Tuesday: Monument Day

(the pictures are random, not in complete order of the day. People collage or monument collage)

(jefferson & fdr)

Time to see the Monuments!! Again-these are places I've seen on TV and in movies! Soo Cool to see them in real life!! We rode the Metro into town again & started walking! It was soo exciting to see these HUGE buildings and the surroundings. Hello National Mall! See walked around the Washington Monument & got tickets to tour that later in the day.

Jefferson was first. Great quotes of his were on the walls. HUGE. Too bad the crane & construction tainted the view outside the monument.

Then the FDR monument. We did it backwards but still understood it. This was one of my favorites. All the things FDR did during his presidency were documented. Quotes & sayings were engraved on the walls and water flowed throughout the monument. Such a wise man.

(jefferson & fdr)

Lunch was next then the walk to the Korean War & Lincoln Monument. Korean was neat with the men statues walking through the brush in Korea. Lincoln was cool. Maybe one of my second favorite. Lincoln was HUGE. The stairs-ah amazing! Tons of people but the crowds move.

(lincoln, vietnam, wwII)

The Vietnam Wall Memorial was next. I had a lot of anxiety and emotion with this monument. My dad served in the Vietnam War. I know it was not an easy time in his life, and a dark shadow in America's history. As a result of his service in that war, he now has health problems that affect him day to day. Because he did not die in this war, I am here. He has not seen the wall in fear of seeing someone he knew. Again, a lot of emotion at this place and still thinking back at my visit there makes me emotional.

(lincoln, vietnam, wwII)

Then World War II Monument, which was full of water and life. Again, Beautiful & large. Both Jimmy & I had grandfathers serve in this war.

Off to the Washington Monument. It was weird being up SOO high, it felt different but cool to see out the windows! I wonder how many times the Washington Monument gets photographed. Its just so tall, and the center of attention in DC.

Washington Monument
Views from the Windows

After that, we were DONE for the day-Head home!

Wednesday: Smithsonian and Anniversary Dinner

We made our way into DC, Ate our sack lunch then we only did a Smithsonian. That doesn't sound like a lot, but we just about saw everything in this museum. Those are HUGE. I need a trip just to see museums!

I love Technology. We found, via an iPhone, a cute Italian place to eat by the Chinatown metro stop. Amazing! It was exactly what I wanted for our special anniversary dinner! Something new, yummy, and hip. When will Vapiano's come to Utah? check out: http://www.vapiano.com/

(Debbie has my pix of dinner place. When I get those pix from her-I will post one or two)

Thursday: Recovery Day

We didn't do much Thursday. I took Journey on a run. Took Nap. Played Rock Band. Laundry. Jimmy helped Joe change the thermostat. Debbie & I helped......

Friday: White House & Holocaust Museum & Baseball Game

We had tickets for a tour of the White House Friday morning. We woke up early & caught the Metro into DC, then walked to the White House. I was more nervous getting past the security of the White House than in airport security. While waiting, we saw dogs walking around cars and tons of security guards. We got in the White House. It was kinda disappointing. We saw a few rooms, saw some cool things, but it was short & just short. Kinda a disappointment, but cool. I don't think I will try & see it ever again. But I have been in the White House. No cameras were allowed there, so we only got a pix outside with the cell phone.

We went to the Holocaust Museum. That was interesting. Cold. I didn't realize all the events and parts that lead to the Holocaust & the rise in Hilter. Some things were hard & sad to see.

We went home for lunch then headed to Baltimore for Mormon Night at the Baltimore Orioles MLB game. We walked around the harbor in Baltimore before the game. It was a fun atmosphere & I would love to go back there & visit. Then we headed to the stadium. Camden Yards was a beautiful stadium. It wasn't an exciting game, but it was fun to see the stadium and all the 19-21 year old missionaries having a fun night out. Silly kids.....

Saturday: Arlington Cemetery & Iwo Jima

We met up with my brother Lee, who was doing some work in DC. He was our tour guide for Arlington Cemetery. The place was HUGE. I was not anticipating all the hills and all the people buried there. Rows & rows of headstones. We did see an exhibit about Women in Service over the decades. Very interesting. The story of some women were printed next to their pictures and it was moving to read their stories.

We saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. It was respectful, reverent, very detailed oriented, precise, and just cool! I took lots of pictures & videos, it was just amazing.

We saw other headstones & memorials for the Navy, Columbia & Challenger Space Shuttle, and JFK. Rows & rows of headstones. I did not get a picture of the area of colonels & generals. That section had some large and unique headstones. I wanted to find a headstone of an LDS person buried there, but we were hot, tired, and I didn't see one while just passing.

