Day 6 Summary

Washington D.C. is an AMAZING place! One could spend a lifetime here and never take it all in. We certainly gave a good go of it, and will continue to chip away at its awesomeness over the next couple of days. For today, we visited:

• Mt. Vernon - The plantation home of George Washington, first President of the United States. The estate is situated on the banks of the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia, near Alexandria. The Washington family had owned land in the area since the time of Washington's great-grandfather in 1674, and in 1739 embarked on an expansion of the estate that continued under George Washington, who came into possession of the estate in 1754, but did not become its sole owner until 1761.
• Arlington Cemetery - United States military cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., in whose 624 acres have been buried the over 400,000 dead of the nation's conflicts beginning with the American Civil War, as well as reinterred dead from earlier wars. The cemetery was established during the Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, which had been the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna (Custis) Lee (a great-granddaughter of Martha Washington).
• Ford's Theater and Peterson House - Historic theater in Washington, D.C., used for various stage performances beginning in the 1860s. It is the site of the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth. After being shot, the fatally wounded president was carried across the street to the Petersen House, where he died the next morning.
• National Cathedral - The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, operated under the more familiar name is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital. It is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in the United States, and the highest as well as the fourth-tallest structure in Washington, D.C.
• Pizza - PARRRRTY at the hotel after a very long day!!!

Maps of our stops today:

Mount Vernon 

Mount Vernon was amazing. We visited the home of President George Washington at a time when hundreds of re-enactors were gathered to recreate the lifestyle and battles of the Revolution. I can't say enough about how exciting it was for the students to see the people portraying that period of time with such authenticity.

Prior to engaging with the colonists, however, we visited reverently the tomb of President Washington and his family. We were the first group at the tomb this morning and offered a prayer there (thank you, Mr. Wirthlin) that set the tone for the rest of the day of reflection on this great man and his legacy.

After visiting the tomb, we spent time in the visitor's center museum with its spectacular displays, grabbed some lunch, and headed off to our next location, mingling with the colonists along the way. We actually heard the cannon and musket fire from the battlefield recreation echoing off the green hillsides as we made our way to the bus. Very exciting.

President Washington at the entrance to his home, Mount Vernon

A model of Mount Vernon in the visitor's center. The visitor's center is amazing!

A very large group of re-enactors who had spent the weekend on the grounds of Mount Vernon in full regalia

Walking down to Washington's tomb in the early morning light

At the tomb just before Mr. Wirthlin offered a beautiful prayer

The docent arrived after the prayer to officially open the tomb

Our own honor guard in front of Washington's tomb. Don't they look wonderful.

Washington's tomb

A view toward the Potomac through one of the main house's porticos. Notice the colonial re-enactors. It was like seeing Washington himself walking along.

Our ladies in front of the main house

Allyson walking the grounds of Mount Vernon. Interestingly, the 'bricks' on the building behind her are actually wood that was treated at the time to make it look like brick.

Revolutionary encampment

More soldiers - sooo cool!

Posing with the players. They were incredibly detailed and authentic in their appearance and mannerisms.

Washington's view of the Potomac from his back porch

Walking the grounds

Heading toward the Potomac

The back porch of Mount Vernon

Another view of the Potomac

Just relaxing on George Washington's back porch

Troops on horseback near the bank of the Potomac

Hessian troops marching up the hill toward the house

This gentleman taught us all about muskets in the front yard of Mount Vernon

This little lad took his role extremely seriously. What an awesome kid! Immediately after this shot, he singlehandedly slew a dozen Redcoats with that cutlass.

Inside the museum on the grounds

Three actors in front of General Washington

Washington's false teeth - kinda gross. So happy we live in an era of oral hygiene! BTW, the whole "Washington had wooden teeth" thing...totally bunk. They were actually ivory.

Checking out the cool model of the Mount (Isabelle, Anneliese, Emily, Lucy, Savannah)

Real, live colonist re-enactors

These guys mean business but they were awfully happy for men about to head off to battle

More scenes from the camp

This place makes Lagoon's Pioneer Village look like...well, like Pioneer Village. Let's face it, that place is a shadow of what it used to be. What happened to the scones they used to serve there??? I mean, c'mon, folks.

Here come the British!

Practicing formations. Look at all the tents in the background. These were all occupied! This was a BIG deal.

Check these out for some live revolutionary action as the troops assemble for battle:

This little lady (right) who was out advertising for the bakery stole the show. She was clearly in charge of the much older kids and let them know it. Of course, we were persuaded by her and bought bread and cheese from her shoppe.

Captivated by the little bakers

Arlington National Cemetery

After an AMAZING time at Mount Vernon (could've spent the entire day there!!), we headed north to Arlington National Cemetery. It was humbling to see the hundreds of thousands of gravestones marking the final resting place for the bravest among us. We visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and also took a tram ride where a guide pointed out a number of other notable grave sites.

A tender moment - Kate (with mom at her side) engaged a veteran and thanked him for his service. He was very kind and appreciated her grateful acknowledgement. Thanks, Kate.

As Kate spoke with the veteran, others gathered, including a currently serving soldier who joined in the conversation and shared stories with his elder compatriot. Very cool scene.

Rows of headstones. Extremely humbling.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Ford's Theater
Next on our itinerary was a visit to Ford's Theater where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. It was eerie to be in the exact location where Lincoln was shot.

Outside Ford's Theater

Actual spot where Lincoln was shot by Booth

Peterson House across the street from Ford's Theater. This is where Lincoln was taken after he was shot and where he eventually died.

Washington National Cathedral
Our final stop of the day was the Washington National Cathedral for an organ concert. It is an amazing building, outside and in.

We finally made it to church on Sunday! Good to get some religion into these ruffians...well, organ music, anyway.

Adam was deep in thought pondering the mysteries of the universe on the grounds of the Cathedral. He's a year older now and it's about time he starts doing some serious pondering...surrounded by flowers. He had no idea I took this picture from a long way away :-)

Playing catch with a golf ball on the Cathedral grounds while waiting for the organ concert to begin.

Making the most of a grassy mound on a hot summer day (Madeleine, Courtney, Kate)

Because leaves.

Busted!

The 'cool guys' staking their claim to the churchyard ("Fritz", "Lucky", "Smalls", "Rocco", and "Slim")

That's one big church

A shot of the rose window from the inside - beautiful stained glass

Lucy and Savannah shared some thoughts with me:

Hotel Pizza Party!
After an exhilarating organ concert, we found our way back to our hotel, via Little Caesars Pizza of Atlanta, GA, for a fantastic pizza party. Cheese, Carbs and kids. A perfect combo!

Got pizza?

More peeps assembling

Boys were there as well

Lars channeled the great innovator, Thomas Jefferson, to create the world's first folding pizza table/luggage rack. BTW, this started out as a whole pizza. Lars now weighs 200lbs!

Post-pizza party (and long day) Mrs. Horne and Mrs. Lund enjoy the quietude of an empty hotel hallway; the children locked safely behind steel reinforced doors for the night.