touristing | D.C.

We drove into the city one day last week on a mission to visit the Natural History Museum.  We passed this sculpture outside the National Gallery of Art as we walked along the Mall but as it was very hot and Shawn was kind of one-museum-minded that day, we moved on quickly and I didn't catch the name or artist.  I snapped a picture and later, after searching and searching, managed to figure out that it is "Graft" by Roxy Paine (what would I do without Google?)

Shawn and I have been to the Smithsonian museums before and knew it would be a different experience altogether with three small children...

Thank goodness for the "children's discovery room", some $6 slices of pizza and all those dinosaur bones.  I think they would all be happy to go again (and I will be packing a cheap sack lunch).  On our way back to the car we stumbled upon a farmer's market, much to Shawn's delight. Can't you tell?

OK, so maybe I am the only one in the family able to appreciate a farmer's market on a 98 degree summer day with children in tow who badly need naps...but what a great spot there with the Archives building in the distance and they had such pretty flowers...

...and now I am kicking myself for not bringing some home.