Washington DC

Cousins!!!!!!!!

No travel destination beats cousin time! The one thing about traveling is the people are the same every day, whether we like it or not we spend 99% of our time with each other. Of course, this is one of the great things about traveling but occasionally a familiar face other than your siblings or parents is much welcomed. Luckily we have cousins just outside of DC who invited us over for the night. I don’t think there could be a better group of smiles than these kids together. Their time spent wasn’t long but they had enough fun for an entire week. These girls were the highlight of Washington DC and that says a lot. The bird was also a highlight and the adults had a great time as well although no photos of our lovely snapshots together for evidence. Our kids are already asking when they will see their friends next, such sweet memories to make while on the road.

Cupcakes and the much-anticipated ZOMBIE frappuccino

Colette loves watching DC Cupcakes and specifically requested we make a visit. It was worth it. Very hard to decide on one flavor but the cupcakes were super yummy! We later learned this spot, Georgetown Cupcakes often has a line around the block seeking out these sweet morsels. On the gross side of sweets, the girls found out the Zombie frappuccino was coming for Halloween. We have a long story about missing the Unicorn frappuccino, and I have never been forgiven. I waited one too many days and by the time we tried to get one they were gone! Oh my! You would’ve thought the world ended! Well, it didn’t and we even survived to see the Zombie come to life. Commercialism at its finest right? I had one sip and that was enough for me, I think it was caramel apple, mixed with some blood-like concoction of chocolate. Two of the kids made it through the massive sugar intake and Lennox did not but this was probably a good thing. I wonder what the next limited edition holiday drink will be.

Zombie Frappuccino

Zombie time

Ahhhh…. will they turn into Zombies?

DC Cupcakes aka (Georgetown Cupcakes)

so hard to make a decision

Yum Yum!!!

where is the camera?

Dreams come true for Colette

Sienna saved her cupcake for later

National Air and Space Museum

It blows my mind that only a hundred and some years ago humans began to fly. It’s been a blink of the eye in time from wood flying machines to supersonic jets and space travel. Who could have imagined this progression? The Air and Space Museum is phenomenal, It takes you through the entire history of flight and the planes, rockets, and spacecraft on site are amazing to see. There was an entire room dedicated to the science behind flight and hands-on experiments. The kids also had an amazing lesson on the principals of flight which they still talk about (lift, gravity (or weight), thrust, and drag) Much better than anything I could teach. We are so lucky to have these beautiful museums to preserve our history and it is even more astonishing that they are free of admission.

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Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

We discovered that there is not just one Air and Space Museum but a large annex as well! The annex is about 45 minutes outside of town and holds the Space Shuttle Discovery. Matt had to see it, so before heading to our next stop, we went. I have to say it is an incredible experience to see the enormity of the shuttle knowing it traveled out into space many times. When we were kids, space was everything, we remember watching the launches, they were a big deal, the Challenger disaster was a poignant moment in our adolescent lives. Discovery beyond our planet, the adventure, and exploration of space captivated the world. I like most other kids wanted at one point to be an astronaut and even convinced my parents to let me go to Space Camp! Needless to say, when you stand in front of this monster of a spacecraft all the memories from those times come back, it’s almost like I could feel each launch I viewed and the exhilaration of lift-off. Ok, maybe we’re just old space nerds but it was pretty cool. Of course, the museum had lots of other amazing aircrafts, including an SR-71 Blackbird and the Enola Gay, definitely worth the short drive and a visit.

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National Gallery of Art and Sculpture Garden

Art is everywhere and along our travels, the kids play games trying to spot the next piece of art. It makes me smile as I think they are learning to appreciate art and the stories it tells. In each city we visit there are usually multiple galleries, studios or museums I want to go to but I’m also realizing going with a four-year-old is sometimes more stressful than not going. So maybe this trip will be more about discovering cool street art I don’t have to worry about a little man with ninja moves destroying. Saying that we did make it into the National Gallery of Art East Wing, we had a good 30 minutes of enjoyment before I felt the million dollar paintings began to be at risk. It is a beautiful place filled with amazing art, I will return. The Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden was a better space for wild kids and had great pieces so we enjoyed this especially with the amazing weather we had in October.

