We Are Home

As you all know...we arrived home around 4:00 yesterday afternoon.  Unloaded buses, hugged moms and dads, carried treasures and dirty clothes to cars and now settling back into our busy lives.  


Our last day was spent at Arlington National Cemetery.  It was an overwhelming emotional experience for many.  The changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier was powerful.  From there we went to Kennedy's grave then knowing our time was short my family went to find Matt Lourey's grave.  Another emotional moment to say good bye to a hometown hero.


I want to give another shout out...


To all the students from EC and WR.  These marching band students are the bomb.  They went with the flow through all the changes and craziness DC threw our way.  


I can personally only speak about bus #2...our kids were polite, quiet and kept our bus clean and neat.


WAY TO GO LADIES AND GENTS!


Hope we will see you all again in 2014 for Florida. Except for all the seniors who will leave us this spring.


I hope you will share the best and funnest photos you have with me so I can create a memory disk for everyone.


My email is...knelson@eastcentral.k12.mn.us

Our buses

Monday's sunset from our hotel room

Arlington National Cemetery

Changing of the guard

Funeral procession

Our hometown hero

Iwo Jima Memorial

My email is...knelson@eastcentral.k12.mn.us

Coming home

Breakfast at Rockford.  Bellies full and busses are rolling onto I90. Everyone is fine but looking forward to their beds at home!

LAST NIGHT IN DC

Just got back from HARD ROCK Cafe...had final meeting.  Kids get social time tonight then up and Adam to get the bus packed up and heading out to Arlington National Cemetery and we'll start heading home sometime tomorrow afternoon.

Lots of us have pink noses and cheeks.  Chilly mornings, but the sun gets warm in afternoon.

Here are a few mix of pics from our break that I haven't shared...

Bus #2 on way here

Bus #2 lining up at Gettysburg
 like they did to go into battle

Fountain eye view of band performing

Dulles Air & Space

Chillin' at McDonald's

Daily bus talk between
our mighty leaders

Dinner theater

Very few blossoms left

Flat Stanley taking flying lessons

Paparazzi catches the
Steffens kickn' back!

Beiber with his babes

Carl lovin' his Joe's Crab Shack



Let's get crackin' at Joe's

Mr. Kolker got a pony
for his birthday!

Hangin' outside the museum

Time before dinner

Whew!  Wish I had a pedometer today...we walked and walked and walked, then believe it or not, we walked some more.  We started at Air and Space then over to American Indian Museum.  We then trotted over to Museum of Natural History and American History Museum.  We took some time to shop at the street venders before walking to the White House and then walking back to the WWII Memorial to catch our busses.

Not sure if the young ones enjoyed all the museums as much as the adults, but we sure had giggles and laughs. 

Now we have a few moments to rest (told kids to organize to pack up) before dinner at Hard Rock tonight.

We pack busses in morning and do some more touring before heading home tomorrow.

Waiting for Air & Space to open

Groups we bumped into while touring
the  American Indian Museum

Inside Natural History Museum

Waiting to gather for next museum.
Flutes and pan flutes were popular.

White House fans

The White House


Will touch base before heading home!

Shout outs!

I was so tired last night I forgot to mention a few thanks that I'd like to make...

to all our chaperones - you rock!

to our "nurse" Marcia for keeping everyone healthy!

to our "bankers", The Groes, for keeping the money in order - it's a big job!

to the Seibert's for helping me as my tech support - I truly couldn't do this without all their help!

to our bus drivers for doing such an awesome job getting us everywhere on time (or early) through crazy streets and busy traffic!

to all you checking in - THANKS! 

but especially to Mr Kolker and Mr. Williams for giving us this opportunity to see our country and history!

Our bus driver's at the Air & Space Museum

Disco is alive!!!

Another day packed full of fun and laughter. We hit the zoo first...the pandas were sweet!!!

The memorials were incredible...the reflecting pool is under construction so that was a bummer.

Our " Death By Disco" Mystery Dinner Theater was a blast!

Tomorrow more museums and dinner at Hard Rock.

At check in time the kids were all exhausted so we're doing a good job!



Panda chomping on bamboo



Elephants

Lincoln Memorial

Washington Memorial



Korean Memorial

Our reflection in Vietnam Memorial Wall

World War II Memorial

Korean MemoriaL


DINNER WITH DISCO

Feeling the disco groove

Teresa gets Kyle groovin' on the floor






Jennie teaches Wally how to disco...shake your goove thing!

Tabby wins a mug!!!



Rodney LOVED Tony's orange disco pants...
MEMORIES!