Hanson Family Visits PA

At the Library of Congress

The Nationals Park

The Hanson family rolled in Monday morning after an all night car ride from Eden Prairie!  We were so excited about their visit we couldn't sleep the night before.  The plan - visit with them for a week, see the sights around town and such, head to DC for four days and then drive back to MN but leave Will behind for his week with Nani and Popi.

So, the adventure begins......

The week flew by with a flurry of activity;  we cooked a few meals, the kids cooked an anniversary dinner for Jared and Leanna for their 15th anniversary, we ordered pizza, roasted marshmallows for s'mores and played holey board, visited our favorite frozen custard shop, attempted to tour Sand Hill Berries farm (in a downpour), strolled along the Strip District and ate a Pittsburgh-style sandwich with coleslaw and fries at the original Primanti Bros, made a trip to the Italian store, rode bikes and waded in the Yough river in Ohiopyle, watched some Olympics (and them watched some more), oh and cards and Monopoly were thrown in there somewhere as well!

The original Primanti Bros in the strip district
Pittsburgh PA

Jared, Otto, Leanna and me!

Pittsburgh Style

Pittsburgh style

Pittsburgh style

Duquesne Incline

Leanna and Jared

Ohiopyle - Lulu and Gill

Here comes the gang

Jared and Leanna opted for the tandem!

The great Alleghany trail

As I said, it flew by but we enjoyed and savored every second they were here.  Friday morning saw us heading out of PA on our way to DC, after a stop at Dunkin Donuts, we were on our way for another fast and furious trip.  Leanna had it all planned out down to the tee so we could see as much as possible in our four days.  First off, we visited Georgetown, home to Georgetown Cupcakes and the star of the show "DC Cupcakes" with sisters, Sophie and Katherine.

On the road

Georgetown Cupcakes
(Shop that the show DC Cupcakes is based on)

We rode the subway, Nani, Popi and Will went to a Nationals game, we toured the Capitol, National Archives and Library of Congress, saw all the monuments on the mall, including the White House, went to a few Smithonians; Air and Space and Natural History museums, saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, went to the Spy Museum, walked around Chinatown, ate some amazing food and learned to navigate the Metro pretty darn well after 4 days!

Nationals Park - Nationals vs. Marlins

Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier(s)

Lincoln Monument

The Capitol building

Will
Hard at work in Congressman Paulson's office

The Washington Monument

The only group shot with all of us!

Whew! I almost forgot that I fit in a visit to see my friend, Mary, who is staying in Rockville MD until she is released from the NIH after her bone marrow transplant.

So much was seen, experienced and discussed on this trip.  It was a pleasure traveling with the family and getting to see the Nation's Capitol and the history behind our country.