Washington, D.C. {2014} - Day 4

Today Hubby got up super early and headed out to meet up with a couple of S.C. Army National Guard colleagues for the 8:00am Army Ten-Miler race.  The 3 little ones and I grabbed brunch at the hotel...

{My first Starbucks ever ~ Shocking, right? ~ I really don't know what got into me!}

So, I don't drink coffee, but I do drink too much Coca Cola, which is not good...

Anyway, I digress...  After brunch, we hopped on the Metro...

and made our way over to meet up with Hubby for the much-loved Youth Run...

The littles did great...

 
Love all FOUR of my sweet runners oh so much!

  

Until next year...

Washington, D.C. {2014} - Day 3

After meeting up for breakfast at Bob & Edith's Diner with Hubby's college friend, C, + C's wife, A, and daughter, AH...

today's agenda took us to the Kalorama area of D.C. in search of several former residences of B's beloved U.S. Presidents...

First stop, 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW...

This home, formerly (very recently like in the last few months) the Embassy of Syria, is where President Howard Taft lived during his tenure as Chief Justice of the United States.  In fact, President Taft passed away right here in 1930.

From there, we headed over to the nearby President Woodrow Wilson House, located at 2340 S

Street NW...

and enjoyed a nice tour of the beautiful home...

Next up, 2131 R Street NW, one time home of President Franklin Roosevelt...

and then, 1733 N Street NW, where President Roosevelt once rented a home from a family member.  The home is, unfortunately, no longer there, and the Topaz Hotel now occupies the space...

Next, we headed over to the Washington National Cathedral to take a look inside...

and more specifically to locate the tomb of President Woodrow Wilson...

 

After a delicious lunch at 2 Amys (the "etna" pizza was yummy!),

we made our way over to the Octagon House...



It was here that President James Madison lived after the burning of The White House in 1814...

Now owned by The American Institute of Architects, self-guided tours are free...

It was here in this room (and at that desk) that President Madison signed the Treaty of Ghent in February 1815...

Last on the agenda was a trek out to the Woodley Mansion...

Now part of the Maret School, it was once occupied by both President Martin Van Buren and President Grover Cleveland...

Phew...  What a day!

Off to race tomorrow...

Washington, D.C. {2014) - Day 2

We started off our day by heading straight to the mall...

First stop, the National Gallery of Art, with the specific mission of tracking down the piece on exhibit by Piet Mondrian...

who L had just finished studying in her kindergarten art class!

This girl just loves art in general (hence her art birthday party that we hosted just last week), and she just thought that it was the neatest thing to see a real piece of art by the artist she had just studied!

From there, we explored the gallery a bit more...

before grabbing lunch on the mall and making a stop at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing...




Unlike last time, we did actually get to take the tour, BUT the machines were down for scheduled maintenance, so NO money printing...  Ugh...

So, I guess this place will continue to stay on our list of things to do until we can actually do it completely!

Note - The BEP keeps very specific hours and is only open on certain days.  Check online before you go.  Tours are free, but if you want to go, make sure that you make it a priority and fit other sights around this one.  Be warned that waiting in line can take some time.  I think that we waited about 45 minutes total...

For dinner, we headed over to the home of my Aunt M and my Uncle K for pizza with them and my cousins, too...

More adventures tomorrow!