After sleeping in, we made our way back into the city to explore the Smithsonians. We didn't know how the crowds we be the day after all the masses in the National Mall. Truthfully, it was still crowded. We set our expectations a little lower and let the kids lead the way through the Natural History Museum. Josh really wanted to see the dinosaur bones. The kids kept telling him that they had already seen them, thanks to many visits to museums in Phoenix and New Mexico.
We went through the evolutionary portions to give our kids a key into science and creation theories....
Viv was certain that these were her people because they were brown...uhhhh
Evolutionary struggles are real. The next series is entitled "Face to Face with Evolution" The kids were cute to see if we had real similarities to these evolutionary ideals.
It wasn't until we got upstairs to the gems exhibit that their eyes shine a bit. Unfortunately the gem is turned away, but the Hope Diamond is on display at the Smithsonian. As well as most of the other largest cut gems in the world. The kids were patient to wait with masses of people to see all the pretty colors that minerals can make when mixing.
In review of the day, they most remembered this huge deposit of amethyst crystals.
I was fascinated by the jewelry that has been collected in this exhibit. Earrings from queens, tiara's from empresses, and belt buckles from sultans.
We drug the kids through some more of the history stuff, including Egyptian mummies before heading over to the Smithsonian of American Heritage and Culture.
They had a cute exhibit on the Golden Books. Josh and I were both fond of these childhood books.
Dorothy's ruby red slippers were a must see. Around the corner from them is the Elphba costume from 'Wicked' which was just as fascinating for me.
This how Josh sizes up to George Washington. Through a lengthy exhibit of American war history they had various suits of generals and leaders. George Washington was a tall man, Thomas Jefferson was a preppy small man. Fun to learn more about our nation's leaders through such visuals.
Aunt Jill found this display case of Gabby Douglas, gold medal winning gymnast, and Viv was captivated. Viv still dreams of being and olympic gymnast. Although, after reading more about Gabby, she was sent away for olympic training at age 6, I don't know if we are on that track.
We stopped through the Smithsonian Castle and played in the gardens before heading back for dinner and early bed times. Unfortunately our dinner pick was a Moroccan restaurant that was very European in its service. Two hours later we got the kids to bed and everyone slept like a rock again!
Saturday July 6th was Josh' favorite day. We were up early to wait in line for the National Arichives, home of the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and Constitution. While the girls and I kept space in line Danny and Josh returned to the US Marine Memorial. Once finally in the Archive building (ah air conditioning) it was awesome, as in awe-some. There is a sign outside the Archive building about the Federal Triangle, which was designed by L'Enfant, designating the Archive building as the most elaborate design on the triangle. It was to be "a temple of history." I believe that the reverence inside the building for those documents it houses is worthy of the intention.
Our walk back to the metro was designed to take us past the White House. It was a hot photo op as the kids really wanted to get back to the hotel for swimming in the pool and relaxing before an evening of visiting all the memorials.
We ate lunch in the Ronald Reagan building, an addition to Federal Triangle.
