News Flash: Virginia IS in America
This weekend we took a little (7 hour) road trip to DC. And Virginia. Heck, let’s throw in Maryland. P.J. was surprised to find out that ALL of these places were in America. I have failed. If he still commits this geographic confusion in high school, I pledge to commit seppuku for motherhood malpractice.
My sister made the excellent suggestion that we visit Mount Vernon. I don’t think I have been there in…more than a decade? I honestly can’t remember. It was probably high school. And summer. In short, torture. I figured this would be a good bet for a busy weekend in DC because, since it is outside DC, lots of tourists don’t go. As a bonus, my kids actually know who George Washington is–as we found out at Edith Whartons’ house, that matters. I report that a) Mount Vernon still stands, b) a sunny January afternoon is a good time to hit it, and c) ha-ha walls never fail to amuse.
Only 1/3rd of us were grumpy at any one time.
Another brilliant suggestion from Anne was a place I, and I alone, it seems, had never heard of: Gravelly Point Park. We explored the many ways to enjoy dangerously close jet engines:
Picnic with some Pirates Booty
Chase the planes across the field
And finally, cover your ears!
I, too, have never heard of Gravely Point Park. It looks loud.
Awesome jet pictures!
I’m envious–I love Mt. Vernon but haven’t been there in years, and Gravelly Point Park is, in my opinion, one of the BEST places in the whole DC area. Right up there with the Old Post Office tower and the National Building Museum.
My first trip to Mount Vernon was with you, way back in the day. It was 1999 because it was the anniversary of Washington’s death and they had staged his bedroom to look like he had just died – there were bloody rags lying around. We also upset the tour guide by giggling when she dramatically proclaimed George Washington to be “THE father of all liberty!”
Yes! The docents still really love that line….
Forgot to say, I’m going to use your Portrait of Motherhood the next time I have to teach a lesson on the Glories of Womanhood/Motherhood…
The picture of the airplane tail, and Lily running…..FABULOUS. I’d blow that puppy up and frame it! The death grip you have on Amos in your “motherhood” picture made me laugh out loud. HA!