8th Grade Washington Trip 2013: Day Two...

It was another great day! The rain tried to get the best of us, but flexibility and good attitudes prevailed! On the way to Arlington this morning the sky was BLACK (like "War of the Worlds" - which we watched on the way to D.C. - BLACK). That was a good indication that walking around outside for a couple of hours was probably not going to work. So, we went to the Smithsonians instead.

We started at the Air and Space Museum and then went to the Natural History Museum. After that, it was on to the National Archives. We saw the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. No photography was allowed, so don't expect to see those photos coming home. Don't worry, though, the only document that wasn't faded beyond readability was the Constitution. Then, with the weather cooperating again, we headed to the Martin Luther King, Jr., FDR, and Jefferson Memorials. They were a whirlwind, but fun. We had just enough time at that point to squeeze in the Iwo Jima Memorial and a visit to the White House (from behind the fence for pictures). As we were headed back the busses, the skies opened up enough to remind us how nice the weather had treated us all day! Finally, we went to Hard Rock Cafe for a delicious meal and came back to the pool for...SWIMMING! The kids waited so long for that one!

Tomorrow will bring a whole other slew of tours and a bit of catch-up. Then, of course, we'll be homeward bound. The weather is supposed to be beautiful and the kids are still ready to take on the world - so we will! Or, at least, Washington. Things have been awesome!! We continue to get compliments on how well behaved and respectful the kids are. Be proud, parents. Be proud. We are!!

These pictures aren't even the tip of the iceberg, but they will get you started: