Day 27 – Washington DC and a Change of Plans

This deer and it’s mother were standing right outside our camper at the Washington DC temple.

So it seems like whatever schedule we had for the future was torn up and redrawn out by the older boys today.  They decided after Gettysburg that we didn’t have enough battles in our schedule.  They also realized if we stay longer we can actually see a battle re-enactment.  So today seemed like a huge planning day, hours of renegotiating the calendar.  But I think we have a plan…

July 26 Ford Theater, Spy Museum, Peterson House (Camp at Cherry Hill)*
July 27 National Mall Tour, Smithsonian’s, Lincoln Tour
July 28 Arlington Tour, and Smithsonians
July 29 Mount Vernon
July 30 Battle of Manassas and Fredericksburg
July 31 Battle of Antietam
Aug 1 – 9:20 am US Capital Tour and Tour DC
Aug 2 – 10:30 am White House Tour and Tour DC
Aug 3 – 4pm Battle of 2nd Manassas Reenactment
Aug 4 – 9am – 10pm Battle of 2nd Manassas Reenactment

This changes our schedule radically as we had planned on leaving Washington DC on July 28^th and now we are hanging around until August 4.  That ends any dreams of a leisurely trip back home, but the kids assured us this would make all their dreams come true.

We were able to fit in baptisms and an endowment session at the Washington DC Temple today between planning sessions.  The Washington DC temple is so beautiful.  Photos do not do it justice.  It is just like a castle inside and out.  And I was so amazed at how large it is.  It is a really big temple!

By pure luck (which I am sooooo happy about) it turns out our campground is right next to an IKEA.  IKEA and I were inseparable when we lived in Los Angeles, and I have so missed it.  So while the boys and Mike were at the temple, the little kids and I wondered IKEA.  I ended up having two carts.  The first was all the things I wanted to buy, and the second cart was the reality of what I was willing to bring home in a motor home.  The last cart was so much smaller.  What a bummer.

Then more hours of planning, with Spitz and Jawbreaker coordinating all the battle plans.

We added 500 miles in driving to tour all these sites.  Hope they are as fabulous as they all dream they are.

 

Drove: 69 miles

Places we visited or saw: Washington DC Temple, IKEA