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Aug 11, 2008, We Are So Sad! It Is Time To Go Home.

This is it! The vacation is over and we are going home. We get up and shower and have a breakfast of cereal and sausage...and then the big packup begins!

We all pack and pack and pack...and then Michael loads and loads and loads...until the car is bursting at the seams and there is barely any room for us.

We drive to Lorton, Virginia, where we pick up the Autotrain home.

In the lounge car, relaxing after dinner and waiting for the movie to start we are stunned to see a majestic bald eagle flying around over a river. What a thrilling site!

After that we settle in and watch a movie, Kung Fu Panda...which I thought was going to be incredibly stupid but was actually kind of cute. The computer makes its rounds around the family as everybody checks their email..now finally back to me.

It is 9:11 p.m. and we are on the train relaxing. The kids are playing a card game, Michael is playing sudoku, and I am blogging. I am really enjoying the train ride...we will have to travel this way again.

I am also thrilled with our vacation. It was a wonderful trip...between the train and the camping and the length of time and the sights we saw....this one will be quite memorable for us.

Just to sum up what we saw while in DC:

The CapitolThe White HouseThe White House Visitor CenterThe Holocaust MuseumThe Peterson House (where Lincoln died)National ZooSmithsonian CastleSmithsonian Air and Space MuseumSmithsonian Museum of Natural HistorySmithsonian Postal MuseumUnion StationWashington Monument (to the top twice, once nighttime and once daytime)Jefferson MonumentLincoln MemorialVietnam Veteran's MemorialWorld War II MemorialGeorge Mason Memorial GardenBoy Scout MemorialBureau of Engraving and PrintingHard Rock Cafe Washington DCThe Site of the Battle of ManassasThe National Aquarium of BaltimoreB&O RailroadBaltimore Inner Harbor

Whew! What a list! There was still more that I wanted to see that we did not get a chance to...but I am quite satisfied with what we saw. It is impossible to see everything there is to see in two weeks.

Tomorrow it will be good to sleep in our own beds!

Aug 11, 2008, Day 16, A Day Of Relaxation

Well...we adults wanted to go on a boat ride on the C&O Canal and experience the locks...but the kids really wanted to stay at the campground and participate in the activities today. We have pushed them a lot through many days of walking, looking, and learning, so we agreed.

We slept in and I ended up doing some transcription work in the morning while Michael made breakfast. Breakfast was simple...cereal and sausage. And whatever else we had that needed to be used up.

After that I worked while Michael cleaned up and the kids played chess...then went to the leaf activity...and then went on the nature hike.

Tyler invited a friend over he had met at the NHC program....and she and her mother came. Michael made his awesome pizza in the Dutch Oven for all of us for dinner. We had a whole pizza leftover which he brought over to the campground staff...and they decided to come home and move in with us!

Around 9 the movie started...so all of the kids went to see it while I stayed back at the site with Leila, Tyler's friend's mom.

She toasted her first marshmallow...it was very cute, and enjoyed her first s'more.

After the movie was over, they left and the kids went to bed...while Tyler and I cleaned up.

Tomorrow we pack up and go home.

Aug 9, 2008, Day 15, Part 2, The USS Constitution is in the Harbor!

Michael found out that at 5:30 the USS Constitution was going to be leaving the harbor, a rare occurrence..to participate in a naval christening...and he wanted to see that. So at 5:30 left the aquarium to watch this. The harbor was now filled with tugboats, coast guard boats, and police boats. The ship would be towed out of the harbor by the tugboats.

We waited...and watched...and waited. A lot. The ship didn't start moving until well after 7 pm (we missed the campfire contest!). It was beautiful though, as it moved out of the harbor.

After that, the kids said they had had enough of the aquarium and were ready to go back home...so we headed back to the campground for an easy dinner of sandwiches and to watch the outdoor movie they were showing at the campground.

Finally, exhausted again...it was time for bed. Tomorrow is our last day here and we have not yet made a decision as to whether we will go see the C&O canal locks...or stay at the campground and relax. The kids are lobbying for staying at the campground...I think they are sick of sightseeing! We shall see tomorrow.

Aug 9, 2008, Day 15, Part 1, The National Aquarium in Baltimore

This was supposed to be seen on Tuesday, but I learned that on Fridays this Aquarium stays open until 9:30 p.m., and you can buy your tickets until 8 p.m., so this was our plan for today.

It was another day to rouse everyone up relatively early...the kids hoped to be back by 6 p.m. to participate in the campfire building contest being held at the campground...if we could manage to see the whole aquarium I was going to try and do this.

Breakfast this morning consisted of cleaning out the cooler and using up what we had leftover...sausage and gravy with biscuits for some, cereal and fruit and yogurt for others. At this point we will try to bring home as little food as possible...our trip comes to an end this weekend.

After a quick breakfast, we were in the car by 9:30 a.m.....a little later than I had planned, but still early enough. We had already made the decision to park in one of the garages in Baltimore and knew it would cost us $20 for that.

We parked and arrived at the Aquarium. We had our choice of extras to purchase with the entrance fee...the Imax movie and the dolphin show. I had heard great things about the Imax show...but knew we can always see dolphin shows at home..so we opted for only the Imax show.

