DC on a Dime

On the bank of the Potomac River

We had the fortune of being able to accompany Keith on a business trip to Washington, DC. I was thrilled to death to get to take the kids to my old stomping grounds. I used to work in DC for over 3 years, and lived outside of DC for 7 years. It is one of my favorite cities and I was not disappointed at all on this return after an almost 20 year absence. It was clean and beautifully landscaped and the weather was truly Heaven sent. Your patriotic bones get all tingly feeling when you are in the nation's capital. At least mine do.....

I have THE BEST husband in the whole world - he drive the whole trip without any help from me. Of course, if you know me, my driving wouldn't have been much help. It was smooth sailing until we hit some construction. Two hours were added to the drive..... But we made it in one piece and got to the hotel without a hitch. We had a lovely view of the Potomac River and the DC skyline from our 11th floor room.

Tuesday, after room service, (I love room service) we headed for the Metro, which is the only way to travel when in DC. It is easy as pie and convenient and cheap. No traffic, no parking and it's FUN!
Our first stop was the White House. We saw some snipers on the roof and the grounds were gorgeous. I loved looking at the vast variety of plants..... The kids really liked the snipers. Go figure.

Then we headed to the Museum of American history where loads of fun items are housed - Archie Bunker's chair, the ruby slippers, Fonzie's jacket and then a bunch historical items. I had been salivating for months about seeing Julia Child's kitchen, and it was even better than I anticipated. I almost cried....
I absolutely LOVE Julia and was thrilled to be able to ogle her kitchen and gadgets and copper pot collection. It was so delightful! Bon Appetite!

We then hopped in a taxi, which was a first for the kids. I am sure it was not as exciting as they dreamed it would be, but we did it, and they can now scratch it off their list. The driver took us to Union Station, one of our nation's largest train stations. It is just plain fun to go there. The hubbub and hustle and the food court is once in a lifetime fun.

Outside Union Station

We then jaunted over to the Capital and tried to spy the filming of Transformers 3, but they were not filming at the time. I sprinted in and out of the botanic garden, although I really wanted to linger there for hours. Next time, I WILL LINGER AND LINGER! It was total eye candy for the plant enthusiast.... and that would be me.

Our next museum was the Air and Space Museum, but it didn't really seem to thrill the guys much. I thought it was pretty cool, but the largest McDonald's known to man was inside, and made it very fun.

Next, we trekked to the Holocaust Museum, but I really wish we would have skipped it. I knew it would not be a light-hearted visit, but had no idea how realist it was going to be. They tried to make you feel as if you were there, and it worked. I was overcome with grief and emotion. You just wanted to go back in time and prevent it from ever happening. If you plan on going there, you need to prepare for it. It is more than just a few artifacts and pictures, it is so much more....

We ate at several fun restaurants and took advantage of half-price burger night. The guys all agreed they were the best burgers they had ever eaten. I had a reubin and it was the best ever, too. Murphy's, we love you! The nest day, they had 25 cent wings, and they were SO GOOD!!! Bugsy's was equally as tasty!!!

Oh, and I finally got to go to Trader Joe's!!! I loved it! It is way better than Whole Foods and Earthfare. WAY!!! I am hoping and praying we get one in Chattanooga...

The Blue Ridge mountains were in the beginning stages of their fall plumage, and it made the ride so nice. The mountains have a much higher elevation than Lookout Mountain and it was simply gorgeous. Truly, it was a fabulous trip and we did it under budget, thanks to a $100 gift card that Keith got from his boss, and all the frugal things we did, like bring our own water and snacks from home. I hope the kids remember it as fondly as I will!

Monk

Ok, so I am a bit of a lagger. I tend to lag in technology, fashion and almost everything else. We are just now discovering the show Monk. We aren't really much of tv watchers and I never had time to watch tv when the kids were younger when Monk was being broadcast. Thanks to Netflix, we can watch it commercial free. I am noticing some striking similarities between me and Monk. Some of you already know this, but for those who don't, I really don't want to shake your hand, although I will. I especially hate it when you cough all over me, but I love you anyway. I cringe when I see green snot coming out of your kid's nose. I never hold onto the rail on an escalator or other public forms of handles or rails. I do struggle with the desire to count and sort things, but I manage to snap out of it and disengage. Quirky and strange I am sure, but honestly, I remember being like this my whole life.

Having children forces you to give up some of your OCD tendencies, but I think the desires are still there. You just somehow manage to resist the urges and impulses. Most of the time. As I watch Monk and see myself reflected in him, I am awakened to my OCD flaws and hope Monk will help me to smile inside and shake hands warmly, even if you just coughed all over that hand. Maybe....

Mixed Reviews

I thought it would be fun to post some reviews of products I have recently used, and to at least let ya'll know I am still here, just busy.

Here goes - the whole truth and nothing but the truth, at least according to me.

Martha Stewart paint - found at Home Depot. LOVE it! No fumes, non whatsoever! Gorgeous, stylish color selection and one coat is all you need. We recently painted the whole upstairs and the coverage was terrific. Even with using a flat finish, it is still easily wiped clean! Go, Martha!

Sketcher's shape-ups - Bought my first pair about 2 months ago due to a foot injury that was just not healing. I needed more full-range support and my Z-Coils were not doing that. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!! I just ordered another pair. Terrific support and cushion, and they have really helped my foot to get onto the road of recovery. I can't say I am healed yet, but the pain has decreased markedly. I also love how they cause you to get into proper posture formation while you stand or walk. They really help keep your gut sucked in and shoulders back. I was fearful that plantar fasciitis would again rear its ugly head, but so far, so good.

iPhone - Okay, so I am no techie. We never have the latest and greatest techno gadgets, because we just don't have the budget for it, but at only $200 and an 18 year wedding anniversary to celebrate, Keith insisted that I get one. This phone does everything you thought it would do, and many more things I never thought it could do. LOVE it! It is very functional and very FUN! There are so many apps, and so little time. I love the Bible app to get my daily reading in and to search passages. Ebay, Facebook and many other goodies to feast upon. I don't abuse it or get consumed by it, but when I do use it, I am thrilled.

That's about it for now. If you want more detailed reviews, just e-mail or call. We are all doing well with the new school year. We are in prayer about selling our mini-van and going back to a conversion van. We are SO CRAMPED in the minivan, and there really aren't many options out there that will hold 6 people. I am sure we will figure it out, but int the meantime, it is on our prayer list....

Ya'll have a lovely day and stay in touch!