Gettysburg, PA

Dan and I got a treat today. My dad, Oma, and her husband Dave offered to watch the kids while we toured Gettysburg. We took a bus tour of the battlefield and saw all kinds of monuments and cannons. There are over 1400 of them on the battlefield, placed there by actual veterans of the Civil War. Each regiment could place one where they fought during the battle. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable, and I learned a ton of interesting facts about the battle. It was a nice day. Tomorrow we are off to see some of the Amish country, and then we will be staying with my Uncle Ken and Aunt Susan for two nights before beginning the journey home!

The ten commandments on the ouside of the court house.

Pennsylvania

We are now in Pennsylvania. Our first night here, we had dinner with some of my family at Oma and Dave's house. After dinner Abbey surprised us all when she fearlessly went out and tried to catch fireflies. She even let them crawl across her hands. Remember, this is the girl who flips out if a tiny ant is within ten feet of her. Yesterday we went to the Caledonia State Park and had a picnic with a bunch of my family. It was a great time. The kids loved the creek and the weather and scenery were beautiful.

Pennsylvania countryside near Chambersburg.

Abigail examines a firefly close up.

Abbey and Isaac, playing inside the pavilion.

Abbey, Oma, and me.

Abbey, Oma, and Isaac.

Abbey had a blast in the creek with my cousin, Luke. She absolutely adores him!

Abbey, Aunt Barb, Oma, Aunt Carol, and Isaac.

Uncle Ken, Aunt Carol, and Dad (my dad flew out to meet us in PA).

Isaac, taking a nap in his make-shift crib after a hard day of playing.

Mount Vernon

The day we left D.C. we decided to go visit Mount Vernon before heading to Pennsylvania. I think it has been my favorite bit of site seeing so far. Unfortunately, we weren't able to take pictures inside the mansion, but if you are ever in the area, it is worth the visit. Here are a few pictures we did take on the grounds outside the mansion and in the museum area.

This is the back side of the mansion.

This was George Washington's view of the Potomac from his back porch.

These statues are of George and Martha Washington and two grandchildren.

Here is Isaac, our little patriot.

Abbey rings the Liberty Bell (replica).

Washington D.C.

We have been in D.C. for the last two days and are exhausted. It has been a jam-packed visit and very hot and humid outside. Through it all the kids have been unbelievable. They napped in their strollers and handled the hustle and bustle really well. Each day we spent around nine hours touring the sites of the area. Here's a list of where we've been or what we've seen and some pictures as well: Day 1 - Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. We also went to Arlington Cemetery and visited the grave site of JFK and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. Day - 2 We took a tour of the Capitol building and also toured the National Holocaust Museum. We ended our day outside of the White House. We were disappointed that the Museum of American History is still closed for renovation, but we still had a great time. Tomorrow we head for Pennsylvania to visit my family. We will stop at Gettysburg on the way to my Oma's house.