Baby Goes to Washington

So we met my family in DC a few weekends ago when they came out to visit. We embarked on our second annual trip to view the Cherry Blossoms!

Many of the family had never rode the subway. I am now an expert at the DC system, don't even have to look at the map anymore (can't say the same for the NYC metro).

We came up Smithsonian station, right on the mall.

We saw the White House, getting ready for the Easter egg roll later in the weekend (I have got to try and get Theodore a ticket next year!).

We saw the new WWII Memorial (well, newish).

The Lincoln Memorial (I made it up all the steps.  C-section pain has subsided).

The Korean War Memorial (one of my favorites-really makes you think about the soldiers).

The often overlooked Memorial to "The Great War"

And finally the Cherry Blossoms!

This year the Tulip garden was in full bloom.

Matthew got this great shot!

It was a fun day, and exhausting! My family had driven the night before, so they were dragging by the time we got back off the subway at our cars. But we made it home to the hotel in time for the basketball games.

Day Trip: Cherry Blossom Festival Part 2

I dragged Brian out of bed early Saturday for the second trip to DC in as many weekends. We had some unfinished business from last weekend. With the promise of Cinna-bun at a rest stop along the way, he was out of the house a little earlier. We went through Baltimore this time, rather than going 896 through Annapolis, and ended up facing an awful lot of traffic due to construction, congestion, and rubber necking.

We parked at a different park and ride this time (Greenbelt-no pay for parking on Sat/Sun), and it was absolutely packed. Luckily we already had our metro cards. We took the green line into L'Enfant Station and started our day at the Air and Space Museum. We picked a few exhibits to view-my favorite was the planets exhibit. I actually know a lot about them through the Mars Educator trainings I attended in Arizona, and could converse pretty well with Brian. I can't really compete with his knowledge, considering he was able to see Saturn through a telescope at one of his own trainings. A very powerful telescope. Could see the rings and everything, said it looked just like the pictures.

We then looked for lunch-an almost impossible task. The plan was to eat at that museum b/c they boasted of having a Boston Market, that was actually only two different meals beside the entire McDonald's menu. Brian didn't want this, and we finally decided to go to the cafeteria in the American History museum. We rested a bit on the lawn while deciding this, and Brian made fun of my Arizona weakness for cold as I huddled in three layers and a hood in while other mall walkers past us in shorts. It wasn't so much cold as windy.

The cafeteria in the American History museum was really quite good, though of course overpriced. We took in a few exhibits there. I really liked the kitchen of Julia Child's. In the bon appetit exhibit they have all of her actual kitchen, with all the gadgets on display. In the Science in American lives, Brian noticed a few scientists he has heard speak. Many of the most popular exhibits were packed, and we were pretty exhausted, so we stopped at the Stars and Stripes cafe for some ice cream. Overlooking a fountain and some beautiful architecture, I loved my butter pecan while Brian enjoyed a root beer float. I was really impressed by the ice cream.

We then made our way back to the cherry trees to see how they had survived the big storm and the windy days. The sun was going down behind the Washington Monument. They were on their last day of peak bloom. Still beautiful.