Favorite trivia facts:
1. Supreme Court justices are not required to be U.S. citizens.
2. Robert Todd Lincoln, Abe's oldest son, had a connection with three presidents who were assassinated: His father as well as Garfield and McKinley.
3. John Wilkes Booth's brother saved Robert Todd Lincoln's life by pushing him out of the way of a train the day before Wilkes killed president Lincoln.
4. Ok, this is not trivia but I never knew that the Philippines were a U.S. territory until WW 2! Must have been asleep that day!
5. The year after Washington left office he and Martha had 677 visitors at Mt. Vernon!
6. The Lincoln Memorial has 35 marble columns, one for each state in the union at the time Lincoln died.
7. The Statue of Liberty (minus the base) would fit into the Capital rotunda with 30 ft. to spare.
8. If you check the lower right corner of your bills and see FW you will know that the bill was printed in Fort Knox otherwise i5t was printed in D.C.
9. In 1919 a tank filled with molasses leaked in Boston and actually flooded the city drowning several people.

Favorite quotes:

1. "I believe in sharing my good fortune" Rick, the gentleman from Cape Cod who bought the kids water and gave them each $10.00 when we were in the train station on our way to Plimouth. He also made sure that we got on the right train!
2. Braeley: "I actually don't like red and yellow leaves!"
3. Todd to the kids: "Be patient like our founding fathers"!
4. William Penn after he heard the outcome of a trial of a suspected witch in Philly: "It's never been illegal to ride a broom in Philadelphia"!
5. Rhonda "You are here to learn not to have fun!" (It was a joke)
6. Norman Rockwell: "I paint life as I would like it to be."
7. Todd: "I bet George Washington didn't complain about----when he was fighting the British!"

Next Time We Go to D.C.

Reserve an entire day for Gettysburg
Williamsburg and Jamestown (after reading the mystery books)
Monticello
The Hirshhorn
Corcoran Gallery of Art
National Museum of Health and Medicine

Gaby's D.C.

The last time I was in D.C.was when Michael was 15, Rhonda was 13 and Marc was 7! It's been too long and it's great to be back in town! Ron and I headed to Frederick, MD right after we were married. Our honeymoon was a car trip in our Edsel station wagon. We were hailed with "Look an Edsel!" "Oh, it's from California"! We only lived there for 6 months but I missed my family so much that it seemed like forever even though my parents came and spent a couple of weeks with us for Christmas.
Todd, Rhonda, Bella, Braeley and I took a 1:00 flight flight out of Ontario on Wed., October 20 to Ronald Reagan in D.C. I changed the original flight plan due to the fact that our Congressional tour person scheduled the White House tour for Thursday at 9:00 and our flight was not scheduled to arrive until 11:00 PM. It would make no sense to go to Washington without visiting the White House therefore as we were on American vs Southwest it cost $700.00 to make the change:-( Ron joined us the next day on the original flight.



The Omni Hotel was a highlight of the D.C. portion of our trip. Rhonda made the arrangements and got a killer dealer. The rooms go for $450.00/night and we paid $171.00 and we had adjoining rooms with refrigerators and free room service coffee, tea and juice every morning. We were in heaven and all six of us were so happy to come "home" at the end of a busy day of walking, metro-ing, taxing, sightseeing!





Todd's D.C. top three:
1. Sitting on the Steps of the Lincoln Memorial at sunset.
2. White House
3. Air and Space Museum (he has been wanting to go here since he was seven!)

Rhonda's D.C. top three:
1. 2 Amy's
2. National Museum of Art/National Gallery of Art
3. Beautiful views/watching the kids interact with each tour guide.

Bella's D.C. top three:
1. Washington Monument
2. White House
3. Spy Museum

My top three:
1. The National Archieves
2. Mt. Vernon
3. Steps of the Lincoln Memorial at sunset.

Braeley's top three:
1. Spy Museum
2. Air and Space Museum
3. Watching the scenery out the window of the car


Top three for the second week:

Bella:
1. Hershey, PN.
2. Little Italy neighborhood
3. Gettysburg

Todd:
1. Gettysburg
2. Liberty Bell
3. Hershey factory

Rhonda:
1. Finally being fever free, getting a map and cooking fresh pasta in our apt.
2. Kids talking t0 the re -inactment guy in Philadelphia who started the Marine Corps.
3. "Our neighborhood" in Little Italy section of Boston.

