Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday
Phew, I'm getting tired - and boy do my feet hurt. At the end of today, I really can't even believe we kept to all our agenda items. We did really well getting to the National Geographic Museum to see the Terra Cotta Warriors. They were pretty amazing - I think even the least interested among us ended up learning something and enjoying it ... it really was a well done exhibit. We had an audio guide & shared it among ourselves, but even just with the information posted to read throughout the exhibit, it was very informative.
From there, we headed to the National Cathedral. It was over a mile walk from the train station, but by that time, the day was getting nicer and nicer. I think it got up to about 70 degres and sunny - which helped for the walk. The Cathedral was beautiful. It reminded me (and Peter) of the cathedrals of Europe, but of course ours is only about 20 years old. We saw the noon day sun coming through the stained glass, the end of a worship service, and a presentation of the over 10,000 pipe organ. Then we went outside to the Bishop's Garden - the day just got nicer and nicer.
We took the train back into the city (after lunch and another long walk). We got to take some photos near the White House. It was such a nice day, we decided to relax for a few minutes. How could we have known that our path around the White House would be closed off, and we would have to walk a full half mile out of our way to follow the instructions of the officials directing us?
Long story - Long walk - Long RUN, really... we made it by about 30 seconds to the appointment we had for the girls to become spies at the Spy Museum.
Phew! I studied every square inch of this city on online maps for six months... I planned every step... and still it turns out there are some things I can't control. Who knew???
We came home about 6:30 and everyone had leftovers for dinner. God bless leftovers!
Tomorrow... not sure if I'm ready to think about tomorrow! Except to say that tomorrow is our LAST fixed appointment! Not that I complain - our fixed appointments have saved us HOURS if not WHOLE DAYS in line - but the time pressure is ALOT.
But the girls are SO great... they run when I tell them to run, they're patient with my incertitude on which street to turn onto, and they eat leftovers.
The weather tomorrow & Friday is supposed to be even better than today.
Now Peter & I watch Jerry McGuire :-) And I will see about getting some photos up for you all.
~JSW
From there, we headed to the National Cathedral. It was over a mile walk from the train station, but by that time, the day was getting nicer and nicer. I think it got up to about 70 degres and sunny - which helped for the walk. The Cathedral was beautiful. It reminded me (and Peter) of the cathedrals of Europe, but of course ours is only about 20 years old. We saw the noon day sun coming through the stained glass, the end of a worship service, and a presentation of the over 10,000 pipe organ. Then we went outside to the Bishop's Garden - the day just got nicer and nicer.
We took the train back into the city (after lunch and another long walk). We got to take some photos near the White House. It was such a nice day, we decided to relax for a few minutes. How could we have known that our path around the White House would be closed off, and we would have to walk a full half mile out of our way to follow the instructions of the officials directing us?
Long story - Long walk - Long RUN, really... we made it by about 30 seconds to the appointment we had for the girls to become spies at the Spy Museum.
Phew! I studied every square inch of this city on online maps for six months... I planned every step... and still it turns out there are some things I can't control. Who knew???
We came home about 6:30 and everyone had leftovers for dinner. God bless leftovers!
Tomorrow... not sure if I'm ready to think about tomorrow! Except to say that tomorrow is our LAST fixed appointment! Not that I complain - our fixed appointments have saved us HOURS if not WHOLE DAYS in line - but the time pressure is ALOT.
But the girls are SO great... they run when I tell them to run, they're patient with my incertitude on which street to turn onto, and they eat leftovers.
The weather tomorrow & Friday is supposed to be even better than today.
Now Peter & I watch Jerry McGuire :-) And I will see about getting some photos up for you all.
~JSW
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Hey Everybody! It's Jessica!!!
A note to all of you who might be up for a career change in DC(because the city really is beautiful); DON'T even think about going to the Beuro of Engraving and Printing. Maybe as a tour guide, but not as a worker. Just think, making your lifetime salary in five minutes and watch it go right past your eyes. And then hearing that they burn the rejects(the reject money, not reject workers). Anyways, we went there first. It made me sad to see all that money. Das a lot of Benjemins! We went to the gift shop, and Rachel and I got $150 of shredded money. Bree got a candy bar.
Next we went to the Library of Congress. My heaven on earth. It was soooo pretty! The archetecture was amazing, the paintings breathtaking, and the sculptures made me think, 'You think after a while the sculptor started talking to the sculptures???'. We saw the books and I ran around like a child in a candy store. I felt at peace, home. I really didn't want to leave.
But we did, and saw the Supreme Court. Sadly, we didn't get to see them in session(just missed them!) but we did get to see the exhibit last night. By the way, I'm not afraid to spell things incorrectly, unlike a certain person on this trip(*coughBREEcough*). There were little models of the room they talk in though! And the one in the olden days(oh yeah, I said olden days). Then we took a picture near a big huge sculptrue of a probably dead guy and left.
