Our First DC Adventure

We have hit the ground running! We’ve made our bucket list for the new place and we’ve already had the chance to go to DC and see some sights! We will definitely be going back, for sure. Even as we were driving around, we kept seeing things that we wanted to do or go see. So we've already checked off a few things on the list, and we’ve only been here, what, 2 weeks? It’s a good start!

We started off at the Museum of Natural History. We have actually already been there, we went one year during Christmas vacation, but we wanted to go to the Butterfly Pavilion. It costs extra and I thought it was a little expensive ($6/person) given the size of the aviary. It was pretty small. However, there were tons of butterflies so we still were able to enjoy it.

We had parked over by the water, and you could walk a path alongside the banks and you could see the Jefferson Monument in the distance. After the museum we went and picked up the car to drive over to lunch.

And what a lunch it was!! On the recommendation of John’s cousin (she and her husband had lived in DC for a summer) we went to Good Stuff Eatery:

Burgers and shakes! Yum! It was a really fun atmosphere and the food was. so. good.
We were so excited to get our food! (We were really hungry…) John got a melt and a milky way shake and I got a traditional hamburger with a very berry shake. nom nom nom…
It might not look like much, but the hamburger was so juicy and tender, and the veggies were so fresh and crisp. They also have some special “good stuff sauce” that they put on there…oh yeah…
And we dug in! ;)

After our delicious lunch, we rolled our way over to the Library of Congress, which is right behind capitol hill

The Library of Congress has three buildings. We went to the Jefferson Building.

The interiors were just so beautiful. I love the architecture and the design of these stately buildings in DC.

We saw this mosaic on the ceiling right when we walked in. This is for you Brownings! ;)
John took a bunch of pictures in the great hall and stitched them together when we got home. It turned out pretty cool!
So excited to be in a huge library of KNOWLEDGE! ;)

We wandered around for a while, looking at exhibits. We even ended up getting lost…but we found our way back to the great hall and had the chance to go see the main reading room from the upper story. No pictures were allowed, unfortunately, but it’s the really awesome circular room with the rows of desks…that room you usually think of when you think Library of Congress ;)
And we now have a map of the DC area, so now we can actually figure out where things are. I was actually pretty intent on using it, as you can see…

After the Library of Congress, we went to the National Botanical Gardens. So pretty!

I’m not really sure what I’m trying to do in this picture…but they had a whole room full of orchids! Beautiful :)I’m not sure why John’s giving me this look, but isn’t that neon blue and purple plant just crazy!?

I am such a goober…

But then…so is John… ;)
John liked the name of this plant ;)
This is a Chinese Hibiscus. Aren’t the colors so interesting??
After we walked through all of the inside exhibits, we explored the grounds outside and walked through the rose gardens. I’m in this picture. Can you find me?
Just in case you couldn’t ha ha haaa I know. I’m a goober.
And one last shot of the Capitol building before we left…

We made our way back to the car and made the drive home. What a fun day! And now I need a nap. ha ha But we had so much fun! I think we are really going to like being so close to DC. :) Maybe our next trip will be to Baltimore. There is so much fun to be had!