Me:
1. Return to Salem: Eating at the Polish Deli.
2. Gettysburg
3. All of our tour guides saying how MY grandchildren were the best audience they had ever had!

Wednesday in Boston 11-3-2010

Today we walked a long way to the Boston duck tours I got to drive it when it was in the water. it was fun . than we went to the science museum . After that we walked to the Boston common to see the make way for ducklings statue .I stood on Nack and Ouack. Then we went to the borders headquarters. 5 stories high shelf to self books. then we went home.

OUR LAST FULL DAY IN BOSTON!!!

Today we went on a Duck Tour. I got to drive it! Did you know that they are building a Skate Park? Then we went to the Science Center we saw a live animal show, a cool bridge that shows how birds fly, a Sculpture with balls inside it, and a x-ray exhibit!

Then we went to the Boston commons and saw a "Make way for Ducklings" sculpture, a frog sculpture playground, and a lot of squirrels! Then we went to Starbucks and I got a Peppermint Steamer with extra foam. Then we went to Borders and I got Savvy.





Then we went to this cool Italian restrant by our apartment. It was REALLY good!

THE END

Tuesday in Plymouth 11-2-2010

Today after maria's we ran to get tickets for the commuter rail . We went on for 2 hours ! It was fun . When we got there we took a 3 mile cab ride with a smoker :-( YUCK! Then we went to the Plymouth plantation we saw Indians cooking duck. And a black smith! We even saw some one hanging a turkey . Then we took smokers cab to Plymouth rock. It was tiny!! then we waited in a candy shop . We got zots! Then we went home.

Boston 2nd to Last (full) Day

Today we walked a really long ways to South Station to catch a train to Plymouth Rock. At SS, we got postcards and met a REALLY nice guy who's name was Rick. He bought Braeley and I water bottles and when he got off of the train at Kingston, he gave Braeley and I $10! Turns out he is a rich Vice President of M.I.T. and he does a favor a day.

When we got to Plymouth, our Taxi driver took forever to pick us up. She finally got there and when we got to Plimouth Plantation (that's how they spelled Plymouth in the olden days,) I looked at the pricey thingy that all of the taxis have and it said $17!! So in the Plantation, we saw the Orientation film, and headed out for the Indian area. They were actually roasting duck and pumpkin to eat! Then we went to the Pilgrim area. My favorite part in that area was the Blacksmith. Then we went to the Gift Shop. Mommy and Gaby bought pilgrim dolls there.

Then we waited 45 minutes (out in the cold) then she finally came. Than she started making up excuses about why she was late. Then we went to the Mayflower 2 (it was closed) but then she was gone. So we went to look at The Rock. She was still not back! Then we went to the Restrooms. Gaby, Mommy, Braeley and I warmed ourselves up by using the air-dryers. Then when we came out, She STILL was not there!! Then we went to this store across the street and got Hot Choco and Zots. We just called another cab to pick us up.

Back at SS, we ate at Cheese Boys and got Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup. Then we walked ALL the way back to our apartment. THE END

Monday in Salem 11-1-2010

11-1-2010 Monday
today is Monday. Walked over to Maria's. I got bones of the dead (a hard cinnamon cookie). Then we hurried off to a commuter rail going to Salem. at Salem we walked to a Book store it was covered with old dusty books. the stacks where floor to ceiling. The cashier was hid in behind a stack of books. it was a wonder they didn't fall! we ought harry Potter and the Deathly hollows. After that we walked to a visitor center and watched a movie. on the way back we stopped at a harry potter store then we came back and went to bed.

p.s. Mom and I made perfect angel hair pasta together! It was so perfect you could squish it with your tongue. We also made a special super secret super yummy sauce. And we got an awesome sausage. It smells like wet dog, but tasted like steak! Not sure what it was made of....

Salem 11/1/2010

Today we set off for North Station to go to Salem, MA. The train ride was fun. As soon as we got off, we discovered a red line on the pavement that would lead us to all of the attractions.

Braeley and I got Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at the hole-in-the-wall bookstore.

Then we walked to the visitors center and I got my Junior Ranger packet and we saw a movie.

Then we went to this polish restaurant and got pierogies and galumpkies. Then we went to the Orientation center and I got my Junior Ranger badge! Then we went to the House of Seven Gables gift shop and Gaby got me "The Scarlet Letter".

Then we went to a candy shop and yarn store. We just barely made it on the train, we had to run to get back home!

We got home made pasta at Monica's Market for dinner.