Our July vacation was a whirlwind of activity spanning multiple states. While I have been married to my husband for almost 13 years, and we have visited his parents in the Washington DC area yearly, we have never really done the family touristy thing. This year we decided to give it a try.
First, let me say how beautiful it is in the Bethesda, MD area. They have a trail along the Potomac that extends for miles and runs along the old locks--great for running. We hiked the Billy Goat trail, and the kids showed incredibly finesse as they climbed rocks and tried to stay on the path. The pictures below are of Alan's dad with the kids and then us with the kids. We were hiking to a spot where we could look down into the water. Alan's brother was in a kayak race below.
One day was spent in the heart of DC visiting all the landmarks. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing was particularly interesting. Note the kids next to the million dollars. Katelyn kept walking around it I think trying to figure out how she could sneak it out of there. Not likely. My favorite quote on the wall, "How do you think I feel. I just printed my lifetime salary in minutes." It was jaw-dropping how much money was being printed before our eyes.
The one location Katelyn desired to visit the most was the White House. She didn't quite understand that it was closed to visitors due to the Sequestration and that even without it, she would have to reserve six months in advance. Regardless, she enjoyed peeking through the bars. This is a picture from the back which is the less recognized side. Below she is taking a break at the Lincoln Memorial. For some reason, she reminds me of a carefree student backpacking the US.
A highlight of our trip was a slight detour to Hershey, PA, home of Chocolate World. After a day and a half at the amusement park/water park, we took the Chocolate World tour and made our own Chocolate Bars. Don't you just love the hygienic accessories we are sporting.
Our final, big stop was in Lakeville, PA, where we visited Alan's other set of parents and prepared to drop the girls at camp. They live on a lovely lake--an ideal haven for little kids looking for adventure. Below, Owen and Ellie are discussing how best to run their pirate ship aka the dock.
It is not a family vacation with the Bargers unless we stop at a pizza joint. We enjoyed the evening with Duncan, Holly and Ethan Barger before heading to Camp Netimus the next day. With Duncan and Holly running the boys camp and the girls getting privileged brother/sister visits to see them and their cousins, they were left in good hands.
It is my tradition to actually take my kids to sleep away camp for the first time. Ellie, age 7, surprised me by her maturity and fearlessness as we made up her bed in camp and prepared to leave. In fact, if I didn't know better, I would feel that we had been quickly dismissed. She seems to be having a great time with swimming, sailing, kayaking, horse care, etc. Katelyn was made for camp. She was greeted with lots of hugs and smiles when we got there and seemed to know everybody she passed. We are hopeful that she keeps and eye on her little sister and shows her the ropes.
Just five more days and all my ducklings will be home. The girls fly home solo on Sunday, and Owen will be returning from Grandma's this weekend. While I do appreciate the small pockets of time I have had this last week with an empty house, I am beginning to desperately miss the sounds of their pitter patter feet running down the hall, their sweet little snuggles as I tuck them in to bed and their never-ending questions about life. Five more days and I will be complete again.
No comments:
Post a Comment