sightseeing

Our one and only sightseeing trip while Juan Pablo's dad was here was to DC. I know it seems we must go there a lot...and that's because we do! There's so much to see! And we keep seeing the same things over and over again, so there's still so much to see.

This time, Juan Pablo hatched a great plan to bring the wagon to cart the kids around. He actually pulled it through the museums, too. Too bad Diego didn't want to sit in it. I still had to hold him almost the whole trip. Coupled with the fact that my lower back has been hurting, I ended up in the wagon with Diego at one point. We got chuckles and fingers pointed at us, but I dug my head in a brochure and enjoyed the little ride.


First stop: Air and Space.


We got separated for the entire museum without planning, but ended up meeting at the entrance right on cue.


Down the mall a ways...this time Abuelo pulling. I'd say Joaquin always gets the most use out of the wagon.


This great book fair was happening the same day. And being that I love books, I really wanted to see it. (No one else did.)


I was the most excited out of everyone to see the Magic School Bus.


But we headed on to the Natural History museum. The kids remembered this cave from a story we read recently, Ghost Hands by T. A. Barrow., a great book by the way.


Pit stop at the bathrooms and a look at a cool totem pole. Then we hit the museum shop. We always do. And it always takes a LONG time.


By this time, Diego and I are ready to go. So I decide to head out to the book fair with him while the others continue on in the museum. Best decision I've ever made. I sit in the first tent, in the first chair I see. Turns out it's the PBS tent and a show is getting ready to start. Front row seats.


Then we saw some famous people and got our picture taken. No lines whatsoever.


And Diego loves these characters...the cow at Chick-fil-A taught him not to be afraid.


Look how happy.


We met up with everyone again and headed over to the sculpture garden. Still warm enough for a little dip.


And some beautiful flowers.


We finished the day off with a wonderful meal with my uncle and aunt. The kids were crazy in the restaurant. I'm glad we lost no arms in the carousel door. Another great day in DC.

pictures aren't for everyone

Welcome to DC.

This photo has a nice story behind it.

We were all walking along the mall, kind of spread out, taking in all the action. I had hung back, since I had my zoom lens on and was trying to get a nice shot of Isabela and her Daddy, who were strolling along holding hands. There also happened to be a HUGE national book fair going on along the mall, with all kinds of tents and attractions being set up.

So I had snapped a few shots of them, and noticed out of the corner of my eye, two ladies on a bench nearby, holding large magazines up over their faces. My first thought was 'Wow, they must need glasses if they can't read that.'

But as I passed by, checking my camera to see if I had any good shots, they put down their magazines and said, "No pictures, please."

I quickly assured them with a smile and a few words that I wasn't taking it of them, but up ahead. (After all, wasn't that the Washington Monument over there?)

But they were antagonizing. And I could tell they were trying to be mean about it.

I tried to size up the situation. First, they were twins. They were at LEAST 60 years old. They were dressed the same. Maybe they were famous authors here for the book signings....

....So out of my mouth comes, "Why? Are you somebody?"

Niceties were somehow behind us now.

They quickly retorted indignantly, "We're citizens of the United States and our image belongs to us." Then I realized I wasn't dealing with some famous authors, but some crazies.

I said, "Well, that's my daughter and my husband up there and I want a picture of them," and decided to cut my losses and walk on.

I WISHED I'd said, "You might want to sit somewhere other than on the mall of the tourist capital of the world if you don't want your picture taken," but I didn't think of it at the time.

Yep. Welcome to DC.

DC--take two

Juan Pablo's parting words as we tried to round everybody up for another day at the museums..."Let's hurry up so we can get back." Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but I was undaunted.

Still, there was trouble just around the corner.

What does that tiny sign say? Metro station closed.


We were told to go up some steps and catch the shuttle to the next station. Really, I saw it as a better adventure than we would have had...the kids were thrilled to get to ride the Subway...and now they got to take a bus, too!

We passed Great Waves water park on the way. Watched its cool water slides slip out of view of the bus window and filed that trip away for another hot day. It was museums for us.


