Washington DC - Days 3-4

On Thursday Tayson, Ryan and I went to the pool. I loved sitting by the pool reading my book while the boys swam and played. Then Christine brought Allen and Eric to the hotel to swim for a few hours and Tayson went home with them. It was so nice of Christine to take Tayson for the night so Todd and I could hang out together. That night we went out to eat at a really nice Steak House then went downtown and walked around for a bit.

Todd and I on our "date" downtown

The next morning we got up and out by 8:30 for a long run. We went 10 miles on the most beautiful trail (Capital Crescent Trail). At one point the woods next to us looked exactly like my back yard growing up. The run was brutally hot and I've never sweat that much in my entire life.

The trail

Then after our run we met Tayson and went downtown to the museums. We went to the Air and Space Museum first. They had a great hands on section for kids. I'm not sure if Tayson or Todd had more fun.

Tayson and Todd at the Air & Space

Then we went to the American History Museum. I loved the Star-Spangled Banner exhibit and the First Ladies dresses the most.


After the museums closed we went out to dinner and then walked to a little park to catch fireflies. We caught 2 but they were injured and didn't light up much. It was fun to see fireflies - I've missed them.

Tayson with his lightning bug

The little guy escaped just as a I was taking a close up picture.

Washington DC - Days 1 & 2

Our bishop's wife told us that when each of their boys have turned 8 they our bishop has taken each boy on a special trip alone. Todd and I thought this was a great idea so we decided to start this tradition in our family. This summer while Todd is working in Washington DC and with Steve and his family being there for 2 months we decided that would be the perfect trip to take Tayson on. He was so excited. Taking his own rolling suitcase instead of a duffel bag was very exciting for him. I think he looks so dang cute at the airport ready to board the flight.





Our flight out had a stop in Detroit. The first leg of the flight was painless and a little over 3 hours. Tayson was great and loved watching Animal Planet on his own TV. Then we had about 45 minutes in Detroit before our second leg. I hurried and grabbed a little dinner for us (really expensive cheese pizza - you've gotta love the airport). Then we boarded the flight. It started to rain as we were boarding the plane and it was a nice BIG thunderstorm. So they closed the ramp at the airport which meant no take offs, landings, luggage, or catering services doing their jobs until 10 minutes after the last lighting is seen. We sat on the plan for about a half hour with the door closed waiting for the storm to pass during which the air conditioning didn't work since the engines weren't on and we weren't hooked up to the jetway anymore. It was SO HOT so they had all of us get off the plane and wait in the airport for another 30 minutes. Then we boarded again and went onto the runway where we stopped again. Apparently the storm that just left us was moving to DC so they weren't letting any flights going there take off. Another 45 minutes on the runway this time (at least the air worked this time). Then we finally took off for an hour long flight and got to DC. Because of the storm the DC airport was a mess and we sat on the runway there for a good 40 minutes again. But we made it and it was so fun to see Todd. We jumped on the subway and were back at his hotel before midnight.

The next day Tayson and I slept in a little and met Todd for a quick breakfast (he had to work) then headed downtown on the subway to meet Ryan and go to the Spy Museum.


Ryan and Tayson were both wearing their Cabo San Lucas shirts which cracked me up. They hadn't seen each other for 2 months and were so excited that they poked, laughed, wrestled and played through the entire museum. It was a pretty cool museum and I think that if they were a couple of years older they would have enjoyed it more.

After the spy museum we had lunch then came back to the hotel to swim. When Todd got off work we took the boys to see "Despicable Me" then out to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Ryan spent the night with us at the hotel. It was a great day!

Bedtime Songs

Part of our bedtime routine is reading books and singing songs. A month or so ago I was singing song after song to Sophie when she was sick and Claire overheard me singing "Walk Tall, You're a Daughter" to her. Later that day and every day since when I'm singing to Claire at night she asks me to sing her "Soph's favorite" (which is funny because Sophie has heard the song once and the other 3 kids all have it memorized by this time - but that's what we call it in our house). I love singing the 2nd verse of this song to the kids because the lyrics are so beautiful and so fitting.

It goes like this:

Long before the time you can remember
Our Father held you in his arms so tender
Those loving arms released you as he sent you down to earth
He said, “My child, I love you
Don’t forget your great worth.”
Walk tall you’re a daughter, a child of God
Be strong please remember who you are
Try to understand, you’re part of his great plan
He’s closer than you know
Reach up, He’ll take your hand.

Anyway, last night when I was singing it Claire kept adding "cha cha cha" to the end of each line. As soon as it was over Tayson said "Claire it is embarrassing to have a sister who isn't reverent during church songs". She could have cared less and he was so serious about it - it was all I could do to keep from laughing. Then Tayson said family prayers for us and in it he said "bless Claire to be respectful of songs". That kid cracks me up. One minute he says stuff like that and the next minute he's doing slippery feet for something so silly.

