Ok, this is gross. If you have a weak stomach just skip this day. Trust me!
We spent the day driving on the Massachusetts and New York turnpikes. Long….. and very dull. I kept telling the boys we needed to try to synchronize our bladders so we didn’t have to stop at EVERY rest stop to use the facilities, but no such luck. Along the turnpikes they have very nice rest areas. Since they are toll roads they have areas with small stores, fast food and gas where you can do your business and not have to pay tolls getting off and on.
We eventually stopped for lunch at a McDonalds, and sat down to eat. He hadn’t mentioned it earlier, but Mr15 was apparently not feeling very well. Perhaps he was a bit car sick? I have no idea. BUT, after a few hungry bites and chugging half his red soda, I noticed that he was holding his hand over his mouth, his cheeks were puffed out, and *something* was running down his arms into his lap. I asked him if he was OK, was he choking? No, he wasn’t choking. He opened his mouth to answer and vomited all over the table on everyone’s lunch!!!!! Hubby and the other two boys all jumped up from the table and ran away heaving. So, poor Mr15 and I sat there. Of course I jumped up and tried to contain the mess, and move the food that hadn’t been hit yet. Someone gave me some napkins and I asked the person at the closest food counter to call for a mop and disinfectant.
We had to haul things down from the roof rack to get clothes out for Mr15, and he had to try to clean up in the public bathroom. I felt really bad, but once I determined that he was OK and I stopped having my own stomach churning, I stood around laughing for about 10 minutes. The other people in the McDonalds must have thought I was totally insane. They just might be right!
Sunday, July 17, 2005
7/12/05 New York...Mind Blowng
We took a very interesting bus tour of NYC. We took a bus in from our hotel and then had to find our way back out to our hotel afterward. Let’s just say I found the city very overwhelming! Probably my favorite thing was the Staten Island Ferry. It was a great ride, and we had a very good view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I realized how much I miss home and the ocean. I would have liked to gone to both of these islands, but time simply wouldn’t permit. After the tour we walked to the Empire State Building. The view is fantastic! We could have spent all night up there, and the boys did indeed manage to ditch us by walking around the circle top faster than we did. HAHA We were very late getting back to our hotel because we spend so much time enjoying the view.
The streets of NY are absolutely overwhelming. Mind Blowing is an understatement. They are crowded, dirty, hot, smelly and loud. Very loud. Times Square has almost as many lights as Las Vegas. I’m glad I went, but I think I don’t want to go back to New York, it was very stressful to just walk down the street.
Empire State Building
The streets of NY are absolutely overwhelming. Mind Blowing is an understatement. They are crowded, dirty, hot, smelly and loud. Very loud. Times Square has almost as many lights as Las Vegas. I’m glad I went, but I think I don’t want to go back to New York, it was very stressful to just walk down the street.
Empire State Building
Monday, July 11, 2005
7/11/05 Hotel in Jersey, just outside New York
We took a day to sleep in, do laundry, catching up on journals and blogs, and generally laze around the pool. Thank goodness! We sure needed it! The boys are all restless, but tomorrow we go take a bite out of the Big Apple! The next day we plan to go see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway! Wooo Hooo!!!
I’m going to be placing posts into the blog and filling them in over the next couple days as I have time to think and upload pictures.
I’m going to be placing posts into the blog and filling them in over the next couple days as I have time to think and upload pictures.