Next was the House and Senate. I felt so smart knowing that the leader of the Senate is Joe Biden and the leader of the House is Nancy Pelozi. I sat in the rooms, imagining people debating and yelling for laws to be passed. . . Awesome.
Then we actually went and walked around the Capitol Building. Our tour guide was the bomb! Her voice was hurting so that was a minus, but she was funny and was notorious for hitting people behind her. We went into the Crypt(bwahaha!) and saw some statues. Then we went into another room with even more statues. The only girl was from the best state ever. Illinois! Woot woot! Then we went into the really pretty room with the really high celling. That was my favorite. My neck still hurts but I don't care. It was worth it.
Lastly, we went to the Botanical Gardens. *sighs* Wow. If any of you have ever seen me get excited. Times that by seven and then THAT by a million. I almost touched a cactaus. I thought it would be fuzzy. My brain goes fuzzy when I see pretty flowers and cool plants. I didn't see anyone else, other than Bree, but it was still awesome. I acted like a freaking spaz. Did I mention that?If I did, I shall mention it again. I acted like a spaz. I wish I could stay there forever. Well, maybe not FOREVER. But for a few hours.
We got home and had some food. Everyone is acting like a spaz. Me singing songs, Bree on the computer showing off her Flair, and Rachel Kelsey and Kelly running around. We are all glad we don't have to wake up early. We need the extra sleep. If we ever go to sleep. Well, I'm out.
BYE!!!
Your awesome and wonderful friend,
Jessica(daughter of the woman who looks just like me)
Next we went to the Library of Congress. My heaven on earth. It was soooo pretty! The archetecture was amazing, the paintings breathtaking, and the sculptures made me think, 'You think after a while the sculptor started talking to the sculptures???'. We saw the books and I ran around like a child in a candy store. I felt at peace, home. I really didn't want to leave.
But we did, and saw the Supreme Court. Sadly, we didn't get to see them in session(just missed them!) but we did get to see the exhibit last night. By the way, I'm not afraid to spell things incorrectly, unlike a certain person on this trip(*coughBREEcough*). There were little models of the room they talk in though! And the one in the olden days(oh yeah, I said olden days). Then we took a picture near a big huge sculptrue of a probably dead guy and left.
Next was the House and Senate. I felt so smart knowing that the leader of the Senate is Joe Biden and the leader of the House is Nancy Pelozi. I sat in the rooms, imagining people debating and yelling for laws to be passed. . . Awesome.
Then we actually went and walked around the Capitol Building. Our tour guide was the bomb! Her voice was hurting so that was a minus, but she was funny and was notorious for hitting people behind her. We went into the Crypt(bwahaha!) and saw some statues. Then we went into another room with even more statues. The only girl was from the best state ever. Illinois! Woot woot! Then we went into the really pretty room with the really high celling. That was my favorite. My neck still hurts but I don't care. It was worth it.
Lastly, we went to the Botanical Gardens. *sighs* Wow. If any of you have ever seen me get excited. Times that by seven and then THAT by a million. I almost touched a cactaus. I thought it would be fuzzy. My brain goes fuzzy when I see pretty flowers and cool plants. I didn't see anyone else, other than Bree, but it was still awesome. I acted like a freaking spaz. Did I mention that?If I did, I shall mention it again. I acted like a spaz. I wish I could stay there forever. Well, maybe not FOREVER. But for a few hours.
We got home and had some food. Everyone is acting like a spaz. Me singing songs, Bree on the computer showing off her Flair, and Rachel Kelsey and Kelly running around. We are all glad we don't have to wake up early. We need the extra sleep. If we ever go to sleep. Well, I'm out.
BYE!!!
Your awesome and wonderful friend,
Jessica(daughter of the woman who looks just like me)
Tuesday
Long day... Good day, but LONG day...
When last we left our heroes, it was WAY TOO EARLY.
Somehow, still, we were late... The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, however, was nice enough to accommodate us at 8:45 instead of 8:15.
Today we saw hundreds of thousands of dollars. It was a little sickening, really... to think of how big a role MONEY plays in my days, and then to see people handling it as if it were NOT what it IS... tough to reconcile. There was a sign - it said "Just think, I just printed my whole life's earnings in a few minutes!" It makes me nervous to have even a hundred bucks cash on my person - and to watch as $32,000 just flies through the maching every second... WEIRD!
The weather today was still pretty cool - but not the rain they expected to continue. So our walk to the Capitol complex was a brisk one, but nice. We stopped first at my Congressman's office, Representative Bill Foster, to pickup our passes for the galleries of the Senate and the House. Then we headed to the Library of Congress - one of the PRETTIEST buildings in D.C. From there, we went to the Supreme Court, but our scheduled lecture was on hold as the Justices were hearing a case. Instead, we went to the museum downstairs, before we headed to lunch.
