RV trip of a lifetime-- Part 4

If you missed my other posts on our RV trip of a lifetime, you can click on the following links:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

After visiting Washington DC we headed down to Charlotte, NC to visit Sean's mom and sister.  We had a nice visit that evening with them.  We then headed to Chattanooga, TN!  We saw a bit of the Smokey Mountains...they were gorgeous by the way.  I would love to go back with Sean when the leaves are turning.  I guess that is a very popular place in the fall though.

The reason for our visit to Chattanooga is that one of my friends moved there this spring.  We visited them last year in California...exactly a year ago.  So we thought it would be nice to visit them at their new home....and to see what sites Chattanooga had to offer.  What a beautiful city!

Our first stop was Ruby Falls.  I just took the girls to this attraction.  My friend Emily brought her little girl AB.  (that is not her little girls name...I just forgot to ask permission to use her name.)  I really liked Ruby Falls.  The girls thought it was neat as well. We had to walk 1/2 mile through a cave before we got to the falls.

A view from the lookout...outside of Ruby Falls!

Video from Ruby Falls:

We then swung by the campground and picked up the boys and headed to the Chattanooga Incline Train.  All of the kids LOVED this attraction.  It is the highest incline in the USA apparently.  Maybe the steepest...I can't remember.

We then took a really, really, windy and dangerous road up to our friends house.  I can't believe people actually use this road to go to their homes.  It was crazy!  Here is a video from Chattanooga & Beyond of this crazy drive!

After we visited the train we waited for Emily's son to get out of school and headed to this amazing park.  I mean AMAZING.  You haven't visited a great park until you have visited this park.  There was everything you can possibly imagine a park having except for a merry-go-round...but that was totally fine with me.  There was a zip-line.  A huge slide.  Sand....my kids loved that park.  There was everything.  It was tucked in the woods and was just wonderful.

After our evening at the park we roasted some marshmallows and had smores...

and the kids built a fort out of logs.

Can you tell that we had a busy day?!:)  

Our last night was spent in Hartville visiting some more of Sean's family.  It was 12 hours on road to get there, but always worth the drive.

Tomorrow will be some pictures from the road and other various stops. 

The girls each had their own digital camera...I should see if they had any pictures worth sharing....so I will share those as well (if there are any)

RV trip of a lifetime (part 3)

If you missed my first two posts on our RV trip of a lifetime you can click: HERE (Part 1) & HERE (Part 2).

On our last day in the DC area we went to Chesapeake beach.  We woke up to a cool 50 degree day.  I still wanted to go and so did the kids.  I bundled them up.  Packed shorts...just in case...and we headed out there.  I could have taken 2 seconds to throw in their swimsuits...and didn't.  I figured since it was freezing cold the water would be cold as well. 

We got there and then sun was shining and it was BEAUTIFUL out!  Still a bit chilly...but the kids were begging to swim.  So I...yes gasp now...let me girls swim topless in just their shorts and the boys swam in their regular shorts.  They had SUCH A GOOD TIME!  I did too!  There was a nice long pier to walk on.  Cute little shops that my parents got a chance to visit.  Such a beautiful little beach town.  We pretty much had one side of the beach to ourselves...it was GREAT! 

I wish I would have taken more pictures of the kids playing...so here is what I have!

Later that evening we drove to the wharf and picked out some fresh crab legs, shrimp, and clam chowder....yum!

RV trip of a lifetime part 2!!

We had quiet a few things jammed packed during our Washington DC visit.  If you missed my first post you can go: HERE.

On our 3rd day my dad, sister, Jocelyn, and I went to a Washington Nationals game.  I had no clue that Washington DC had a team.  I guess they are pretty good.  Who knew??  You can tell I really follow baseball.  My dad was excited though. 

After the ballgame Dierks Bentley performed.  We enjoyed a few of his songs before taking off.  Can you see him on stage?  Some people paid an extra $20.00 to get onto the field.

On our 4th day we had a girls day.

My day started with running a 5k race to support cancer research.  The race was in Georgetown-- a really beautiful, upscale part of DC.  The path was straight and flat.  I ran the entire thing without stopping.  I was sooooo proud of myself.

While I was doing that, my sister took the girls over to pick up our yummy order from Georgetown Cupcakes...home of DC Cupcakes on the TLC network.  They were bummed that Sophie and Katherine were not there...who??? 

but the cupcakes were delish!! I ate probably 6 or so of these.

 After we finished up in Georgetown we took the girls to the American Girl doll store.  

 We bought Christmas and birthday gifts for the girls for the next 15 years.... and a high school graduation gift.  It is so easy to get carried away in that store.  It just SUCKS YOU IN.  Darn...it.  So the girls got their dolls ears pierced and picked out a few other items.

Their dolls going on a walk in their new outfits...we were at the mall and the girls got quiet a laugh from others.

 Stay tuned for more exciting posts from our RV trip!!

RV trip of a lifetime (as my mom called it)

I think I deserve a medal.  I slept on a top bunk, kitchen table curled up in a ball, and a single futon type chair.  I traveled over 2000 miles in an RV with kids who were constantly bored....a child who would just randomly scream AT THE TOP OF THIS LUNGS.  Showered in nasty shower houses.  Dealt with smelly dirty kids...AT ALL TIMES.

But all in all....we had a good time.

My parents invited the kids and I to take an RV trip of a lifetime to see my sister.  She lived in Alexandria, VA outside of Washington DC.  The trip kept growing and we added a couple extra stops along the way.  For the next week or so I will share with you our little adventure....and boy was it an adventure.

Let's skip to the main attraction...Washington DC.  I know most families do not have DC on their list of places they want to take their kids by the time they are out of the house....but honestly I think you should add DC onto your list.  I would NEVER want to live there....EVER.  I am not sure how anyone enjoys living there.  My sister does...I don't see it at all.  But to visit is an opportunity you will never forget...and very educational at the same time.  I can not wait to take the kids back when they are all in their teens.

We had one museum on our list to visit this time:  The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.  There is so much to see at this museum, I was worried about fitting it all in with the little ones....and then another museum was added to the list....so we didn't get to spend as much time there as I had hoped.

The first museum we actually went to was the National Air & Space Museum.  The girls were bored and the boys were just too young to actually enjoy this museum.  That is why it wasn't originally on the list.  But we went.  Here are a few pics from our visit.

The second museum caught their eye a bit more.  Here are a few pics:

The Hope Diamond

We then walked and saw the United States Capitol:

The White House:

Washington Monument:

My mom & I

Weston taking his sweet time eating a popsicle

The War Memorial (I think that is what it is called):

and the Lincoln Memorial:

We missed out on a lot of sites...but the kids' little legs could only handle so much.

Stayed tuned to see DC cupcakes...me running a 5k...sites from Chattanooga....travel pics from the road....and a day at the beach!!