you gotta be silly sometime...

As Joe is demonstrating in this picture, we visited the Woodrow Wilson House...and took some politically-incorrect pictures. We couldn't help ourselves. We're on vacation. And we have no kids. So we can be big kids everywhere we go!! Anywho, we absolutely loved the Wilson house. There were only about 12 other people there with us, and our tour guide was fabulous. He shared so many descriptive stories and was very animated and passionate about the information. Of course, Joe already knew most of what he shared with us, but it was all new for me!!


As you can see here, I had the unexpected privilege of playing Woodrow Wilson's piano in his parlor room. It was such an honor...though I must confess, I had a minimal repetoire memorized, so I resorted to playing my own little ditty. My piano teacher would be so disappointed...so to all you pianists out there -- memorize and keep it sharp! You never know when you'll have a chance to perform...


In addition to the Wilson house, we visited the FDR memorial, and took some fun pictures with various statues. Like I said earlier, we just couldn't help ourselves!! Here's a few to make you laugh...

Me and FDR are chums now! ;)

Joe fits right in with these men, doesn't he? *wink wink*

Yes, I purposefully look like a freak in this picture. I was
trying to show by my face that I hate war too...

Joe and I couldn't get past the fact that millions of tourists
come to the FDR memorial to....pull his finger. Tee hee hee!

Not only am I chums with FDR, but I became pals with his wife too! ;)

We realized we had no pictures of us together, so we snapped
a silly photo here. You can see the Washington Monument in the background.

A Moving Monument

When we visited the Vietnam Veteran's memorial today, we heard the history behind it, and I felt it warranted a post all it's own. So here's what I remember from the story...

The design for the Vietnam Memorial was designed by a 21 year old Asian-American girl named Maya Lin. The U.S. government asked for ideas for a monument dedicated to the soldiers who served in the Vietnam war. After going through thousands of memorial suggestions, the 8 judges unanimously voted on Maya's idea. At first, many were upset -- they thought that a black wall symbolized defeat, and that the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War was thereby a mistake. Some Americans thought Maya's idea was inappropriate and even demeaning to our country, since it was designed by someone of Chinese ancestry, though she possessed American citizenship.

However, the work began of building the special "wall". One of the conditions for the design of the monument was that it had to fit into the layout of the land. Where the wall is placed now is on what used to be a gentle sloping hill. In a way, the wall symbolizes the wound that was made during the Vietnam War, similar to a knife cutting into the gentle slope on that landscape, as so many soldiers were lost. The Wall acts like a bandage, holding that wound in and supporting it.


Unlike what many people think, the wall's list of name's does not begin at either end, but rather in the middle. Maya wanted the soldiers that died at the beginning and at the end of the war to be together, and so the names start in chronological order, at the center of the wall and curve across to the end. No rank or order is listed, so that all are represented as equal human beings, and everyone who visits the wall can identify with each name listed. Maya chose granite because of its weatherability (if that's even a word) that will last for hundreds of years. In its polished reflection you can see yourself within the names inscribed, symbolic of how each person is effected by this war, whether due to soldiers one knew, or due to the freedoms we enjoy because of our soldier's bravery.

Finally, each of the names inscribed on the wall have one of 2 shapes after their name. The first, a diamond, represents those who died fighting for our country. The second, a plus, represents those who were missing in action. To this day, there are still 800-some names with the plus sign following their name. If any soldier who was missing in action was ever found to be alive, a circle would have been placed around that plus. However, that sign has never had the opportunity to be used.

All in all we found the Veteran's Memorial to be very moving, and we loved the symbolic imagery behind it. It gave me a renewed appreciation for the price that so many men and women have and still are paying for our country. Praise God that we can live in the Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave.

DC Day 2

Today was spent doing lots of walking....we were pooped by the time we got back to our hotel! Some of our day's activities included strolling along the mall, eating at Hard Rock Cafe and checking out various monuments.

Unfortunately, Ford's Theatre was closed for renovations until 2009....so sad!!
So, to carry on with tradition, we once again have a shot of Joe being sad in front of
Ford's Theatre, poor Joe!!

At the World War II memorial, we each posed by our respective state.
I didn't include Joe by Minnesota, since I have
so many pictures of him already!
We tried to take our own pic for Wisconsin...hence the goofy new profile pic.
Guess I should have asked someone to take our picture for us! ;)

For the sake of all who want to know how our little getaway in DC is going...here are some pics from our adventures at the National Air and Space Museum and the Smithsonian "Castle"Information center. :) Enjoy -- and watch for the specific references to certain friends and family members back home! ;)

This is the Smithsonian "Castle" Info center. Isn't it cool looking?

And check out the ceiling inside!!

In case you can't read the sign over Joe's shoulder, it says that the Coin exhibit
behind him had been closed. He was soo sad!!!

Hey Lucas -- note that the water fountain is NOT running...and there are
NO coins in the bottom. Toldja so!! ;)

Joe thought the little guy in this model plane looked uncomfortable...
check out his leg position!

This is for Lindsay and Elaine...Ray Charles tuxedo and sunglasses

and Coltraine's trumpet! Sweet!

It looks like Joe is holding Babe Ruth's autographed baseball...so cool!

For Elaine: a Julia Child original recipe!

For Mom and Grandma: the original 60 minutes stop watch.

Don't ask me what he's doing...I'm just married to him...

More proof of spring - cherry blossoms!! Hopefully there will be
more blooming during our stay!

For those of you who don't know, John Adams is one of my
ancestors...so here I am "with" him :)

I don't know about where you are, but here it's....

SPRING!! Praise the Lord!! Today we had 60 degree weather and clear skies for most of the morning. What a blessing for our vacation plans. :) I took pictures just to prove it to you...enjoy!