waiting for the girls to arrive
Mom. Me. Brooke..shortly after their arrival
Sisters in the rain...
We're here....@ the National Mall
PEACE.LOVE.USA
Mom & Brooke in front of the National Capital
The girls with Georgie Poorgie
On our tour in the Capital
Mom sportin' her rain boots
cute...look at our rain boots
ohh la la...
Girls in the rain...
==FRIDAY==10/26 (weather-rain-62 degrees)
Imagine not seeing your mom and sister for 2 months... and not being able to sleep because you are so excited to see them. On Thursday night I could hardly sleep. I woke up at 5:15 AM to go surprise Mom and Brooke at the Dulles Airport. I made them a sign that said "WELCOME TO WASHINGTON DC MOM & BROOKE" along with yellow and blue balloons. It seemed so surreal to see them...it felt so good. We rode the 5A bus into DC. It was Brooke's 1st time in DC, but Mom had lived back here when she was my age, so she was refreshing old memories. Unfortunately it was pouring rain, ALL DAY FRIDAY!! We had umbrellas and dressed according to the weather. We went to my apartment and then hurried up to the National Capital where Nichole gave us a tour. Nichole gave a great tour. The National capital is BEAUTIFUL. We visited the Smithsonian Natural Indian Museum. It was a good one, 1 for 1. For dinner we went to the one and only deluctable Cheesecake Factory. We topped our dinner off with a piece of Brownie Sundae Cheesecake. And don't you worry, we ate every bite before we could even take a picture of it. The weather provided us with rain all day long. Where's our rain boots when we need them?? Mom and I made some purchases. We shopped around in a couple retail stores and ended up in the GIANT grocery store. Mom bought me some groceries, thanks mom! We got a Red Box, The Ultimate Gift, it was probably the cheeziest movie ever, but kinda cute! You make the call on that one.
WE LOVE AMERICA
Hope Diamond...45.52 karats
Waiting for IMAX Lions 3D movie to start...
We've got our stunna shades on..
I introduced Mom & Brooke to Potbelly's...they loved the Italian sub and you can't forget the freshly made ice cream sandwiches!
==SATURDAY==10/27 (weather-AM showers-71 degrees)
I let Mom and Brooke sleep in a little bit, only because I DID!! opps!! They needed their beauty sleep. We started the day out at the National Holocaust Museum. We spent two hours there and Mom could have spent another couple hours there. OK Grandma! (just kidding) But I recommend this museum to everyone, it makes you realize what the Jews went through. Afterwards we went to the National Museum of Natural History. Not only were there animals there and we saw an awesome IMAX Lions 3D movie but the HOPE DIAMOND (45.52 karats) from India is there. It made me dream...about my diamond one day. For dinner I introduced mom and Brooke to Potbelly's. They loved the Italian sub sandwich. This restaurant is great, sandwiches are only $4.19. We headed back to Van Ness to go to the Potbelly's by my house because the Potbelly's where we got dinner was out of cookies. I wanted them to try their famous ice cream sandwiches with freshly baked cookies and homemade ice cream. Pretty much the best thing since sliced bread. We were successful and enjoyed every bite of the sandwiches. That night we went out the Pentagon City Mall. It was such a pretty mall, it was huge. I made a Steve Madden boot/slipper purchase. After the mall we went home and watched the end of the Boston Red Sox vs. Colorado Rockies World Series Game.
Church at Chevy Chase
Art in Hirshorn Smithsonian Museum
Brooke & Mom were mezmorized by the art
Are your eyes trippin' out yet?
This modern art piece is wire hangers hanging all together at certain angles to make a design
Mom and Brooke trying to spot Mars...good luck girls
Which shadow is mine...mom's...brooke's...
I think I can do this..
Houston we're going down
"Yes, sir!"
Brooke + Illinois are like two peas in a pod (if you know what I mean)
Mom and Brooke...this one's for you!
Rocky's boxing gloves
Mom & Abe Lincolns top hat
Me. Mom. Brooke in front on the National Monument
Mom. Brooke. Me @ the top of the National Monument
The White House
WWII Memorial
Tribute to WWII Soldiers
Visiting the Vietnam Memorial
Abe Lincoln Memorial
Korean Memorial
Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial
I dedicate this picture to Brooke and Mom!
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
==SUNDAY==10/28 (weather-mostly sunny-62 degrees)
We went to the Chevy Chase family ward for church and then headed to the National Mall. We started off the day at the Hirshorn Art Smithsonian Museum. It is a modern art museum and was full of creative art pieces. Then we wandered westward to the Air and Space Museum. This museum is one heck of a museum. Very well spent tax dollars :). We had a 3 o'clock appointment to go to the top of the National Monument. We walked over to the White House to view what we could of the Preident's quarters. Then it was on to the west end of the National Mall, we walked around to the WWII Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Theodore Roosevelt's Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial. After all those adventures we topped the night off with a yummy dinner @ Open City.
In the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Brooke is worth $1,584,400
Mom is worth $1,537,800
I am worth $1,537,800
ART
Mom in the Art Gallery
Dancing Queen
Brooke with Art
Matisse's Cut-Out Art
Another Mom & Art
Mom with the Lioness' @ the National Geographic Museum
Iwo Jima Statue
Visiting the Marine Corp.-Iwo Jima Memorial
Arlington Cemetery
John F. Kennedy Grave--Eternal Flame
Soldier guarding the Unknown Grave
Soldiers
Changing of the guards
==MONDAY==10/29 (weather-sunny-63 degrees)
We were sure to go to the National Mall again today, well at least to the same metro stop. We went to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to see how they make the "notes"(bills, flow, greenback, flow-sha, $MONEY$). This Smithsonian is one of my favorites. Today, Monday October 29, 2007, I had a change of heart for art (whoa that rhymed). We went to the National Art Museums (East(ancient) & West(modern) wings). I am so grateful that Brooke and I gave in to the art museums and let mom show us some quality artists. It was great to be enlightened. We ate lunch at the Potbelly's and coincidentally ran into Er and Chelsea, and ate lunch with them. Afterwards, we went to the National Geographic Museum, which was a disappointment. We got to watch different movies with the Crittercam within a gallery. It got boring, but that was the only disappointment and waste of time the whole trip. Good thing we were there only 30 minutes. We stopped by my internship, Policy Impact. I wanted to show them where I worked and introduce them to my co-workers. We continued on to the Iwo Jima Memorial (US Marine Corp), which was breath-taking, up close. Take a look at the photos. The final tourist site was the Arlington Cemetery which was unbelievable. We saw John F. Kennedy and Jackie's grave with the eternal flame along with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. The tomb was the most amazing part. A quick summary: They have a solider that guards the tomb, back and forth, back and forth. All day, everyday. We witnessed the changing of the guards. Our last and final destination for the day was Georgetown. We shopped and ate dinner at Chipotle and most importantly I showed them where the "Ambercrombie" was located.
Goodbye my loves..
==TUESDAY==10/30
I sacrificed my sleep to direct mom and Brooke to the Rosslyn/Dulles 5A bus. We hugged..said goodbye for another month..and I sent them on there way back to the 84109...Thanks for the fun weekend Mom & Brooke!
