running in the door from a great day walking down the George Washington Parkway to old town Alexandria and running out the door. I just had to post one photo from a beautiful spring day here. Sally Jane got to wear a bird for a hat. She stood perfectly still with the bird man put it on her head.
When leaving the White House Lawn today, I wished I could have called everyone I know and done a large group call and shared my excitement for the great day I had with my girls.
Very last minute I got tickets to the Annual(since 1872) Easter Egg Roll on the White House Lawn. read history here.
Tickets are really hard to get and the story on how I got them is a post within itself, but I am not sure if I want to reveal my sources in case it could keep me from getting them again next year. If you see me, ask me in person, let's just say that I need to add, "resourceful" to my 100 list. (and I didn't even use any of Jeff's connections)
It was freezing outside and up until 10 minutes before I considered staying home and meeting my sister in law at Mt. Vernon. Jeff went back to work today after a fun Spring Break and I thought "do I want to do this with just me and the girls?" So glad I did! It was really hard to take photos and push the double stroller over the grass and chasing Caroline, but so worth it.
the girls each got a poster in our amazing goody bags
For you graphics people the tickets and logo were just amazing! the signage was just beautiful to look at.
Each child has the chance to roll a real hard boiled egg on the lawn just yards away from the front doors of the white house. The White House volunteer said they were boiled 5 weeks ago.Sally Jane and Annie Kate getting ready to roll. Thanks Mimi for the new birthday dress for her to wear.
Caroline rolling away!
Now you Very Bradley fans, notice the QUILTED tablecloths... they are actual Very Bradley quits with her newest print Capri Melon. It was everywhere! Even on the face painting tables. Seriously they decorated with Vera Bradley quilts in my favorite print... I am playing with my girls on the White House lawn singing to Johnnie and the Sprites, The Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana, photo ops everywhere...does it get better than this? This was Annie Kate with one of the MANY characters walking around the south lawn. Notice the fabric on her sleeves... yes Vera Bradley
Every PBS character was there. They even had a great Amelia Bedilia. I was tempted to ask her if I could take a self portrait of my in her cool hat, but didn't have enough arms to do so.
When we walked in we saw Denise Austin on stage 1, working out with Shrek. Funny combo huh? They had a reading corner with famous people reading children books. We had missed Mary Pope Osborne, darn. But saw Kasey Kahne (some Nascar guy)
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We then went over to one of the two performing stages and hit perfect timing for a mini concert, 5 feet from the stage of the Jonas Brothers. Annie Kate rushed the stage and her fingers in the air to try to touch them. I had both little girls in each arm and was singing every word and dancing like a kid.
We then went to the next stage and hit it perfect for Johnny and the Sprites. Jeff imitates him all the time and I was laughing the whole time. We love this show! Caroline and Sally Jane were jumping out of their skin they were so excited. We had missed Hannah Montana the first time she performed, as it took a long time to get through security. We then overheard that she was going to perform again, we went back to the stage and waited out the next performance for Annie Kate to get as close as possible. Me and the little ones stayed in the back. I don't know if there would be anyone that I would be more excited to see than these kids stars. I was like all the 10 year olds around me, screaming and dancing. This was the best photo I could get.
As we left all the kids got a goodie bag from President Bush. A box of peeps, crayons, coloring book, book mark, the book "Guess How Much I Love You?" and a wooden egg with the year and his signature. (they are already selling them on eBay) President Bush was in Arizona working on Border Patrol but we saw Laura Bush just before she went into the White House and she waved goodbye to everyone. This was the sign on the way off the lawn, "See you next year" You better believe it!
Today we spent the day in Baltimore at the Aquarium which is right on the water and then drove down to Annapolis to finish off the day. We are exhausted, full of yummy food and giddy from the fun we had.
This picture was taken of Jeff and his Sister and it was by far my favorite photo of the day!
My email box and mail box are overflowing and I can't wait till things slow down so I can actually write some thank you notes and answer some emails.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Yea for Aunt Debbie.
We had a great day downtown with Jeff's sister, Debbie, who came from Seattle to give us a visit. We loved showing her and Claire the love we have for this city.
We ate at the Museum of the Native American, what a shocker! It was yummy and I am hoping Debbie can figure out how to reproduce my favorite wild rice salad.
We went the Jefferson Memorial to see the Cherry Blossoms on the Tidal Basin. I am so glad we did, because in a few more days they may have blown away.
They had wishing trees, where you could write your wish and tie it on. Annie Kate: I want to be so, so, so rich and have 3 wishes Oh my what am I teaching her?
Caroline: I wish I was a princess. ok now that is better.It was like snowing pink with the wind blowing! Debbie and I went to the FDR Memorial. I had never walked the whole thing and it was awesome. This was my favorite quote that got me a little choked up.
I spent the day at Mt. Vernon again. I think I may just apply for a job there. I was thrilled to get a photo for my "Me In D.C." gallery because I had forgot to take one two weeks ago when I went.some of the girls in the hands on center trying on the clothes
I went with the girls from our Kentlands Ward "A" days. We call it "A"days because no one can remember if it is Achievement or Activity days.
The girls did the adventure maps (a must if you take your older kids) and got the gold seal at the end and rewarded with a stick of old fashioned candy.
It was a long day, but am just amazed how you can go again and again and always learn something new.
Lucky for me Jeff was home to watch the little ones, so I could have another fun day with Annie Kate. I love Mt. Vernon.
