Today was quite the day...good and bad. We started out by going to the National Zoo. Honestly, it was a little too cold for the zoo (and we knew rain was on the way), but the kids really wanted to go, so off we went...determined to see as much as we could!
We got to see a tiger, some lions, some pandas, lots of birds, and reptiles, and many other animals. But, since I know you've all seen zoo animals before, I'm going to post some pictures of the kids instead of the animals...although if I put up monkey pictures next to the kids...could you tell the difference? Just kidding...I think.
Oh, one funny thing before the pictures (although I don't have a picture of this)...the kids giggled the most at the "Naked Mole Rat" exhibit...there's actually a rat named "Naked Mole Rat" and they're very entertaining critters...really. I don't mean the 'name' of the rats is entertaining (well, maybe alittle)...but they were in tubes...fighting over corn, scurrying over each other and walking backwards alot...and well, it was entertaining. Seriously funny stuff. No? You don't think so? Sorry, back to the kids...
The good thing about going to the zoo in December is that you have it almost completely to yourself. The bad thing is that it's cold...and then when it starts to rain, it gets very cold...and miserable. Thank goodness the kids didn't complain too much even though by the time we left, we were all wet and shivering. In the end, the kids were happy they had gone, and that's what mattered most!
After we left there, we were finally headed to the National Air & Space Museum. On the way (and alittle out of the way at times), we were able to see a few more places that were on my list. I had really hoped to walk and see these places up close, but because of my tired aching legs the rain, I've settled for some pictures from afar. Oh, and due to the rain, some of these are hazy.
We saw the Capital Building...
The Supreme Court...
and the Library of Congress...
We also saw the House and Senate Offices, and some other significant buildings, but right now I can't pick them out of my hundreds of pictures, so maybe I'll post them another time.
So...we finally arrive at the Air & Space Museum, find a parking space really close to the entrance, and off we go! Remember how I talked about how the day was good and bad...click here for bad - it had to do with parking.
Our first stop in the museum was McDonald's for lunch. I mean, really. You haven't really had McDonald's unless you've had it at the National Air and Space Museum, right?
After we got our bellies full, we started on the first floor and worked our way up to the second floor...we saw nearly every exhibit in the museum. There were lots of planes...full-sized and models, tons of hands on stuff for the kids, some great art, some touching stories, fascinating information and well, it was just SO much! I couldn't begin to show it all to you here, or even remember what exactly all of these pictures represent, but here are just a few of the hundreds of pictures from today...
Maybe once we're back at home I can really sit down one day and identify exactly what's in all these pictures, but for now, I'll just say it was awesome...and fun...and something I'd love to do again when I have about a week to really read and appreciate all that's included in the Air & Space Museum.
Lastly, I've tried to make sure that I am included in at least one or two pictures each day (do any of you have that problem..taking all the pictures and never being in them? I think it's a Mommy thing...). Not that I like pictures of myself...but I would like there to be evidence that I actually went on vacation with my family...so today, when I realized there had been no pics of me, I asked a museum employee to do a family picture of us right before we walked out of the museum. Here we are in front of one of the Apollo vehicles that landed on the moon (the very sweet employee didn't quite wait for everyone to smile, but I'm happy with it!).
So, that was the end of our site-seeing for the day. Just a few minutes after that fun family picture, we started this adventure. You'll get a good laugh by reading all about our van being towed! After we finally made it back to Julie's, she ordered take-out for us (thank goodness), we ate...then I soaked in a long hot bath, and everyone settled in to watch "Night at the Museum 2".
Well, everyone except me - I kicked my feet up in bed, grabbed my laptop, and wrote all about our fifth day of vacation...sigh. We're just having so much fun, I can't believe it's more than halfway over. We're loving spending time with Aunt Julie - who has made this trip very special, seeing SO many fun, wonderful, incredible things (and constantly noting all the other things we want to see and do but don't have time for), and really making some memories with our family that will last a lifetime.
So...until tomorrow and yet another adventure..Love, Rose
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