Life with the Obies: Washington DC with the Family

With graduation being on a Friday, and our families here through the weekend, we took advantage of our time and headed to Washington DC to do some sight-setting.

Nick's family was split half and half on those that had been to DC. My family, with the exception of my sister, hadn't ever been. (It really stunk that Dad wasn't able to come because he would have loved DC...although he would have needed MUCH more than 2 days).

Saturday we ventured to DC in the late morning. We started at the Holocaust Museum (what a depressing way to start the day, right?) It's a very emotional museum. (Ben wasn't able to do it. Not too far in, he said he couldn't stand the sight of it all or reading how poorly they were treated and he quickly walked all floors to reach the end and wait for us.)

After the Holocaust Museum we ventured over to The White House. This was my first time there! (My first trip to DC was in January 2002 and no one was allowed anywhere close to it. So we viewed it from verrrrrrrry far away. My other trips to DC with Nick we just never made it there. It was neat to see this building that I've seen so many times on the News and in movies. It was kind of crazy to think I was standing, not that far, from the President of the United States' house!

My family in front of the White House

Mom in the back of the White House

Then we ventured off to the Natural Museum of History. We didn't spend too long in there but Ben reallllly wanted to see the dinosaurs . . . of course. After that, we went to the American History Museum and we spent quite a bit of time in there.

Dumbo, Ben's childhood favorite

Afterwards, we were starving so we asked a guy about a place to eat. He made it seem as if it were close. It most definitely was not. We walked sooooo far. And through not very good areas. When we arrived, it was closed for a special event. Fantastic! We continued to walk but were only finding really expensive places. We finally came across a place but we had to wait FOREVER for tables. It's a seat yourself kind of place. And we ended up having to sit at two separate tables but it was okay. And then because we're all party animals (okay not true, but we do like to drink) about half of us were pretty drunk by the time we left and headed back to the metro.

It was a fun adventure but boy was I glad to be home and off my feet!

The next day, Nick's family decided to skip Day 2-Memorial Day of DC. So Nick and my family headed back. We hit up the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, and the Korean War Memorial.
While we were at the Washington Monument, we got to witness what is said to be a rare sight. We saw Marine One land on the lawn of the White House, then take off, and fly right overhead!!!