Entering the museum we immediately went to the shark/ray feeding in the large indoor pool. After spending time watching the divers hand feed these magnificent creatures, we started the journey up the first building. The layout is very confusing when you are first starting....but becomes clearer once you go up and make it down the first time.

This really is one of the best museum/aquariums I have ever seen. The display are unique and the variety of animals is vast...I would highly recommend it as a must-see for anyone in the area.

The rain forest and Austrialian exhibits were large open rooms with trails, and many of the animals, such as the marmosets, sloths, brilliant-colored birds, and bats were not behind glass or bars...they roamed free throughout the exhibit.

By 2 o'clock everyone was kind of hungry so we had our hands stamped and ducked out the door to the mall on the harbor...right next door. Submarines, Coast Guard ships, and the USS Constitution...there was so much to see there.

We had lunch at Five Guys Burgers and Fries...and then ice cream afterwards at Ben and Jerry's. After lunch we slowly wandered back to the aquarium to see the rest of it, while enjoying some of the sites on the pier.

Aug 8, 2008, Day 14, We Finish Off D.C.

Today will will be our last day going to sightsee in D.C. We have a light day planned, after a grueling day yesterday, to wrap up a few "must-see's" that we didn't get to see. We sleep in a bit...shower...and have a light breakfast of fruit and cereal. This is reserved for the days we are trying to get off in a hurry.

We start off late in the day at the Peterson House, the house across the street from the theater where Lincoln was shot. We were lucky enough to find parking at a meter right on the street one block over.

Lincoln was carried across the street to this house, where he died the next morning. We waited in line to enter...went in...walked through the first floor, and that was it! The tour was over in under ten minutes! The ranger on duty there did not give any information about the house at all..everything I knew was because I remembered from the tour I took 11 years ago...where they spoke and we also got to go upstairs.

All in all, it was very disappointing.

On to the White House Visitor Center close by...which is set up for people to "see" the White House, in lieu of touring the real thing. When I was last here, you just went to tour...this time you have to write your representative in advance and get a background check and clearance. I hadn't that tidbit early enough to make it happen....so it was the visitor center for us! It was interesting, showing lots of information about each of the presidennts over the years and what they and their wives had done to personalize the White House.

We cut our visit a bit short there as it was getting late and we wanted to finish up the Postal Museum. We were again lucky here to find parking right on the street at a meter. We spent a couple of hours touring this museum before it closed and then we were through for the day. We decided to go get some groceries and cook dinner, enjoy a campfire, and make it an early night.

Once back at the campground though...nobody had clean clothes left so it was time to do laundry. We had bags and bags of it...a week's worth for five people! That took up four double-sized washers. So I basically spent the next two hours doing laundry while Michael prepped dinner and started a campfire....and the kids showered and played on the life-sized chess game.

Dinner was simple tonight...baked potatoes, cooked in foil right on the charcoal, steaks for us and chicken for the picky eater, salad, and broccoli. After dinner the kids wanted s'mores so they toasted their marshmallows on the fire and made some.

It was after midnight by the time Tyler and I got to bed...everybody else quit just short of that!

Tomorrow we will be going to Baltimore to check out the Aquarium.

Aug 7, 2008, Day 13, Part 3, Show Us The Money!!!

After the museum, the kids definitely needed some lightening up...and we had just the perfect solution...and perfect timing. We walked out of the Holocaust museum and went directly next door, just in time for them to call our scheduled tour to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing...we were going to see how they made money!!!

This was a fascinating tour...the huge machines....the big globby puddles of ink..the paper..the stacks of money everywhere! Millions of dollars right in front of us...so close yet so far. It was a perfect tour to end the day. We wandered around the gift shop afterwards and then, off to Union Station to hit the food court for dinner.

Back into the car for the trip home...and aaaaahhhhh....bed!! Today was packed...and as I look at our list I made of sites we wanted to see while we were here...I see we have put a good dent in the list. There are a few things we will end up crossing off...but we have seen the major sites I wanted to make sure we hit.

Tomorrow should be a bit easier...sleep in and then go to to Peterson House (where Lincoln died), the White House Visitor Center, and then back to the Postal Museum...and that should conclude our DC sightseeing. The rest of the time we will be in Baltimore.

Aug 7, 2008, Day 13, Part 2, The Hardest Part Of The Day

After this beautiful tour, Michael ran to put money in our meter...while the kids and I decided we were going to go find the Florida house. But it was now after 11 a.m. and we had tickets to the Holocaust Museum for noon, which was back down at the other end of the Mall...right next door to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing!

So no time for the Florida house...and I am not relishing the idea of the mile walk back to the museum to get to their within 40 minutes! We splurged and all piled into a cab! Yes!!!! $12 later we were right in front of the museum...but our lunch was still in the car on the other side of the Mall...oops! So we decided to have lunch in the museum cafe before we went in.

Now entering the Holocaust Museum, of course, the whole mood of our afternoon was sobered in this huge reminder of all of the atrocities that took place, shockingly within the course of our parents' and grandparents' lifetimes. It was very hard to see..but important to see. There was a special presentation where a survivor spoke about her experience...what courage it must take to do that...and we went to hear her.

