DC Day 2

We started at Ford's Theater with a tour.  Our guide was great, and we learned a lot.

Then we hopped over to the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum.  Again, Snow White loved this best, but the other girls enjoyed it as well.  Much more than they would admit, I think.  

I'm really not sure what SW is doing in this picture. :)

Then a quick Metro trip over to the Old National Post Office Building for lunch, and a ride up the bell tower for views of the city.  Reports are that Donald Trump has signed a 60 year lease with them to build a hotel inside this building, which is cool, and sad, as I think less people will visit.  But, the tower and it's bells are a National Park, so that part will stay open to the public at least.  

Up next was the National Museum of Natural History, which we thoroughly enjoyed, me enjoying it partly from the comfort of an air conditioned bench.  Hence, not many pictures, but I know SW took a few pictures.  I did manage to snap a picture of the The Hope Diamond, though not a good one.  Some amazing jewelry there.  Whoa.  

Then, the best part of the day, our friends from Virginia came.  We had so much fun with the them.  We walked with them to see the Monuments in the evening when it wasn't too hot.  It was beautiful. 

And this is the only picture I got of us on the Metro...exhausted after a long, fabulous day.

DC Day 1

King had a conference in Annapolis, Maryland, and we decided to join him and see the nation's capital.  I must say, Cinderella was ambivalent about going, and Snow White and Sleeping Beauty would have rather stayed home and worshiped the sun at the pool, but in the end, I think we all had a great time, and saw some really great things.  Grandma B joined us for the first few days, so it was nice to have someone along that was really excited to be there. I love Washington, D.C., and felt so blessed to be able to return after seeing it with King just five years ago.

On our way into town, we stopped at the Washington, DC LDS temple.  It's beautiful, and much bigger than I thought.

I will post our pictures and a brief outline so that I don't forget what we did, and hopefully add more details later.  And more pictures, too, once we get the ones Grandma B took.

We began our day at the National Library of Congress, the Jefferson Building.  My favorite building in DC.

Then it was time for the tour of the US Capitol Building.  I skipped this one, to conserve my energy, because it's LOTS of walking, and I had seen it before.

After lunch at the library staff cafeteria (best and cheapest place to eat in DC, folks) we went to the National Museum of Art.  Snow White, Grandma, and I loved it.  The other two liked the couches a lot.  :)

We wanted to go to the National Archives next, but the line was too long, so we just took a picture, and then walked to the White House for pictures.

 Then burgers and shakes at Ollie's Trolley (yum) and back on the Metro to the hotel to soak our tired feet.

Will You Join Me?

Hello there.  Someday I will get back to blogging and even update some of the things that have been going on the last few months.  But, for now, I have a suggestion/request.

I have a birthday coming up.  On Tuesday, the 14th.  And, it's one of those big numbers that people like to make a big deal of.  I have decided that on that day, I would like to do forty (arbitrary completely random number, obviously) acts of kindness.  Would you help me celebrate?  Do one act of kindness for someone (not me) as your birthday present to me. Then comment on this post, or on my facebook wall so that you can help me reach my goal of 40 acts of kindness.  I have so much to be grateful for, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate my special day than making someone else's day more happy.

Thank you!!!  :)

Ten Years Later...

I was talking on the phone to my brother the other day.  As we talked, I could hear his four-year-old girl laughing and talking and asking her Daddy questions, trying to get his attention.  Also, as we talked, I interrupted him twice so I could tell my girls (again) it was time to turn off the TV and brush their teeth for bed.

"And, brush really well," I said.

And, my brother said, "Wait, how old are they?!  Fourteen?  Are you telling me that ten years from now I will STILL have to be telling my baby girl to brush her teeth, and to do a good job?"

"Well, sorry," I said, "but, yes, unfortunately.  It's very frustrating."

"Only then," he continued, "I won't be able to brush her teeth for her and put her to bed?"

"Well, yep, that doesn't work anymore.  They're kind of big."

"Aw, man."

"I'm sorry," I consoled.  But, really, I might have been talking to myself.

Cutest Elephants Ever

Cinderella had a friend over a couple of weekends ago.  She told me she didn't have a plan of things to do with this friend except maybe cook something delicious and eat it (and why isn't that a good plan?) ;)  She asked her friend if she had any ideas, and Princess R had lots of ideas.  And one involved sewing.  And we have a sewing machine.  How perfect!

The project was a bit more than R bargained for, and Cinderella was a bit apprehensive about tackling the project (I think because she's had more sewing practice and could more clearly see what they were getting into) but after a few kinks, we worked it out.  And aren't they adorable?  Here they are at school wearing their creations.  Love them (the shirts and the girls.)

Woot!

Well, it has happened.  I survived the year that I had been dreading since the doctor assured me that the two tiny babies in my womb were indeed girls.  I remember thinking, "But, how will I survive three teenage girls?!  A fifteen-year-old and two thirteen-year-olds?  That year might be hell."  Well, I don't want to brag or anything, but we are all still alive!  Woot!  So I sort of feel like King and I deserve an award or something.  Really.

The kicker is, I don't think it is over. Considering all three girls have their iPods taken away, and two are grounded from the computer this week, I think maybe, those long years ago, I should have worried about more than just the past year.  Oy.  And, they are GOOD kids, which I am so grateful for.  I can guarantee that I would be dead now if they weren't.  Or in jail.  (Probably in jail.)

I don't mean to sound all doomsday or anything. We definitely have some really great, fun times.  They are all delightfully funny, joyful, smart girls.  It's just that we never know when those girls will appear for an extended period of time.  It is sort of like waking up every morning and playing a game to see which of your delightful daughters has morphed into a hormonal ticking time bomb.  Which one do you have to treat gently?  And will the one who was joking with you last night be in a joking mood this morning, or did her funny sense of humor completely disappear as she was sleeping?  It's a gamble, I tell you.

Oh, but I love them.  More than anything.  They are the light of my life.  It sometimes feels like a strobe light.  But, it's my favorite light.  :)

Fourteen

I cannot believe how fast the years have flown by.  These two are such great kids.  And still loving their footie pajamas. :)

14 years

8 years

5 years