Niagara Falls - Day 1

On Friday morning after a quick stop at the Mall to pickup a swimsuit for Jon we were headed North on our way to Niagara Falls.  It was about a 4 hour drive from Pittsburgh.  We drove by Lake Erie and into Canada.  After checking in we walked around the falls and got a few pictures.  It is really amazing!

Pittsburgh

On Thursday we left West Virginia and went to Pittsburgh.  Jon was able to get 4 tickets to the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New Jersey Devils hockey game.  We had a fantastic time.

Washington DC - Day 3

Addison and I decided to get up early and walk around.  We grabbed a coffee and hot chocolate, hopped in a cab and set off for the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial.  Unfortunately I do not have the mad camera skills that Jon has so my sunrise pics did not turn out as good.  We were a few days early for the Cherry Blossoms.  Some of the trees were blooming but given a few more days and I think they would have been in full bloom, an impressive sight I am sure.  Addison and I walked around for a few hours and had a nice time.  We got back to the hotel to find Jon and Quinn getting up and ready for the day.  As the next item on the agenda was breakfast we decided to head to the Old Ebbit Grill which across the street from the White House and has been there since 1856.  We had a fantastic breakfast.  We took a few last pictures and picked up a few souvenirs.  We hit the road for our trip back to West Virginia.

Washington DC - Day 2

We had a great first day in DC.  Jon's internal clock went off around 5am (Eastern time) and he took off on a walk.  He said he had some of the monuments all to himself as the sun came up.  Once he got back the girls and I were ready to get going for the day.  It was a bit warmer and the sun was out which helped make the day more fun.  We started our day by grabbing a cab to the Arlington National Cemetery.  We caught a tour bus that takes you around the cemetery.  By total luck we stopped at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier a few minutes before noon, which is the changing of the Guard.  What an amazing 15 minutes.  It is a very somber experience.  They presented a wreath from a local high school and played Taps on the bugle, pretty sure there was not a dry eye in the crowd.  We finished our tour and headed to the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam War Wall.  A lady that works at the girls school had told them that her dad's name was on the wall and we looked it up.  It was about 2pm, the girls really wanted to go to the National Zoo so we hoped another cab and off to the Zoo we went.  It was your typical Zoo with the exception of the Panda's.  Very cool to see!  By the time we got back to the hotel we were all done for!  We had a quiet night at the hotel watching movies...

North Side of the White House, 5am

World War II Memorial and the Washington Monument

Lincoln Memorial at Sunrise

Washington Monument and Reflection Pool with the Capitol in the background

Vietnam War Memorial Wall

Arlington National Cemetery

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Markers for JFK and his brothers with the Eternal Flame at Arlington

Smithsonian National Zoo

Washington DC - Day 1

On Sunday we spent our first full day in DC.  It was still chilly but thankfully the rain had stopped.  We took off around the White House headed for the Mall.  We stopped to take a few pictures of the Washington Monument and continued on in search of the National Air & Space Museum. We spent a few hours wondering around the Air & Space Museum.  Quinn was ready for a break so she and I went back to the hotel.  Jon and Addison took off for the Spy Museum.  They had a fun afternoon wandering around the Mall.  We had a quiet evening at the hotel. 

Jon and the girls on our way to the Smithsonian Castle

Smithsonian Castle - now the Smithsonian Visitor Center

Air and Space Museum

Addison on the steps of the National Museum of Art