Planes, Trains and Automobiles - IV Day 8

Well...it certainly has been an adventure. This is the final chapter of the 4th Edition of Planes, Trains and Automobiles for the Cierzan's! We are heading west, back to Minneapolis tonight! However, we certainly made the best of our last day in our Nations Capital.

Our morning started out by meeting with our "first" official babysitter: Megan Hupp. She left us some time ago and headed east. She is actually going to be working on the campaign with Vice President Biden's staff. She has been working in Watergate with the Atlantic Press (???) for sometime. Doesn't sound like she'll be moving home anytime soon. It was nice to catch up. While we were at breakfast, Dad caught up with a client as well for breakfast.

We regrouped, checked-out and headed to the Smithsonian of American Art. The kids wanted to to catch the new exhibit: "The Art of Video Games." This was a cool exhibit and one that I would recommend. Then we headed over to Arlington Cemetery by way of the Metro. What a great experience. We really lucked out, as the Prime Minister of Kosovo was presenting a wreath to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, so we got to see an extra special ceremony. (In addition to the changing of the guard). Afterward we headed back into the DC area and caught a bite at Legal Seafood. (Yummy fish and chips, according to Leah! Guy and I especially liked the crab cake.) Finally, despite the fact that we couldn't see it all and needed to head home, we thought the kids couldn't come home without seeing the WWII Memorial. It was a quick cab ride away. They thought it was pretty cool. In the end they had lots of questions and wanted to know exactly how many of our relatives served during the various war memorials that we visited. They wanted to know if they "really had to fight." Guy and I did our best to answer the questions, but of course, rely on family to help enlighten the kids about our families history and roles that they played in many of the historical events that we learned about on this trip. In the end...the kids highlight, the visit of The White House and definitely want to go back, as there was so much more to see.

We'll have to see what they come up with for PTA(Planes, Trains and Automobiles) V! Thanks for sharing in our adventure, we hope to inspire others to take similar journey's with their family.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - IV Day 7

It is true, our adventure is wrapping up. We have come to the end of our final full day. We still have been able to keep up our marathon pace. Today, like most days we got a slow start. The kids like to sleep in...AND eat breakfast. We have learned one thing about Washington DC, they don't have a lot of places to grab breakfast, if you want something more than a pastry and coffee. So we wander around for about an hour before everyone finds someplace they would eat.

After breakfast, we headed over to The White House Visitors Center. This is a really neat museum as well, the kids also finished the Park Ranger program and were sworn in as Junior Presidential Park Rangers and received their official badges. After that, we headed over to see the United States Supreme Court, that was an amazing special treat for me (Penny). I so love visiting this building, it is an amazing place with such history and honor. We also had a wonderful historical overview in the actual courtroom, it was really fun to experience this with the kids.

After taking some final pictures on the steps of the Supreme Court (note: there is a picture just like the one I took of Noah and Leah; of me standing on the steps too)! I also shared the story with the kids that some of the Justices had written me letters (that I have saved-somewhere) when my former assistant accidentally sent them my form letter asking them if they wanted to judge a "mock trial" competition. Imagine my surprise when I received formal notes declining the invitation!

We headed back to the Mall and visited the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The kids really enjoyed this museum as well, it had something for everyone, fast space crafts, commercial jet liners and cool flight technologies. They couldn't believe that some of this stuff was REAL! Finally, on our way back to our hotel, we were able to sneak into the National Archives. The kids had the opportunity to see up close, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It still gives me the chills to see the "real" documents. The kids of course wanted to know where they go at night, because according to the movie National Treasure, they go underground and get covered. (The kids LOVED those movies!) Leah also said, she wanted to sign the Bill of Rights, "I will sign in cursive." Scary to think if it was really open--she probably would. Afterward, she visited the gift shop and purchased her own stuffed dog "Bo." The stuffed dog looks just like the Obama's dog. Scary, we are not ready for another new dog.

Dinner... we opted for something easy-Pizza. Everyone would like it. We ended up finding a really yummy pizza joint near our hotel. District of Pi Pizzeria was delicious. We all enjoyed our final dinner in DC and headed back to catch some ZZZ's!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - IV Day 6

Well, today was a big day! Lots of very important appointments! Our first stop was to the Hart Senate Building, where Senator Franken's office was kind enough to fit us in on one of his Congressional Tours. The surprise for us was that there was a fire alarm about 4 minutes after we entered the building. So, we had to walk over to the Capital. The tour guide was great and it was packed as expected in the Capital. The kids really enjoyed the tour. Leah especially liked the Woman's Suffrage Statute that is "unfinished" in the Rotunda. It is awaiting the election of the first female President before it can be finished. Noah enjoyed learning about the history of the building. We also were able to sit in the House Gallery. That was a special treat...so now they know what it is really like where the President gives the State of the Union Speech.

