On Tuesday we toured the United States Capitol building.
The architecture was beautiful!
The ceiling was unique!
The wall of the dome was painted with various scenes from American history. The artists kept dying before its completion, so quite a few different ones worked on the painting!
Famous paintings
Hmmm...what are we looking at?
The top of the dome was so intricate...
This room was full of statues given by all the different states.
It was beautiful!
Can't remember the name of this statue. Sorry.
On our way to the car for lunch, we passed the Library of Congress. Too bad we didn't go in, we could have re-created a scene from National Treasure 2!
Supreme Court building
Our next stop was the National Archives Building. Flash photography was not allowed, so the pictures are a bit dark.
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution
Fountain at one of the Smithsonian Art Museums.
Us in front of the fountain. ;)
While the rest of the family went to the Air and Space Museum, I joined Melody at one of the many art museums. She really wanted to go, and by this point, we had seen so many museums that the Air and Space Museum didn't appeal to us all that much.
Melody told me what paintings she wanted to see, and I looked at the map and directed us to the correct rooms.
She was thrilled to find some of the original paintings of a few of her favorite artists!
Renoir's "Oarsmen at Chatou"
"
Girl With a Hoop" Renoir
"Londes, le Parlement, effet de soleil dans le brouillard" Monet
Some of these paintings are ones that she is actually using as examples in some of her upcoming art classes. She'll have fun telling her students that she was able to see the real thing!
"
Bassin aux nympheas" Monet
Here is a photo of me to prove that I was actually in a real art museum! *gasp* Something I wasn't sure I'd ever do... :)
When we were done at the art museum, we headed over to find the rest of the family. Like I said, we were pretty much "museumed out" by this point, so we didn't take too many pictures. We found ourselves reading about the displays, but not really comprehending anything that our eyes took in! I guess that meant it was time to head home!
The shower was held at The Turf Room.
Of course the decorations had to go along with the Western theme!
They did a great job!
Anyone that wanted to was encouraged to dress in cowgirl attire.
Cousins and aunts.
Aunt Denise (mother of the groom), Katie, Tom, and Grandma
More guests and relatives.
Sisters
The happy couple!
We weren't allowed to take a camera in the White House, but it was really neat! It was cool knowing we were visiting the home of nearly all our presidents!
What a fun way to end our trip out East! Jason needed to get home a day early to work, and since Mel and I needed to be home before Friday anyways, we decided to fly back with him. We flew to O'Hare and caught the bus to Rockford where my grandpa picked us up, took us out to dinner, and brought us home. Jason wanted to watch National Treasure since we'd just visited all the places in the movie, but I don't think I made it past 8:30 before I was falling asleep. It was so nice to be home!
A view of the bay from the fort.
The fort was a star shape. Mom said it was very unique. 
The next morning, they hit the road taking a different route so as to see a few other sights.
They stopped at a Frank Lloyd Wright house in PA.
Dad really enjoys FLW architecture and has always wanted to see one of the houses he designed.
The builders had to pour this roof over the walkway all at once. Not many supports.
It would be a peaceful place to live!
Mr. Wright tried to design the house in such a way that it blended in with nature. The house was built over a creek!
One set of stairs led from the living room right down into the creek.
The family swimming pool.
The family who lived there could walk down these stairs into an outdoor bathtub.
The bathtub and creek right next to it.
Mom and Dad really enjoyed the tour.
They spent the night at a hotel and then traveled the rest of the way home. It was a wonderful vacation with many fun experiences!
The architecture was beautiful!
The ceiling was unique!
The wall of the dome was painted with various scenes from American history. The artists kept dying before its completion, so quite a few different ones worked on the painting!
Famous paintings
Hmmm...what are we looking at?
The top of the dome was so intricate...
This room was full of statues given by all the different states.
It was beautiful!
Can't remember the name of this statue. Sorry.
On our way to the car for lunch, we passed the Library of Congress. Too bad we didn't go in, we could have re-created a scene from National Treasure 2!
Supreme Court building
Our next stop was the National Archives Building. Flash photography was not allowed, so the pictures are a bit dark.
The Constitution
Fountain at one of the Smithsonian Art Museums.
Us in front of the fountain. ;)
"Londes, le Parlement, effet de soleil dans le brouillard" Monet
Some of these paintings are ones that she is actually using as examples in some of her upcoming art classes. She'll have fun telling her students that she was able to see the real thing!
Here is a photo of me to prove that I was actually in a real art museum! *gasp* Something I wasn't sure I'd ever do... :)
When we were done at the art museum, we headed over to find the rest of the family. Like I said, we were pretty much "museumed out" by this point, so we didn't take too many pictures. We found ourselves reading about the displays, but not really comprehending anything that our eyes took in! I guess that meant it was time to head home!
