a very American vacation

Last weekend we went on a special birthday trip to Washington DC! My birthday isn't until Memorial Day, but we went a week early. 

Our first stop was the Museum of Natural History. I love this elephant. If it wouldn't been completely inconvenient, I would have brought him home with me and set him up as living room decor. 

This little guy looked a little freaked out about something. I'd probably look the same way if I had to live across the hallway from a bunch of taxidermy bats. 

Here we have a necklace similar to the one Christopher will give me for my birthday. It's only 179 karats so obviously it will be the smallest of the gifts he gives me.

 The museum had a butterfly exhibit we could walk through! I loved it. 

Next we went to the Museum of Natural History.

The First Ladies exhibit was something I had wanted to see for years and years and years so I was excited to finally go!! The exhibit had dresses, dishes, jewelry and memorabilia from the different first ladies. One day my dress will be featured there. One of my life goals is to become First Lady. The fact that Christopher has no desire whatsoever to be president is just a minor bump in the road. This is the inaugural gown of my good friend Barbara Bush.

This is a very historic top hat. It was being worn by none other than Abraham Lincoln the night he was assassinated. 

I wasn't able to take a picture of it, but one of my other favorite exhibits was the actual flag Francis Scott Key saw when he wrote The Star Spangled Banner. It was HUGE. 

On Sunday we walked around The Mall. We saw the Washington Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial,

and the Lincoln Memorial.

 This is the closest I've ever been to a president. Too bad he's made of marble.

And thus concluded my favorite Washington birthday trip!