7/10/05 Philadelphia
• Christ Church
• Christ Church I really really liked Christ Church. There is still a congregation that meets, and where much of what we saw was history preserved, Christ Church is history in use. One unique feature is that many of the people who attended the church in revolutionary times are buried there. Only they don’t have the usual grave yard, the people are buried on the grounds and walkways around the church, so that to walk around you must actually step on the graves. In our culture that’s a bad thing, very disrespectful of the dead. However this was an old custom that was brought over and it was considered an honor to be buried in the church in that way. If your grave was within the church building or grounds it wouldn’t be lost, but if you were in a pasture or some other place the site might be easily lost. It was intended that you walk on their graves, it was symbolic of how as Christians we walk with and those Christians who came before us, and we have their Godly example to help us. It made me think of Hebrews Chapter 12:1 and the “great cloud of witnesses” Hebrews 12
• Liberty Bell
• Independence Hall
• Congress and Supreme Court Buildings
• Betsy Ross’ House
• Christ Church I really really liked Christ Church. There is still a congregation that meets, and where much of what we saw was history preserved, Christ Church is history in use. One unique feature is that many of the people who attended the church in revolutionary times are buried there. Only they don’t have the usual grave yard, the people are buried on the grounds and walkways around the church, so that to walk around you must actually step on the graves. In our culture that’s a bad thing, very disrespectful of the dead. However this was an old custom that was brought over and it was considered an honor to be buried in the church in that way. If your grave was within the church building or grounds it wouldn’t be lost, but if you were in a pasture or some other place the site might be easily lost. It was intended that you walk on their graves, it was symbolic of how as Christians we walk with and those Christians who came before us, and we have their Godly example to help us. It made me think of Hebrews Chapter 12:1 and the “great cloud of witnesses” Hebrews 12
• Liberty Bell
• Independence Hall
• Congress and Supreme Court Buildings
• Betsy Ross’ House
7/6/05 Capitol, Supreme Court
We got a wonderful tour through our Congressman's office. One of his interns took us through the tunnels from his office building to the capitol building. We got to go into the rotunda and see the places I'd seen on TV of where the President walks on his way to make the State Of The Union speech. We saw the old chambers where the house and senate *used* to meet, as well as the place the Supreme Court used to meet. VERY fun! If you are going to DC definitely contact your congressman for a tour!
Today we ended up skipping out on the Library of Congress tour, because we were just too tired to get up and moving after the exertions of the last couple days. So we got a late start and took the subway into the city and found our way to our congressman’s office. We had contacted our congressman back in April and they were going to give us a tour of the Capitol building. We arrived and got to wait for the rest of the group in our Rep. Christopher Cox’s office, as he was out of town at the moment. An intern took us through the tunnels under the streets into the capitol building. Once we entered the Capitol building, the hallways had beautiful fresco paintings by famous artists, and there are many winding and confusing hallways and passages.
The first place we visited was the Rotunda. A few months earlier they had held the funeral for Ronald Reagan in this room. The Rotunda is directly underneath the dome, and there is a white sunburst about the size of a basketball in the direct center. This white spot is the exact center of the city and al of the buildings and streets radiate out from that spot. When the president comes to address congress for the state of the union address, he first stops n the Rotunda and steps on this spot on his way to the congressional chamber. Of course, we all had to step on the spot as well. *smiles* There are amazing paintings and relief sculptures all around the walls. The whole building is also full of sculptures of people who have been significant in US history. Everyone from Sacagawea to Daniel Webster, and then some.
Next we visited the chamber where congress met when there were not so many representatives. The intern showed us an amazing curiosity in the acoustics of the room…. In the exact place there John Quincy Adam’s desk sat when he was in congress, if you put your head down where the top of his desk was, you can hear everything any anything from around the entire room! Adams used to listen with his head down unbeknownst to the other congressmen and get the edge on their debating strategies! HAHAHAHA
Virtual Tour
Later in the day we walked around the area about the Capitol building. There are parks and beautiful fountains all around. Later on we walked over to the Supreme Court. Unfortunately because of our late start we were too late to go into the building but we spent some time just admiring the outside. It is HUGE! The columns on the front of the building must be 10 or 12 feet in diameter, and the golden doors are probably 25 feet tall.
We tiredly dragged ourselves back to the hotel. I must say my feel have never been as sore in my entire life as they were that day.
Today we ended up skipping out on the Library of Congress tour, because we were just too tired to get up and moving after the exertions of the last couple days. So we got a late start and took the subway into the city and found our way to our congressman’s office. We had contacted our congressman back in April and they were going to give us a tour of the Capitol building. We arrived and got to wait for the rest of the group in our Rep. Christopher Cox’s office, as he was out of town at the moment. An intern took us through the tunnels under the streets into the capitol building. Once we entered the Capitol building, the hallways had beautiful fresco paintings by famous artists, and there are many winding and confusing hallways and passages.