I had called my dad before we went, to find out more details of my great-grandparents, his grandparents, whom he never met as they were killed in Auschwitz...and learned a little more about where they had lived and were taken. I had intended to look them up in the registries at the end of the museum, but the museum closed before we could even make it to the end. Five hours in the museum and we still hadn't made it through it all.

Aug 7, 2008, Day 13, Part 1, A Long Hard Day....

Aren't we on vacation???? Today was a "work" day...no relaxation here.

We needed to get tickets for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing...and to do that we needed to be in line by 7 a.m....which meant getting up by 5 a.m. to be able to be ready and leave with enough time to get over there. The campground is about 40 minutes from D.C.! A quick breakfast of fruit and cereal..and we were off.

We made it and Michael dropped Tyler and me off..then went to find parking. I realized that if they gave out tickets starting at 8 a.m. and then at the Capitol they gave out tickets starting at 9 a.m....that he could go over to the Capitol and get in line now instead of us having to come in early another day to wait in line. So that was the plan.

Michael parked and got in line over at the Capitol, while I waited in line with Tyler over at the Bureau. Tyler and I would run over to the Capitol after we got our tickets...be there by 9 a.m., and get ours (one ticket per person only..who must be present to get the ticket!). The Bureau line started at 8 a.m. and went quickly...and we got the tickets we needed for the evening tour we wanted.

I didn't realize the Capitol was about a mile away though..and instead of taking a cab we walked..really fast. We made it though in the 40 minutes we had to get there...but now I was exhausted and ready to go nap!!!

Now our plan was to get the Capitol tickets for a bit later, then go put our bags and stuff in the car, as well as more money in the meter. Foiled again! At the Capitol, you don't get a choice of your time...although none of the information I had read had said this...I only knew we had to get in line early to get our tickets because they ran out. But that was it...when you got your ticket you had to go in! And I had my bag with "prohibited items" in it....sunscreen, bug repellant, granola bars!

And so faced with a choice of having to wait in line again, or to enjoy the tickets we had in hand...we dumped our "contraband" and went in. It was a beautiful tour though...and we loved seeing the history in this gorgeous building. I did wish I had a book in hand to look for more detailed information about the building, but our tour guide thoroughly enjoyed providing us with lots of interesting trivia. The architecture in all of these old buildings is amazing....they certainly don't build stuff like this anymore.

Aug 6, 2008, Day 12, Good Morning Baltimore

Today it is off in a new direction...to Baltimore where we plan on seeing the National Aquarium and the B&O Railroad. I hope to fit both into our day. After talking to someone at the campground...she recommends that we spend a whole day at the Aquarium instead.

The first Tuesday of the month (today) the railroad museum is half price...so I know we want to do this today. I look online at the Aquarium and find it is open late into the evening on Friday...so we will move our visit there to Friday.

We end up spending quite a bit of time at the railroad museum....staying until it is closing time! There is quite a bit to see and do there and these ancient behemoths are fascinating. Some of these are so massive you feel puny standing next to them.

We all enjoyed reading about the history of the roads, interstates, travel, and of course the railways...and seeing the inside of these cars as well. We took an hour-long tour of the trains in the roundhouse learning about many different types of trains and how they were powered.

After leaving the museum, it was still early and Michael wanted to head back to the campground for an early dinner and campfire, but I begged for a drive-by past the Inner Harbor. Downtown Baltimore was beautiful! The old buildings have so much character and everything was a marvel to us. So much so that we plan to try and get an extra day down there to walk around. In the harbor were beautiful ships, schooners, a submarine, and a Coast Guard vessel we can walk around. We all very much look forward to going back there.

On the way back we stopped at the store for groceries and had a great dinner. Meatloaf (again in the Dutch Oven), mashed potatoes, hot dogs over the fire for the two little ones, and salad for all. And of course...with a campfire they must have S'mores!

Now we are winding down for the night, showering and getting ready for bed.

Tomorrow we have to be up early...we want to see the Bureau of Printing and Engraving...and for that we have to be at the ticket booth, first come first served, by 7 a.m., so we need to leave the campground by 6 a.m.

We also have tickets to the Holocaust Museum. This should be a very sad and sobering day. I am not yet sure I can handle this...and a big part of me does not want to go...but I feel the kids need to be aware...especially since it had an impact on their own family.

Aug 6, 2008, Day 11, Part 2...We Are Still Walking!

From the Washington Monument we went to the lodge at the base of the monument and stamped our National Park Passports with all the stamps we had not yet gotten for places we had visited...then we hiked on over to the White House with a stop on the way for ice cream.

While walking over there, we accidentally came upon the Boy Scout Memorial...a great find for this scouting family...so we stopped and took a bunch of pictures there.

And then on to the White House where we pushed the button at the front gate but no one answered! We walked around the side of the building and found an adorable Executive Squirrel eating berries, bold as brass right on the other side of the fence looking at us. He was cute and silly as it may seem...we had to take pictures!!

We walked past the Treasury Department, and a beautiful park with a map of Washington, an embedded time capsule for Martin Luther King, and many beautiful and thought-provoking quotations etched in the stone floor beneath us. Finally, back to the Mall through the Reagan International Trade Center and the Old Postal Tower...past the IRS building, and through the Museum of Natural History to go across the Mall to make a quick trip into the Smithsonian Castle so Tyler could see the Gibson guitar on display there. This was closed...so we went back across the Mall and to the car with relief!