After the tour, we took a quick trip over to the Senate Building on the Senate Tram and had a quick bite in the cafeteria. Then we were off to our next big appointment! We had a tour scheduled of the White House, which we have learned is a very "hard ticket to come by." It was a great tour and the kids REALLY enjoyed it. Leah even took a quick break to rest on a bench under a window in the green room. (The Secret Service Agent quickly requested she move along, you know how dangerous 7 year olds can be!) She also asked to use their bathroom, but was told she would have to wait until she was outside. I am sure she wanted an exclusive for her bathroom diary that I am sure she keeps. We couldn't take any pictures inside, but it was lovely and the Obama's seem to really enjoy using the space and inviting people to enjoy it as well.

Then we needed a little rest, so Guy took us up to one of his favorite bars, P.O.V. on top of the W hotel. It was a spectacular view overlooking the White House, and the Mall. A stop we would highly recommend. (However, Leah thought that the Strawberry Lemonade was GROSS, because they made it fresh. Go figure!)

Then we had a little bit of energy left so thought we should visit one more Smithsonian. We headed over to the Smithsonian of Natural History. We caught a glimpse of the Hope Diamond and Leah found a big birthstone "just like hers." We also saw some great artifacts from the Chilean Minors Recuse effort. What a great day, but we are exhausted!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - IV Day 5

Well this was our first full day in Washington, DC our Nations Capital! We were very excited to start seeing the sights, it was a lovely day out as well. Not a cloud in the sky! This ended up being a crazy day as well, a lot lost...but found again. (More about that later). We took the subway up to capital hill to check out the new "CVC" Congressional Visitor's Center and the Library of Congress. We also had a "Spy in the City" experience and a evening tour of the Monuments. Needless to say...a FULL day!

It is a very busy week in DC, so we do have lines from time to time. The Library of Congress was one of those places, however, we lucked out and got a tour and an opportunity to learn more about the the building and its contents, we even got a sneak peak at the "reading room." Very cool place, the kids thought. Leah especially charmed the children's reading room librarian and scored some book marks for her classmates. Noah and Guy were also very surprised to learn that Jerry Jones and his wife started the campaign to locate the reminder of Thomas Jefferson's books. The collection is ALMOST complete.

After we left the Library, we headed over to the "CVC". It is a very new addition to the capital tour experience and very informative. However, it is very busy and bustling with kids all over! That is why when you realize you have lost something, it seems like the craziest place in the world. First, I lost my very nice sunglasses (because you have to take everything off to get through security...then....Guy, lost his wedding ring. Yes, you read right, his wedding ring. It slipped off his finger. So in typical Penny fashion, I attempted to stay calm and began questioning everyone on where to go, etc..., the good news...we found both. His ring was in our back pack apparently lost when he was digging though looking for my sunglasses. I also found my sunglasses at the security checkpoint. So, a lot of stress but it all worked out.

The next activity was a request of the kids...a "Spy in the City" activity. We visited the Spy Museum, where we signed up to take the Operation Catbird Mission. Well, lets just say...it was ok for Mom and Dad, and likely a highlight for Noah and Leah. They really enjoyed the challenge. We thought you likely only needed ONE GPS device for the entire family, NOT four. However, Leah has said she wants to do Operation Slyfox next time.

Finally, we wrapped up the day with a evening trolley tour of the Monuments. This would have been great, but the trolley company sold too many tickets and we ended up not leaving right away and didn't get home until almost 11:00 p.m. It was a nice tour, but I think seeing the monuments during the day is good for first timers, like Noah and Leah. However, the MLK Memorial was stunning and impressive at night as well! All in all, very successful day. However, we will likely sleep in...

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - IV Day 4

Today we wrapped up our New York experience and ventured on to Washington DC via The Acela Amtrak Train. It is a quick 2 1/2 hour journey from Penn Station in New York City to Union Station in Washington DC. The kids thought it was pretty cool, the Acela train goes much faster. Leah was a bit apprehensive, but in the end she thought it was great.

After we checked into our hotel, we headed out to check out some sites. After all, it is the end of the cherry blossoms and it is the 100th year celebrating the blooming of the lovely trees. We wanted to try and catch a glimpse of a tree or two. We also thought we should try and see at least one of the Smithsonian's. We visited the American History Museum. It has changed a lot since Guy and I last visited it. However, the kids thought it was pretty cool. After visiting the museum, we were pretty hungry, so Noah found a place close by that was rated highly on Yelp. Ironically, it was a restaurant by one of the most famous chefs in DC, if not the world. We had a nice dinner with a giant Kit Kat for dessert. We ate at Central, it was great and we would certainly recommend it! We headed back to catch some zzz's and plan our next day!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - IV Day 3

Day 3-New York

Wow...well where to begin. Although, we seem to sleep in late each day, we pack a lot in. Leah and Noah have an abundance of energy and a willingness to put up with our free spirited journey. (The consistent sprinkling resulted in some adjustments as we went a long too!) First, we decided not to even try for a "real" breakfast, and journeyed out for a true New York Bagel for breakfast. We found Leo's Bagels, they were delicious...but SOOO busy! Not a good place to think you could actually sit down and enjoy your breakfast.

