Memorial Day Weekend is typically pretty low key for us and we tend to stay local. This year, however, we decided to do a quick jaunt across the bridge into the Valley Forge area and spend an overnight at a hotel. Since CB was visiting her Maryland Family, it was a good weekend to get away. The kids get a kick out of being in a hotel, and us grown ups get a great deal out of a change of scenery. Valley Forge is also so full of history, so it was a perfect way to honor the true meaning of this holiday.
Pink has been learning about the Revolutionary War at school, so it was really cool to see George Washington's house and see real artifacts from that war and walk the grounds where thousands of soldiers fought for our freedom... thousands who also perished at Valley Forge. It is known for having the highest death toll, though no war was fought there.
Dr. Fabulous and Tink nerding out.
George Washington's house was really cool. Though most has been restored, things like the banister are original. So that was cool - to actually touch something General Washington himself touched.
If you do the driving self-tour, it is a well-marked, 10 mile loop and you can get out at several different stops. There are two big stops, including the cabins and Washington's house. There are also several monuments and at the end of our loop, there was a gorgeous chapel which holds the Bell of Justice used on the tour of the Suffragettes.
I picked up three Junior Ranger Booklets at the Visitor's Center thinking the girls could have something to do and try to get their little "Junior Rangers" badge. Pink immediately started complaining about it and left it sitting untouched on the car console. (She is a good girl, but putting forth effort into anything right now is not her strong suit). Tink did about half of the booklet and decided it wasn't worth the effort, which is weird for her because typically she's pretty driven.
Seven-year-old Rella on the other hand? If she wants something, she is a pitbull. And she wanted to earn that cheap little plastic badge, so baby girl filled out every blessed question by herself with very minimal help and absolutely no prodding.
Hard at work. A Junior Ranger's work is never done!
And at the end of our day, we stopped by the Visitor's Center again.
They reviewed her book closely ....
And then gave her an oath and now she is an honorary Junior Ranger. Whatever that may be.
She was excited.
That was our big outing and it was truly a great day. Other than that, where we were staying was pretty low key. We walked the King of Prussia mall, visited cute and artsy Manayunk, swam in the indoor pool and discovered some good food finds.
Then, we drove less than an hour home, with no hint of beach traffic. We returned just in time for an impromptu late night gathering on our cul de sac complete with kids running around in the warm night air until 10:00 pm while the grown ups chatted over beers in the driveway. And no one cared because Monday was no school!
Which, of course, meant a morning of parades and an afternoon and evening at our swim club. It was packed, it was a gorgeous day, it was awesome.
And THAT was our Memorial Day Weekend. I hope you had a long weekend filled with family, friends and gratitude for all the good stuff in life.
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