First Full Day

The kids in front of the Metro train.  It drove me crazy trying to keep EG away from the tracks!  Especially when a train was coming.  The temptation to lean over and look was soooo great!

Our Metro stop was just blocks from the hotel.  And it was a straight shot to where we wanted to go in DC.  No changing trains or anything.  All we had to do was listen for our stop.  Which just happened to be the Archives.

The Archive Building that houses the original Constitution, Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence.  Nature Girl is studying the Revolution right now so this was especially cool.  It was dark and cool inside to help preserve the documents.  No picture taking either.  Hubby was a little surprised at the condition of the Declaration.  It was almost impossible to read.  But, what can you expect from a document so old?  We did buy a copy of the Constitution to hang in our "school room."

Navy Memorial at our Metro stop. It helped us find our stop when it was time to go back to the hotel.

So many historical statutes.  I don't remember who this is anymore.

Absolutely loved this saying on the outside of the Archives building.  So true.

National Archives.

Art Museum.  I think it was West.  We didn't do both.

The girls in front of a picture they both liked.

Daddy and Boop.  I love seeing actual works of art by the artist that we read about!  Monet, Rembrandt and so many more.  The paintings look like reproductions.  So much so that hubby asked one of the guards if they were real.  It was amazing.  We brought EG in and she touched one of the hundreds of years old sculptures and got scolded by security.

Next stop the Capitol.

Little Mama took this picture.  It is one of my favorites.  I love the red leaves and the white Capitol in the background.

I had a thing for the Washington Monument.  This is the first of many pictures of it from all over the Mall.  This particular picture was taken from the hill in front (back) of the Capitol.

Love this picture too.  Boop contemplating government. ;)

Beautiful building.

Supreme Court.

Massive acorns we found while walking from the Capitol to the Botanical Gardens.  No wonder the squirrels were so big!

Botanical Gardens.  Was one of our favorite places to visit.  The plant life was amazing.  So much to see and learn about.

Wish my backyard looked like this.

At the entrance to the Gardens, each kid could get a "journal."  In the journal it told about each different section of the Gardens.  There was a dessert and rain forest and a medicinal section just to name a few.  The journal would ask questions and them look for a specific plant in each habitat.  It was kind of like a seek and find.  That was fun and educational.

They had a kids that was interactive.  Next to the gardening shed were watering cans.

The kids filled up their buckets with water from the pump and went around watering flowers that had not been water.  They had a great time!  I guess it is more fun watering plants here than at home.

Bamboo.  With paths in it.  I want this in our backyard.  So much fun to play in.  A natural fort.

They spent quite a bit of time watering the flowers.  Hubby and I sat and watched.

Orchids.  Lots of different types of orchids.

These orchids were about as big as a honey bee.

Another statute but I can't remember who.  Ulysses S. Grant??

Our lunch place.  DC hot dogs.

We went to the Native American Museum.  I had never been there before.  Lots of interesting stuff on display.

Air and Space Museum.  Boop was beside himself in wanting to get there.  Every time we left one building to go to another he would ask if that was next!

Information overload was happening.  There was so much to see and learn.

"Flying" a plane.

The other two "flying" a plane.  They learned it wasn't easy to keep the wings straight.

Some of the exhibits were just breath taking.

I took a picture of this to remind me what the requirements were for a flight attendant not so long ago. Under each flap was a requirement like "single" or "between the weight of 100 and 120."  I wish I could remember more of them.  They were laughable.  Of course, each one was legally challenged.

Planes on a aircraft carrier with folded up wings.

I think this is the Wright Brothers' plane.

On the stairs of the museum after a couple of long hours of soaking it all in.  It was 5 so it was closing.  I suppose we could have stayed much longer.

Walking back to our Metro stop.  The kids were exhausted and EG had had enough.  The big girls entertained her by walking and swinging her.

The view of the Capitol from our walk back.  We were about half way through the museums and monuments we had come to see.  It was hard to imagine getting up the next morning and walking some more.  But we did.  So, more pictures to come . .  .