Spring Break 2013: Washington D.C.

Spring break.  Don't you just love spring break?   We honestly haven't really experienced spring break since before Andy and I were married.  The military doesn't really have spring break.  Having a week off from life's routines was nice.  We decided to go down to Maryland to visit Andy's brother, Corey and his family.  It was a perfect chance to see the D.C. sights and also visit a little town in VA where we will be spending our summer!

Our first weekday there we drove over to VA to visit Bechtel, where Andy will be working for the summer (about an hour drive, w/o traffic, from Andy's brothers house).  I am really looking forward to living so close to DC and am excited to explore the area.  Andy met with the Bechtel for a few hours that day, while the kids and it just tried to have fun and kill some time.  We hit up the local Target, drove around the shopping center and had some frozen yogurt.  It would have been a little easier to explore had it not been pouring rain.  We made the most of it though!

The following day we just spent some time around the house, went to the outlet mall and even did a little indoor s'more cookout.  The kids really loved cooking the s'mores but I think the parents enjoyed eating them.  My kids ended up just eating marshmallows and chocolate.

Here are the kiddies patiently waiting for the s'more fun to begin!  Noah and Clare and Brooklyn played so well together.  So well, in fact, that I am sure the neighbors below them were probably happy when we left! 

On Wednesday we planned our little day trip to D.C.  This was my first time to D.C. and I was really looking forward to the trip.  We started out, and pretty much spent the day, exploring the National Mall.  I honestly can't wait to go back and see more.  This will definitely be another fun place to take our family and friends who decide to come visit :) 

The cherry blossoms were starting to bud but hadn't bloomed yet.  I am sure we only missed them by a few days or a week.  Hopefully one day I will be able to see them in full bloom!  

There are so many museums in this area and almost all of them are free!  As I said before, my kids love the museum.  This will be a perfect place to go on long summer days. 

Our first real stop on the National Mall was the Museum of Natural History.  This museum is incredible.  So big, and admission is free!  The kids (Noah especially) loved every minute. 

We saw fossils of dinosaurs and all sorts of prehistoric animals.  

I always look at these things and think of how incredible it is to imagine that they even existed on the earth.  It makes me even more grateful that I live on the earth at the time I do.  I wouldn't have wanted to come face to face with one of these guys! 

The favorite part of the museum was definitely the Ocean exhibits.  Anyone who knows Noah, knows how much he loves sharks!  It is his new obsession and he was so excited at the idea that he might get to see one.  

There obviously weren't any living sharks, but they did have a really neat aquarium and we had fun looking at the fish.  Noah loved that they all looked like fish from the movie Finding Nemo.

Oh our way out we found this little hammerhead (Noah's favorite shark) in a display case.  He was a tiny little guy but Noah was SO excited that he got to see a shark.  It made his whole day. 

Last stop in the museum was the mammal exhibit.  Kids love the mammals...tigers and lions and bears, oh my! 

Whew.  Not even half done yet, friends. 

Next stop was a little walk over to the National Aquarium.  I didn't even take pictures because the place had such awful reviews and we didn't even pay to go in.  We were mostly looking for a gift shop and a place to buy Noah some toy sharks, which we did. 

D.C. was such a clean city and it was so fun to walk around.  I felt like it would definitely a place I would be comfortable taking my kids during the week and I look forward to that.  Andy and I joked about how I looked like a total tourist with my backpack and camera.  I embraced it and had a blast.

On our way out of the Aquarium we stopped at this little place called the White House, ever heard of it?  

Next up, and my personal favorite, was the Lincoln Memorial.  I have always wanted to visit this place and was certainly not disappointed!  What an incredible place and a very special experience for me. 

I honestly can't wait to go back.  I want to sit on the steps and have a picnic in the summer :)  I want to go back and learn more about this place and its history.  When I see places like these it makes me so grateful to be an American. 

Looking out of the Lincoln memorial, the view of the Washington Monument and the Capital are really beautiful.  

Lastly, we stopped by the Korean war Memorial.  The day, overall, was a fantastic day for me and I was so glad to be able to see so much.   

If you haven't been to the east coast, I would highly encourage a visit.  There is so much history here and so much to see.  I am never bored.  I am so grateful to live in such an amazing country and grateful to be sharing this adventure with my little family.