Day Two - Downtown to DC!

The Caterpillars and I headed into DC today, we even took the Metro! They were great learning how to buy farecards and use them as we boarded the trains.

Our first destination was the National Mall - The Washington Monument.

The Caterpillars (again) took a trash bag and picked up garbage on our walk, "Leave No Trace"!

After that, we went straight to the World War II Memorial. This is where I got choked up, even reading the walls and such.

B10 wanted to take a picture of where he and GO were born:

CW was excited that they had a carving of where he was born, too!

The dark clouds were out and the rain and hail began pouring down. It was very unpleasant for all of us, to be stuck in the middle of the mall and getting drenched. :(

We found a little overhang to have lunch, but there was nowhere for me to feed GO. When it began to slow down, we headed into the Lincoln Memorial Museum (underneath the Memorial). The Caterpillars watched a short video, before we headed upstairs to the memorial, itself.

Once we came out, the rain had stopped, but the sun hadn't made it's way out, yet. We walked back to the Metro station, taking a couple more snapshots along the way (with blue skies in the background).

We rode the Metro (even switching lines!) to the National Archives. Today and tomorrow are the National Archive Genealogy Fair, which we attended (and got special buttons).

The Caterpillars were able to make a leaf to put on the National Family Tree, then we headed into the National Archives to see the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. (Pardon the bad picture - you can't use a flash inside the building.)

At the corner, before we got back on the Metro, MacGruff the Crime Dog was waiting to take pictures with the Caterpillars (he was with the Crime and Punishment Museum).

Finally, we made it to the train to head home. I had purchased GO her one and only souvenir (hopefully!) - she got her first "doll" - Abigail Adams! (Granddaddy - notice her letters? "Dear Abigail" and "Dear John" - very 1776 of her!)

She's gummed it a few times and seems to love it.

Aunt CC made grilled chicken, rice and corn for dinner and the Caterpillars played for quite a while (after finishing their schoolwork - B10 did his first few math lessons on the computer and CW did his math in his book).

Everyone made it to bed at a reasonable time and tomorrow we'll be headed back downtown to see the Smithsonians!

~Lone Butterfly )i(