Ok, get ready for a little carpel tunnel in your fingertips because I have a whole slew of pictures to post to finish up our D.C. extravaganza.
I think it’s safe to say the kids really like that place.
We visited the FDR Memorial.
I love the waterfalls there:
(Obviously so do they.)
I have to throw the following picture in for reminiscing sake because it’s from when we lived in D.C. (that’s Elle on Dave’s back) when his little brother and sister came to visit. 
Let’s just pause and reflect on those wing-dinger pants I’m wearing. Seriously, I don’t know that I could have hiked them up any higher.
And here we are in the same spot so many years later:
(That’s my cute sister-in-law Julie on the left.)
As long as we’re reminiscing again, I have to throw in this one that I forgot to put in with the Lincoln/Washington Memorial posts:
This is how our family was in D.C. (I was pregnant with Grace). We have so many great memories in that city.
Ok, but let’s get back to this trip.
There was one new memorial they have built since we lived there:
Like all the other Memorials, it is very beautifully done.
There was some big veterans event when we got there and it was kind of emotional to see all those men who this memorial means that much more to sitting together for some kind of a photo op:
That above picture shows how massive this memorial is.
Walking around the city, these are some of the pictures my kids actually asked me to take:
(They were SO excited about that one. That totally is the real President.)
…and here are some I wanted to take:
I have to say that Claire was SO good on this trip. We worried a little about taking her because we knew how much walking was involved, and, well, to put it politely, “whining” and “walking” long distances have gone hand in hand in the past when it comes to Claire.
But man alive, there was not one whine or complaint coming from this girl’s mouth. She was so fun to have along.
Eli and Julie were such great hosts. 
One night we had a barbecue on the roof of their apartment. Check out the capitol right behind Dave in the background. Nice view, huh?
We got to see the new apartment they are moving into next month (behind these guys below):
Elle was excited.
My family will appreciate getting to see their new kitchen. The light in that place is SO beautiful they are going to be in hog heaven getting great shots of their triplets on the way.
(Kidding…just checking to see if you’re still paying attention…)
We went out on a double date to Georgetown one night without the kids. Love hanging out with these two.
(That darn small camera I brought isn’t the best, but that’s the Kennedy Center behind us.)
The last day we went to check out how money is made at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing which was another thing on the very top of the kids’ list of places they wanted to visit (thanks to Dave and his marathon training for getting the tickets).
We were all enamored by all those stacks of money in that place.
(Once again, no inside pictures allowed, darn it.)
I LOVE the architecture of this city.
Everywhere you look there is something beautiful and historic to greet your eyes.
Our last stop was Mount Vernon.
Another one of my favorite places. And it’s even cooler now because there’s a huge new learning center and museum all about George Washington. We even totally got to meet his wife Martha:
Let’s go ahead and reminisce one last time:
(Gotta love those overalls. Man, I’d excuse myself and say I was stylish for back then, but then look at my cute sis-in-law…yeah, no excuse.)
For some reason I just love that picture above.
It was SO green it almost hurt our so-accustomed-to-the-desert eyes!
Last picture:
Oh wait, had to catch the ice cream we polished off the trip with:
After Mount Vernon we headed to the airport and got stuck in serious bumper-to-bumper traffic. As the time ticked on we were positive we were going to miss our flights (mine was to the Bardet-Biedl conference and Dave and the kids home). But miraculously we made it. One of my sweetest memories from the trip was when I dropped Dave and the kids off at the airport curb (my flight was a teeny bit later) and watched those kids’ determined, flushed faces kiss me goodbye and RUN after their Dad like little ducks in a row as fast as their legs would carry them.
They made it two minutes before the closed the flight.
And all because of a sweet man who drove me where I needed to be from the rental car place I made mine too.
What a trip, I tell you. All the planning and saving up and looking forward to it like nobody’s business didn’t disappoint. We are so very thankful to have had that opportunity.
Honestly, when people post or show me vacation pictures, I get a little yawn-y sometimes… but I was excited to click on another set of DC pictures from you – because they are all gorgeous, and they are making me excited for my annual fall trip to DC, and your kids are so adorable and happy looking they make me smile. Thanks for sharing!
You make me want to visit DC and I live in Baltimore…can't believe I have never done some of these things!!!
Their apartment is awesome!
The pictures are great.
I love that you love shooting from behind the kids…for some reason, the back of their little (or not so little in your case) heads just makes me happy!
The throwback clothes are hysterical!!