After lunch, it was off to the Capitol building. We did sit in the galleries of both the House of Representatives and the Senate - and then wandered through the museum at the Capitol until it was time for our tour. Our tour guide took us to the Crypt, the Rotunda, and the ... uh oh... I think I need to check the brochure... the brochure is no help on this point... the National Statuary Hall??? Where the Representatives used to meet but now they house the Statues??? Illinois (and all other states) are allowed 2 statues - one of our allotments is of the first Woman statue to be presented in the capitol... nice!
From the Capitol building, we went to the National Botanical Gardens. There was an Orchid Exhibit that was simply stunning, and then rooms representing flowers & plants from all over different types of landscapes - the desert, the jungle, even Hawaii and a room representing medicinal plants. It was a really pretty way to end our day.
I'll tell you now (or Peter will tell you later), that I landed us on the wrong train coming back home (oops!) Just one stop til we corrected our mistake... I think its really the best way to become an expert at the transportation system - making mistakes!
Tonight, I think Jessica has some impressions of the day to share - not sure if anyone else does, so I'll get away from the laptop now!!!
~JSW
When last we left our heroes, it was WAY TOO EARLY.
Somehow, still, we were late... The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, however, was nice enough to accommodate us at 8:45 instead of 8:15.
Today we saw hundreds of thousands of dollars. It was a little sickening, really... to think of how big a role MONEY plays in my days, and then to see people handling it as if it were NOT what it IS... tough to reconcile. There was a sign - it said "Just think, I just printed my whole life's earnings in a few minutes!" It makes me nervous to have even a hundred bucks cash on my person - and to watch as $32,000 just flies through the maching every second... WEIRD!
The weather today was still pretty cool - but not the rain they expected to continue. So our walk to the Capitol complex was a brisk one, but nice. We stopped first at my Congressman's office, Representative Bill Foster, to pickup our passes for the galleries of the Senate and the House. Then we headed to the Library of Congress - one of the PRETTIEST buildings in D.C. From there, we went to the Supreme Court, but our scheduled lecture was on hold as the Justices were hearing a case. Instead, we went to the museum downstairs, before we headed to lunch.
After lunch, it was off to the Capitol building. We did sit in the galleries of both the House of Representatives and the Senate - and then wandered through the museum at the Capitol until it was time for our tour. Our tour guide took us to the Crypt, the Rotunda, and the ... uh oh... I think I need to check the brochure... the brochure is no help on this point... the National Statuary Hall??? Where the Representatives used to meet but now they house the Statues??? Illinois (and all other states) are allowed 2 statues - one of our allotments is of the first Woman statue to be presented in the capitol... nice!
From the Capitol building, we went to the National Botanical Gardens. There was an Orchid Exhibit that was simply stunning, and then rooms representing flowers & plants from all over different types of landscapes - the desert, the jungle, even Hawaii and a room representing medicinal plants. It was a really pretty way to end our day.
I'll tell you now (or Peter will tell you later), that I landed us on the wrong train coming back home (oops!) Just one stop til we corrected our mistake... I think its really the best way to become an expert at the transportation system - making mistakes!
Tonight, I think Jessica has some impressions of the day to share - not sure if anyone else does, so I'll get away from the laptop now!!!
~JSW
Its early...
Its Tuesday - it's 6:15am...
I almost think everyone takes more seriously the directive that we must leave the house at 7:15am - than (as yesterday) if I say we must leave at 11:15am.
Yesterday, we were late. Also (note to self), always plan at least an hour to figure out the public transportation system... and (note to self), always drink enough water... no one likes the lady with the migraine!
Today will work out better, I think. But only if I get breakfast started! Thank God we figured out the coffee maker.
Yesterday's "pouring rain" really wasn't that bad, and it seems that will be the worst weather we face this week... its still a little cool & breezy, but the temperatures should be warming up all week long now, and the rain should be disappearing even this morning!
Talk to you later!
~Jennifer
I almost think everyone takes more seriously the directive that we must leave the house at 7:15am - than (as yesterday) if I say we must leave at 11:15am.
Yesterday, we were late. Also (note to self), always plan at least an hour to figure out the public transportation system... and (note to self), always drink enough water... no one likes the lady with the migraine!
Today will work out better, I think. But only if I get breakfast started! Thank God we figured out the coffee maker.
Yesterday's "pouring rain" really wasn't that bad, and it seems that will be the worst weather we face this week... its still a little cool & breezy, but the temperatures should be warming up all week long now, and the rain should be disappearing even this morning!
Talk to you later!
~Jennifer
Monday, March 29, 2010
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