Blink of an Eye: Playing Tourist

I have lived in the DC area for almost 10 years now, and I still get excited whenever I go into the city. There's still so much I haven't seen there and with the sheer number of museums, there's always a permanent exhibit worth visiting (and re-visiting) or a special exhibit to explore. The kids enjoy going into the city, too, requesting to go there like it's some exotic and adventure-filled destination.

When I'm in DC I get to play tourist and feel like I am on vacation, exploring someplace new. I take tons of pictures, seek out the biggest or newest attractions, and pay a king's ransom for snacks at the museums. At the end of a long day, though, when we see the weary tourists head back to their hotels with their cranky and overstimulated kids, it's always great to hop over the river and come back home to our own cozy home, enjoy a home cooked meal and snuggle into our own warm beds. Yes, we have the best of all worlds.

Recently, when Kurt was home (on his surprise visit), we spent the afternoon in DC visiting the National Museum of American History. This was the first time we've been here since they re-opened after a 2-year renovation/revitalization project. The newly transformed museum is incredible. The kids had fun, and I learned so much. We only experienced a very small portion of the museum; so much to see and so little time. I can't wait to go back.