Day 6 Smithsonian's/ relaxing (June 10, 2015)

On Wednesday the boys headed into DC on the Metro.  Gordon was super excited about going on a train.  The night before during dinner prayer he prayed about going on the train.  They first went and got tickets for Carter and Dave to go to the Holocaust Museum after lunch.  They went through the kid area of the Holocaust Museum with the boys and then headed to Air and Space Museum and then had lunch.  Jessi went and picked up the boys cause they were done and Dave went on to see the different Smithsonian's at the Mall with Carter.

I stayed with Sarah at Loretta's for the day.  We went to the park, and walked on the nature trail and then say a deer.  Then Sarah saw a stream and decided that she wanted to go swimming in it.  After lunch we were able to go to the neighbors pool and go swimming.  We headed back after the boys got home and relaxed with them and watched a movie.  We eat dinner and then the kids went on a walk and went home with Connor and Nicki so that Dave and I could head to New York City for 2 days.  After they left Jessi and Carter drove us around the area and saw BIG homes and then we drove by the CIA buildings.  With us slowing down and taking pictures we had a cop followed us around the area until we left; which made it for a fun adventure.  We are so thankful for Nicki and all that she did to help us see DC and take the kids so we could celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary.  Jessi for letting us have one of there rooms and making dinner for us and picking up the boys in DC and Loretta for opening up there home and taking us early in the morning to the Metro so we could head to NYC.

Day 5 Exploring Washington DC with our superb tour guide (June 9, 2015)

On Tuesday we headed to DC...Jess and her boys were going to met up with us later.  But Sarah wanted Samuel to come with us so she had him sit on her lap and they were ready to go!  We got up and got going and were on the road about 815.  Nicki drove us around DC and dropped us off if we needed.  We drove into DC on Tuesday so we could see lots of different places.  We first stopped at the Washington Memorial; Jonathan was really excited about seeing the memorial and really wanted to go up the Memorial.  Well we got to the ticket line and I didn't think we were going to get tickets for the day...but we got tickets for 330.  Jonathan couldn't wait and he asked all day if it was time to go up the memorial.  We then headed to Thomas Jefferson's, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Martin Luther's Memorial, then to DC War Memorial, World War II Memorial.  The kids like to play in the water at the different memorials...it was fun to be with Nicki and Jess.  And have Connor and Samuel along for the day.  Then we headed to the Vietnam War Memorial; the little boys stayed with Jessi and we walked down along the wall.  Then we headed up to the Lincoln Memorial which is one of my favorite.  Dave really enjoyed the World War II Memorial.  Then we had a picnic in the grass at the foot of Lincoln's Memorial.  Then we finished the Memorials with the Korean War Veteran Memorial.  We then headed to Arlington Cemetery to go see the changing of the guards which was pretty cool and very hot.  It was a hike up to the guards.  Then we had just enough time to get to the Washington Memorial to go to the top.  Jonathan was so excited that it finally was time to go to the top. By the time we got there, the little ones were done.  When we got tickets we almost had to get 430 tickets but the ticket lady made a mistake and figured it out when we stepped forward to get tickets.  SO we were able to get 330 tickets which was a tender mercy.  It was really cool to take the elevator to the top.  Sarah was very leery about going to the top of the Memorial.  It was cool to see all the different views of DC.  We then headed to the van and Nicki drove us around to the White house and The Mall.  Then we headed back to Loretta's to eat and hang out.  The kids were excited to be back at the house and to jump on the trampoline and play outside.  It was a great long day.  The kids did really well.

 

Gordon really liked standing on the back of Jessi stroller so he didn't have to walk!

On the way to the Lincoln Memorial Henry enjoyed collecting sticks on the path.

Connor and Sarah were buddies

Done...waiting to go up@

 

Cousins are the best!  Henry, Sarah, Connor, Gordon and Jonathan

 

This little guy was a trooper!