DC Day 9--Washington Monument, Mt. Vernon, Washington Monument

Tuesday June 28th was a crazy busy day.  If I had been more on the ball I would have gotten tickets to see the top of the Washington Monument months before we went to DC, but I didn't.  So when we got into town, the only way to get tickets is to wait in line.  Really early.  The window opened at like 8:30 but you had to be in line by 7:15 to guarantee yourself a spot.  So we left super early and I waited in line while Stephen drove around, since parking near there was hard to find.  I met the nicest lady in line who happened to be LDS too.  We chatted it up.  And we were able to get tickets for later that day.  We were trying to avoid and impending rainstorm (lightening closes the monument), and still allowing us time to go see Mt. Vernon.

We were excited to have Erica and some of her kids (new Lewis cousins) join us at Mt. Vernon.  And it was a super fun place to tour.  I was overwhelmed at just what an inspired man George Washington was.  It was a gorgeous place, and quite the plantation.

This is a cool display where George Washington's eyes follow you wherever you walk.  

*********

We had tickets to go to the top of the Washington Monument at 5:30.  We were able to finish Mt. Vernon and had a little time, so we briefly went to see some of the Smithsonian Museum of American History.  We saw the flag that the "Star Spangled Banner" was written about.  It was under a special dim light and we weren't allowed to take photos.  Things we also enjoyed were the dresses of the first ladies, this Sun stone from the original Nauvoo Temple and a baseball signed by Babe Ruth.

Then we went to our Washington Monument Tour.  Sam was super nervous.  He hates heights, like is really really afraid of them.  But he was really brave and while he stayed away from most of the windows so he didn't have to see, he did go.  I was super proud of him.