We're home and back to normal life after eight days of vacation in Washington, D.C.
Last Saturday afternoon we flew back to the cornfields of Rochester after a week of famous sites, friends, and the big city. Overall the kids were excellent travelers. However, we won't be taking Asher to Europe anytime soon.
Trip highlights:
- Seeing old friends at the Colonial Ward Reunion. It's amazing how everyone is still just them. They may be a few years older, have a spouse or kids but the essence of them remains the same.
- Being grateful beyond belief that I was lucky enough to find the best guy in that ward and that we've been able to have such a cute family.
- Staying with Heidi, Monica and Sue. A family of 5 can only impose as house guests (on non family members) for so long. They were all gracious hosts and it was fun to catch up. They all have nice homes and no doubt nice D.C. mortgages to go with them.
- The Air and Space Museum. Holden and Lili couldn't get enough of that.
- The circle of destruction Asher left in every restaurant we visited. To keep him quiet we'd give him spoons, sugar packets, bread, anything that he would then throw on the floor. Here's Asher by the end of our Cheesecake Factory dinner.
- Arlington Cemetery. It's still such a peaceful place. I used to take walks there all the time with my friend April.
- The Metro. Holden made sure that we had time on every color of train.
- Complete rain out at the zoo. It rained the last couple of days of our vacation. Unfortunately one of those days we had planned on the zoo. The rain soaked through our jackets. Afterwards we spent an hour trying to dry out at Quizno's.
- The National Gallery. Holden and Mark stayed in one room while Lili, Asher and me took a whirl wind stroller tour of the East and West Buildings.
- Containing Asher. Now that he knows how to walk he wants to escape and go everywhere. The tour of the Capitol was especially difficult with wiggly escapee.
- The Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. What a disciplined college life. From 3-6 p.m. every day they exercise.
- Traffic. "Why are our wheels going so slow?" Lili asked as we inched our way in on the Dulles Toll Road from Monica's house.
- Family time. No work or school. Of course Mark did check his e-mail on his handheld at boring locations.
- Other major sites: Eastern Market, D.C. Temple, Washington Monument, Holocaust Museum, Bureau of Engraving and Printing (where they make the money), Old Town Alexandria, airports, and all the famous buildings in the distance.