We are the craziest people I know, and I know a lot of crazy people. Almost every Saturday we get all of our kids ready, load up the car, pull out of the garage and we have no idea where we are going. Jeff and I were just laughing after a few miles saying where are we going? We have been wanting to go down to the Hirshhorn Art Museum for a few weeks and always get so distracted. We were torn between going up north or going to downtown. The car seemed to find it's own way down to the city. On our way to the Hirshhorn, I punched in the Textile Museum into my Garmin and realized we were not to far, so again change of plans. We hit Guapos for lunch. It is a great place that gives the kids tortilla dough that keeps them totally distracted. How nice that the container store was across the street so we could make a nice little sweep inside. Look at the cool sink in the bathroom. It looked like a bowl of colored bubble gum The Textile Museum turned out to be in Embassy Row. Oh my why have we not been to this neighborhood before? It is going to the top of my list of a must see for D.C. It was absolutely beautiful. The architecture was incredible. The Textile Museum was great, small and quaint. What I loved was that everyone got a large magnifying glass to use throughout the museum. Is this not a brilliant idea to give to your kids when you take them to what may appear like a boring experience? I am going to get each of the girls one, to take on our journeys.A few houses down from the Textile Museum was the last home of Woodrow Wilson. (28th president of the United States) We walked in, found out the tour cost money, gave it a good look around and said, been there done that! We were not in the mood to pay to watch our kids ruin antiques, now for free.. maybe.
We have talked a lot about how much we have just soaked up this city and so much of the reason why is because all of this stuff is FREE! It is such a wonderful place and for cheap people like us, it is a perfect match.
... oh and the pink door. I don't know it was just someone's home on embassy row.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Will I ever get around to it?
Today we did so much, I am worried I may not get around to writing about it. So in case I don't these were my favorite photos of the day on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial of Jeff and I. I kept telling him not to smile like a monkey so in the bottom photo he said "how about a giraffe?"
Saturday, February 17, 2007
photo I took tonight at the Washington Monument
A night at the museum and I am not just talking about the movie
On this president's day weekend we opted out of going to Mt. Vernon (the home of George Washington,) and hit a Smithsonian. We picked the Natural History Museum. The rest of the city and tourists must have had the same idea, it was packed. I think even more so than when we went this summer with Davis girls.
As we walked in we noticed they had two special showings of The Night at the Museum at the IMAX and we got tickets right away. All of us had seen it except Jeff but it was the perfect setting to see it. (the setting is the Natural History Museum in New York. I have been to both and they are similar)
Annie Kate teasing Sally Jane that the beaver is real
As we walked around the museum we kept teasing Annie Kate that something was going to come to life. Caroline kept going up to totem like statues saying "Hi gum gum!"
There was some great exhibits for Black History Month and a wonderful Orchid exhibit that I wish I could have taken photos of, but the crowds and holding a 2 year old made it near impossible. (our friends the Zollingers would have loved it!) If you live close by and like Orchids, don't miss this exhibit.
one of our favorite photos
There was also a great exhibit that ends on March 19th. It is Natures Best through the art of Photography. If you enjoy nature photos, don't miss this link to see some of what is on display.
Sally Jane did a little exploring with a magnifying glass. We were sad to see the bug exhibit closed until Nov. 2007.We then saw the movie larger than life. I forget how HUGE the IMAX screen is. It was great and again just the perfect setting to see the move. It is making me crave a trip up to NY.
After the movie it was just getting dark and we had parked close to the Washington Monument so at Annie Kate's request we walked on over. It was beautiful and the sky was seriously purple. No photo shop in this photo! (unlike the top flag photo)
It was just a perfect way to end the day and begin President's Day weekend.
My Dr. McDreamy and Caroline at the base of the monument.
the rest of the day...
Easter Egg Roll
the girls each got a poster in our amazing goody bags
Sally Jane and Annie Kate getting ready to roll.
Caroline rolling away!
This was Annie Kate with one of the MANY characters walking around the south lawn. Notice the fabric on her sleeves... yes Vera Bradley
We then went to the next stage and hit it perfect for Johnny and the Sprites. Jeff imitates him all the time and I was laughing the whole time. We love this show! Caroline and Sally Jane were jumping out of their skin they were so excited.
and a wooden egg with the year and his signature. (they are already selling them on eBay)
day on the water.
Annie Kate:
It was like snowing pink with the wind blowing!
some of the girls in the hands on center trying on the clothes
The girls did the adventure maps (a must if you take your older kids) and got the gold seal at the end and 
rewarded with a stick of old fashioned candy.
The Textile Museum was great, small and quaint. What I loved was that everyone got a large magnifying glass to use throughout the museum. Is this not a brilliant idea to give to your kids when you take them to what may appear like a boring experience? I am going to get each of the girls one, to take on our journeys.
A few houses down from the Textile Museum was the last home of Woodrow Wilson. (28th president of the United States) We walked in, found out the tour cost money, gave it a good look around and said, been there done that! We were not in the mood to pay to watch our kids ruin antiques, now for free.. maybe.
Will I ever get around to it?
photo I took tonight at the Washington Monument
Annie Kate teasing Sally Jane that the beaver is real
one of our favorite photos
Sally Jane did a little exploring with a magnifying glass. We were sad to see the bug exhibit closed until Nov. 2007.
We then saw the movie larger than life. I forget how HUGE the IMAX screen is. It was great and again just the perfect setting to see the move. It is making me crave a trip up to NY.
My Dr. McDreamy and Caroline at the base of the monument.
