Hello!
I am sorry that it's been so long since my last post. It's been hard adjusting back to regular routines since we've been back from visiting the States for two months. Housework and getting back to posting regularly has been especially hard for me since I didn't do any of them over the summer. 😓
My husband and I moved to Seoul right after we got married, settled, and made our second home here for the last 12 years. Our first home is Northern Virginia (NoVA) where both my husband and I grew up, where we met, and both of our families and many friends still reside. I've made friends from all over the world in Korea and envied expats that get to call places like Paris, Sydney, or Hawaii their home and get to visit every summer. Surely, they are much cooler places to visit than the suburbs of Northern Virginia! But even though it would be amazing to vacation in Paris, Sydney, or Hawaii, I have a new found appreciation for Virginia (VA) this summer. NoVA is close to Washington, DC, surrounded by rolling hills, farms and parks, and only 3 hours away from the beach. There are amazing shopping centers, great schools, diverse culture and endless entertainment for the whole family. Sometimes you have to be away from your surroundings to appreciate all it has to offer. I always thought of VA as a boring place growing up, but now that I have a family of my own, VA gets attractive every time we go back. It's also nice having all your family and friends are still living there, especially compared to the transient nature of the expat community in Seoul. VA is our comfort zone, where everything started, and where we will keep going back to.
Here are some of our summer memories in VA~
WASHINGTON, DC
Our visit to VA wouldn't be complete if we didn't visit DC at least a few times. As you may already know, DC is full of museums and monuments. We love visiting the Lincoln Memorial with the kids. Alex never fails to tear up reading the Gettysburg Address speech. He reads it out loud for the kids to hear and gets all emotional by himself. 😂
We also loved visiting the Bible Museum. We were pleasantly surprised how kid friendly and informative it was. It wasn't cheesy or boring at all. I loved learning how the Bible has influenced the world over time. Check out their website for tickets, hours and special exhibitions. https://www.museumofthebible.org/
National Building Museum Fun House Exhibition was great for hands-on play activities for kids. It was very much like kids cafes in Seoul but in a big, open building, and the kids loved it so we loved it! 😆 https://www.nbm.org/exhibition/fun-house/
*Make sure to stop by Captain White Seafood City and pick up some crabs and chili at Ben's Chili Bowl!!
My friend and I took out our moms for a girls night out at MGM.
VIRGINIA BEACH
I haven't been to VA beach since college and thought I would never go back. But I must say, I was pleasantly surprised how nice, clean, and kid friendly it was. We went with my sister's family and we had a great time!
NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM (Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA)
https://airandspace.si.edu/udvar-hazy-center
Seriously, this is one of the best museums! A must visit when you are in Virginia!
FRYING PAN FARM PARK
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/frying-pan-park
We spent the most time here because it was so close by. They offer free weekly activities, animal feedings, tractor rides, animal races etc. They also hold a country fair once a year.
HOLLIN FARMS
http://www.hollinfarms.com/
You can go pick all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and flowers here. The view is beautiful and their homemade peach ice cream is a must!
ROER'S ZOOFARI
https://www.roerszoofari.com/
It's a small zoo that is great for younger kids who love animals. You can touch and feed all the animals here.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
We were able to attend my nephew's pre-school graduation, celebrate my niece's 100th day, Jacob's birthday, had sleep overs, dinners, play dates and swam at friend's houses!
This was after a few days we had arrived and Miles is having a meltdown during my nephew's graduation! 😱
This home cooked steak at a friend's house was the best meal I had this summer! And Maryland blue crabs below... 🙌
Of course the best part of visiting home is hanging out with friends and family! It felt so good to be around friends that you don't have to explain yourself to. 😅
We would like to thank our friends and family that hosted us and showered us with food and love! Virginia is definitely for lovers~ 💗
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