30 years later...

We took the kids to DC for their first visit on our way home from Hilton Head.  Since we only had one day we let each of the kids chose one thing they would like to see.

For Chase, it was the Lincoln Memorial.

For Madison, it was the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

For Abby, it was the National Gallery of Art.  We only got a shot of the tulips in front of the Museum.

Then it was Masons turn.  He really didn't care about anything at all, except NOT walking one.. more..step.. and playing on my phone.  We chose his spot for him.  The Air and Space Museum.  

This day in DC brought back a special memory of me spending a week one summer with my Grandparents at their home in Bethesda.  I remember very clearly spending a day in DC and trying to see all the sights with my Grandma.  We walked all over and went to as many monuments and museums as we could.  I was probably around 8 or 9, maybe 10.  The same ages as my kids are now.  I had to laugh because I remember being tired and not wanting to walk anymore and I am sure I complained just as my kids were complaining.  They were excited to see stuff, but the walking was tough.  They did a great job though.

The Air and Space Museum was our last stop.  We didn't spend a lot of time in there, but as we were leaving Gordon suggested going into the gift shop to get the kids a memento.  And then I remembered!  Astronaut Ice Cream!!!  I told the kids that the only thing I really remembered about my visit to the Air and Space Museum when I was 8 or 9 or maybe 10 was trying out astronaut ice cream.  Well, they were pretty excited and I honestly tried my best to explain that it was nothing at all like the ice cream they were used to.  They were not deterred though and Mason even started whining about how hungry he was and how much he needed ice cream.  They only skeptical one was Abby.  In fact, she wanted nothing to do with Astronaut Ice Cream.

Madison and Chase got about one bite in....  Gordon and I were cracking up.  We had to buy them a pretzel and water from the stand outside to get the taste out.  Mason, on the other hand, truly enjoyed his astronaut ice cream.  He at the whole thing and kept saying "yummy,"  which he will do while trying to convince himself and everyone else that he likes something.

30 years ago I never imagined that I would be sitting on those steps feeding astronaut ice cream to my own children.  I didn't like it 30 years ago and I am not surprised at all that my kids didn't like it 30 years later.  I guess they haven't changed the recipe.  Those poor astronauts.

We are excited to go back to DC again and choose some more sights to see.  We did make it to the temple later that evening and then we drove by the Chevy Chase Chapel where Gordon and I met.  It was late and the kids were tired so it didn't impress them that much.  Maybe next time we will have to take them out to eat at the restaurant where we had our first date.  If it is still there.  It was a Vietnamese restaurant, so my hunch is that it will be just as popular as the Astronaut Ice Cream!