The first place we visited was the Rotunda. A few months earlier they had held the funeral for Ronald Reagan in this room. The Rotunda is directly underneath the dome, and there is a white sunburst about the size of a basketball in the direct center. This white spot is the exact center of the city and al of the buildings and streets radiate out from that spot. When the president comes to address congress for the state of the union address, he first stops n the Rotunda and steps on this spot on his way to the congressional chamber. Of course, we all had to step on the spot as well. *smiles* There are amazing paintings and relief sculptures all around the walls. The whole building is also full of sculptures of people who have been significant in US history. Everyone from Sacagawea to Daniel Webster, and then some.
Next we visited the chamber where congress met when there were not so many representatives. The intern showed us an amazing curiosity in the acoustics of the room…. In the exact place there John Quincy Adam’s desk sat when he was in congress, if you put your head down where the top of his desk was, you can hear everything any anything from around the entire room! Adams used to listen with his head down unbeknownst to the other congressmen and get the edge on their debating strategies! HAHAHAHA
Virtual Tour
Later in the day we walked around the area about the Capitol building. There are parks and beautiful fountains all around. Later on we walked over to the Supreme Court. Unfortunately because of our late start we were too late to go into the building but we spent some time just admiring the outside. It is HUGE! The columns on the front of the building must be 10 or 12 feet in diameter, and the golden doors are probably 25 feet tall.
7/5/05 Mt Vernon
Mount Vernon
This was a very special day. We got back so late the night before that it was very hard to get everyone up and moving. When we got up and moving, everyone felt like cr*p. It’s a 30 minute drive to Mt. Vernon from Washington DC, through the old part of Alexandria Virginia. It was beautiful and I *really* love Virginia. I gave everyone protein bars for breakfast. Unfortunately, the combination of driving and protein bars and little sleep also made Mr16 car sick. When we arrived at Mt Vernon, he proceeded to heave in the bushes, and as we went around the tour he was looking like he was going to be ill again. I got him a sprite and he decided to try to push on with the tour.
As we were getting ready to start Mr15 commenced with a bloody nose, which hubby described as a “real gusher”. Hubby took him to the bathroom, but it didn’t want to stop bleeding. We really didn’t want to miss the tour, so Mr15 decided to go on with Kleenex hanging out of his nose. I think the tour guide was pretty freaked out by this point. ACK!
Mr17 rounded out the picture by being so tired he could hardly stand. He staggered around, sat down at every opportunity (even when he wasn’t supposed to) and generally looked drunk. I think we gave the workers at Mt Vernon something to talk about for weeks to come! LOL
The best thing that happened was at the end of the tour. Because we got a tour through our congressman, we got to have a private ceremony laying a wreath at the Tomb of President Washington. Mr15 got to lay the wreath and hubby got to read Washington’s prayer for our Country.
I learned a lot about Washington while we were in DC. I had heard a lot about him, and read a bit since I do like history, but this trip has helped me see and understand why he is such a pivotal figure in American history. In every way he was head and shoulders above his peers. His conduct was above reproach, his manners faultless, his vision and commitment to the success of our national experiment with democracy unrivaled. There is no one with a bad story about Washington. Yes, he had slaves, but it was part of his culture as much as smoking cigarettes is our current culture, and even at the time of the Revolution there were rumblings of the conflict to come. In his will Washington ordered all his slaves to be freed, he knew the future would hold conflict and change, and I believe he wanted to be the one to lead the way.
The first thing I noticed when we drove over the hill into Washington DC was the Washington Monument towering above the landscape, majestic and strong. The monument dominates every view from every part of the city. I used to wonder about the appropriateness of an obelisk to honor our first president, but now I know it couldn’t be more appropriate.
7/4/05 Fireworks on the Mall, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
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| Waiting for fireworks. |
We spent some time going through the Natural History Museum, and then we parked ourselves on the "Mall" looking toward the Washington Monument. We waited for 4 loooong hours, most of it in the sun, until it was time for the show. It really was the best fire works show I have ever seen. We were too far from the capitol building to hear the music they had there, but we didn't need music! They had the best lemonade I can remember too... maybe it's because I was so hot and thirsty? We also had buffalo burgers for dinner.
