15 hours in the car with two dogs and the girls proved worthwhile as we've been enjoying plenty of time with most of our family (my brother and his wife were unable to make the trip). We took the girls to the Museum of American History, went ice skating on the National Mall (my dad broke his ulna, and I dropped Addie on her face...but aside from that it was plenty fun), have cooked eggplant parmesian for the family and showed them what we've learned about making spanish black beans. A few hundred games of 'Bananagrams' to top it off and some visits from old friends have made this a great trip that isn't over yet. I'd like to spend some more time here as an adult as I realize how many opportunities to learn about our nation were squandered in my childhood. Our history is less than 300 years old, yet I know so little about it. Jen and I went on a date to the Natural History Museum and I realized how little I know about science, and Jen was more than happy to point out how much of 'science' we accept as fact...I found it disturbing when little signs refudiated what the big signs said due to 'new discoveries'. We're taught a lot of facts that are just waiting for a small discovery to correct them. Jen says that a whole exhibit on the evolution of horses (from tiny to today's size over a 40 million year time period) has been widely accepted as being disproven, yet the exhibit remains unchanged...she tried to engage the lady behind the information desk in a debate, but she didn't want to fight. Also disturbing is that only one Neanderthal exists, and although it is widely believed that they were hunchbacked, they now say that the specimen was just arthritic like our old people and that they were actually upright. I don't know what a lot of it means, but I'm less impressed by 'science' and the certainty with which we're presented conjectures based on minimal evidence. Hmmm, maybe I'll study American history and leave the sciences to Jen. Well, this has turned into a rambling blog. 
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4 comments:
We have wonderful memories there too! Next time you'll have to pass through Williamsburg/Jamestown/Yorktown for even more history fun! Yep, know all about the Natural History Museum from our trip there! You would think they'd present more accurate info being in our capital. Thanks for sharing!
Unbelievable how much two little girls can fill a home with so much laughter, love and "craziness"! It's also amazing to watch our own children become the people we hoped they'd be...a week full of family gatherings and reconnections left us with nothing but thanks for Thanksgiving (except we missed Chris and Elise!).
Interesting about evolution...even the Mark Trail comic strip talked about the horse in the Sunday paper...you'd think they'd check their facts! We certainly were taught with a bias...and will research this more!
so- are we following each other around or what? We were also in Virginia for Thanksgiving and thought about dropping over in D.C for the weekend- My brother lives there...so funny. I love it there- it is one of our favorite places to go. My step mom worked in the Natural History Museum when I was little and we would spend our summers running around the mall eating french patries and collecting pamphlets from all of the museums. Glad you had a great time with your girls- next time we should just car pool- tell me where you are going next so we can plan it.
seriously....i miss your blog....get back to it!!!
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