A Day out with Thomas

I apparently forgot to Post this Post so here it is.

So Andy's birthday was at the beginning of January. He turned 6 this year. We didn't get around to having a birthday party for him (or Ellie for that matter). The poor guy has NEVER had a birthday party all to himself. We usually do a combined party for the two of them. He really wanted a party this year too, now that he has friends to invite. It just never materialized. I bought a few train themed things at the beginning of the school year but will end up saving those for next year maybe.

On the day of his birthday we had a family celebration at home with cake and singing but nothing more. He and Ellie got new bikes before Christmas as early birthday presents too.

We did finally decide in March to do something for him. We gave Andy the option of having a few friends over for a belated party or we could go ride on Thomas the Train. Andy being a train aficionado of course chose Thomas. He is not really too much into Thomas but loves everything else that has to do with trains. The day after I bought the tickets he told me that he wanted a party instead but I told him he had made his decision and the tickets were already bought. I felt like the Train Nazi, "No Party for You!". Grandma and Grandpa were coming down for a visit and to drop off a few things. This made for perfect timing. They would watch the other 3 while we drove down to Miami to have a "Day out with Thomas".

It was a long ride and he fell asleep in the car. When we arrived it took him a few minutes to wake up fully and then he was excited, even though he remained straight-faced.

National Aquarium

We made a trip into D.C. last weekend heading for the National Aquarium. We had already visited the major Smithsonian museums when we were here 2 years ago so I wanted to go somewhere we hadn't been before.
We happened to leave a little late in the morning and ended up at the Metro station being there at the wrong time. The trains were taking FOREVER so we decided since there were only a few stops past our station until the train turned around and came back that we would hop on the train that came heading that way and just ride it back in the right direction.We soon found out what was taking the trains so long.
When we got on the train and made it to the last stop we noticed there was another train in the stations packed like sardines waiting for us to arrive so that it could leave. Once that train left we sat in the station for AT LEAST 30 minutes before heading back down the line. You see, this particular day there happened to be a baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Yankees. The game started in about 2 hours and people were heading down to the ball park. The hold up was waiting for everyone to fill the train. The Metro people were smart in waiting and helping everyone make it to their destination (at least those going to the game). We did get some comic relief when a guy got onto our train car, which was packed full of Yankees fans, wearing a Red Sox shirt. The comments were quite funny.
So riding the train the wrong way just to get there faster didn't so much work out the way we planned but really it did work out for us. See, if we had waited at our original station for the trains coming from the end of the line we would not have been able to get on. Those trains were so packed in that when we stopped at the following 8 stations or so, the driver had to tell people on the platforms NOT to get on! The 6 of us would have never been able to squeeze in there.

So we FINALLY made it to the National Aquarium, at least in the vicinity. We ended up walking all the way around the building before we got to it. We also had to stop for lunch since we spent so much time on the Metro.

Eating our hot dog lunch from the food carts on the street.

The aquarium itself is not that bad. When you first walk in you have to go through a metal detector, as with every building in D.C. Then you have to walk down a flight of stairs into the basement of the building. Then pay the entrance fee which is $9 for adults and $5 for kids. So it cost us $40 to see a few tanks in a basement. That is how I feel about the aquarium. It was too much for not much to look at. I guess it's the idea of being able to say "I went there". As we were walking in, I overheard a lady walking out complaining about the very same thing and comparing it to the Georgia Aquarium (which is AWESOME, btw).

We made up for the rotten morning by stopping by the Museum of American History. It was on the next block so it was only logical that we pop in to see a few of our favorite things, Andy's of course being the trains.

Ellie checking out the new Girl Scout exibit.

E was quite excited to see this new addition to the museum.

Everyone's favorite steam train.

After leaving the museum with whiny, complaining kids, we heard a familiar sound. We followed that sound and found my favorite street performer, EVER! We stopped for a snack and listened for a while. This guy is awesome!

Back in D.C.

Well, it's been 2 years but we are finally back in the D.C./NOVA area. At least for a month and a half.

Packing out was a bit stressful for me. Having to sort all of your belongings into what was going, what was not, what was to be stored got to be a bit overwhelming. I thought that we left too much out when we set aside a room with the items we wanted to bring to D.C. but once we got here and everything was put away in it's place I am realizing that we didn't bring enough. Once again we didn't bring any toys or anything to entertain the kids. We DID bring the XBOX, and the kid's laptops, but why do I want my kids to sit around playing video/computer games all day? We were able to get our beloved GeoTrax back from my sister so at least Andy has something to keep him entertained. You would think that 4 kids ages 6-9 would want to hang out at the pool all day, or at the playground, or at the tennis courts (as I thought Ellie would), but alas I have raised wimpy, nerdy kids. I feel like such a mean mom for making them go outside, especially when Ellie whines and complains, crying "I don't want to" which has become her mantra for just about everything, including brushing her hair (which is a whole other story that I could go on and on about).

We left South Florida the day after school got out and made it to D.C. the day before the National Rock the Mall event to celebrate the 100th year of Girl Scouts. You can read more about it here. I was excited to attend this event and to be a part of something so spectacular. I thought that Ellie shared my excitement also but being my nerdy, stay-in-side and read a book kid, she moaned and complained the whole time. To give her some credit, it was hot that day but I still had a great time. I even got to see my favorite "The Voice" singer Erin Willett sing some Girl Scout songs. :)

We managed to drag the kids around for an hour or two and then found a McDonald's on the way to the Metro station. We stopped in to get a refreshments to cool off a little and this is what happened while Daddy was waiting in the never-ending line:

We eventually made it home and everyone went straight to the AC and electronics!