After the show we took the subway back to the hotel. It was so crammed, and people pushing and cramming more and more into the car. When we got to our stop it was so crammed and no one would move for us to get off! It ended up a bunch of people (me included) yelling at the people by the door to let us out! I finally pushed myself and the boys off while hubby stood in the doorway so the train couldn't leave with us still on! LOL I don't think I want to do that again. *smiles*
Smithsonian Natural History Museum
7/3/05 Spy Museum, Ford Theater
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| Balcony where President Lincoln was assassinated. |
Ford Theater
Next we went to Ford Theater, and also visited the house across the street where Lincoln actually died after being shot in while watching a show. Ford Theater is a working theater, and they still produce several shows each year. The building was changed quite a bit, but they have done their best to restore it to its appearance on that fateful day. They have the balcony box decorated just as it was the day the President was shot. Across the street the he back room of the home is perfectly preserved as well. It was eerie to me to see the bed he died in neatly made up just as it was in 1865.
Spy Museum
The spy museum was fantastic! We spent 3 hours there, but we could have easily spent a lot more! They had a special exhibit on Terrorism. I was intrigued to learn that terrorism is not a new phenomenon. There have been terrorists in America since the early days of our country, literally hundreds of attacks over the years. Foreign terrorists are not even new. I wish I could remember more, but I am already forgetting.
The permanent part of the museum is also amazing. They have spy gadgets of every type and generation on display. You get to pick a cover and go through spy training and learn what it takes to make a real spy. The boys all LOVED it, and Mr15 says it’s his favorite part of the trip!
Sunday, July 03, 2005
7/2/05 Chancellorsville
We got up later than we had planned, and didn’t get moving very fast, but we were finally off about noon. Today we were driving out to Chancellorsville, to see the site of an important and famous Civil War battle. Mr.15 thought he was in heaven! Unfortunately, again we had a problem. It was about an hours drive from our hotel to Chancellorsville, but there was so much traffic, it took three! Oh well, we finally got there and they had a very interesting movie in the visitor center, and we looked around for a while and listened to a Ranger’s talk about one of the Generals in the battle, Stonewall Jackson.
Even though he was on the side of the Confederates, Jackson was quite a hero. He was mortally wounded at Chancellorsville, and had his left arm amputated. A few days later he died of pneumonia. His men had so much respect for him, that at the field hospital where they had amputated his arm they saved the arm from disposal with the other amputated limbs and took it to a nearby farm, where the brother of one of the officers lived. The arm was buried in the family cemetery there. So after we got some lunch, we went out to Ellwood farm and visited the home there, which was built before the Revolutionary War, and of course the cemetery as well. The home had served as an important location during the Revolution, and was both a field hospital for the Confederates and Headquarters for the Union at different times. The house was being restored and they had removed some sections of plaster from the walls, so we got to see the board and batten construction which was typical of pre-Revolutionary construction.
Mr.15’s hero is General Lee of the Confederate army, and it has been very interesting to have so much information about Lee, and the other facets of the war from the Confederate side. We had an awesome discussion in the car. We talked about how a person’s sense of right or wrong was effected by the society in which he/she lived and how although by all accounts Lee was an extremely moral and righteous person, he still supported the South’s right to slavery. How could he do that when slavery is so clearly wrong? We also talked about how our country as a whole had changed its views on what “Liberty and Justice for All” means. In Revolutionary times it was only for white landowners over the age of 21. Now women, blacks, non-landowners, and everyone is entitled to the same freedoms. The emphasis was on *how* and *why* and I really feel as if the boys learned a lot, I know I did.
We got back so late that we didn’t do hubby’s birthday again. LOL, poor man! We are trying again tomorrow, as we got in and to bed very late again.
7/1/05 China Town
Up early, off to the airport to pick up my hubby and the boys friend, Mr16. The flight was relatively on time and we got their baggage and took the shuttle back to the room. Everyone was tired, so we napped a bit and got everyone showered and ready to go. We had plans to go to the Marine Corp parade in the evening and it is supposed to be really amazing to see. Unfortunately the concierge at the hotel gave us bad directions and we ended up in Chinatown instead! By the time we figured out that we were in the wrong place and how to get where we were supposed to be, it was too late to go back to the Marine parade grounds. Instead we went to the International Spy museum and walked around and saw the outside of Ford’s Theater where Lincoln was shot. We are going back later to see the inside. *smiles* riding the Metro is fun, although a bit intimidating at first. You can really tell the difference between the locals and the tourists. Today is hubby’s birthday, but we decided to celebrate tomorrow when everyone is well rested. Of course we didn’t help that along much, we stayed out too late and nobody slept really well.
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