Vacation Days 3 and 4

On Day 3, Brett and I left all the kids for a day with Grandma and Grandpa and had a "date" at the Smithsonian Museum of American History. That was really interesting and worth the visit. All kinds of memorabilia from different time periods. I especially liked the Inaugural Dresses worn by First Ladies. Brett liked the History of Transportation. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures there.

On Day 4, we took the twins with us to another Air and Space Museum by Dulles Airport. Also worth seeing. It had one of the retired Space Shuttles (Discovery).

He didn't want to go up in the tower
because "towers are for princesses!"

Once we got inside, they all loved
watching planes take off and land.

They want to be the first twins in space:
Riley the pilot and Gavin the space walker

Vacation Day 2

Our second field trip was to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Some of the highlights:

Exploring a Cockpit

A plane

A rocket

Lunar landing module

Catie's (with some help)

Ethne's

The Wright Brothers' Plane

Catie's version

Ethne's is 3D

We watched an IMAX on the Hubble telescope

I especially loved this because Ethne
learned about the Orion Nebula this year.
It was featured in the movie

Catie looked at the Big Dipper with hers

We walked past the Capitol

Catie's version

and Ethne's

Hard at work with her notebook

Our final stop of the day was the National Archives to see the Declaration, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. No pictures allowed, but no problem with drawings!    

                       

Heiniger Family Vacation

My in-laws, Ron and Kayleen, spent a month in DC at the AC church house. We were able to spend a week (including travel days) with them. It worked out that the girls had two school days left to finish out the year, so we turned our vacation into field trips. Brett and I, along with my brother-in-law Todd and his new bride Joan, took the girls around the National Mall on day 1. Here are some of our pictures along with the girls' "notes" they took. The note taking is something we started on a field trip last summer, and it really helps the girls remember what they saw.

Washington Monument

Catie's interpretation

Ethne's interpretation

World War II Memorial

As seen by Ethne

As seen by Catie

MLK Memorial

Profile view a la Ethne

Catie dutifully copied it

The Lincoln Memorial

Ethne liked the quote

Catie made sure to add shoes

Our "Tour Group"

As we left the Lincoln Memorial, we saw Marine One (Presidential helicopter) fly overhead, make a left turn by the Washington Memorial, and head for a landing at the White House. I wasn't fast enough to get a picture, unfortunately, but it was exciting.

"He's actually in there, Mom!"

Catie drew this before seeing it, and was
excited to see there really were guards on the roof

Ethne