Washington DC: Part 2

 Day 3:

I have to tell ya, the kids loved the Metro system. They loved sitting by each other, sometimes being able to stand up, and playing guessing games while we went from stop to stop. The adults, on the other hand, did not love the Metro. This may have been due to the fact that on Day 5, a guy fell onto the tracks right before a Metro came in to the station and we had to evacuate quickly (He got pulled to safety). Or maybe it had to do with the fact that on Day 6, a man had killed someone on the Metro (not the one we were riding...BUT STILL). Or maybe it had to do with the fact that rush hour is CRAZY and we were all on psycho-mode trying to make sure we didn't lose any of our children.

But the good thing is, we survived! No one lost a kid! So yay for that, right?

On day 3, we headed over to the International Spy Museum. They don't allow pictures inside the building because, you know, SPIES, but we all enjoyed it.
Actually, that's not true. They did allow pictures but not strollers and I left my camera in the stroller. See? I'm already forgetting stuff!

 We packed lunches and ate right outside the museum. Uncle Chris is a pretty awesome photobomber!

 Ninja loved his PBnJ bagels I made for him almost every day. For a kid that is super picky, he seemed to like the packed lunches more than his sister.

Right down the street from the spy museum is the Ford Theater, where Abraham Lincoln was shot so we made a spur of the moment detour over there when we were finished.

 The kids got to touch replicas of Lincoln's fists and then we walked upstairs to hear some facts about how he was killed.

 Across from where we were sitting is the place he was shot and fell onto the stage. Although the entire theater was rebuilt, the picture of George Washington and the couch set up are the exact ones from the night he was killed. Everything else is just a replica of the theater.

 Ninja had to use the bathroom and like a good mom, I told him I'd take him if he smiled for a picture with Lincoln's head. :)

 This girl. SO MUCH PERSONALITY in her little body! I love my niece so much.

 After the Ford Theater, we walked across the street to go through the house where Lincoln actually died. When he was shot, they transported him to a house across the street so he could finish his life away from the crowds of people surrounding the Ford Theater.

 I took a picture of this building right before we headed into the urine-smelling elevator to the Metro (There wasn't a single elevator the whole trip that didn't smell like urine...). I don't actually remember what building this is but it was gorgeous!

 K-Bear was one of my buddies during this Metro ride. Doesn't he looked excited to be with his crazy auntie?!

 And my other buddy, who stayed in the stroller for almost every Metro ride even though he is 5 1/2. I couldn't handle the thought of losing him and he is a pretty curious kiddo so we decided to bring a stroller to help mom feel safer on this trip. :)

On day 4, we headed out with the Taylors to the zoo!

It was the perfect zoo day since it had been raining and the weather was pretty cool.

 The first thing we saw was the black bear and the kids were so excited that they could see it pretty close to them!
I think that was the most amazing thing about this zoo. When we go to our Phoenix zoo, we often have to search for the animals in their habitats but while in Washington DC, the animals were so easy to see in their habitats and we felt so close to them! You'll see more about that in a minute.

 Ninja loved watching the otters play underwater.

 Princess loves elephants. Unfortunately, one of the elephants was under the weather so we couldn't go in the building where you see them up close but we still got to see them as we walked across this bridge.

 This is Princess' version of a flamingo. :)

 My absolute favorite thing about this picture is Ninja's face. We don't ever see the Cheetah at our zoo walking or running. When we came up to this Cheetah, he was laying in the grass and all of a sudden, he jumped up onto that log. Ninja was turning around to squeal his excitement to me.

 We felt so close to this guy! There was actually another cheetah in a habitat next to this one and they were running back and forth with each other.

 The lions were awesome to see as well. They were laying down when we got there but after a minute, they started to walk around and we got to see them really well.

Princess was unsuccessful in pulling the prairie dog out of the hole. ;)

Stay tuned for Part 3! :)