Trip to Washington D.C.

We took a trip to Washington D.C. a couple of weeks ago. We packed as much in as we could over the weekend, including a visit to Mt. Vernon (George Washington's Estate). It was gorgeous!

Places we visited/things we saw: The Smithsonian (The American History Museum, The Air and Space Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Smithsonian Castle), The White House, The Lincoln Memorial, The Jefferson Memorial, The Washington Memorial, The Iwo Jima Memorial, The WWII Memorial, The Korean War Memorial, The Supreme Court, The Capital Building, The Library of Congress, The National Archives (The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights), The National Christmas Tree, The FBI Building, Ford Theatre (where Lincoln was shot), The Washington D.C. Temple (and the amazing visitors center), Boy Scouts of America Monument, George Washington's Grave at Mt. Vernon, a Tree that Washington planted himself, a mirror that Washington looked into each day, The Original Star Spangled Banner in the American History Museum, The Arlington National Cemetery (JFK's grave, Robert E. Lee's house, and The changing of the guard at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier), what seemed like a thousand other buildings, statues, and monuments, and of course our very welcoming beds each night! :)

View of the National Mall from the WWII Dutch Bell-Tower

The kids having some fun near the Dutch Bell Tower

Iwo Jima Memorial

The View of the Potomac and Maryland from just below the back park at Mt. Vernon

Mount Vernon

Snoopy in the WWI section of the Air and Space Museum. The kids were surprised to see Snoopy there!

The White House

The kids were in total awe inside the Smithsonian Museums. One of them (guess who!) tried to climb onto the original plane that the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk.

Christmas Magic

We just finished writing our letters to Santa. They were fun filled letters full of dolls and dinosaurs. Now what to do with them? Santa 's helper needed to think of something special. . .a magic mailbox was at the top of my list but we don't have one and we all know that regular USPS cannot be trusted. Then I thought of the tooth fairy? Why not! if the tooth fairy can do it why not Santa. My kids have yet to have any experience with the tooth fairy so when that does come around they are going to think that she stole the idea from the big guy. . .besides in my house we always put our teeth in a cup of water on the fridge and that is how she did her magic.

So I told the kids to put their letters under their pillows and that Santa would magic them to the north pole. The Rock wrote a letter too, magic works for adults as well. The kids wanted to go to bed right then, but there was no settling down Nidnid. He had a firm grasp on his letter under his pillow wanting to be sure that he didn't miss anything. I gently reminded him that Santa would only magic them away if they were asleep, and that he better loosen his grip otherwise it might not work. They finally settled down and were out.

3:00 AM

Nid comes bounding into our bedroom and jumps onto the bed.
"MOM, MOM it worked, it's gone!! Santa magicked my letter away!!"

THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS!

In the morning we all went to look at this miracle that had occurred. And in the place of the missing letters hung two candy canes on the bed. WOW!!

"Did it work for you Dad?" "Yep!"

"But not for you Mom. . .you didn't get a candy cane 'cause you didn't write a letter to Santa."

That's okay, this was even better then a candy cane!!

I love Christmas!!

Yahtzee

We all know how Rocky loves to play games. In fact during the last week or so he has played Risk, Axis and Allies and now his current favorite: Yahtzee. Over the years we have battled to get the top score on our little hand held yahtzee game. I have held it for five straight years with a top score of 527 that I earned during an epic round robin tournament between myself, Rocky and our brother-in-law Gary over the pacific ocean on our way to Hawaii. Amazing!! We go through times when we don't play it for months and then someone picks it up and starts a new battle. Right now he is holding it up in my face and saying "HA HA I have got over 250 everytime. . .who is the king, I have gotten 7 straight games over 250 and 4 over 300. . .don't mess with me sweety!" " I am not going to stop playing until I get a game less then 250, that is my rule."
This game is very addicting, as you can tell. It is fun to battle back and forth, it is even more fun when you are on a roll, like he is Right now!!
"Hehe, my seventh yahtzee" again he is waving it in my face. . . WHAT!! "my 9th yahtzee in 15 minutes"
As he is playing he is singing "Funky town doodoodoo Funky Town", to the music of a Funky Town toy that a friend gave our kids. The kids are all wandering around singing it too. I am never going to live this down. The worst part is that I started it yesterday, and I never got over 200!
"Over 300 again!!I just can't help it, I have never seen anything like this...this is unreal!"
"I'm DONE!!"
"Okay, I am just going to get in the shower... I could go all day like this"
I love my husband so much, it is a good thing that I have gotten over my competative nature otherwise when he gets in the shower I might try to top him. . .Besides I still have the top score!!

As I type he is counseling with the kids "you guys let me tell you something . . .your father is a world class yahtzee player."

Easter in Logan

Easter is one of my favorite times. We have been able to spend it at Grandma and Grandpa Bray's for the last few years. This year we did the Easter-egg hunt at Uncle Billy's mom's house. Grandma made a fun Hive and bumble bee cake for dessert, that I got to help decorate. The kids had fun on the "jeeps" and feeding the horses. Nid is taking over where his dad left off, playing checkers with Grandpa.

The Big Day!!

Life has gone by so fast this last month. Rock has done so much and accomplished so much. It has been a long road however one that has lead to a graduation from BYU!! I am so proud of all that he is and who he is becoming and what he has done. The road has not been easy he has had to balance so much. Work, school, family and church. Raising and providing for three children, loving them, spending time with them, teaching them!! He has had a hard road to graduation and a long road still ahead. But we are going to enjoy the next few months until. . .Law school, which will be the next step for our little family. It will be fun to see what the next three years bring us.

Some Fun Picks of the Weekend, Graduation, Bowling, and Swimming