The Ryan's: Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. was so much fun! Even though I initially thought that Benson was a little too young to really "appreciate" or "enjoy" this trip-- he really surprised me with his interest in the museums and looking at the capitol and Washington Monument-- I mean, he wasn't like reciting historical facts or anything, but he would point them out, which I thought was pretty good!

This is one for the senior ad/rehearsal dinner slideshow...

Watching the trapeze at the circus captivated him...

Benson's got the best uncles in the world! Since Mr. Tom also works for Farm Bureau, and this is the family trip, Grandmama, Grandaddy, Uncle Jo and Uncle J got to come too! It was like a mini family vacation! Here uncle Jo is being a great sport-- I think he should use this pic as his new Facebook profile pic :) I'm lovin' the green light up glasses!

Benson really enjoyed the "cheesecake lollipops" they had for dessert-- can you tell?

Jamie and Thomas-- so cute :)

Here we are on the water taxi from our resort going to old Alexandria-- a really neat little historic place.

It was windy.

I can't say that benson was exactly "interested" in the TOUR of the inside of the capitol-- but grandaddy entertained him by letting him put stickers on his nose? Oh the things that entertain this boy...

Walking the mall..

This picture captures Benson on the mall quite adequately... he just ran around chasing pigeons and hollering the whole time...

Us in front of Kitty Hawk-- the first air plane-- well, i'm pretty sure the first one crashed, but this is a life-size replica. We bought a book about it for Benson, so of course we had to go back and snap a pic in front of it..

Thomas and Benson, Pilot and Co-Pilot

Ok-- so this is probably my favorite picture ever of these two!

Benson was watching daddy do this cool physics experiment in the air and space museum--

And on the way home, he was OUT...

While the boys played golf, Me, Benson and Mrs. Lula went to the National Museum of Natural History. We got there at around 11 that morning and stayed til six at night! The science teacher in me had to seize every opportunity to expose Benson to all of the neat things in the musuem-- it was awesome! I think we could spend another whole WEEK in there and not see everything!

Triceritops...

And he spotted another one hanging from the ceiling...

Tyranasarous Rex!

Stegasaurus

I snapped this pic and didn't realize til I got home and uploaded the pics to the computer that it looks like this fossils backbone is Benson's mohawk! I've been seeing more and more parents shaving their children's hair into mohawks-- maybe we'll give it a go?! (ha! yeah RIGHT!)

Benson signing "Lizard"

T.Rex head! These things were so huge!

Capt'n Benson at sea

Looking at the elephant in the rotunda.

Elephant leg bone and Benson... he loved this little exhibit-- we couldn't get him off of the steps--- silly thing!

The cafe in the bottom of the Natural History museum was SO GOOD! (Maybe we were just SO HUNGRY?!) Benson really enjoyed his broccoli and for some reason was cracking up with every bite? Delerious maybe?

Bald Eagle

This boy had ice cream on the brain!

Aw mama... more fossils?!

Benson the termite

Inside the Butterfly room... SO COOL!!!

We ate at this amazing restaurant called Maggianos. They have them in most major cities-- I think this is the third one we've eaten at-- I would DEFINTIELY reccomend it to anyone if you ever see one-- just don't eat anything the entire day before you go! We had the perfect spot for the boys to play since it's a full four course meal and took forever!