Spring Break-Adventures in DC

"I do believe it's time for another adventure."

Neil and I got this hair-brained idea last summer to take the kids to the east for spring break. I don't know what we were thinking. We were in the middle of planning a wedding that would break us. Before all of the wedding expenses had really hit the books we had bought plane tickets. And by the time we realized how truly destitute we were in December, we had already paid for a house in Washington DC. Oh well, no take backs...I always say. We were blessed with a ten day spring break this year. The last time Neil and I did DC was in July, and I had a literal meltdown at Arlington Cemetery so I vowed I would never go back to DC in the summer again. Sabrina is in the middle of a college American History class which she loves with all of her heart. We learned with Jessica that a child's junior year can very easily be the last real vacation you have before jobs and college and missions and marriage sneak up on you. We figured it was now or never for a big trip back east while our remaining kids are with us. So Friday morning we found ourselves hopping on a plane bound for Ronald Reagan airport. 

I was a tiny bit nervous after all of the recent attacks in Europe, but Sabrina reminded me that we can't live in fear. She is confident that the Lord will not take her from this earth until he is good and ready so she doesn't "Awfulize" like her mother tends to. She is such an example to me.

Our kids' first airplane flight went as smoothly as it possibly could have. The only one who complained was Jonah. His ears did not like the change in altitude. He had contracted a nasty cold the night before. What timing. We pumped the poor guy with Mucinex and Tylenol the whole trip. He was such a trooper. This happened to be his thirteenth birthday. He would have rather been at home on the couch, a fact he reminded me of multiple times as we dragged him from airports to rental cars to subways to tourist attractions. This will be the birthday he never forgets.

Upon retrieving our rental car, we stopped in Georgetown for some delicious pizza. Neil was thrilled beyond words to be driving the streets of DC. Let's just say that everyone's nerves were  a little frazzled.

Apparently me and about 85,000 other people wanted a sampling of these infamous goodies. These are the times I hate TripAdvisor. Why does the whole world have to know about every yummy bakery or quaint restaurant or gorgeous piece of scenery? 

The line was probably a hundred people strong. The weather was fabulous. I totally would have waited an hour and a half for a to-die-for cupcake, but alas, I had three tired teenagers with me, all of whom hate frosting. Yeah, I don't know who's children they are. Oh that's right, they're Neil's! Anyway DC Cupcakes would have to wait for another visit.

The kids did have energy for this little shop. Sabrina follows this shop on instagram. She was already familiar with their latest spring hat lines. The girl was purring in the shop, and she looks so stinking gorgeous in every hat she tries on. It took everything for her not to spend every dime of souvenir money on one spendy hat. I reminded her that she can order a hat online from these guys anytime, but she might come across something a little more unique to the area later on. So she walked away empty handed.

From here we drove straight to Gettysburg. We arrived at our hotel at night and barely had the energy to drop our luggage on the floor and climb into bed. Travel can be so exhausting. We needed to rest up. There was so much to see and so little time to see it in.