Washington, D.C. {2024} - Day 2

 Today Hubby (and the girls!) got up early and headed out for the 8:00am Army Ten-Miler race.  

I am so proud of these three - 9th race for Hubby and 1st for the girls!

After meeting up with my runners...

we headed back to the hotel to freshen up and pack before stopping by the mall to satisfy all of the various cravings of our runners...

{an acai bowl for M}

{Chipotle for Hubby}

{pizza and Gatorade for L}

and do a little shopping, too...

Before leaving the mall, we noticed there was a photography exhibit remembering the 23rd anniversary and honoring those that died at the Pentagon during the attack on 9/11...

From there, we headed into town and checked in to another hotel for the night, as our race hotel didn't have availability for another night...

We aren't at all fancy, but sometimes, if you stay in enough Holiday Inn Expresses, you get to use your points for a fancy night here and there...

Tonight, we picked the historic Willard Hotel...

Hubby and I stayed here once upon a time when we were in town for the ACC Basketball Tournament back in 2005. We got the military rate that time, and it was cheaper than the Holiday Inn!

After resting up, we got changed...

and headed over to the waterfront restaurant, Sequoia, for dinner...

It was so good!

After dinner, we enjoyed a walk along the waterfront...

and some Halloween decorations, too!

When we got back to the hotel, the girls went straight to bed...

but Hubby and I had to enjoy a mint julep at the iconic Round Robin Bar...

Though I brought some JLG colleagues here when I was in town for a conference back in 2013, the last time we were here together was nearly 20 years ago!

After our round of drinks, we took a couple walks around the block to help Hubby hit 40,000 steps for the day!

We'll all sleep well tonight!

More fun on tap for tomorrow...

Washington, D.C. {2024} - Day 1

With what had become a family tradition, but had gotten interrupted for a few years due to several factors, we began our journey to Hubby's (and NOW the girls', too) run in the Army Ten-Miler on Sunday with a trip up to D.C. for the long weekend, much like years prior - 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019...

After a FIVE-YEAR hiatus, oh, how GREAT it is to be BACK this year for the 40th Anniversary!

Finally, the weekend matched up with the girls' fall break, so we were excited to make a long weekend of it. Unfortunately, we are down one family member with B in his first year of college...

Reflecting on all of our previous trips, I really can't believe I'm writing that... It is bittersweet for sure, but I digress...

The girls attended a full day of school, and Hubby worked close to a full day yesterday, but we got a little behind with an inspector at our house, leaving early evening. We grabbed a super quick dinner along the way and made it to the hotel late last night (actually early this morning) around 2:30am!

Needless to say, we slept in before heading out to lunch at Oyamel...

It was so yummy!

From lunch, we headed over to the D.C. Armory...

to pick up the race packets for our runners!

We got to check out an old chinook on the grounds, as well!

At this time, it was about half time in the Clemson game, so we made our way over to one of the football watch parties for the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. Clemson Club. It was being held at local a sports bar, Dudley's...

and we were thrilled to find our people in orange, and another Clemson WIN!

After the game, we headed back to the hotel to rest up before dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill...

where the runners all ate pasta, and I had a delicious soup and salad!

The girls discussing the menu in 2016...

and laughing at photos in 2024...

It was another lovely dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill!

From there, we made one last stop at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial...

Last time the girls were there (aside from M's Beta Club trip this past spring), they slept right through it!

{D.C. Trip 2012}

{D.C. Trip 2024}

Good night, Capital City...

Race Day is tomorrow!