After breakfast we headed a couple of blocks over to the Stanten Island Ferry, so that we could catch a glimpse of the Statute of Liberty. (The statute is being restored so there was very limited access to the statute on the island). The kids enjoyed the ride and couldn't believe it was FREE! Yes, it is true--FREE! The view of the Statute of Liberty, the city and the harbor were amazing and brought back memories from our trip to Seattle a couple of years ago.

There appeared to be a break in the weather so we decided to head uptown and catch a glimpse from the top of the Empire State Building (Leah & Noah were excited to see it, as ELF was filmed here-their favorite movie)! In the end, we (Guy and I) thought it was really a rip off/tourist trap, where you really need to drop almost $100 just to get to the top...then they want to sell you more junk. Cool view, gotta do it once, but overrated! After all of this and only a bagel, we had to grab some lunch and figured we should head toward Central Park. Leah was getting tired of walking so she actually convinced Noah to give her a ride on his back to the restaurant. We ended up at Mickey Mantle's Sports Bar. It was ok food, but a typical sports bar, but Noah LOVED the sports memorabilia. We even got to sit in Mickey's personal booth. Afterward, we intended to walk across to stroll through Central Park, but it started to sprinkle again--so Dad splurged! We ended up getting a covered horse and carriage ride through Central Park. It was amazing, by far my favorite treat so far. The kids loved it as well-I think Dad did too! Our driver even dropped us back down near Time Square. We did some last minute shopping for treats and had a picture or two taken to prove we were in Time Square. Then another subway ride, back down to Wall Street! Back to rest up for another day...

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - IV Day 2

Day 2 in New York City. We attempted to grab a good breakfast to start out our day, but both places we tried to get into had a 2+ hour wait. How is that possible? So we walked around checking out the neighborhoods. The kids found the architecture and fast pace amazing within the city. We checked out Grand Central Station. (The whispering room was really cool!) We strolled down 5th Avenue and checked out all of the shops. Leah of course visited the American Girl Store (however, no doll this time)! Noah and Dad visited the Oakley store, but Noah was the only one that walked out with a new pair of shades. (They were able to customize them to his baseball team colors, of course!) We also visited the big FAO Schwarz store and played a tune on the Big Piano. We of course had to grab some candy from the Sweetz shoppe! Leah was very excited to make up her own assortment of treats.

We also had the opportunity to visit St. Patricks Cathedral. This was pretty special too, but the kids were amazed that it was a "real" church because so many tourists were there checking it out. We also decided to check out some additional "trains" & "automobiles." We relied on public transportation to get around, so lots of subway and taxi rides. The kids really did enjoy the subway. "Too bad we don't have any subways at home!"

We ended our day in Soho, where I was convinced to get a new pair of glasses. Apparently mine are pretty "dated." A lovely saleswoman at Ilori was able to help me find a pair. Those of you that know me well enough, know this was a bit out of my comfort zone, as none of the frames looked like those I tried on at Costco.

Finally, we needed to grab a bite to eat, the kids wanted some New York Pizza, so we headed over to Little Italy for a quick bite. Then a quick cab ride home to rest up for our next adventure.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - IV Day 1

March 30-August 6, 2012

The Cierzan Family departs for yet another Planes, Trains and Automobiles adventure! This is our 4th Journey, this year we are heading east. We left Minneapolis via Delta Airlines for our first stop...The Big Apple! We are spending some time in New York City so the kids can see what all of the excitement is about. All they knew about New York, is what whey see on TV.

We first arrived at our hotel in the financial district, The Andaz, in the financial district. It is amazing! Very contemporary, but lovely. The kids especially like the free minibar, but Mom loves the free Latte's anytime I want them. (Thanks Dad!)

Our first stop once we arrived was to a trip over to see the new 9/11 Memorial. It was an amazing process to get into see what they have done so far. A lot of security. The kids found the pools especially cool. Noah of course found the lone "Survivor Tree." It was very small, blooming with lovely flowers and very well cared for.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles III

Since our last Planes, Trains and Automobiles trip really ended up being all about Planes. We felt it was appropriate to call this trip: Cars, Cars and a Boat! This adventure (which I am having to reflect upon) was taken August 15-21, 2011. (I didn't journal this trip, as I was too sick and couldn't sit long enough to type. Needless to say I had surgery to replace discs in my neck and plate added to my anatomy a couple days after we returned).

This adventure (hand picked by the kids) included a stop in Wisconsin Dells, a journey to Chicago, a view of the famous air and space show (from our room-The Penthouse Suite at the Fairmont-more about that later) a Cubs game and a visit to the world famous American Girl Place!