More great pictures! I think my family is due for a trip to D.C. ~ I don't know if we'll be able to pack in all you did though 🙂 That was quite a trip! It looks like you saw so much and had a great time. And I love the new apartment ~ it's very, very cool!
My daughter gets to go to DC in a few weeks. I wish I could join her. It looks like an amazing city!!
I feel like I've been to Washington this week! Thanks for sharing such details and fun!
I'm kinda sad that the trip is over for *us*! You take amazing, engaging pictures and I love that you share your sweet family with us…AND the architecture IS fabulous. Thanks for "taking us along" with you…can't wait til the next family vacation! Have a great holiday weekend!
~Mary
Just awesome. What a fabulous way to kick off summer! I love your photography. You could have some fun decorating with those photos. An architectural collage ala Washington would be loverly!
Your family is just darling…. So glad I stumbled onto your blog. It's a goodie. 🙂
This whole DC post has just planned next years Summer Vacation trip for us. I so so so love your photos. You have a gift girl.
wow, I want to go back! i really enjoyed all of your photos. Thanks for sharing! you have the MOST adorable family! I love to read your blog. thanks for posting every day!
Love the pictures! looks like you had a wonderful trip! my grandpa was in DC for that Vet.'s trip.. Wonder if he is in your picture?
Melissa
http://www.yesallfivearemine.blogspot.com
Shawni! We were just there! Albeit, our experience was a little different with five kids, four hermit crabs, 100+ weather, and not a stroller to be found. Still fun, and still a good memory for the kids.
Great pictures!!! I love that place too! My sister lives there and I was able to take my kids there last summer for three weeks. Such a blast and so patriotic! You've made me miss it. Thanks for sharing!! Love your blog!
Loved these photos! Did you teach your family how to pose? I can't get over how adorably they pose together every time. Lucky mom!
I was also reminded to look up when shooting more often. Really enjoyed the architecural shots too!
Claire's teeth are perfect!
Thanks for sharing your awesome trip.
We did this trip years ago when we only had two kids. We have 7 now… and I hope to someday make it back there with everybody!
Anyway… I was showing the pictures to one of my young daughters, and upon seeing Martha at Mt. Vernon she said… "Look, that old lady is texting!" *grin*
Thanks for sharing your trip!
We've lived in the DC area now for 13 years and seeing your posts makes me excited to go see the sites all over again. Happy 4th to you and your family!
It was so fun reading about your vacation and going through your pictures of your trip. You guys had that tourism thing down to a science I tell you! I am way impressed with all the museums and monuments you were able to get in during those few days! There are some I still haven't seen after all those years living close by, darn it! So fun to see the city through your lens! You captured your trip beautifully!
PS – The FDR is my absolute favorite, especially at night!
very fun- loved all the photos- and the overalls were cool! 🙂
thank you for sharing your vaca with us! i love your kids!!please give little Lu a HUGE hug from me!
i don't know if i shared with you, but my new site is http://www.theyrablessing.blogspot.com
That looks like so much fun! Gorgeous photos shawni, as always.
As others said, your children have the cutest poses! They are adorable. And, I LOVED this virtual vacation! I've always had the travel bug & we've never quit traveling, but it does take on a different meaning with kiddos. Thanks for inspiring some vacation dreams–had no idea DC was so amazing!
What fabulous pictures…to be expected…BUT these are especially spectacular to me because we spent so much time there with you when you were a little girl! How I wish I had had your camera and your eye behind the lens to capture all that! You remember things best when you have pictures to look back on. Just think of your kids showing their kids these pictures. Thank heavens for great cameras and great people behind them!
I love DC!
We lived in Manassas when I was a girl for a summer so we always took the subway in on the weekends as a family and saw all the sights. I loved the trip down memory lane and love that my google reader recommended your blog to me!
I love your blog and I have passed along the Sunshine Award to you. You can check it out at:
http://www.pbandjoy.com/
Enjoy your day!
Looks like a fabulous trip! The photos are amazing. You have inspired me to try to get more architecture shots of DC. It really is gorgeous.
I have fallen off the blogging planet since getting really sick while pregnant and taking care of my newborn. I just have recently started getting on the computer to look at blogs and to start mine up again. (catching up is hard work!)
I saw that you were going to be visiting DC and I was wishing that I could somehow bump into you and meet you! You really are an inspiration to me. Through your blog you feel like a friend. Thanks for sharing your life!
Great trip! I think DC is such an important and historic place! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
These pictures make me so homesick! I can't wait to take my children there again. Did you see "Pothier" in the House chambers? What marathon is Dave training for? There is nothing like running in DC. Those must have been great training runs. Your pictures are simply marvelous.