRfxOXQHigG-FIjWPe_gbVt7G07qITqYsgn2fDDeDQYB3OgtE7aCT9QPd7jAF/s1600/IMG_3445.jpg) |
and the rest of the gang |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP4JwToQ_RJ87II_aB4cQWHNsuVDfeZ3B9jhkLbyitzOVGIzKuRMtzpZHiuY6RC2mgCUhZR7Fjq4vFEq9vuDwvniw_VLPTM9jEf0s1amE6ZluIJ5xA4cmfX22IELt_zrd5gMgDMkh-UeQp/s1600/IMG_3446.jpg) |
awesome structure-closed for earthquake repairs |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49XHYnHkL7oB7F65HNveXgwtP9qj320-DRrUDV-ovCZxinl1Hr-kwNsJ3op427nNBYknPyvo13L3x7_DhTanSsEDcb0c1m6a8W3kWDvgHyvmukyIJQyGbdVrE4PQkb5giMmDwAklW0dwq/s1600/IMG_3447.jpg) |
each star=1,000 lost American lives. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QfE7c4R3drDOHwOab3fXGn7IGVULKgSqlA7TUhC7fR5Ag2n7JMHYsJXyFD2YmRf-UlW0q5tVm7lgiLPImWmfmses2bb9xdRLeL8GChiLBW3RCIvigSZFSa69zZbqfS5yZeQWII5pyWT2/s1600/IMG_3449.jpg) |
what else can be said-except "thank you!" |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXGt86UN-ptJ0rZ1LaIGLQ4dA92b3R5nG4ZnzTK248Mg5koxDQbT0BA2c2B1Dq3uqbuusm2Kzr6NCJ62OGq5bHTrVGYR079QiJ3sFXG0P2kCP-zPpRbZRWJnOyZASXVLQjfffDGeWhx-N/s1600/IMG_3452.jpg) |
Lincoln Memorial |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpykoMZJzlJCeutymveewK_8iDOjGxFRyA6XBGZ0tLGAdKKxUj758Vmo943bK-_8OAKUmUIdpO36fCLZszkgzJWBJEYp7vSGb0jry1iApvKUsutkuoBcKBbfHKSg4ItrH6ag-GwDB957u/s1600/IMG_3458.jpg) |
Lincoln |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_yzcKZDOr9qiPiB6inWlqG1hbDiuULXAHYPeA-SxDEMuQQEVOTko7ValHjbCayzT9aMBy2Yx41PJO3cXwJdyXc5q8EokPpdus8a8uYaX3yXrAwN37qVd0co_VILmqo8IgtbEMXweviAx/s1600/IMG_3461.jpg) |
Washington Monument and Capitol Building |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0msRBsNxED2lB1GH9pOAlc4mkYrdfCEfqUWmMuRaRlpauJLlSCOiYcwfPIhhpzd-5-D04ien6xDITK3c4IRwomILBFN_sF6_bp9gGUGwzVo17XcGTqkuUzx85iamVzGcgmlKZUCJJZpXB/s1600/IMG_3463.jpg) |
White House |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLx-zelrq2gt8sgm7_awqlMOmzLnAs9jOba-tVPU8LZ2Go37SlVlWJ2GOI09zG_KE4ZbY6taZsLzMAy4LqPLpmBehsmVjqjV1TA8hDekfvSi0SFaQLkV4l-vg4j_6XD2r-G6vn6LKDpRHw/s1600/IMG_3464.jpg) |
Soaked because we got rained on as we headed towards our car. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGFYpyuXsrPIgTPl0eHe3ywQCj3-4Jc_1sCZYQKPOsqrxa-rXfpfxWeJAIXhG1SJ_cJxXyLidVowrLNrDarbevS4Kl4stoqkT2disnMTNXdfWTmWdReDX_bRmfDTb3GhSfIo1VIymL88t/s1600/IMG_3489.jpg) |
Majestic |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7NRkLWvT_r7NbszA0cupxKCjvRH7HxYSGq6smJli5AvKEK9W8oEuL6ogss3nHA4EJ-x77S12WFTHfhNL2LM-0AWce447MN1xVUU55zllbM16TZCM-Qa7-aUiHfhMS2s8jJ8Ov62zmGn7Q/s1600/IMG_3495.jpg) |
Back side |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgOA6m6mea4BVLdyPLzjuI8GfLTx7ITf2-Yku8HTs8in83ipPsGH2DeU1ioQPoPKrepzjV-9YzX4uApT7npRaGlgiIYrwwyMAlNoha_Kbj8rU2pjLrF_qWpBV8CR7AqW4iBra9m7rgUad/s1600/IMG_3497.jpg) |
hot and bothered on the steps of the Capitol |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1gjxTkSpeevrqbCZFZXOmTrd-97xNDRg3RHGXdnJfF1-0DTL2k3Y_okIfftu8JrDPv7vDFTalHf_Z6TZTBZXpbHwk8JFnqU8X9RndzThVKwSTE2z2TEI7uVkcCgNFkZL-xfdkb_Ln3v5/s1600/IMG_3500.jpg) |
Navy Memorial-good old MI |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkxgmzLbXnAxK7ejW5SJKeDvt_bBRy3DRAuhTA6lyHA0O0sj38ICPIfCVqToqOx2ZgkvQXgxIoablk9Hwq9Y1XALY_kZOnn4zqbOVr6Ons3hFuGm9dwEfYX0B-tOGb9qrFu5vjllymAGh/s1600/IMG_3513.jpg) |
Jefferson Monument |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJrqM4wzRoKa-GvN3H6n5TsTixNMoEB9qYN8I4Eg8d_EkKkeZhqDR1MBI61Ub0ai2G0xEsgO3E3X2G08gTq4F2ZHanHNDcLuqOjO_rq85uFGWvtOTx4w19k5A0V_ZfPGvvigp63VmRBATD/s1600/IMG_3524.jpg) |
Sunset View from Jefferson |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0jIwY1kOJq80acZc9MoLZd8GdB0u2z3t2dnunmGibBGpcBdt2wdqZ5gjV1JcQ9oo3ke9RsWMt8iEDtXaSDMaApL4s_9yHOz6-5I-Pf6y5RwZ6akYnSOywVZnPVf-TGSZyJPxBrTWTMoa/s1600/IMG_3526.jpg) |
me and the offspring |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin7Ivv6jbuUjJ8W3DK1WRDQMn5R_msgObTQgzps4aH1m1eIfK6Ea_FMVwRDa8DYau1YkXGPojgMcFD_H3m6CTCeS9xvT4fCQa97EiiQV-ZShDuvcaxwRZ01213MP9IAFfDhVPMiIYx2ROf/s1600/IMG_3528.jpg) |
Meres tuckered on the ride home yesterday. |
And, I can't wait to go back! What is your favorite part of DC? Is there anything you'd recommend that we didn't take in?