Best. Vacation. Ever.
Really. Our trip to D.C. was above and beyond anything I could have imagined. It was the perfect blend of rest and silly and history and learning. We had just come off of weeks and weeks of being sick, the busiest time of year for David, and the end of school. We had so much fun being together, and Washington D. C. is such an amazing place you just can't get enough of it. David and I are learning that our kids are really, really good travelers. I took almost 250 pictures and I've hardly even browsed through all of them, but I can give you a few highlights.

So much silliness in the car. A word to the wise: do NOT let your kids learn the fact that the skin on the back of your elbow is called your weenus. Especially on a vacation when you are a) traveling in a car or b) supposed to be showing respect for buildings or artifacts. All you will hear is "Quit touching my weenus" or "Your weenus is really stretchy" and then peals of laughter. I'm sorry if I've just ruined your opinion of my children, but I'm keeping it real.

Heading up the steps to the Lincoln Memorial is a little engraving that is not marked, is well-worn, and is not noticed by most passers-by. It is the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his "I Have A Dream" speech. Because it's not roped off and people can walk on it, it is hard to spot and hard to read. However, of all the things I saw in D.C., including  the Declaration of Independence and the flag that inspired "The Star Spangled Banner" this was the absolute highlight of my trip. Here are my three children, standing on that very spot. It reads, "I Have A Dream. Martin Luther King, Jr. The March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom. August 28, 1963." 

The most breathtaking sight. It is awe-inspiring.

David and me at Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home. 

Eating lunch in the cafeteria at the Department of Agriculture. Surprisingly awesome.

No caption necessary.

At the new MLK, Jr. memorial. A carving of him stands in the middle, and on either side is this vast circular wall, carved with several of his famous quotes.

David lined them up this way. Aren't they cute? On the National Mall--most of which was under construction. No matter when you go to D.C, something will be under construction.

Lily kept saying how thankful she was that she didn't have to cut the heads off chickens in order to eat them the way they all did "back then." Always thinking, that girl.

Michelle Obama's dress that she wore to the Inaugural Ball. It. Is. Awesomesauce.
Plus they have the jewelry she wore and her Jimmy Choos! 

Carver soooooo wants to be F.B.I.

Outside the National Archives Museum. Most of the places we went to didn't allow photos inside, so we
hammed it up on the front steps.

Colonial Williamsburg. He went on and on about how glad he is that we don't publicly humiliate our
prisoners anymore. I have no idea why that was such a big issue for him.

Atlantic Ocean. Zinabu would not get out. We literally had to drag him to the car when it was time to go.

Civil War battlefield. Because you have to do that at least once in your life. They were awfully good sports because it was 95 degrees and 150 million percent humidity.

The White House. The flag on top means the prez is in da house! 

I am incredibly grateful for our time away and for the experience of visiting such beautiful and historically important places. If anyone is planning a trip to D.C., let me know. We learned a lot and we were able to do most of it pretty cheap. The only thing we let slide was researching good places to eat. We just ran out of time. Most days we made our own breakfast and packed our own lunch, and we grabbed dinner wherever we could. And yes, my kids complained that we walked too much and looked at too much history and asked if we were almost done.... BUT, they never complained for very long, and they wore sneakers so walking didn't bother them in the least, and they made it through each museum just fine. They enjoyed most of what we saw, and what they didn't enjoy, we hope they'll come to appreciate it as they grow older.