Washington D.C. Part 2

     The rest of the week, we spent at museums, but it was really fun. We didn't get any pictures at the National Holocaust Museum, but I'm okay with that. It was really cool, yes, but the topic was, well, really strong for me. and it was long. Really, really long. But the rest of my family enjoyed it, so if you ever go to Washington DC, you should definitely go there.

    On Tuesday, we went to the National Holocaust Museum, and then afterwards we went to the National Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, which was SO FUN!

At the Natural History Museum, there was an exhibit where you could see what you would look like as an early human. We all did it, and even convinced dad to do it (in all honesty, it was probably out of pier pressure, but I'm not sure)! In order: dad, mom, Evaline, Cora, me

On Wednesday, we went to the National African American Museum, and then the National Archives Museum, which was, honestly, kind of boring. We did, however, get to see the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution.

We had to wait a long time to get our food after the African American Museum. It was after one a clock, and we were all starving, and it took 30 minutes to get our food from a food truck, and we were first in line.

That night we ate at a super tasty restaurant in Collage Park, near our hotel. After we ate, we walked around and came across a butterfly mural...

Thursday we had the awards ceremony, and then we went to the National Spy Museum, which was by far my favorite museum that we went to.

That night for dinner we went to this place right across the street from the butterfly mural that had three different places that you could order from.

Right at the Maryland boarder, there was this really cool rest stop with some walking paths and one even went above the interstate!

One of my favorite restaurants that we went to was a diner type grill in small-town Brooksville, that our parents let us get milkshakes at!

     One thing that my mom and I agreed on is that the African American Museum and the Holocaust Museums were lacking is the interaction for kids. The Spy Museum was my favorite, not just because of all the topics (they were all really cool), but also because of the interaction. They had all these activities you could do that would relate to some of the topics, and even had this thing where you got to live your own mission throughout the museum. Last year, when we went to Kansas City, we went to Sea Life and the World War I museum, and Sea Life was made a little more for kids, but it still had a packet that was for kids. The World War I museum, I probably would've been bored out of my mind, but no, they had a kids activity packet so that kids could stay interested! If I remember correctly, they had a Scavenger Hunt activity, and many more. However, the Holocaust and African American museums didn't have anything for kids. That doesn't mean I didn't like them (African American Museum was really cool, highly recommended), it just means that I wish they had something more for kids, so I wasn't as bored as I was. But both of those are recommended.

Washington D.C. Part 1

    In early June, we got back from Washington DC. We went there with Papa Pete. We were there because my sister, Evaline, made it to Nationals for NHD (National History Day). Nationals took place at the University of Maryland in College Park, so we stayed in a Hampton Inn in College Park, MD.  On Monday, Evaline had an interview for her paper, then we spent the rest of the day at the National Mall.

We drove to DC, and on the way there we stopped in Columbus, OH, and we took full advantage of the pool!

We rode the metro system a lot. We expected the metro system to be a train that goes above ground, but the metro was normally underground, like a subway. (This picture is on our way to the National Mall) 

We got off the metro, and it started raining!

The National Mall was SO FUN! We went to the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, Vietnam memorial, Korean war memorial, the Washington Monument, and, my favorite, the World War II Memorial!

At the WWII Memorial, there was a sea named after Cora!

Later that day, there was the Welcoming Ceremony

 

Early June

     When I say early, I mean early. There aren't going to be many photos, but I need want to do this before I post about Washington D.C. On June 2nd, we had the last day of school (last day of fourth grade and eighth grade), on the 2rd and 3rd, I had a soccer tournament, that we, sadly, lost. The first game we won 7-0, the second game we lost 2-1, and the last game we lost 2-1, so we didn't advance into finals. The first game, during halftime, thunder was heard probably four times, so we waited it out in the pavilion. The next day, my team went out for a brunch at Perkins. My sisters, unfortunately, didn't do anything fun that weekend except having to sit through the hot weather at my games, which, I'm guessing, was not fun. I don't know when, but sometime in early June, me and Sarah auditioned for a Playtime Poppy summer camp. We both got in, but we're in different groups. I'm Denise, the town Magistrate, and, we counted, I have forty-three three lines! 

The last day of fourth and eight grade

Our team after our second lost on Saturday

Brunch with the team

Auditions!

Meet the Family

     So for the past three (I think) years I've been doing this blog, It's really been "my blog," and more recently, I've wanted a family blog. My mom said no. So, I've decided that this blog could possibly be a family blog (?) but it's still my blog, if that makes sense. Anyway, let me introduce you to my family (including me). 

