It's Christmastime... in the city

We went to see the National Tree this past weekend. Here are a few photos from that romp around DC that help get me in the spirit...

My neighbor Obama.

This last image is of Dylan peeking into Santa's workshop. I can't tell you how excited he is over Santa's upcoming visit. I love the joyful chatter about the logistics of making a trip around the world, the qualifications for being on the 'nice list,' and so on. I wish this stage lasted forever. 

Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, DC

First off... HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my little guy! I guess I can't call him that now that he's 9. I will be posting about the birthday festivities after they occur this weekend. 

Remember how we went to the other air and space museum? This weekend we were able to go to the DC version (I think the original one) and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Spoiler alert: this is a picture-heavy post, so feel free to skip out if you're sick of ALL. THE. PHOTOS. of DC attractions.

Dylan was very interested in finding out...

More pictures after the jump...

Fall colors...

Pictures taken from last weekend...

Why last weekend was awesome:

Dylan's weekly soccer game was the first one his team won, lifting the spirits of several 8-year-old boys. Dylan was very excited.

Last weekend was also awesome as we continued our annual fall tradition of visiting the 'pumpkin patch.' We visited Cox Farms in Centreville, where although the admission price was shockingly high ($17, seriously?) we got our money's worth with tons to do.

There were a variety of fun slides, where you sit on a seed sack to go down. From here on out, this post is in 'I Spy' format.

Similar to 'Where's Waldo,' we'll be playing "Where's Dylan?" today. Five gold stars to whomever wins.

I spy... a goat

I spy... Justin

I spy... Dylan

Farm animals for petting were also plentiful.

News alert: Giant bunnies have taken over D.C.

My favorite cow!

Dylan's favorite part was the hay ride, which was ACTION-PACKED (re: going through a river and pond, passing under a troll bridge, passing through a grave yard, and so on and so on).

Too soon, Cox Farms, too soon.

We also enjoyed the "Cornundrum" (if you know me, you know I love a cheesy play on words) a.k.a. a corn maze.

Continuing the Michael Jackson theme... Man in the Mirror

Entering the 'bug' house- filled with (fake, thankfully) bugs and critters.

There were also live bands (yes, multiple) playing, which we enjoyed while chowing down on some kettle corn, chili dogs, and deliciously fresh apple cider. 

And of course, playing in hay and picking a pumpkin (not literally from the patch, but rather carefully selecting an already-picked-pumpkin, I guess you could say).

All in all it was a wonderful fall day. I love that this has inadvertently become our family tradition in the fall, visiting the 'farm' to select a pumpkin, enjoy a hay ride and some fresh apple cider. I look back at pictures from when we first started taking Dylan (Justin was there too, even way back when) and think of the excitement Dylan shares each year, as if it was new each time.

Dylan and Justin, Blake's Big Apple 2007

I love when he is happy-giddy over the activity we're doing, taking on a very serious voice with a hint of excitement, carefully weighing pros and cons of eating kettle corn first or taking the hay ride first. He's such a great kid.

I used to LOVE the wax lips as a kid too!

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (the other one) (in pictures)

Did you know there are not one, but two Air and Space Museums? One is right smack dab in Smithsonian-ville (I really don't know all the names around here, but there's a nice stretch in DC which houses many if not all of the Smithsonians) and one is in Chantilly, VA, part of NOVA. We visited the one in Chantilly a few Saturdays (actually over a month) ago. It's official title is the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

So, before I venture into photos and descriptions, please forgive me one trait. That is, I am terribly awful at remembering facts, names, dates, details in general. So, if I call a plane one thing and it's another, or just vaguely refer to it as a fighter plane or something like that, bear with me. It's my blog and I DO WHAT I WANT. Okay, here we go into vague-referencing-of-air-and-space-vehicles, hurrah!

Outside the entrance

Outside the entrance part 2- the air tower which we did not visit. I'm told you can view passing airplanes from there.

So, I wondered how they got the Discovery all the way here from Florida. They ever-so-conveniently displayed a picture to give me the answer:

Satellites seem so.. artistic. That is real solid gold on the two circular 'arms'

Actually worn in space. Much to the interest of my eight-year-old boy, they also featured the outfitting piece used for bathrooming. 

Good ol' USPS celebrated the 30th anniversary of the release of Star Wars with this. WHERE CAN I GET ONE?

Check out the size of these launch consoles. Very retro-chic. 

Model of the moon-lander

Self-explanatory

(Obviously) a Nazi fighter plane.

Planes, planes, and more planes. All of them had plaques with interesting facts on their use, speeds, history, and more which I VERY CLEARLY cannot recall. 

Look at the size of this thing. I think I recall reading that either it flew at record speeds and/or was recently retired, can't remember (helpful, no?)

Looking from the back of the museum to the entrance, over the giant black stealth plane thingy (that is its actual scientific no-joke name). 

Artistic shot of juxtaposition of fighter plane and Dylan saying, "Give peace a chance" (with his fingers). 

This tour was more in the order or air-space-air museum, but you get the gist. And now I am going to apply for their tour-guide position.