Oh. And did I mention Diego only likes me to hold him? That why I have such great arm muscles, not that BodyCombat class I've been taking.


The subway really is cool. Joaquin practiced gymnastics by climbing the pole to the one on the ceiling. Isabela twirled around them. It definitely reminded me of my college days in DC.


I was a little self-concious with the camera...looking like a giant tourist...but then I realized, I was a tourist, and there's lots of them there, so it really didn't make a difference.


The Smithsonian stop lets you out right smack in the middle of the mall. I LOVE those views. And did I mention it was hot? That's not a dirty lens in the Capitol picture...just plain hot air.


At this point, ice cream was way more important than the Washington monument.


Another of Diego's favorites...birds. And they were approachable...only flew off at the last minute. Letting them chase pigeons brought a smile to everyone's face.


Definitely, the museum of natural history has got to be one of the best ever. All those stuffed animals.


My kids loved each and every one and actually read some of the information about them! We tried to name a lot of them in Spanish for Diego...we all got stuck on 'walrus'...even JP. He had to look it up on his phone. Turns out it's 'morsa' if you ever need to know.


I got excited about the possibility of walking through the live butterfly exhibit...but it turned out it cost money. Except on Tuesdays...so if you're up there on a Tuesday....


Our favorite place of the day turned out to be the sculpture garden of the National Gallery of Art. Isn't this tree amazing?


And the police were letting everyone stick their feet in the fountain to cool off. THANK GOD. We hadn't stepped outside two seconds before the kids were complaining about the heat. And it wasn't even that hot. Diego got so wet he had to walk around in just a diaper for the rest of the day.


So everyone was really ready to leave after that...but I dragged them all to one more stop. I've been wanting to go to this 'secret' tunnel ever since I read about it on latinaish.com. It connects the east and west wing of the National Galleries of Art.

So I did the smart mom thing...we charged through the museum like speed walkers, bypassing all of the most famous paintings in the world to get here.


Definitely worth it. Mesmerizing. We went around a couple of times and under disapproving looks from a guard, we fussed at the kids for having too much fun on the sidewalks.


Very hard to capture on film, but still beautiful.


All in all, day two went well. Diego fell asleep on the Metro ride home...so I had to CARRY his limp body upstairs, downstairs, across streets....I locked my hands together under his weight and just kept walking, the sweat dripping off my forehead. A small sacrifice for a day of fun, right?

planes or balls?

When Diego sees planes, he waves, he points, he blows kisses. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen. Oh, and he calls them aviones, the spanish word for planes. That's cute, too.


So while we were in DC we went to the Udvar-Hazy air and space museum.


But I think it was a little late in the day. Or a little too close to when we visited the air museum in Richmond.

It's really cool when you walk in to see planes hanging all around...but then they were over it. Forget the cool helicopters.


And the space shuttle!


These kids loved the big stone balls out front.


We couldn't even wrangle Joaquin for a picture.


So we zipped through the museum and headed home. Really that's how we do most museums....zipping style. Not much reading or learning, but I keep trying.


And now they're happy...back in front of the TV.

zonked on the metro

A trip to DC this weekend left us a bit tired.

green spring

It's such a relief to know that spring is right around the corner. I know there's always a chance of snow in March, and there's still some cold winds coming to chill us to our bones....but the signs are there, so it can't be too far off. I always imagine those poor Pilgrims and their first winter here and wonder if they thought it would ever end. It does.

And so...pictures from a wonderful park in Alexandria, VA called Green Spring Gardens. It's similar to Lewis Ginter, but on a smaller scale...and best of all...it's FREE!


Out back is their children's garden, with cute tables...


...winding brick pathways for little feet to follow...


...colorful pastel mailboxes to open...


..and all different types of little gardens. I liked the sign in this one.


There's also remnants of last summer.


And cool benches made out of branches that you imagine having in your own backyard.


This precious bird spied us before we even noticed it.


And I always love this serious expression on Joaquin's face. (I had to crop Isabela out because of hers!)


And this, it turns out, is Witch Hazel. I never knew what it looked like and love that I can learn right along with the kids.