Day 5- Washington DC

We got up early this morning for our White House tour. Our tour started at 8:30, so we got there early (shocking!). After having a bunch of people check our id, go through metal detectors and waiting in line with the other cattle, we were finally ushered into the White House. Those secret service guys are grouchy! We got to see the Hallway where Obama made the Bin Laden announcement. The hallways and rooms look so much bigger on tv. Sadly, a vacation tradition is one of our boys getting told by an authority figure not to do something. In this case, Drew decided to rest in the White House on an antique chair. The secret service man yelled across the room as soon as Drew's bottom hit the chair. Cole was horrified (it was just last year when he did something similar in Colorado) and felt the need to smack Drew. Drew was going to retaliate, but fortunately Scott had a hold of his shirt. Yep, they were probably glad when we left. I'm sure there will be little marks next to our social security numbers next time we try to visit some place.

Since I couldn't take my camera into the White House, I was without it all day. It practically killed me. We had to rely on Scott's camera phone for our pictures today. For a phone, his takes pretty good pictures. But, tomorrow I'm lugging my big Nikon around, so I can get good shots.

Afterwards, we stopped briefly at the White House visitors center. Since we got to see the real deal, we didn't stay long. We walked over to the Willard hotel (I'm going to stay there when I win the lottery) and caught our trolley. We took the trolley to Union Station. It's quite grand. The best part though for us hungry folk was the food court in the basement. Nevermind that it was 10:30, we wanted lunch. The 3 guys were all lured over by an Asian woman holding chicken out, saying "Yummy, yummy." I'm going to start trying that when I make dinner.WWaiting for the trolley

A picture of me...per my mother's request

From Union Station, we rode the trolley around and stopped at the Air and Space Museum. Boy, that place is huge! I knew I was in trouble when Cole looked at an airplane engine from all sides for the first 10 minutes we were in there. He was mesmerized. So, we split up so Drew and I could enjoy the big things without reading every bit of information in the place. We were in there for what seemed like hours. My favorite part was the Orville and Wilbur Wright section. I made my best argument about brothers working together. Cole and Drew finally agreed on something....that they wouldn't work together and their plane would have crashed into a tree.

Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

We finished the museum with two of my favorite things....an ice cream cone from McDonalds and a visit to the gift shop. We jumped back on the trolley and did sight seeing from it.

At one point during the day, Drew exclaimed, "WOW! Look at that!" We turned to see what he was looking at...the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial? Nope. "Look at all those kids wearing blue shirts."

Back on the trolley to get us close to our hotel. We had to walk several blocks after we got off, but aside from our sore feet, it was okay. The weather is beautiful here.Posing like the statue in front of the Dept of Treasury

We got our "Welcome home" as we came in the hotel. Pizza in the room for dinner. We are just chilling (except Scott who appears to have passed out from exhaustion).

We are missing our dogs. Drew wants to skype with Sophie, but we told him Brittany (the girl staying with them) will think we're weirdos if we want to talk with the dog.

Oh, the boys just had some moments of kindness toward each other....there's hope.

Big day tomorrow starting early, so early to bed tonight!