Washington DC November 1-5, 2013

Corie, Cadie, and I flew to Virginia to visit Ken, Missy, Alex and Jeff.  We left on Friday night at 7pm.  We flew to Long Beach, and had a couple hour layover.  Then we flew to Washington DC.  We arrived there about 5am.  Fortunately, when we got to Ken's house, Missy was still asleep, and Alex and Jeff were at work, so we went and took a 3 hour nap.

We bought some Metro passes, and that is pretty much how we commuted for the next 3 days. Ken was in town, so we took advantage of his down time and went sight seeing with them all. When he was working we just went with Missy.  Alex and Jeff met us in between their work schedules as well.  We pretty much were crazy busy during the day, then crashed at night.  We had a blast, and really appreciate so much Ken and Missy letting us stay in their already cramped apartment with them.  Alex and Jeff slept in one bedroom.  Ken and Missy in the living room, and they had to keep filling up their air mattress during the night.  Corie, Cadie, and I had the master bedroom with a king-sized bed.  Yes, we were the spoiled ones of the group.

On the Metro

We first headed off to the American Art Portrait Gallery.  We saw some great Art.  It was really awesome.  The American Presidents section was really amazing.  We walked around there for over an hour.  Then we went over to Ford's Theater.  That was really incredible.  The theater is still functioning.  And the area where Abraham Lincoln was shot is closed up for tourists to see.  Then we walked across the street to where they took him after he was shot.  I really could have stayed there all day.  And that is what we all decided, that you could spend a day in each building/museum.

Jeff, Alex, Cadie, Corie

The suite where Abraham Lincoln was shot.

            Inside the theater looking over to the suite where Abraham Lincoln was killed

When we were done with the museum, we hopped back onto the Metro and rode over to the Renwick American Art and Craft Museum.  The museum is now closed, but it was still open when we went.  They are renovating it.  But we found out that one whole section had already been emptied out, preparing for the renovation.  Missy said that section was her absolute favorite.  We saw some amazing woven baskets, from weeds to bark.  It was cool.  This museum was around the corner from the White House; so we walked over to it.

Sunday morning we went to Fast and Testimony meeting.  Well, Ken, Missy, and I did.  Corie and Cadie forgot church clothes, and Alex and Jeff had to work.  It was a great Sacrament Meeting.  A man from Sierra Leone was baptized the day before and was confirmed at church.  He bore his testimony about his conversion and about how he had been prepared for the gospel.  It was a great testimony.  It really was a great meeting.  I enjoyed being at such a diverse ward.  After church we went and picked up Alex, Jeff, Corie and Cadie.  We drove to Mount Vernon, which is about 30 minutes from their house.  We literally could have stayed there all day.  We walked around the gardens that Martha Washington started when she lived there.  We also toured through the Washington home.  Then we walked around the stables and cooking areas down to the grave site of both George and Martha Washington.  

 In front of the Mount Vernon Estate

 The Potomac River

 Cadie decided to take the place of Molly in this family photo.

 The grave of George Washington

 Alex, Corie, Jeff and Cadie sitting on the porch of the Estate.

Corie, Al, Cadie, Jeff and Ken

 Martha Washington comes twice a week and talks about her life on the Estate and with George Washington.  She also lets you take a picture with her.  She was great to visit with.  I have both pictures, because I love Alex's face in the bottom picture.

When we left Mount Vernon we drove over to Arlington Cemetery.  I got a great picture of the Washington Monument with scaffolding all around it.  They are fixing it up after the earthquake that hit there about 2 years ago.  

We walked all around Arlington Cemetery.  We saw the changing of the guards.  We also saw the monument for the Challenger Space Shuttle that exploded in the 1980's.  We walked past the Kennedy memorial.  It really is an amazing place.  There was a cool spirit there.  The autumn leave were changing and the colors were spectacular.  

After we left the cemetery we drove over to DC Cupcakes - they are known from their tv show on TLC.  When we got there, the line went up the street.  So Ken and Jeff dropped us off to stand in line, while they parked the cars.  We each ordered 2 cupcakes; they were the most amazing cupcakes I had ever eaten.  Corie even ate both cupcakes, and she rarely eats one.

It was dark after we finally got our cupcakes.  So Ken and Missy dropped us off at the Memorial Mall, so we could quickly walk through the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, and the Martin Luther King Memorial.  They drove around while we walked to each of these.  The Korean War Memorial was so amazing.  They had soldiers in a field and each one was lit up - it looked like they were ghosts, which brought an amazing spirit to the area.  I was so impressed with the way it was all set up.  It is probably one of my most favorite there - although I do love the WW II Memorial as well.  Then we walked across the street to the MLK Memorial.  It was 4 pieces of huge granite, symbolizing the breaking of the races that Martin Luther King was able to accomplish.  Then on the back side of one, was his sculptures.

This is as good as it gets in the dark... The Washington Monument looked so cool all lit up.  Each level of scaffolding had lights on it.   

On Monday, Ken had to work all day, and Alex and Jeff had to work until noon.  So, Missy, Corie, Cadie and I jumped on the Metro and went to the Holocaust Museum.  That was really a horrific time in history.  Again, we could have spent a whole day there.  We walked up to a great little burger shop, Good Stuff Eatery.  Truly, they had the best burgers ever.  

Ken and Missy's good friend that live back there, works for the Oregon congressman.  He was able to get us a personal tour of the Capitol.  So we met an intern and he gave us about an hour tour of the Capitol.  It was pretty awesome.  

Cadie and Al just waiting for our tour.

Each state has 2 statues inside the Capitol.  There are also statues of all the presidents.  The statue of Ronald Reagan is in the main hall.  It is a strange picture, but the ridge between the statue and the base, is made out of the Berlin Wall that was torn down, while Ronald Reagan was president.  

  The star is placed in the center of the city.  This was originally planned to be where George Washington's body was to be interred.  If you touch it, you are suppose to have good luck.  

                                                       Looking up at the Rotunda.

                                                                       The Capitol

We walked underground through the hallway tunnel across the street to the Library of Congress.  We only had about an hour, as it was closing.  But it was so beautiful inside.  Corie and Cadie  both decided next time we go, they are going to get library reading cards.  You can only go        inside the reading library if you have a card.  Thomas Jefferson's personal library was on show in one section.  The whole thing was so amazing.                                                                                

Cadie in front of the Library of Congress

                         The viewing area above the reading area in the Library of Congress.

Thomas Jefferson's personal library.

We went home, ate, and packed.  We had to be at the airport at 5 am.  So then we hopped on the plane and spent all morning traveling back to Long Beach, CA - then home.  It was a quick trip, but we really had a great time.