If you read my last blog, Loving Your Family Vacation, you know that I am in Washington DC. This picture above is from Day One. My kids feel like we tricked them and they can?t understand why they are learning about anything on their summer vacation. I sort of agree, but say, ?Do you know how lucky you are to be able to experience this?? I do believe what I am saying, but I sort of don?t want to see any more that day either.
Our Day Two at Mount Vernon was great, but my kids mostly enjoyed the golf cart ride around the grounds, and didn?t really appreciate how amazing it was that we saw George Washington?s actual bed. Even after my fifth, ?Wasn?t that amazing that we saw George Washington’s actual bed??
Day Three at The Smithsonian Air and Space. I had great memories of this museum and couldn?t wait to take my kids. ?This was going to be the one,? I thought. This will bring my kids over to Team Washington D.C. It started out good. There were airplane simulator rides where they could spin upside down. They all did this while I scoped out the museum shop for some Midol. After their ride, we began our exploring, trying to pretend we were at Indianapolis 500, cause we raced through.
Truth is, a lot of things that we are told about, told we must do, are sometimes overrated. And that?s okay. It doesn?t mean it?s not good to do it, it just means that sometimes we convince ourselves we have to do something, and looove it, because everyone else thought it was amazing, (and maybe they will judge as a horrible parents and our kids as totally unsophisticated if they didn?t soak it all in.)
I would love to make a really honest tour book of things to see. A few samples:
Empire State Building-You will wait in a long ass line. Everybody in line will be sweaty and miserable. After you finally get up there, you will look at the view, hopefully on a clear day, talk about how everyone looks like ants, what would happen to them if you spit out your gum, then you will get down.
Washington Monument– Definitely go see this. You can take pictures of your kids pretending to hold it up, and they will talk about how it looks like a pointy penis. After that, psyche your kids up to walk the 1.5 miles to the Lincoln Memorial.
Grand Canyon– Hard to believe people travel from all around the worlds to see it, and stay for just twenty minutes. The Grand Canyon is really incredible. A must see. Makes you believe in G-d. Your kids will say, ?It?s a rock??
The Elevator-your kids will love this and will want to visit time and time again. They will trip each other to get to the button, sometimes hitting every floor. This visit will really bring the little ones closer together.
?Jen, it?s time to go.? Oh my G-d, I think I have been sitting on the bench for at least twenty minutes thinking about this. I have missed all of the Air And Space. What am I going to tell everyone at home? ?It was amazing!! You have to go see it!?
*Helpful hint: Discovered a new app called Time To Enjoy. You can download it for free and it helps you find the activities going on in your area that you can enjoy with your family. Check it out.
