Monday was the U.S. Botanic Garden and the National Museum of the American Indian. I don’t know much about plant life or American Indians, so I did a guided tour of each sight. Both were very interesting. I found the Botanic Garden very relaxing and was amazed by the variety of plants. They even have some endangered species. The thing I really liked about the tour at the Museum of the American Indian was the fact that all of their guides are native peoples. Anya, my guide, was able to add a lot of personal insight during our tour that I really appreciated.

Tuesday evening, Shawn and I went to see the Marine Drum and Bugle Corp and Silent Drill Platoon. Every Tuesday during the summer, they perform in front of the Iwo Jima memorial in Arlington at sunset. Besides the fact that it was amazing and a little intimidating to see so many Marines in dress uniforms in one place, the Silent Drill was very impressive. The Marines performed a series of maneuvers, including tosses, with their 10 pound rifles complete with bayonets in total silence.

Thursday, I visited the National Museum of American History, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and the Jefferson Memorial. The National Museum of American History will be closing in September to undergo major renovations, so there were many exhibits that were already closed. But I did get to see the exhibit on the “Star-Spangled Banner,” which includes the original flag on which the song is based. I had to get downtown early to get a ticket to the tour at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, but it was well worth it. It’s easy to see why this is one of the most popular tours in the city as you follow walkways and look down upon thousands of dollars being printed. It’s hard to believe the quantities of bills being printed at one time.

And finally, on Saturday night, Shawn and I spent some time at the newly re-opened National Portrait Gallery. We saw some classic portraits as well as some modern ones. By far the most innovative/disturbing (depending on your point of view) one was titled “Mom and Dad” featuring a middle-aged nude couple done in the medium of hand-dyed Lite Brite pegs. Yeah. I’m serious.

Whew. So that was last week. Who knows what I’ll see this week. Or maybe I’ll just sleep in.

Besides the hours of classes I have been through at FSI, the work that goes into keeping our household and personal affairs in order, and re-watching every episode of Gilmore Girls, I have been doing plenty of sewing and crafty things. I have a tendency to purchase supplies with the best of intentions, but then I end up with the stuff to work on a million different projects and no time. No longer a problem!

Butterfly quilt

I’ve been collecting fabric for this quilt for almost 3 years. After the move to Arlington, I decided it was time to start. I cut out the pieces almost immediately after we moved, but after two and a half months, I really haven’t made a while lot of progress. I just put together the first half square today!

Messenger bag

So I decided that I wanted a new bag for when I start Russian classes. Even if I’m stressed out about trying to learn another language, at least I can look good doing it. I originally wanted a Timbuk2 bag (actually, I’ve wanted one of those for a while…), but decided that: 1. I could make a bag for much cheaper considering I already had most of the fabric; 2. if I made the bag myself I could customize it just the way I wanted it; and 3. anything I made would be totally cool, because, hey, I made it! So here it is.

Sock monkey

Holy cow (or monkey), this was so much fun to make! I think maybe I’m just going to spend all my time making sock monkeys now - they’re so easy and the gratification is almost instant. I do believe that this very girly monkey is going to be for my soon to be niece (expected arrival of Nov. 4), Layla. Hence the cute little “L.”

Knitted baby doll

So I’ve got no idea who this is for. I saw the pattern in a book and just decided that I needed to make it. Mission accomplished. Somebody put some pants on that kid!

When we found out that we would be moving to the DC area in May, the first thing I said was that we had to go to the Mall for fireworks on the 4th of July. Then Shawn’s family announced that they would be visiting over the holiday weekend, and we were forced to change plans, as we were not about to drag a bunch of out-of-towners (including a two-year-old) through the masses to see the fireworks. However, Shawn’s family decided to cut their trip short (I guess we’re not as interesting as we thought…), so we had the evening free to do as we pleased.

After the aforementioned storm let up, we gathered our blankets, bottles of water, and camera and took off for downtown. We decided to head for the Capitol lawn, as that was where the symphony would be playing, and we could get a good view of the Washington Monument, where the fireworks would actually be fired off. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of people at the Mall. It was crowded, yes, but it was not scary-crowded. We found a great spot where we would be able to see the fireworks and hear the concert.

I have to say that it was amazing. So totally worth the effort. Besides the excellent people-watching (and the inevitable making fun of said people) before the fireworks, it was awesome to see the show on the Mall. I remember watching the event on tv as a kid, so there was something special about seeing it in person. I think it’s just something that you must experience if you ever have the opportunity.