Sophie Turns Two

The day started with birthday pancakes before I left for work.
I love this tradition and so do my kids. It's a fun way to kick off a birthday.

Since Todd was gone on her actual birthday we just had a yummy spaghetti dinner and then I made her favorite "doodkies". I made funfetti cookies with frosting, sprinkles and a candle. She loved them and even waited until the very end of the song to blow out her candle. Such a big girl.

She didn't actually eat her cookie just licked off all of the frosting. She has the craziest hair.
It's no wonder she always has food and snot in it.

After we sang to Sophie I let all the kids put a candle in theirs - they love to blow out candles.

This kid is such a spazz.

I love that Claire has spaghetti on her chin and there is food on the table in front of her. I obviously didn't plan this photo very well. But she's happy and she's cute.

Then we had the birthday party for her on Saturday when Todd was home. Todd set up the pool (you know the huge one he bought when I was running for 2 days) right next to the trampoline. It was a HUGE hit with the kids.

I LOVE this picture. My kids have the best dad ever. He loves to play with them and he spoils them by buying them crazy things like a blue bladder pool.
When he has a day off all he wants to do is hang out with us. He is awesome!

The birthday girl. She loves her water wings and her turtle.

We bought some splash balls and if you look closely you can see right in front of the ladder the ball is going for daddy. The kids would go on the tramp and then throw the ball at someone.

The belly flop contest

The contest - they did cannonball and belly flop contests.

Lexie

Talon (was hilarious and obviously fearless)

Tayson

Then we opened presents.
While the boys were still swimming and eating pizza the girls had a makeover.
Claire and Annabell did everyone's makeup.

Claire and Bella did makeup and put on their princess outfits for the wedding. Then they came out and Bella asked Tayson to marry her and Claire tried marrying Luke and tried to kiss him on the lips. The boys wanted nothing to do with it and Luke even pushed Claire away. We're going to need to discuss marriage, kissing and incest with these two eventually.

It was so hard to get pictures because the kids swarmed like bees.

Then we sang and had strawberries and homemade ice cream.

Sophie had such a great time. Happy Birthday Sophie Bug!!

How did this happen?

Look at my baby. Oh wait she's not a baby anymore. She's 2! How did this happen? And why did it happen so dang fast? I love this little bug more than words can express. She has filled every single empty space that our family had with her huge and contagious personality. She is adorable and silly and so much fun. I can't believe I'm done with babies and diapers and getting up in the night. For some reason it really hit me today that this is it .... we're moving forward and this little girl won't slow down for one minute to let it sink in. She crawled too early, she walked too early, she sat at the table like a big girl too early and she even potty trained too early. I'm not sure I'm ready for her to be so grown up. She just doesn't want to be a baby. Good thing I have so many nieces and nephews to get my baby fix.

Happy Birthday my sweet Bugga Bug!!!

Love Letters

When Todd and I were dating and first married he would always leave me little notes around the house. I still have lots of them tucked away in my journal (you know the old paper one that I don't write in since this is my journal now). Yesterday he left for Washington DC in the afternoon. When I got home from work I had to go to the mall to pick something up and get take out for dinner then hung out with the kids and then way later that night finally went into my bedroom to fold a load of laundry and I saw this sweet note on my pillow. Yes it made me smile and cry and really miss Todd. But most of all it made me happy because as hard as it is with Todd traveling we have grown closer and we really do appreciate each other more because of it.


I thought he just left me a note until I put Sophie down for bed a little later. Then we went and found all the kids notes. We all read them together. The boys can read but they needed a little help with dad's handwriting :)



I couldn't find Claire's note so I asked her if she found a note on her pillow and she brought it to me all folded up. She had tucked it away in her purse. Classic Claire.


This one is the family favorite. We laughed and laughed and the boys read and re-read it over and over. Even this morning they were talking about Sophie's "poopy" note. This really does encompass most of her vocabulary though. (a few words she says that are missing: diaper, sucker, cookie, Tinkerbell and Dora)


We love you too and can't wait to see in 2 more days!

Sidewalk of Fire

Every year our neighborhood does a huge block party for the 4th of July. It's never on the actual 4th which is perfect. This year it was on Monday the 5th. We spent the long weekend in Vegas (and I didn't take 1 picture....nice). We got home very late Sunday night. Monday was a nice relaxing day. We played outside, we had a bar-b-que and we went to the sidewalk of fire. It was a perfect ending to a nice long weekend. I love my neighborhood and I really love my country!