Washington DC the second day!

Well, we got up and out of the hotel after a breakfast at the hotel..got to Arlington to wait for the shuttle and on with the day..traffic was bad so it seemed to take about an hour just to go a few miles.  Finally we were there and got off.  We had reservations at the Washington Monument at 1130 so we figured we had time to visit the World War II Memorial.  Very humid and hot day!  We got there and were treated to about 50 World War II Vets from Honor Flight, Eastern Oregon!  How much better could it get than to be able to visit and Thank these Heroes!  I know it mean alot to all of us...as we realize in a few years there won't be any veterans left to see at this incredible monument.  They ranged from people in wheelchairs and oxygen to others who could put themselves on the ground crosslegged and get back up no problem!  It was so awesome for us all!!  

We walked back to the Washington Monument and a Ranger led us and others up to the elevator and we went to the top of this awesome monument!  The monument just opened a few weeks ago as it had been closed since an earthquake a few years ago, you had to have purchased tickets online as during the summer there is no first come first served tickets!  Luckily we had them and everyone enjoyed the views from the top! 

Once we were done there we headed over to the Vietnam Memorial...another very moving piece of history...over 58,000 names on the wall...

Russell at the Vietnam Wall

Then, over to the Lincoln Memorial..He is so regal sitting there watching over everyone and all the monuments...Love this one!  Then as we're getting ready to go the clouds let go and it's a pour down!  So that probably held us back over half an hour, but it was beautiful!  As soon as it breaks we head for the Korean War Memorial...very moving!   As we're there, sky lets loose again so we attempted to stay dry under some trees...didn't work very well so we headed for a little walk up food place in the park near our shuttle stop.  Had a quick lunch in the rain standing up but it worked!  Our shuttle came and we were on our way..or so we thought...We had a beautiful tour of the downtown area of Washington DC...saw Ford's theatre (where President Lincoln was shot) and many other places I hadn't seen before. Washington has a very nice downtown area (if you have the time to spend)...by the time we got near the Air and Space Museum we knew we didn't have time to see it that day...so we headed back to the hotel and the kids went swimming awhile.  A nice dinner and a great evening!  

Adam at the wall...

Adam and Aaron...

Lori and Jacob

And there he is President Lincoln! 

A view from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial looking at the
Washington Monument in the rain!

The Korean War Memorial

Downtown DC...

Adam waiting for the shuttle in DC

Jacob, Jesse and Aaron waiting for the shuttle in DC

Aaron and Jacob in front of the entrance to the World War II
Memorial

We came across a group of Honor Flight Veterans from Eastern
Oregon!

Russell and Aaron talking with some of the World War II Vets!

Adam, Jacob and Aaron in front of the fountain at the World War II
Memorial

The wreath Honor Flight Left...

Two handsome boys in front of Arkansas post

The group of Honor Flight Vets! Awesome!

We're home and in the next few days I will be catching up! Too bad the internet was so bad in the hotels!

*** I have gone back a few days and posted pictures of our adventure..if you're interested go to "older posts" and you should see some pictures.

Arlington National Cemetary, American History and National History Museum!

Had our breakfast this am and loaded up in the van to find the cemetary...we did!  took the trolley and got off at the changing of the guard...incredible!  Everyone was so quiet and respectful...awesome!...

After a few hours of meandering we loaded on the Grayline and headed for Washington DC..then got off and ate some lunch at some of the lunch trucks.  Headed for the American History Museum...it was interesting...when we got to the war section...we marvelled that if we hadn't seen the Marine Corps Museum we would have thought that it was awesome!! So it was good!  So many people and especially school kids...hard to see things but we did...quickly...

Then we finished the afternoon with the Natural History Museum...was hoping the Dinosaur project was still open...but it will reopen in November..but was good anyway..We caught the return shuttle back near the Washington monument and returned to the motel.  The boys went swimming and then we headed to Dogwood Tavern and had dinner...was really good!  
Back to the motel and the 3rd basketball game is on tonight...

An early day tomorrow so we can spend the whole day in DC...what a great trip so far!  

The view of the Capitol Mall from Arlington National Cemetary

Jacob, Aaron, Adam and Russell

Arlington....

The Tomb of the Unknown...

Jesse

The Tomb of the Unknown..

Jacob

Adam and Jesse

The changing of the guard..

Aaron...

Looking at the Washington Memorial

This just touched me...

American History Museum

Natural History Museum

Dinner....

National Museum of the Marine Corps......AWESOME!

We are staying at the Governor's House Inn...in 2006 Ken and I stayed here and it was a Quality Inn at the time...not a bad place..not the quality of the first few nights but ok and more affordable.  

Had our breakfast, loaded ourselves into the van and off we went for Quantico, VA about 1/2 hour drive.  Hot, humid yukky...but not to fear as we spent most of the day inside.  This museum was incredible.  Takes you from the beginning of the Marine Corps to present day with more to come!  IT's FREE and so impressive, makes u wonder why the 911 memorial has to cost $24.00 a person to see and the Marine Corps can present this incredible piece of history for FREE to the public!?....

Have to finish this later...time to go....
Well, now I'll finish..much later and we're back home..We had lunch at the replica of the Tun Tavern..the original tavern was in Philadelphia Pennsylvania..the birthplace of the Marine Corps..my camera died so no pics of the tavern..but really cute! Food was good too!  

We left there and headed for the IWO JIMA Memorial...it's so outstanding..I know Russell was very impressed.  I've seen it several times but it still gets to me!  

National Museum of the Marine Corps!

Russell and his boys

Adam standing in the booth getting yelled at by the DI's

The pull up station..

Hammocks in the old days how they used to sleep onboard
ship

Jacob, Adam, Lori and Diane

The Flag at IWO JIMA!

Awesome display of the "Cold War"..the room was freezing!

Adam on the second floor as we were getting ready to have lunch

A brick in his honor...we found his grave in Cypress Hills National
Cemetary...New York..

Another view...shaped like a sundial...

Window in the little chapel on the grounds

IWO JIMA Memorial...so incredibly awesome!

The boys swimming..but that day not so much as thunder happened
and they had to get out..

Here's the clouds that got the boys out of the pool...

Audie Murphy...