Road Trip {Visit with Mike!}

My brother Mike and his family lives in Panama. Which would be way cool to go and visit him there…but, you know. We just took a 6 hour trip with the kids, and that was ca-ra-zy!! Lucky for us, Mike and his wife are in D.C. {3 and 1/2 hours away!}, so we woke up super early yesterday morning, missed ALL traffic from here to D.C. {until we hit the beltway} and spend the day seeing the “mall.” It was so much fun to see Mike again, but most of all it was GREAT for the kids to get to know their Uncle and Aunt. They had a blast with them, and I think Mike and Karalyn enjoyed it too!

Mike and me. {Writing that totally reminded me of the time when Mike took us to the drive-in movie in Rexburg Idaho to see Mac and Me circa 1988?, an alien movie that I think traumatized me about outer space and aliens coming down to take me away. And then that brought up another memory of Mike---Weird Al Yankovic’s song, Midnight Star. Holy cow, I am WAYY off track!}

Mike had mentioned that since we are so far apart in age {19 years!}, we don’t know each other very well. In some aspects that is true, but giving the fact that Mom told him she was pregnant with me while she was driving him up to his freshman year of college, which, by the way….he told her she was to old, {Thanks a lot, Mike!!} I do have quite a few memories of him! And, when we DO get together or we talk on the phone, it’s not weird or awkward….. he’s my big brother, and I’m pretty lucky to have him! He’s a pretty cool guy! ;)

Back to the trip! We met at their apartment they are staying at and then rode the Metro into the city! It was pretty easy, and we only got left behind once….Mike and Karayln made it on one train with the 3 older kids…and Ben, me, and Parleigh had to wait for another train! LOL!

 

First up? The Air and Space Museum! It was HUGE!The boys LOVED it! Paisley had fun. And Parleigh? Wellllll…..she squawked/screamed a LOT! And then we gave her some Jelly Belly’s. And she didn’t scream. Until we ran out! Oh well, she’s a baby! :)

Once we finished the Air and Space museum, we wanted to see some more sites, but didn’t want to have to walk. Everything in the Mall is in one spot…but it’s SO spread out! Mike treated us to a bicycle carriage! It was awesome! And we had a born and bred Washingtonian who gave us random facts about the different places along our route!

As we were walking up the Lincoln Memorial, we saw some kids “sliding” down by the steps. I don’t think that’s what it’s for, but Preston couldn’t contain himself.

{In this first picture, Parleigh wanted to go down so bad! That’s why she’s screaming. In the next two pictures, check out my facial expressions/mannerisms! Too funny!}

The boys loved this statue. {I wonder why!} This was right before going to the Vietnam Memorial.

Our 3rd cousin {???}, David Helm, died in the Vietnam war. We found his name on the wall.

At the World War II Memorial, the signs said “no wading!!”, this is okay, right? It was SO refreshing!

And that was it! It was a QUICK trip! There is so much to see and do. But we had fun! It was worth it! And the best part? The interaction my kids had with Mike and Karalyn! They each warmed up to them at the very beginning, and had so.much.fun! I realized, if you had to pick one person to go to a museum with, it would be Mike. He loves learning knew things. And he was so patient with the boys! There was much learned today!

And since we were 2 exits away from the temple, we drove over there really fast. {It’s important for the kids to SEE the temple. And it’s not very often they they get to!} It was technically closed since they are doing maintenance on it right now. There was a guy cleaning it. {????} How would you like that job?

We were exhausted. I could barely keep my eyes open, and I may or may not have slept once we got past Richmond! We had such a great time! Really! It was worth the 6 hours in a car with our squawking 17 month old! :)