• On the Road Again: Where Were We?

    If you guessed the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri you are correct!  We have actually been in St. Louis 4 times already this month.  I have seen the Arch many times driving through St. Louis, but a couple years ago we actually went up in it.  It is a great place to visit with some neat history.  There is actually a museum in the bottom of the arch.

    Did you know?

    • Arch is 630 feet tall
    • It is made of Steel and Concrete
    • Eero Saarinen was the Finnish-American architect who designed the Arch
    • From the top of the Arch on a clear day you can see up 30 miles in either direction
    • Tram ride takes 4 minutes to go up and 3 minutes to go down
    • There are 1,076 steps inside the arch, however, they are only used for maintenance and emergencies
    • It was originally called the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial now it is the Gateway Arch National Park
    • The Memorials to Thomas Jefferson, for his role in opening the West & Dred Scott who sued for his freedom in the Old Courthouse
    • Directly across the Mississippi River from the Arch on the Illinois side is the Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park  where the Gateway Geyser (the tallest water fountain in the U.S.) and the Mississippi River Overlook can be found

    If you are going through St. Louis, Missouri and have extra time I encourage you to check it out.

  • Travel & Vacation: Exploring Washington, DC – Trolley Ride, Sightseeing, and Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial

    Washington DC

    Brina all smiles and ready to go for the day.

    Our second day exploring Washington DC.  We were up early again so we can pack in a day full of fun.  Our first stop was the Union Station where we parked the van and caught a ride on the trolley.  We soaked up all the cool sights as we made our way through town.  Thankful for our time together!

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    Karlie all geared up with her camera ready to take some pictures while on Washington’s Old Town Trolley!

    Washington DC

    Washington and Jefferson Monuments reflecting on the calm and peaceful Potomac River.

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     Karlie thought it was hilarious that several USPS mail drop boxes were painted to look like Sponge Bob.  The reason the post office made the mail boxes to look like Sponge Bob was to encourage kids to write more letters.  I wonder if it is working?

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    Riding up the escalator so we can head to the next adventure!

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    Karlie walking around the Marine memorial and soaking in all the sights around her.

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    Our family at the Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial in Washington DC.  It was a super sunny day so all our family pictures were a little cloudy with a rainbow on the memorial.

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    The Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial in Washington DC is one of my favorite.  It shows great pride for our country and team spirit among the Marine soldiers.

     We were able to cover a lot of ground in Washington, D.C. thanks to the Old Town Trolley taking us around.  It was a well worth the cost because it was a fast and easy way to get through the city to all the major sights.  Plus we didn’t have to waste time finding parking at each place or walking everywhere.  On the second day we went further out in the morning to Arlington Cemetery than on to the Smithsonian Institution – National Museum of Natural History, Iwo Jima, and more!  We packed in a lot of fun, learning, and sight seeing on our second day in Washington D.C.  It is a great place to explore with the family!