Nicole Visits

Jill and Nicole had one night overlap, so we took advantage of it by eating cake and staying up really late. The next morning I took Jill to the airport and then took Nate to the airport (he was leaving on a business trip), and then felt like I had gone to the airport a whole lot in 24 hours.

On Sunday, Nicole and I decided to take advantage of the fact we weren't tied down by a school schedule. We headed to Washington. On our way we stopped at Great Falls. We admired the waterfalls, walked a bit, and then ate a picnic lunch.






Then we headed to Alexandria to see Nicole's sister-in-law and her family. It was fun for me to meet them, and the timing worked out pretty well. After our visit, we just had to take advantage of how close we were to Washington. So we drove over, parked, and pulled out the stroller and all the coats so that we could walk the monuments.


This was a big day for the kids, and I was really impressed with how well they did with all the different activities. They actually loved walking the monuments. We had come really prepared with extra coats and extra snacks and the double stroller, so the kids we pretty comfortable. (I just wish that I had also brought a blanket.) They would run for a while and then climb back into the stroller.

They also enjoyed all the stairs at the Lincoln Memorial and posing with the statues. Below Beckett and Felix climbed up on this pedestal so they could be statues with President Roosevelt and Fala.


 Evening is the best time to walk the monuments, and through excellent timing (I mean really good luck) we made it to the Lincoln for sunset. We then made our way up to the WWII Memorial and then back to the car.



On Monday we sent both the kids to school, and while Felix was at preschool, Nicole and I went on a hike in Patapsco.

Hey look, another waterfall! Here we are at Cascade Falls. We also hiked by several ruins. It was quite cool while Nicole was here, but we bundled up and enjoyed the brisk fall weather.




After Felix got home, we visited Fort McHenry. Nicole and Felix explored the lower levels, and Felix, in keeping with the statue posing tradition of the trip, posed with George Armistead.

On Tuesday, Nicole, Felix, and I went to Antietam. (Beckett was at school.) I was a little worried about the timing, but it worked out just fine. However, I don't know if I would have taken Nicole all the way out there if I had known that both the observation tower and Burnside Bridge were closed! Those are the best parts. We still enjoyed our visit. We visited the old cemetery and Nicole walked the Sunken Road.

I love my friends. I had just the best time with them. It would be best if we were all just next door neighbors, but I will settle for yearly reunions.

The Bicentennial of the Star-Spangled Banner

On September 3rd of this year the Star-Spangled Banner celebrated its 200th birthday. We made a visit to Fort McHenry with Nate's friend Chad and his family and joined in the festivities.

We love to take all our visitors to Fort McHenry. If you need a refresh on the War of 1812, the battle, the key players, and why Francis Scott Key was out in the harbor that night with the British, I recommend the Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast on the Bombardment of Baltimore.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge

They had a lot of fun activities for kids during the birthday festivities. Felix dressed up.

 Beckett helped hand stitch a flag.

And both the boys did laundry.

We watched the marchers and the cannon.

Happy birthday Star-Spangled Banner!

P.S. Other trips to Fort McHenry here, here, and here.

Fort McHenry with Grammy and Grandpa

Hmmm. I am just now noticing a battle field theme with these trips with my parents. Antietam: Civil War. Harper's Ferry: Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War. Fort McHenry: War of 1812. I guess I should have put that together sooner.

On our way to Fort McHenry I played the Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast on the Bombardment of Baltimore. Nate and I had talked about doing that for the folks we take to Fort McHenry, and I was so proud of myself for remembering. So we were all prepared and refreshed on the battle, the players, and why Francis Scott Key was out in the harbor that night with the British.

Walking the ramparts.

(This picture of my dad and Felix! Is there a sweeter baby?)

Beckett counted all of the columns.

Beckett in jail.

I did have the stroller with me. I promise.

We ate snacks looking out at the harbor and the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

We also saw this WWII bomber flying over the harbor. Somehow my mom snatched this shot.

Our Next Destination: Home. (Actually, Washington, D.C. for my parents. I sent them to wander the streets there solo.)

P.S. Another trip to Fort McHenry

Funk Family Tours: Fort McHenry, Playgrounds, and the National Zoo

My sister and her family came to visit! We had a lot of fun and packed in some great day trips.

On our first day together we went to Fort McHenry, the home of the original Star Spangled Banner. It was pretty rainy, but that made for absolutely no crowds. I was actually able to watch the movie in the visitor's museum, something that was previously impossible due to kids mixed with crowds.

Paige's crew in the gateway to the fort.

Both the Funks and the Stephens both rocked the stacked double stroller this week.

On day two, we sent the Funks to the National Air and Space Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center to see the Space Shuttle. When they got home we went to the playground.

I'm now skipping ahead a few days because our other tours deserve their own blog posts, but on Saturday we braved the weather and the crowds at the National Zoo. We tried a new route this time and drove to Bethesda and then took the metro in. 

We were glad we did because all the zoo parking lots were full. 

I didn't take many pictures at the zoo. 

We got a glimpse of the Giant Panda.

Paige and I agreed that the panda is so strange and doesn't quite look real.

All of the kids found something to love at the zoo. A. loved the reptile house and spent a long time looking closely at every animal. C. loved the invertebrates and told us that every jelly fish and anemone was "beautiful." Beckett loved the beavers on the American Trail. The beavers have a river with a waterfall and a tunnel. Beckett was running back and forth watching and exclaiming about how the "beaver was swimming. He's going in a tunnel. He's running." Paige and I loved the American Trail too. We went there at the end of the day when most of the exhibits were already closed. It had turned into a nice evening, and we enjoyed seeing the beavers, seals, sea lions, and bald eagle.