Museum of Natural History

This is one of my favorites, and the kids as well. We had such a great day here I didn’t take many pictures. You can view prehistoric creatures, animals of today, mummies, and one of our favorites gems and geology. We watched a great movie about our evolutionary relatives, lead by one mammal everyone on earth is related to, a Juramaia (which was similar to a rodent). We were fascinated by how many colors and beautiful structures can be found in nature and I missed it but when Lennox went to see the Hope Diamond, in a crowded room of people oohing and ahhing he says loudly, “What? that’s not a very big diamond!” and everyone busted out in laughter.

and a few other shots to top off our trip

We loved Washington DC. I could’ve stayed here 2 weeks because there are so many amazing things to do. I already want to return. It is ironic because I really despise the politics of this city, but somehow when you are surrounded by the history of our nation and the great people who contributed to what we have today I have to look at our future with a positive regard and believe great things are to come and will continue.

National Zoo

We were lucky to stay in an Airbnb just a 15 minute walk to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Colette’s favorite animal is a panda and she has been so excited for our stop in DC so she could meet her spirit animal. Bei Bei did not disappoint her, she actually gave us quite a show. She climbed up a tree, out on a branch which I was afraid would break with her weight, then did some type of flip roll on the branch before settling then getting down. So fun! She stole the show at the zoo but there were many great things such as the Zoo is FREE, it’s also a beautiful place to walk through (an Arborist’s paradise) and of course the animals are amazing. We were lucky to be here just before Halloween so we were able to see decorations for Boo at the Zoo.

Colette loves sea turtles almost as much as pandas

animal sculptures always Lennox’s favorite

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The National Museum African American History and Culture

We weren’t able to secure tickets for this museum before our stay in DC so we tried the 6:30 am same day tickets, the type fast and cross your fingers method, and it was successful!!!! The tickets are for a specific time so at 2:00 we were able to enter this amazing building after staring in awe from the outside. It is one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen. The architectural scale and lines themselves are brilliant on their own but when you see the iron texture, so ornate yet modern it makes a perfect package. Once in the museum you make your way to an elevator/time machine that slowly lowers you below the ground. The ride down is meant to take you on a journey back in time to the beginning of slavery. The ride down also sets the tone, which is decidedly heavy. But as you start to walk up and out of the basement, you move forward in time, to a more positive future. To say this is a solemn heavy exhibit does not do this part of the museum justice, it is a heartwrenching journey and slowly you walk the path through time and progress. I will say it was not easy to take the time and appreciate as much of this part of the museum with 3 kids along. We were here in the afternoon, which means we had probably already walked 4 miles. The kids don’t understand the enormity of this time in history and I was really conscious of not wanting to interrupt the experience of others. All in all we did the best to give the kids the basis of history while taking in what we could but I will definitely plan another adult only visit in the future. When you came above ground to the other levels of the museum you were embraced by African American art, music, culture, sports, community and so much more. Amazing exhibits and experiences, we only scratched the surface, imagine everything from Chuck Berry’s Cherry Red Cadillac to Jesse Owen’s track shoes. Overall, this museum is truly an incredible journey and a must see if in DC.

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The National Mall

Colette had a different vision of “The Mall” but I hope she ended up loving this one even more. We made our way to as many memorials/monuments as we could manage and each one is amazing in its own right. All possess such grandeur while also being welcoming and accessible to all which is remarkable. To wander through history and glimpse at the icons and events that molded our country is a moving experience. My favorite was the FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) Memorial, such a beautiful natural space which told the story of Roosevelt and his 12 years of the presidency from the Great Depression to World War II and Elenor’s contributions to human rights. The dog even has a statue! We also were able to tour the Capital building. The rotunda at the Capital takes your breath away, such a beautiful space. At the Washington Monument, which is closed for renovation, the kids were sworn in as Junior Rangers which is always a cool experience for them and a proud moment for us. The program is amazing and I think I learn as much as they do doing the workbooks. One thing about visiting Washington DC is take great walking shoes, I think we averaged about 7 miles a day! That makes a good nights sleep especially for the little ones.