Once again, it was late to start cooking dinner...so we stopped at Taco Bell for the two little ones who have been asking for this for almost a week now...and Popeyes for the grownups.

Then back to the campground for a shower and finally bed!!!!! It was a very long day and we were all exhausted.

Tomorrow is a change of pace...we are going to Baltimore to see the sites there!!

Aug 6, 2008, Day 11, We Walk...and Walk...and Walk....and Walk...

This morning we got up and had one of our favorite breakfasts, Potato/Egg Breakfast Casserole..cooked in the Dutch Oven (recipes to follow...once we return home!)

After cleanup we were off again to Washington. Today we had tickets for the monument during the day. Parking on the Mall was difficult today...the most difficult time we have had, but we finally found a great space on the Mall, right in front of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

We walked down to the monument and waited for the time we had selected on our tickets...we were early, but we sat and waited on a bench at the base of the monument, relaxing in the shadow of the monument! While we waited I ended up striking up a nice conversation with a Canadian lady, visiting with her family who didn't want to go up and had a ticket.

As we spoke, someone offered Michael three more tickets (all of these at an earlier time than we had) so we took those and gave away ours, and ended up going up earlier than planned.

I had figured it wasn't going to be a big deal...we had already been up last week at night...but the view during the day was spectacular and I seemed to see much more than we did the last time we were up there! I was glad we had gone a second time after all.

Aug 4, 2008, Day 10, The National Air and Space Museum

This morning every one was all excited! Tyler was coming back!!! Somehow there was a mixup in the pick up time though...and since the kids weren't ready yet, Michael had to run over and pick him up (about 45 minutes away) to make sure he got him on time!

When he got back, we all sat down for breakfast together while Tyler told us about his week at Georgetown. He really had a great time and I was so proud of him. After breakfast, he napped while I took the kids to shower, and then we were off...back to the Mall.

By the time we got there, everyone was complaining they were hungry again but this time I was prepared...no $5 hotdogs for us!! We finally found a parking space after circling around a few times...this was the toughest it has been...and then I pulled out the emergency rations of peanut butter and jelly and made sandwiches for everyone. A few sandwiches, a few snacks, and we were finally ready to roll!

Today we made it over to the National Air and Space Museum, one of the Smithsonian museums. The first exhibit we went into was called "How Things Fly" and had dozens of fun, hands-on learning experiences for the kids. We spent a lot of time in here and they had a blast. Hollis was picked for a live demonstration, blowing up a giant balloon, and proved to all of us she really is full of hot air.

There was an exhibit to measure your reflexes and I beat everyone on that one hands down...the number to beat was 200 milliseconds, most people would get around 250...but I consistently got around 100. My legs might not work as well as everyone else's but my eye-finger coordination/reflexes are pretty impressive!

Other exhibits we saw included information about the first manned space flights, computer developement, and the path to flight by Orville and Wilbur Wright.

After the museum closed, we treated Tyler to Hard Rock Cafe, where he has been asking to go, then wandered next door to the Ford's Theater where Lincoln was shot. It is under renovation until February 2009 so we won't be seeing it this trip..then across the street to the Petersen House, where Lincoln died the morning after he was shot. We looked at this historic building...we will visit it in the daytime when it is opened as well...and then back to the car, which was parked in a safe place, right between the FBI building and the Department of Justice, both magnificent, impressive structures.

Finally, the kids melted into their seats and we started the long ride back to the campground. Once there, it was bathroom, brush teeth, and before I could say anything, everyone had put themselves to bed! Another successful day.

Aug 3, 2008, Day 9, Camping Activities...and Then The Thunderstorms Roll Through

As predicted, today I ended up working most of the day. The morning started out easy. We got up at our leisure and Michael began breakfast. Homemade biscuits from scratch, with sausage gravy, also from scratch, all done in Dutch Ovens. We also had fruit, juice, and coffees...and the kids had cereal as well.

After breakfast and clean up, Michael took the kids over to the pool while I sat on the front porch of the cabin working. Today the campground had a lot of great activities for the kids and Michael took the kids to all of them.

At 2:30 they went to make a compass and learn a little about orienteering. The activities director set up a little orienteering course for them...they found a treasure of candy if they followed the compass and the directions correctly.

Then back to the pool for a little while, until 4:30 when they had a Leave No Trace lecture along with a nature trail scavenger hunt. The trail took almost two hours and when they returned the sky opened up and it began to come down in torrents!!! Hail, lightening, and crashing booming thunder! Michael was stuck at the store while I was in the cabin with the kids.

No sooner had it cleared up and Michael returned to start dinner, when it was time for the ice cream social. After serious debate among the responsible adults, we decided to treat the kids to ice cream for dinner! Of course they thought we had lost our minds...and were glad about it. We sat there for a while, the kids ate ice cream and played chess on the life-sized chess game.

Back to the cabin in a hurry though..for round two of the thunder and lightening show. Michael is out in the rain putting up the dining fly over the picnic table while the kids play a board game and I am typing away in the cabin. And everyone is still hungry so I guess we will be having pasta again tonight, trying to use up what food we have left....not ice cream!

If the weather clears up Michael and the kids will head over to the recreation area for another outdoor movie..Homeward Bound tonight, while I try to finish up my work so I can spend time with the family tomorrow.

