James Smithson

Riding the Metro

He only came to the US after he died, thanks to Alexander Graham Bell, but this man's endowment has created in my opinion our greatest treasure. The kids and I have spent the past 3 days exploring all the Smithsonian has to offer and I feel like we only hit the high, highlights. We visited 3 museums the kids loved: Natural History (2 times), Air & Space and American History. I forced them to go to my favorite place, the Peacock Room at the Freer Gallery and diverted them to the First Ladies Hall at the American History Museum to see the dresses and china. We never did make it to the portrait gallery or postal museum or even the zoo. That's the thing about this area, you could spend weeks here and never see it all. I guess that's how some people feel about Disney.

Hey Dum, Dum, Have Some Gum, Gum?

We Watched Dinosaurs 3D at the IMAX

Today we watched Night at the Museum 2 Battle of the Smithsonian and I am so glad we waited to see it. It was fun to hear the "we saw thats" as we watched it. Heading home tomorrow. I am a bit under the weather but if feeling better in the am we're hopping on the metro for a quick visit to the pandas. And the rest will have to wait for our next visit including: Arlington Cemetary to see the grave of my great aunt, Mt Vernon -- we skipped it since even Washington himself wasn't going to be there for his birthday party on Monday due to the weather, the National Building Museum, the Spy Museum and the Lincoln Memorial.

We climbed through the snow and ice to the Washington Monument -- it was freezing!

This is as close as we got to the Lincoln Memorial

Tara Thai with Cousins Aaron, Debbie and Bill

Another trip to Georgetown Cupcake

National Pride

Air & Space Museum

A rare moment with Colin standing still...this was just after we watched the fighter pilot movie in the Lockheed Martin IMAX theater...figured we should see where the money is going since its def not going to the LM medical benefits.

The ruby slippers

Navigating the snow banks

Georgetown Cupcakes -- I bribed them with ice cream yesterday but then found this place instead...we will be back.

At the White House -- I did not capture Colin hanging on the fence crying to get in.

The what at the Natural History Museum

This city is still struggling with snow removal -- people have to scale these snow banks to cross the streets and noone seems to have snow boots.

The mall is one big ice field.

Something about watching the Olympics while sitting in the DC metro area makes my heart swell with national pride. Granted, the Canadians have much cooler and cheaper olympic gear -- can you believe they want $75 for the freakin' US moose hat -- but everytime I see someone on tv waving a US flag, I get a little teary. And yesterday, as I walked by the NTA, FDA, and Dept of Commerce, I had this feeling of pride. (No political jokes, please) Here we are in the heart of government. I've been to DC many, many times but it must be something about being here with the kids and Molly's running commentary that has awoken this pride and wonder...now if only I could pelt a few politicians with snow balls, life would really be good.