Philadelphia

Ben Franklin

Betsy Ross House

Liberty Bell

Independence Hall--George Washington

Gettysburg

Cannon--Cade

It was very interesting to learn all about the Civil War and the sacrifices that

both sides made to fight for what they believed was right.

Washington DC

We saw the original documents of the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution at the National Archives. That was really cool.

This is the very center of Washington DC.

Iwo Jima

Washington Memorial at Night

Lincoln Memorial

Jefferson Memorial

We had the rare (10%) opportunity to tour the White House. Luckily the background check they did on our family didn't catch all the crazy stuff Jeff does on a daily basis. :-) While we were on tour, we watched Pres. Obama take off in his helicopter right outside the window.

The Capitol Building

Ford's Theater--this is the balcony where Abraham Lincoln sat the night he was shot.

Air and Space Museum

Washington Memorial

Mt. Vernon - George Washington's Home

Mt. Vernon was beautiful, set right up against the Potomac River. The estate was massive and it was fun to tour and see where George Washington lived.

Washington's Tomb

Montecello - Thomas Jefferson's Home

We enjoyed visiting Montecello. It was amazing to learn about Thomas Jefferson and his vast estate. He had many slaves, but treated them so well they received an education better than some whites. He was a very talented President.

Willamsburg

We visited Colonial Willamsburg. It was interesting to see what the colonies would have been like. We were adjusting to the heat and humidity on this day so it was a bit challenging for the kids at times. There were people in costume, horses and wagons, people dressed up as slaves, towns people, etc. We all enjoyed it very much.

NYC/DC Family Trip

Here we are on our way to DC. The kids liked the airplane because they could get juice and pop. I always hoped for a nap which didn't always happen. We were all excited for this trip and the kids worked hard to achieve goals that they set several months in advance to "earn" this trip.