While I lament the days we spend at the campground not seeing the sights...these are the kids' favorite days. They LOVE hanging around, enjoying the activities, playing game, swimming, and just being kids. I am trying to give them a good balance of this on our camping trip.

Tomorrow morning...we get to pick up Tyler!!!!

Aug 2, 2008, Day 8, Moving Day

Day 8 already...I can't believe it! But I love knowing I have another week of vacation as well. Today we moved from one campground to another, about half an hour away.

We are now in a two-room cabin, anticipating Tyler returning to us on Sunday. A lot more comfortable and roomy!!! Originally I planned to work most of the day but somehow it just didn't happen. Because of that, we will most likely stay around the campground tomorrow so I can catch up.

Breakfast this morning was cereal and fruit..trying to use up what we have left before we packed up the car.

After packing and loading everything in the car, we checked out, but we hung around a couple more hours. I showered while the kids played putt-putt, and we finished up some laundry.

Eventually we were on our way. We found the new campground (thank goodness I don't have to walk up that steep hill in the middle of the night to get tothe bathroom) and checked in, unloaded, set up, and then hit Wal-Mart for our dinner supplies...as well as some snack and breakfast items.

I was kind of hoping for grilled steak and baked potatoes...but the kids had a resounding vote for spaghetti...so that is what we ended up having. Michael and the kids had red sauce with sausage...he made me Fettuccine Alfredo (simple to make from scratch) since I am not a huge fan of red sauces. Along with this we had cesear salad and garlic bread (the frozen kind) cooked over the grill.

After dinner, Michael cleaned up while I took the kids over to see Free Willy. The "movie theater" was outdoors....the screen was the outside wall of the office building...everyone was spread all over the grass and on camping chairs they brought with them...and the crickets chirped loudly in the background.

Now it is late and everyone else is asleep in the cabin while I write about our day. It is half-way through our vacation...I am really enjoying it and the kids seem to be too. I think so far it is one of our best ever.

Aug 2, 2008, Day 7, We See The Capitol!

Today was a really, really slow morning for us. Again we were up rather late and so we slept in some, until 10 or so. A quick breakfast of fruit and cereal, then showers, and then we went off to the National Mall again.

Today we went to see the National Postal Museum...the kids sounded bored with the whole idea, but once we were in there, there was a lot to do and see. I found an interesting poster on an old postal route from Palm Beach to Miami called the Barefoot Mailman. Every year our Boy Scout council has a two-day hike that follows this old mail route.

The museum is right next to Union Station, so after the post office closed we wandered over there. What a glorious looking building! The old architecture is really mesmerizing. Union Station is still a functioning train/subway/bus hub...as well as a shopping mall! We walked around in there for a while and then decided we would have dinner at the food court. While Michael and the kids went to get pizza...I opted for the Indian food and boy was it good! It was nice for a change that we could all get what we wanted and the variety in the food court was impressive.

On our way back to the car we walked by the Capitol Building, which was glowing as the sun was setting. Words cannot describe how stunning this picture was...even the picture we took could not do the sight justice.

After getting to the car, we decided to make a stop at the Jefferson Memorial on the way home. Parking was easy at night and we were able to park close up to this beautiful memorial. As in the Lincoln Memorial, the atmosphere in the chamber was sacred and reverent. Reading the words inscribed on the wall in the chamber, I was reminded and impressed on what a foreward thinking man this was.

For the final time this evening, we loaded up into the car to head back to the campground...once again pulling into the campground around 11, all of us exhausted.

Tomorrow no sightseeing...we will pack up and move to another campground.

Jul 31, 2008, Day 6, The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

Today we are going to go to the National Mall, try to battle parking, and see the Smithsonian.

Once again we had a restless night. Our little furry visitor was back and around 1 or 2 a.m., Michael was loading all of our food bags into the car. Our little friend nibbled a hole in my softsided cooler!!!

We are up and Michael is making breakfast, back to eggs and bacon, pancakes, juices and coffees (okay...they are good, but I am craving a little variety at this point!)

After breakfast we hop in the car and are off towards downtown D.C...a magnificent site day after day.

First stop is actually a guitar store to pick up guitar strings for Tyler. It is a very old guitar store, upstairs over a restaurant, full of character..both the store and the owner. I may have to take Tyler here just so he can experience it.

Next stop, the National Mall. We find free parking on the Mall, right next to the Washington Monument. We will have to move the car by 4 p.m. though. We make our way over to the Smithsonian Castle, the original Smithsonian building. Even though it is basically an information center, there is still a lot to look at in there. The exhibit with the Olympic medals is fascinating.

Finishing up there with a short movie about the Smithsonian..we walk directly across the Mall to the Museum of Natural History. It is getting on 3 p.m. now, so Michael goes to move the car closer and out of the way of rush hour. I stop with the kids and treat them to a quick and very expensive lunch from one of the vendors along the Mall.

The rest of the afternoon and evening is spent in the museum..there is so much to do and see in there. Of course we are still not finished when the museum closes and they have to kick us out!

After that we head over to drop off stuff to Tyler. I can't wait to see him...it seems like much longer than five days since we dropped him off!!! We head over there and he is as happy to see us. Or maybe he is thrilled to have some guitar strings.

