Last week we took a whirlwind trip to D.C. so of course we had to learn all about it before we went.  The boys learned the preamble to the Constitution in preparation for seeing the real thing.  We also learned about each of the major monuments and made a 3D map of the Mall.

Obviously not to scale, but pretty darn good I think.  We learned that it took more than 100 years to build the Washington Monument, that the White House was not even finished and the yard was a mud heap when John and Abigail Adams moved in.  And we learned that the Lincoln Memorial has 56 steps leading up to it, a random fact that Cade reminded us of as we climbed to the top.  How he remembers stuff like that I have no idea.

Then it was on to the real thing with Aunt Alli, who was visiting.  We picked her up from the airport on Saturday night and woke her up bright and early the next morning to drive to D.C.  Not long after we crossed into Delaware, Alli commented on the small size of the states out here, “You blink and you’re in another state!”  Then about five seconds later we passed into Maryland.  In one day we hit New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, D.C. and Virginia! 

Our first stop in D.C. was the Jefferson Memorial which seemed to be everyone’s favorite, though for me the Lincoln is a very close second. 


Love this one!

You have to click on this one to get the full effect.  We don’t remember what Reagan was reacting to, but we know Levi was trying out his newly acquired skill of winking.  The girls are gonna go crazy.

Next was the Washington Monument


Yes, it is two toned, that’s not just my camera.  The lower portion is what they built before the the Civil War.  It sat unfinished for years after that.  We didn’t get to go up to the top because the Monument is closed due to cracks caused  by the “earthquake” last year.



Monumental Reflections

Stay tuned for Part II!