4th of July in Washington DC

We had the opportunity to visit with our longtime friend Jim this last weekend in Washington DC. After coming to visit us in April, we made the trek of about 6 hours to stay with him in his 24th floor apartment. Needless to say, the boys (and I) were in awe at staying on the 24th floor! It was a wonderful view, with big glass windows and the subway literally running almost right near the apartment building.

We arrived late Friday night, when Jim took Niels and I out on a driving tour around the DC area. (The boys stayed with Calinda and fell asleep)We saw a lot of the major sights that evening, and surprisingly there was hardly any traffic!

The next day we headed out to go to the Washington Monument. On the way there Jim asked if I wanted to see the Holocaust museum. I said sure. We got there and it ended up being a 3 hour thing. 4 floors, a couple movies later the boys especially were done in there! It was a very interesting and educating experience but probably was a bit too much for the boys. Jim later said to me that he didn't realize how big it was! Neither did I! But I will say that it is an experience I will not soon forget! You couldn't after what they show you in there! No pictures were allowed in that museum.

Did I mention there everywhere we went there are security checkpoints? And that first day I had a huge leatherman multi tool in my purse from our trip to Nashville for my horse clinic? Good thing Jim is working for the government! He had his credentials so it ended up not being a problem but boy am I glad he was on top of that one!

After the holocaust museum we went to the Washington Monument. Since it was the 4th of July they had security set up there as well to get in. We got in at 4pm and there was barely a seat then for the fireworks. We checked out the monument and I admired the group of 4 mounted policeman, trying to figure out what breeds their horses were. There was no way the boys were sitting there until the 9:15pm fireworks start so we headed out for dinner. We ended up getting a yummy buffet at the Marriot Hotel.

After this we went back towards the fireworks area and then decided we didn't want to go through security again and fight the crowd. So we stayed out on the street to see the fireworks. We sat for about 2 hours (watching tons and tons more people come in) and then it was showtime! The fireworks were so pretty! A great display. But in the boys' late nights and lots of walking combined with the noise, they asked to leave after the first 5 minutes. It was SO loud you could FEEL the blasts through your body. Out on the street, we were next to some federal buildings and the sound was just bouncing right off them back through us. It was very intense! So we headed back to the subway and went home to put the boys to bed. Lucky we left when we did. The fireworks only lasted 15 minutes and the train was super packed when we got on! I can't imagine what it must have been like after they were over!

On Sunday we headed to church in the morning which was nice. It's always fun to go to a different ward yet have it be the same! Then after that we headed to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, VA. There we found all sorts of cool airplanes and space shuttles! This was Niels' and Christian's paradise! And Aricin's torcher! Aricin kept asking after the first 5 minutes (and every 5 mintues after that) if it was time to go yet! I haven't seen Niels so happy as I did there. He was like a kid in a candy shop! We even found the plane that Niels' dad had flown to train in in the Air Force! That was very special to Niels and we got a picture of him with it because his mom has a slide of Niels' dad with the same plane 50+ years ago! I'd love to compare the two!

On Monday Jim had to go back to work so we were on our own for the last day of our trip. On Monday we went to Arlington National Cemetary, The Lincoln Memorial, The Capitol building, the Supreme Court, and the Library of Congress. Each one of these places you could easily spend a day or more in and we did them all by 2pm! The armed guards at the Capitol building are a sight to see! One was nice enough to pose with the boys for a picture (Aricin was a bit scared of him). And those were just the ones we saw! Jim says there are snipers all over that you DON'T see. And I totally believe it. The police presence in DC is phenomenal. Every major department has their own police sector.

The whole time we were in DC Aricin toted around a small stuffed cat that looks like our black and white cat Jasmine. If you check out the slideshow you'll see it more than once. I think it was his gumpy in the crowded city. The boys have definitely been raised in suburbia, and this was radically different for them. Christian seemed to take to it very well, and Aricin, well I think it was a bit scary for him.

We ended up getting home at 11:30 or so Monday night. It was a great weekend where all of us learned a lot about our country's history. I can't think of a more fitting place to have spent the 4th of July. Hanging out in our Nation's Capital! We would love to go again and see some more!

Aricin, Niels, Christian, and Jim enjoying a hot dog from a street vendor right before we went into the Holocaust Museum.

Niels, Jim, Christian and Aricin in front of the Air and Space Museum
They boys with the armed guard at the Capitol. Check out the size of that gun!

Niels and the boys in front of the T-33A, Shooting Star. The plane Niels' dad trained and flew in while he was in the Air Force.

They boys at the Arlington National Cemetary. I never knew JFK was buried there but we saw his grave. We didn't have time, but I'd of loved to have gone to the Tomb of the Unknowns. There is a guard there 24/7.
The boys on the subway. Christian is settling in well, and Aricin, well look for the kitty!
At the Lincoln Memorial. We got the only picture with the 5 of us!
A video of the fireworks / Christian's tour of the Air and Space Museum