We have a short visit with him..he has to get back to class..and I sneak in lots of hugs and kisses.

Then off to dinner. It is hard to start shopping and cooking back at the campsite this late so we are going to eat out tonight. Guidebooks at hand, we find an inexpensive Thai restaurant which turns out to be absolutely delicious. It is again late....almost 11, as we head back towards the campground to settle in for the night.

Tomorrow we hope to see more of the Smithsonian and maybe the Capitol.

Jul 30, 2008, Day 5, We Do...Not Too Much!!!

Last night was a very late night so we decided not to push the kids today and take it easy. We finally get up around 11 a.m., the kids were still asleep.

We didn't get a chance to stop for groceries last night and we were out of almost everything, so Michael ran over to the store to pick up our meals for the day.

He came back with bacon and eggs, but the rest of us were kind of sick of that by this time so we all opted for milk, cereal, and fruit, now that we had some milk (apparently he bought milk the other day at the store...but we can't find it anywhere!!)

The rest of the was spent doing laundry, blogging, going to the playground, showering, building a fire, and just hanging around. The kids spent a lot of time in the late afternoon playing card games in the cabin. At one point the power went off in the entire campground...but of course we are camping so that is not such a big deal!

We got new neighbors in the cabin next door yesterday, an older couple, married 43 years, who like to drink a lot, talk a lot, and pick at each other a lot. They are very nice though and we talked with them throughout the evening...a lot.

Dinner was leisurely and not burgers tonight!! Michael bought a whole chicken and roasted it with veggies in the Dutch Oven, and we had fresh corn, roasted in the husk on the grill, along with that. After dinner the kids toasted marshmallows and made smores over the fire...and that was pretty much it for the day.

Jul 29, 2008, Day 4, Part 4, A Few More...and Then Home

So we head toward the WWII Memorial, the Reflection Pool, and the Lincoln Memorial...all gloriously lit up and glowing...spectacular sights that the children have only ever seen in pictures...or on the back of a penny! The reverence and awe you feel when stepping into the large statuatory chamber where the statue of Abraham Lincoln sits is like stepping into a cathedral and is very moving.

By 11:30 we are exhausted, with two tired and cranky children to get back to the car. As we walk back, we pass right by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and cannot resist the opportunity to walk through it, showing the kids the book of names, carefully explaining the significance of this memorial to them. When they actually see the names etched into the wall, and the number of names, it sinks in and they are shocked at the sheer numbers of people and the sadness and sorrow this particular memorial represents. They pick a name off of the wall and when we get to the other side of the memorial, they look up this young man in the book. Again, this small act drives some of the meaning home to them when they find his name in the book.

We whined (pun intended) our way back to the car where the kids sink in with relief. A few more questions and the back seat gets very quiet..they are asleep and it is after midnight!!!

Back to the cabin we go...we will take it easy tomorrow.

Jul 29, 2008, Day 4, Part 3, A Pleasant Surprise At The Monument

Now it is getting dark, after 8, as we start to drive back. The memorials are open until close to midnight, and parking is plentiful, so we stop to check out the Washington Monument. It has special openings for a few weeks until 10 pm. It is a magnificent structure and looks surreal as we get out of the car and walk towards it.

Even the kids are in awe of it! We make it to the base and circle around...the ticket booth at the base says all tickets have been distributed for the day, which at that hour we knew was going to be the most likely scenario...all guidebooks say to get to the ticket booth by 8:30 a.m. as the tickets go quickly if you have not reserved in advance. I have purchased some tickets in advance to go next week...so we were anticipating going up then and were not disappointed now.

As we are standing around the security entrance though, deciding which way to go next, I hear one of the rangers say the lines are down and he is going to see if any nonticketed visitors would like to go up. My ears perk up...did I really hear that right???? I go over to this guard who is now asking people seated all around the monument if they would like to go up...and I ask him if he is inviting nonticketed guests up...and he says YES!!! I asked if we could go up too...and he says YES!!! And he sends us over to the security booth for clearance to go up!

After emptying our purses and pockets we are cleared for takeoff! Takeoff in the elevator that is...555 feet and 5 inches high. While waiting for the elevator the ranger tells me there are 897 steps up...and that there are plaques and memorials around the inside of the monument. The elevator goes straight up...but it seems like a very long ride, our ears popping along the way. It is all worth it though..when we get up to the top the view is magnificent!!! We see the Capitol Building, the Lincoln Memorial and the Reflection Pool, the Jefferson Memorial, the White House...and more!

Our visit is cut slightly short though as all of a sudden the park rangers close the monument half an hour early and tell us we have to leave!!! Once we get down, it seems somebody has left a black bag somewhere on the monument property so they have evacuated the entire area.

Jul 29, 2008, Day 4, Part 2, The National Zoo Awaits Us

After breakfast and cleanup, we finally make our way towards Washington DC, we will visit the National Zoo today. The zoo is free and is open until 8:00 p.m. today, so this will make for a good inexpensive day, and we have plenty of time to see it.

On our way to the zoo we drive by all sorts of incredible sights that even have the kids' eyes riveted to the windows...the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Capitol Building, the Jefferson Memorial...all of these elicit ooohs and aaahs from the kids and I am glad they have some interest in all of this.

