DC Day 1

We made it!

The red was pretty rough but we both agreed it was so worth it to be able to get into Washington DC at 9am. We started out by heading to our hotel, The Gaylord National Hotel, which is seriously an AMAZING hotel! I love a hotel that offers you a glass of champagne in the lobby during check in :) It is really one of the nicest hotels we have ever stayed at. It is in National Harbor right on the Potomac River and the view from our room is absolutely amazing.

For our first stop we headed to Arlington National Cemetery. We started out by looking through the 'Woman in Military Service for America Memorial'. It was so interesting to read about the different things many women did to demand there presence in the wars. It made me realize how important one single person can be in changing history. My favorite part of the exhibit was seeing all the uniforms and pictures of the women who have served and still serve. It was so inspiring. It also made me realize I definitely don't have what it takes to serve in the military, especially now that I am a Mom!

We found President Taft's Grave site:

President Kennedy:

And I just loved this headstone and the quote they choose:

One thing that was difficult was to remember that every single headstone is for an actual person. It seems unreal almost. They are everywhere. It was an interesting feeling. Peaceful but sad. It truly makes you realize how much freedom really does cost.

We headed up to the 'Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial' but sadly it is undergoing massive restoration. It was worth the walk up though because the view was amazing.

On the right you can see the Washington Monument, and to left the Lincoln Monument.

My favorite part of Arlington was the 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier'. A sentinel of the Third U.S. Infantry maintains the vigil around the clock. The sentinel paces 21 steps alongside the tomb, pauses 21 seconds, then returns. Everything is symbolic so the 21 represents the 21 gun salute, which is one of the highest honors given in the military. The sentinels gloves are also moistened to prevent him from loosing his grip on the rifle and the rifle is always carried on the shoulder away from the tomb. An average guard takes eight hours to prepare his uniform (which is solid wool--regardless of the time of year) for the next day's work. In addition to preparing the uniform, guards also complete physical training, Tomb Guard training, cut their hair before the next work day, and shave twice per day. Each soldier among them is physically fit for the demanding responsibility and between 5'10" and 6'4" tall with a proportionate weight and build. So much devotion goes into the preparation that you cant help but feel the honor and respect for the fallen soldiers.

I can truly say it was a life changing experience. You cant help but stand in utter awe at how disciplined and serious they are. The soldiers are so focused and nothing affects them. While we were watching the first guard (getting ready to end is 30 min guard) a great big fuzzy bug smacked him right on the cheek and he didn't even blink, seriously. It was amazing. It was also extremely hot today and both Mike and I were dying. But the soldiers, dressed in wool, didn't appear at all affected by the heat at all. You couldn't even see them sweating.

We also got to see them bringing in a casket:

After experiencing Arlington National Cemetery I can now say that I have gained a whole new perspective and respect for those that serve our Country. Although I hope that Will never wants to, I can honestly say I would support his decision to serve our Country honorably. It was amazing and something I hope everyone can experience someday.

Next we picked up our Metro passes and headed to the National Mall.

Notice how Mike is on his cell phone? He was seriously struggling being on vacation and not working for a day. I guess its good that he loves his job!

When we got to the Nation Mall, we decided to grab lunch and decided what better than a hot dog from a fun street vendor! Mike was a little apprehensive but I insisted we give it a try.

The awesome little smart kart:

Lunch:

Mike approves!They were so yummy!

Then we headed to the Smithsonian Castle to grab a museum guide and decide what order to see everything.

The building was gorgeous!

Since Mike had to get back for a meeting, we decided to do just one museum today and Mike picked the National Museum of the American Indian. It was so interesting to see all of the different items they make and how they live. I loved looking at the tiny little moccasins and papoose carriers. The bead work they do is so intricate it amazes me.

Us outside the museum:

Mike imitating the artwork:

After the museum we headed back to the hotel so Mike could go to a meeting and I could do nothing but relax! When Mike was done we headed to the famous Ketchup Restaurant since I have been dying to eat there since I saw it on The Hills :) It was pretty yummy and we got to try all sorts of different flavors of ketchup and I just loved the ambiance of the restaurant, way cool.

We are lovin it here in DC!