MLK Jr. Memorial: an amazing addition to DC

After a very long day sight-seeing in and around DC, we wanted to see the new Martin Luther King Jr. memorial before going home.  The sun was just beginning to set when we arrived.  

There was a bit of a walk to get there...Isabella didn't think she could make it...so Ava helper her out : )

 The memorial is crescent shaped and begins with trees set up on a bank.

As you walk, a granite wall begins to curve around the trees.  The walkway gets wider and then you can begin to see this huge white rock formation through the trees.

The timing was perfect because the sun created the most beautiful shadows and highlights on the statue.  I can not express how large the carved form of MLK Jr. is. 

I do believe that this memorial was built in one of the most beautiful spots in Washington DC.  Martin Luther King Jr. is looking out over the Tidal Basin.  He can see the Jefferson Memorial and can be found between the FDR Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. 

 The crescent shaped wall that surrounds the carving of MLK Jr. has many of his most influential quotes etched on it's surface.

There is a large rock that seems to have been split in two, standing tall behind him. 

The rock he is carved out of looks as if it has broken out from in between the two other rocks.

 Every detail of this memorial was well thought out and beautiful. 

Etched on the side of the rock he is carved out of, are the words " Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope".  

This memorial is amazing to see in person.  It is a wonderful addition to the Washington DC landscape.

An amazing DC playground...

If you go to Washington DC with your children, and they get tired of sight-seeing and going to museums...you are in luck. The ClemyJontri playground has been named one of the top ten playgrounds in the country and it is just a short drive away in McLean, Virginia.

The ClemyJontri playground was built for children of all abilities and has activities to stimulate children of every age. 

{ a maze high enough for your kids to not see over, but low enough that you keep an eye on them }

{ Rubberized stepping stones }

{ Your children can ride the carousel with a $1.50 token }

{ Sun sails added some much needed shade }

{ Rainbow colors were used on every piece of equipment }

 

{ There is a racetrack that runs throughout and around the entire park }

{ Jason loved this - a whole line of musical instruments }

{ The flooring throughout the park is rubberized- adds a little bounce to your step }

{ Even though your child will think they are only playing, almost every activity has a connection to education }

{ There were many "vehicles" the children could choose from- helicopter, bus and a train }

{ one of the swings for children who are in wheelchairs }

  If you have a chance, you should definitely visit the Clemyjontri Playground. Your children will definitely thank you for it! 

 Clemyjontri Playground

6319 Georgetown Pike
Mclean, VA 22107

A day at Mount Vernon...

"No estate in United America is more pleasantly situated than this."
- George Washington, 1790

I do believe I have to agree with George on this one.  

Mount Vernon, George Washington's estate, sits in the middle of 8000 acres of the most beautiful land you have ever seen.  An estate that sits slightly above the Potomac River...full of rolling hills, beautiful forest and developed farmland. 

 I was amazed at the adherence to historical accuracy throughout the estate.  I truly felt as if I was seeing the exact images George Washington saw as he walked through his estate. 

{ an aerial view of the estate }

{ Mt. Vernon's cupola }

{ The view from the backside of the mansion }

{ The curved walkway joining the kitchen to the house }

{ Though the house looks as if it is built of stone...it is actually built of wood that has been beveled, painted and "sanded" to look like stone.  One of the many tricks Washington employed in the building of Mt. Vernon }

Photographs are not allowed inside the mansion, but are allowed in the out-buildings connected to the house by the covered walkways.  

{ One of the prep rooms off the side of the house }

{ The kitchen storage room- for dishes, pots and pans }

{ The kitchen }

{ The formal dining room }

{ The family dining room }

{ the downstairs bedroom }

{ The Nellie Custis bedroom }

Most of the rooms in the house, were painted bold bright colors.  Because of this, I loved the fact that Washington's bedroom was very simple- white walls with white bedding.  There are hardly any photos of his bedroom...in fact this is the only one I was able to find.  The photo does not do the room justice though.  The room was full of light and there were only a couple paintings on the walls.  It seemed regal to me in spite of it's simplicity. 

What struck me while walking through the house, was how small all of the beds were.  George Washington was not a small man...in fact he was 6' 2".  He could not have slept comfortably in any of the beds found in his home.  Washington died of pneumonia and an infection in his throat in this very bed, in 1799. 

{ George Washington's bedroom - my favorite room by far in the house }

The grounds surrounding the mansion were extensive and spectacular.  Great pains were taken to make sure the the same plants grow in the garden today, that Washington grew when he lived there. 

{ Dogwoods were sprinkled throughout the landscape }

{ The vegetable garden }

{ The saddles for the horse drawn carriage }

{one of the feeding areas for the horses }

{ Sheep were plentiful on the estate }

{ the informal gardens leading to Washington's tomb }

{ the trail leading to Washington's tomb }

To see the home of the man who could have been king of our country, had he not valued the idea of democracy above his own legacy...it was a humbling thing.   

Mount Vernon is about 30 minutes away from DC, but well worth the drive.