We reach the zoo about 2 p.m., and find out the zoo may be free but the parking is $20! That is more than a day of parking at Walt Disney World!!!

We park and enter. It is kind of weird to be able to just walk in...with no gates. We started out seeing quite a few animals...in Amazonia exhibit, the little monkeys are running around free! But as it got on towards 4:00, it seemed everything was closed, the concession stands as well as many of the exhibits, and many of the animals had already been put away.

I was looking for a map because I had no idea where we were going and what was where...I finally found an open store and went in for a map...$2 for the map! So I bought the map and looked to see what was around the zoo. Off we went to see the big cats...gone for the day. Next to that was the primate exhibit....gone for the day. I really wanted to see the famous Panda bears so we trudged uphill to the other side of the zoo, hoping to get a glimpse of the bears. On the way we did get to see a baby elephant playing in a pool (cute!) and a hippo.

The pandas were not outside anymore, but we could see two little ones, in two small inside exhibits, cute big sleeping cuddly-looking teddy bears..so I got at least to see them and I was happy.

The kids were clamoring for food...but again they prices were ridiculous ($8.95 for a hot dog????) and I was glad the concessions were closed.

After the zoo we stopped near Dupont Circle at Fuddruckers for dinner. I would have liked to try one of the nearby Asian, or Indian, or Mediterranean restaurants...but I am the minority in the group but a resounding vote of three to one...so burgers it is.

Jul 29, 2008, Day 4, Let's See Some Sights, Part 1

Monday morning and we have not done much sightseeing so far, other than visiting Manassas, Virginia to see the site of the historic Battle of Bull Run our first day after getting off of the train. I a little frustrated by that..I don't intend to spend the entire trip at the campground, there is lots to see!!!

We get off to a slow start this morning (we are known for getting off to slow starts actually). Hubby likes his hearty breakfasts and doesn't like a quick and easy cereal breakfast, so that is what we have most mornings and it does take a little longer. Breakfast is whatever we have leftover today...pancakes, an egg each, juice, and our coffees!

Jul 29, 2008, Day 4, A Visitor In The Night!!!

Last night we had a visitor! I was lying in my bed after everyone had fallen asleep and I heard some rustling. At first I thought that it was my daughter, tossing and turning uncomfortably in her bunk. Nope, she was lying still and finally asleep. Then I thought maybe it was raining, yep, that was what I was hearing, rain against the cabin windows. Then I thought maybe I should investigate.

So I grabbed my little light and inched over towards the door of the cabin, towards the rustling. It sounded like it was coming from the trash can...not a good sign!!! So I carefully shined my light on the trash can and noticed the empty Frito's bag was jiggling and wiggling and dancing about in there! Aaack!!!!

In two steps I was back at my bed...Michael, I whispered loudly (didn't want to wake kids)....there is something in the trash can. No response. MICHAEL.(yelling whispering this time)..THERE IS SOMETHING IN THE TRASH CAN!!!! (this was accompanied by vigourous shaking of his back). He was instantly awake, bounded out of bed, grabbed the light and went to investigate himself. Thank goodness..he is much braver than I am.

Peering gingerly into the Frito's bag, two little eyes peered right back at him. Awww..a little mouse, my animal-loving husband said. And with that he opened the cabin door, put the bag outside, and went right back to bed.

Since I didn't fall right back asleep, I lay there thinking and I realized we have never had critters in our tent (in all my years camping this is the second time I have had a small furry visitor in my cabin though). I am ever vigilant when we are tent camping..to make sure we have NO food in the tents at all and that the tents are kept zipped up. When cabin camping we are far more lax, I guess feeling a different sense of security behind the four walls...and all our food is piled up in the cabin!

But in the end, it was fine, a little adventure. And we were both relieved...that is the mouse and I...me, happy in my bed in the now still cabin...and he happy in his Frito bag, now on the front porch of the cabin.

Jul 28, 2008, Day 3, Relaxation and Rain

Today, our third day at the campground, we were finally able to settle in without having to run errands all over town. The kids spent the day between the pool, the playground, and the cabin playing board games. Unfortunately I had to work today remotely via laptop (sometimes no rest for the weary) but the setting was far more beautiful than my office....sitting on the porch of a cabin under the trees on a gorgeous day!

Breakfast was hearty, with pancakes, sausage, eggs, and juice, with our favorite camping coffees..yes, we like two, good ole' American and espresso. All of our breakfast was cooked on the gas stove this morning.

Many times when getting a late start, like we did this morning, we tend to have a hearty brunch-type breakfast and then not eat again until dinner.

In the late afternoon, a strong thunderstorm came barreling through. We packed up the gear from the front porch and quickly ran everything into the cabin, except for our camping kitchen which we just packed up and closed up. We had not yet put up our dining fly that we like to use for weather protection, so hubby quickly threw that up, trying to dodge the rain as it started to come in.

It seemed as soon as he got that up the crashing began. And what a storm it was!! It was just gorgeous to hear the rain pouring down, along with the booming thunder and incredible bolts of lightening that just lit up the sky. I am from Florida, lightening capital of the world, but this show by nature made me wonder about that! We were cozy in our tiny cabin, the kids playing games and having snacks while all this was going on. Even when the power went off for a little while, we just sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed the sounds and sights of the outdoors that we normally miss, or deem as an annoyance, while at home, rushing through our busy days.

