On Saturday we drove back to DC to meet Keah and Bryan. They had a 12 hour layover (it was supposed to be) We went to breakfast, then went to the Smithsonian Naturalist Center.

The Naturalist Center has hands on science. They have all kinds of samples that can be looked at close up! It was really neat!

We dropped them off at the airport around 3 to catch their 5 flight. We did not go in with them and found out later their fllight was canceled. They tried to get another flight and then ended up in Chicago with the second flight canceled. The airline got them a hotel and dinner. They finally made it to Oklahoma Sunday afternoon. (they left Malawi on Thursday)

They are in the US till Sept 13. They will be pretty busy between seeing family and doing some traveling.

We drove to Shenandoah National park in Virginia last Friday. It is a beautiful park. The road and wall along it was built in the 30's by the CCC. The road follows a mountian ridge and is a great drive.

It was cloudy so we did not have clear views, but it was sstill amazing.

We even saw black bear.

The park has a 120 mile drive on the mountian ridge. There are amazing lookout spots. Some of the flowers were still blooming.

July 18 trip to DC.
Mom and Brent on the steps in front of the Jefferson Memorial.

The Capital!

Korean War Memorial.
Brent and I in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

Hocking Hills State Park Ohio

The photo on the right is from Wheeling Hill in wheeling West Virginia looking toward the Ohio River.The photo on the left and the rest of the photos on this post were all taken at Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. Hocking Hills is one of four state parkis in the area. We went to an area called Old Mans Cave. The hiking trails were beautiful. It had been dry so there was not much water in the stream but it was still a wonderful place.

There had been flooding in the past so this bridge was built to be more flood proof.

This picture shows the ledge that later on the hike we got to be on!

You can tell from how little the people look that this place is huge. This is the area know as Old Mans Cave. Gwyn is in this picture in the front in the red shirt.

June and early July

Fireworks from downtown Pittsburgh July 4 2009.

Downtown Pittsburgh at sunset

Drake Oil Well, first oil well drilled in the United states was in Pennsylvania. There is wonderful museum here.

Fireworks from the ball park downtown Pittsburgh after a game. Taken from mount Washington.

Downtown Pittsburgh again

We went to Senica Rocks West Virginia. We hiked up to the viewing sight to the overlook

The lookout at the top. The breeeze was wonderful after the climb!

The view was worth the climb.

Smoke Hole Caverns In West Virginia. They got the name Because the Indians used to smoke meat in the caverns and people saw the smoke and did not know where it came from.

This week Nana and Aunt Gwyn are here visiting. We are going on a tour on the river tonight. This weekend we are going to visit Aunt Susie.