Fort Washington National Park

A building that has stood the test of time!

This was another fabulous day trip.  The guns, the walls, the moats!  It was all so much fun.  They let you walk pretty much everywhere and we did. 

Camera card started to go and I lost a bunch is pictures starting with this trip and into the end of August before we discovered it.  Sorry for the grey bars across some of the pictures.

~July 30, 2014~

Great Falls National Park

Our next day trip I took the kids for a hike in Great Falls National Park.

It is just down the river from River Bend Park.  The Potomac drops in elevation and produces these awesome falls.  It was a fabulous hike. I was a little out numbered by the kids and worried they were going to launch themselves off the edge at any given moment.  I really need to go back with Kevin there so I can enjoy it more.  I'm not usually a super worried mom, but this trip I was.  We all survived and had a good time.  That's all that matters:)

~July 26, 2014~

River Bend Park

After church, the kids and I, took a Sunday drive to check out a new spot in Great Falls Virginia.

On our way we stopped at Colvin Mill to get some penny candy and see some snakes they had on display.  We enjoyed learning about the local Rat Snake.  That is the one that welcomed us to our new home our first week here.  We learned that they are harmless and keep the rodents away.  I'm all for that!  I'd rather see a snake around my house than a rat!

We left with our goodies and headed for the Potomac River.

River Bend Park is such a peaceful place to view the river.  Is is slow moving here and you can hike along the river bank enjoying the beautiful scenery and wildlife.

We had fun walking around.

~July 20, 2104~

Cole's Birthday...The Big 13!

Mid July we celebrated Cole turning 13...

We now have a teenager in the house and he doesn't let us forget it!

He is my roller coaster ride...I know our family would not be the same without him!

I can not believe I am this old...Oh where does the time go!

Colvin Run Mill

On the second to last day before my dad had to head home.  We decided to take it easy.  We let the kids sleep in and went to this old mill that still operates.  It produces flour and corn meal just like they did way back when George Washington lived in this area.  Actually George Washington financed for this this mill to be made.  

We went on their tour and learned how they used to run this mill and how it was all done back then.

We all fell in love with this place!

They have a general store where they sell the flour and corn meal and other things.  The thing that got me and the kids to come back several more times over the summer was the penny candy.  Oh did that bring back my childhood memories...I loved getting my little brown paper bag and filling it with candy.  My kids loved it too:) They couldn't believe what they could get for a dollar. 

I purchased a bag of corn meal and I have never had my homemade corn bread taste better!

After we left with our goodies we took a relaxing drive down George Washington Parkway.  We thought we'd drive up to Mount Vernon just to see where is was.  The GPS got us lost, but all in all it was a great day and I was really sad to have my dad leave.  We had a lot of fun exploring with him!

This particular set of stones that they use can only be bought in only one quarry in the whole world in France.  The ships would put them in the ships to weigh them down as they came across the ocean to America and then head back full of other goods they bought here.  I love history!

The miller and his family lived in this house.  They had 20 children!

 ~July 13, 2014~

Washington D.C. Day Trip #2

Our goal was to go to a few museums, the National Aquarium, and not walk as much as the last time we came:)  We did pretty good  until we learned, after a lot of walking, that the National Aquarium have been moved to Maryland back in the spring.  The kids were bummed, they love to go see live fish!  This day happened to be on a Saturday,  which was great for the Metro, not at all busy, price is cheaper on the weekends, and free parking.  However, not for the museums!  Crazy busy and hard  to really enjoy the exhibits!  I hate big crowds so I learned not to got to these museums on a weekend in the summer, if you can help it.

National Museum of  Natural History

We loved being greeted by this massive elephant.

We all loved this turtle. We were shocked to see how big it was compared to us!

 They had to pretend to be eaten by Megaladon!

We also went the the National Museum of American History. However, after waiting in line to get in and attempting the exhibit on the history of our american wars.  We decided the crowd was to much and we left.  We just weren't able to see anything and enjoy ourselves.  The kids weren't too into it either and you need happy kids in D.C.!

National Gallery Sculpture Garden

Huge highlight of the day!  

We loved seeing all the amazing sculptures and trying to figure out what some of them were.

The best part was cooling our hot tired feet off in the pool.

My dad actually remembers having to use this tool in school! That's why the thumbs down;)

~July 12, 2014~