National Free Comics Day!

Lately the kids have been getting into reading comic books. I'm not surprised since they both adore the graphic novels we get from the library. This year we went to a local comics store and picked up the free comics that were available. Shannon has also gotten interested in the new Jem and the Hologram comics.

Bluebells!

Around the same time that people are flocking into DC to see the cherry blossoms, the bluebells are flowering in some of our local parks. We decided to forgo the crowds this year (we went to see some of the monuments last year when the cherry blossoms were starting to fade) and enjoy a walk in the woods with the bluebells. We found a special bluebell path at Bull Run Regional Park and enjoyed the flowers, the Bull Run and Cub Run rivers, and the trees.

The initial path was a raised wooden walkway.

We found a flower we hadn't seen before called the spring beauty.

The bluebells were everywhere!

Shannon saw that the bluebells look more purple before they bloom.

Gorgeous trees

Thanks to this informational plaque we learned that we were in a floodplain forest and it's where bluebells and spring beauties grow. I had no idea that part of the park floods. We all learned something.

National Museum of the American Indian

The entire family went to visit the National Museum of the American Indian today via the Metro. Riding on the Metro is always exciting, especially for Ian. The kids and I had never been to the American Indian Museum. I got the kids excited about our visit since we have been reading about Native Americans.

One corner of the museum had this beautiful waterfall.

The entire building is curvy and soothing to look at.

A few statues were outside.

This circular area is the first thing you can walk by. It shows boats from different Native American cultures/tribes.

The museum was beautiful inside and out.

A few horse statues were near the imagiNATIONS area. Shannon loves horses so a picture was required.

This statue was put in a little alcove. The location was peaceful and beautiful. If I had been by myself I would have been happy to sit there for quite some time.

A large part of the third level is made exclusively for children. It is called the imagiNATIONS Activity Center. The kids each got a passport and as they completed the activities they could stamp their passports.

Here's Ian balancing on a skateboard trying to get as many points as he can get.

Ah, resting in a kayak.

Ian and Shannon quickly learned they needed help to put the igloo together. 

All done!

Shannon is seeing how long she can balance. This station spoke of balance used with kayaks/canoes and riding horses.