Beautiful Day at Mount Vernon

Carey and I took the goofballs to Mount Vernon (http://www.mountvernon.org/) yesterday, and it couldn't have been a better day for it. Weather was fabulous and the crowd was small. We took Uncle Jimmy's car with the Chicago Blues Reunion cd already in the player so we rocked out on the drive there, the girls doing a perfect backup harmony to "Born in Chicago." After a snack at the food court, we got our tickets and then toured the mansion and the outbuildings, the tombs, both old and new, the boat landing, where Sarah had a bit of a meltdown, the round barn, the woods trail back up to the farm animals, including the imported roosters, the pigs and piglets and the horse and mule, and ended up, of course, with the "necessary," always a big favorite with the children. Before we headed out, we even took some time to sit on the front porch chairs and enjoy the view of the Potomac. Next time, we decided, we are going to take the boat round trip from the city instead of drive.

We left the boys in charge of the kids last night, and Carey, Anja and I went to Arucola for dinner and Parthenon for an after dinner cosmo, which neither Carey nor Anja had tasted before. Everyone was in bed by the time we rolled in about 10. This morning, as Jim was heading out for work on his bike, Anja was already out front trimming some flowers and she asked him what they did with the children last night, as her girls were still sleeping and it was already 8:30, which is late for them. I think they are all just worn right out from all of our big adventures, so it will be a low key day today. John might take the big girls swimming this afternoon, but Carey and I are planning to take the day "off."