The rain soon cleared up and we emerged from the cabin with the kids alternating running back and forth between the playground and the pool, and I went back to work on the front porch. Dinner was simple tonight but really good, Bubba burgers, tater tots, hot dogs, and mixed vegetables, all cooked over the open fire in the fire ring. The tator tots and mixed veggies were done in Dutch Ovens. Instead of using charcoal, we opted to put the Dutch Ovens right on a grill placed over the fire.

The sun has set and it is dark now, the dishes are being done, the kids are playing Clue in the cabin, and I am getting ready to sign off for the day. Tomorrow we see some of the sights!

Jul 28, 2008, A Camping We Will Go!

This week we are finally camping! We left Florida on Thursday, loading our car full of camping gear on the Autotrain to experience something different, and arriving in the Washington D.C. area for a two-week family camping trip filled with sight-seeing, lots of history, and hopefully some relaxation as well.

Because of the heat of the summer, and the fact that we are camping where it is hot and humid (definitely not the nice cool mountains!) we opted to rent a cabin instead of staying in our usual tent. It is a bare-bones, one-room cabin...a typical KOA-type cabin, with beds and a/c although it does have electricity. Outside the cabin is a grill and a water spigot. We will be doing all of our cooking outside.

Over the course of the next two weeks, I will be blogging about our days and our camping activities and adventures.

Jul 20, 2008, Camping With Babies, What You Need To Know

Camping with babies made easy with these tips to help you.

Jul 20, 2008, Activities To Do When Camping With Teenagers

Camping with teenagers is not so difficult. Here are activities to keep them engaged and prevent boredom.

Jul 16, 2008, Camping With Kids? Absolutely!!!

Here are some great tips to make camping with kids fun and easy. With a little preparation you can create a family trip everyone will enjoy, from toddlers to teens.

Jul 5, 2008, Privacy Policy for Your-Camping-Guidebook.com

Your privacy is important to us. Here is a copy of our privacy policy for you

Jul 2, 2008, A Comprehensive Camping Checklist, Camping Equipment Checklist

A Printable Camping Checklist of Everything You Might Possibly Need To Bring Camping

Jul 2, 2008, A Camping First Aid Kit Is Easy to Create With This Camping Safety Checklist

Pack These Items in Your Camping First Aid Kit - Be Prepared For Most Emergencies

Jul 2, 2008, Building A Campfire - A Camping Equipment Checklist

Building a campfire is easy and safe with the right campfire equipment and a little knowledge

Jul 2, 2008, Your Camping Kitchen Checklist for Good Eating

The camping kitchen checklis. An extensive packing list for the for the heart of the campsite.

Jul 2, 2008, Camping With Babies, What To Bring

Camping with babies is not difficult. Here is an easy checklist of items.

Jul 2, 2008, Camping Games and Other Camping Activities, A Checklist

To make sure you don't forget the camping games and other camping activities, use this checklist to pack your supplies.

Jul 2, 2008, Your Camping Checklist for Personal Care Items

Use a camping checklist to pack your personal items

Jul 2, 2008, Camping Clothes Checklist to keep you covered!

A checklist for camping clothes. You don't have to spend much, but what you need to pack for comfort and protection.

Jul 2, 2008, A Camping Checklist for The Miscellaneous Camping Equipment List

Use this camping checklist as a guide for tools and accessories for camping

Jul 2, 2008, A printable camping checklist for all of your camping supplies

Kitchen Camping Checklist, Shelter and Bedding Checklist, Camping Gear Checklist, everything you need to bring and more in handy printable lists for you

Jul 2, 2008, A Camping Checklist Of Shelter Essentials

A camping checklist of shelter items, tents and tarps, to keep you warm, dry, and comfortable when camping.

Jul 2, 2008, A Bedding Camping Checklist. What Will You Sleep On?

Your camping checklist needs some kind of bedding to help you get a good night's rest.

Jun 27, 2008, Tips For Camping In The Rain

Can you stay dry when you are camping in the rain? Here are some easy tips to help you stay as dry as possible

Jun 1, 2008, Charcoal Chimney Starter

The charcoal chimney, the easiest, cheapest, and quickest way to get your charcoal started...and no charcoal lighter fluid necessary

May 31, 2008, Basic Camping Knots For Your Campsite

What basic camping knots you should know when setting up your campsite. And, how to tie these kots!

May 25, 2008, Using A Charcoal Chimney

How to use your charcoal chimney to light up your charcoal the easy way.

May 23, 2008, Homemade Charcoal Chimney

A homemade charcoal chimney. Yours can be ready in 5 minutes!

May 8, 2008, How To Put Up A Dining Fly - The Setup Instructions

Put up your own dining fly and keep cool when camping with a simple equipment list and these simple step by step instructions, including pictures.

May 7, 2008, How To Put Up A Dining Fly - The Equipment List

A dining fly keeps you cool in the shade. Protect your camping kitchen with these easy instructions on how to make and set up a dining fly. First get the equipment list and simple step by step instru

May 7, 2008, Camping Games Are A Recipe For Camping Fun

Camping games will keep your camping kids from getting bored!