We stopped at the Marine Corps Monument named Iwo Jima Memorial. I did not know that was so LARGE! I really liked seeing it.

These are some REALLY TIRED FEET FROM WALKING ALL WEEK!!

We drove past the Pentagon & the Air Force Memorial on our way out of DC.

And Finally a trip to see the temple grounds of the Washington DC Temple.

Coming Home

We woke up EARLY Sunday morning to catch our flight home. We didn't expect security to be soo long @ 6am. I have never been more nervous about missing a flight. We almost had to run to catch the airplane. But we made the flight & I was able to get home to my kids!

We learned a few things on the flight home-DON'T make sooo many connecting flights. BWI to Chicago to Denver to Salt Lake. We didn't check bags, so we didn't have to worry about those getting lost. We didn't get sick, but ugg, so many landings & take-offs. We didn't miss any connections, that actually worked out okay.

DC Trip

Jimmy & I planned a trip to Washington DC for our ten year wedding anniversary. I have always wanted to visit the DC. As a child, I lived in North Carolina, and my older siblings had been to DC for temple trips, and I never got to go. My dad grew up in Arlington, VA and I have roots on my dads side of the family back east. I like US History. I have always wanted to see the sights. So we decided on DC. (I still have a dream of being in DC over the 4th of July.)

Jimmy's brother Joe, and his wife Debbie, moved to Maryland, so we had a place to stay and they were our tour guides. It made the trip a little cheaper to stay with them, and it was so STRESS FREE having someone take us around! (Jimmy got a little teaser of DC when he spent a day there in April, but he didn't get to see EVERYTHING.)

We arranged for our kids to be spread out among family & friends for the 9 days we were gone. It was a GREAT trip. I enjoyed being with my husband and with the great company of Joe & Debbie. I enjoyed the break of MOTHERHOOD. ahh-really. I needed a break! I felt like an adult, like me, an adult. It was a real stress free trip too.

(Here is our breakdown of the days, a.k.a. travel log {for my memorys' sake}----I will add pictures in separate posts)

We flew out Friday night and woke up Saturday morning to drive to North Carolina to visit my fraternal grandma, who lives with my Aunt Joan & Uncle John. We spent Saturday night in North Carolina, then drove back to Maryland Sunday.

Monday-We did a tour of the US Capitol scheduled through Senator Bob Bennett's office. We grabbed a good bite to eat-per our tour persons recommendation. National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence.

Tuesday-Monuments-Jefferson, FDR, Korean, Lincoln, Vietnam, WWII, Washington.

Wednesday-toured a Smithsonian and anniversary dinner

Thursday-NOTHING-chilled, took a nap, played rock band, recovered from walking SOO much

Friday-White House & Holocaust Museum then a Baltimore Orioles baseball game

Saturday-Arlington Cemetery, Marine Corps Monument, & a stop by the DC temple

Sunday-fly home

I Will

I will catch up on this blog. As soon as I upload pictures & see ALL the good, bad, and stressful times, I will have LOTS to share!

Jimmy & I celebrated 10 years of marriage. We planned a trip back east to see DC & my grandma in North Carolina. Jimmy's bro lives out there, so lodging was FREE plus they knew how to get around. We took a day & drove to see my fraternal grandma in North Carolina. I love my grandma! Seeing the DC sights, and being WITHOUT kids was PERFECT! Family helped out a TON with the kids' and I loved the trip.

We had a water leak in our Woods Cross house and that took a while to fix. I need to post after pictures. ugg!

We moved to Bountiful. Jimmy's grandma owns a house on Main Street. She offered us to rent the place from her. Its a good move, HARD, but good. We've been living in Bountiful for a month now and its going good. Getting the Bountiful place ready to move into-not good. MONTHS of work to clean out the basement & finish it just to get us ready to move in. We like it here so far. Change is good, and I am adjusting. (i hate change)

Our Woods Cross house is not up for sell, but we intend on selling it. Hopefully it will be on the market soon.

The kids have started at a new school-Ashley in second grade, Sarah in morning kindergarten, and Charlie in preschool. I still tend kids, but have a really good schedule.

Soccer season for the girls just ended. Ashley got baptized. College football season is rolling along-GO UTES! Volleyball season for me-ahhh-i always need that chance to get out. Sophie toddles around the house.

We are surviving! Life is good.

Pix and more details of LIFE to come.

where r u?

hello. i am here. i am behind in life.....
we moved from woods cross to bountiful. i don't have internet access at the new place. ugg. so i am alive and behind......mostly happy.....