    Let's start with me. My name is Willa, as you probably know, and I am a fourth grader at Pierce Elementary, and my favorite subjects are ELA and Social Studies. Next year, I'll be in in fifth grade, still at Pierce. Since my birthday is August 27th, I had to take A.K.(Alternative Kindergarten), otherwise I'd be in fifth grade. If you didn't know, I'm ten. I do Girl Scouts, and I'm a junior. My favorite sport is soccer, and this summer, I'll be taking a soccer camp for a week. Also during the summer, I'll be doing these camps: a Playtime Poppy camp (if I get in, you have to audition, it's an acting camp), Discover Summer Camp, Camp Wapsie (an overnight camp-I'll be staying Sun-Sat overnight), a soccer camp, theater camp, a movie maker camp through TCR, a tennis camp through Jefferson HS, and a camp where we go to the Maquoketa caves! I will also be taking swim lessons at Ellis Pool on Saturdays.   

    Evaline. Evaline is an eighth grader at Franklin Middle School, next year she will be a Freshman (ninth grader) at Jefferson High School (go J-Hawks!), the school that my dad works at. Her favorite subject is Science, and her favorite sport is Tennis. She got a job at the Cedar Rapids Aquatics, and she'll be working at Ellis Pool. Also-- BIG NEWS!!!! She made it to NATIONALS for National History day! She wrote an essay titled American Quakers in World War II, She will be representing Iowa, along with some other people. So we're going to Washington D.C. The best part? She really only has to go in twice, check in and interview, and the rest she basically has free! There will be a four hour long awards ceremony (ugh) from 8:00-12:00. Since we're driving, we'll be leaving on the 10th of June, and be back in Iowa on the 16th. Anyways, in Optimist Speech, Evaline got a gold medal in her first competition.

     Cora.  Cora is also an eighth grader at Franklin Middle School, also attending Jefferson High School next year. She'll be doing JV Cheer with Evaline. Her favorite subject is, also, science, and sport is, also, Tennis. She also got a job with the Cedar Rapids Aquatics, and will also be working at Ellis Pool. Her Mock Trial team (which is also the same team as Evaline's) made it to State, for Future Cities, their team got SECOND in all of Iowa, and for NHD (National History Day), she made it to State, then made it to finals! She is a babysitter (as is Evaline), and babysits for multiple people. In her free time, she loves playing pickleball with us, reading, playing on her phone, and crocheting. 

    My mom (Merry) is a PACT teacher at Madison, Van Buren, and Grant Wood. She enjoys baking, cooking, reading, and doing DIY. She did have another blog, but she stopped it five years ago. I offered to start that one back up. Nope. I cannot do so. Merry loves checking books out from the Library, and she currently is reading the Outlander Series. My dad (Ian) is a ELA teacher at Jefferson High School. In his free time, he likes to watch TV, grade papers, and cook. 

    On Saturday, I went bowling at SpareTime with my friends Maggie, Gabby, and Cosette, then, after that, we went to Costco, then Wig & Pen for pizza. On Sunday, we cleaned up our house, because we were going to have guests over. When they came over, we ate dinner (Korean barbecued chicken and some potatoes), and then Cora and Evaline showed their NHD projects, and I shared my opening statement (I did Fairy Tales on Trial, it's basically a Jr. Mock Trial). Then, we did kind of an escape room type thing where instead of breaking out of a room, you tried to break into a box. 

    Now? Now we're doing plenty of baking-Cora's making Crème Brule, and Evaline's making meringues.  

MAY I Tell You What's Been Up?

     Hi! A lot has happened since the last time I updated. 

    A while back, I took home turtles (not real ones) for my class. I took home Bartholomew (Bart) and Watermelon. On April 30th, me and my friend Sarah went to see the SpongeBob Musical at TCR. On May 12th, my friends Jane, Sophia, Olivia, and I went to see "Are You There, God? It's me, Margret," and then afterwards, Jane's mom took us to Parlor City, and then I spent the night at her house. The day before Mother's Day, we got together at my grandparents' house with my Aunt Katie, Uncle Ryan, and my cousins, Skyler, Logan, and Parker, to celebrate. On Mother's Day, we went to the Goldfinch Cafe with my Papa Pete, Auntie Carol, John, and Grandma Helen. On Mother's Day (I think) I made a Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate frosting. Yesterday, my school had a Family Fun Night, and today I had a singing concert for my lessons, where I sang Stiches by Shawn Mendas.

I brought home Bart and Watermelon!

The SpongeBob Musical with Sarah

Parlor City after the movie

Mothers day at Grandma and Grampa's

The Goldfinch Cafe

The cake I made

Me and my friends Jane, Shelbie, and Gabby played some Tarzan at the Family Fun Night!

My singing concert!