The Rest of our DC Vacation

I didn't chronicle our DC trip very well. Hmmm. Let's see if i can remember any details. How about a picture post? Alrighty.

We spent a lot of time with Grandma and Grandpa. Well, mostly Grandma. Gpa went on a business trip a couple days after we arrived. But the boys loved playing with him and missed him when he was gone. This is, quite possibly, the best picture my dad has ever had taken of himself. And Keegen cracks me up.

We spent a day at Rae's--my high school friend who has three boys. I didn't get a shot of all the boys this time. But the above is the gist. They enjoyed running wild with the boys.

We spent loads of time with the cousins at their pool. Love the goggles, Fi. Good times.

Keegen was so happy with this simple little boat he found in the water. It helped him feel better after he scraped his face and chin on the bottom of the pool when he tried to get his toy car out of the water. Oops.

Love this shot. Bode and Fiona just had a great time with each other.

I don't think Chloe is too keen on Keegen's goodbye hug!

And last minute, I was able to schedule a photo shoot with Jeri. I've been wanting to do this for a couple years but for one reason or another it hasn't worked out. She had a last minute cancellation that the boys and I were able to slip into. So we made a quick run Saturday morning to meet her at Lake Elkhorn. Oh how i love that lake and the memories that come back to me! Bode and I spent SO MUCH TIME walking and running and playing and bird/turtle/frog/beaver watching, playing on the playground. It was a source of some great times and sanity savers for me! Anyway. We met her there in the hot, muggy morning. I really wasn't sure what to expect since in the past we haven't had good experiences with real photo sessions. But i had a lot of faith in Jeri. And the boys were AWESOME. Bode really surprised me and got into it. Keegen was great in the beginning and oh-so-done in the end. I just think Jeri has magical powers. Yes, that must be what it is. She put the proofs up on her site for us to see and I am amazed at the number of fantastic shots she got. Super happy about it. It was supposed to be a surprise for Doug's birthday (a nice picture of me and the boys for his office) but once i saw the proofs, i decided to let him in on it and we've enjoyed going through the pictures trying to decide which ones we want. We've never had such a selection before! Anyway. I'll have to post some of the pictures once we get them! After the session we went to the playground for old times sake and i got to chat with Cami for a bit, which was a fun surprise! And then i took the boys to Daedalus Books because when i'm in Columbia, i just can't resist that place! We scored a bunch of great dinosaur books to feed Bode's new passion.

We were in DC for a week. When i scheduled it i wasn't sure that would be long enough. But it was just about right. We were able to spend time with family and a few friends. And it was surprisingly nice to come home!

Our Version of the Beach

For kids who don't LOVE the water, mine really love the beach. The sand to dig in and bury stuff in and rediscover stuff they buried. The water to dip toes in and maybe walk in a little further if they're feeling adventurous. There will be no annual beach trip this year. We usually spend a week in the Outer Banks, but this year we have a family reunion in Utah instead.

Happily, we were invited to our friends' pool today and they have a BEACH. Now, when she said, "We can take the kids to the beach too" i was expecting an oversized sandbox. But was surprised to find an actual beach along the lake.

It was perfect. The boys had a blast. Kristen and i got to talk under the shade of an umbrella and my boys could have stayed there all day long!

Bode and the Dinosaurs

Anybody else love the book Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff? I remembered it from my childhood and have loved reading it to the boys. Bode has especially loved it. And more recently has a fascination for dinosaurs, which is a pleasant change from the years of trains and trucks (although the trains and trucks are definitely here to stay!). Bode had a "Digging with Dinosaurs" day camp one week in June and thus began this new interest.

So, oh yeah, we're in Virginia visiting family this week (minor detail) and i've been most excited about taking the boys downtown to the Natural History Museum (one of the Smithsonians). Today was the day. We got a late start, parking was packed at the metro (totally frustrating fiasco but we eventually got on a train after 45 minutes). The boys loved the metro. That alone could have been our main event. We could have just gone back and forth on the metro. Well, they could have gone back and forth. Me? Notsomuch. We got to the Smithsonian station and headed up the Mall. I pointed out the Washington Monument to them. OK. I LOVE being back in DC. Love it. I love showing them things i grew up around and drove past on my way home from work; etc. I know. They're 2 and 4 and won't remember, but i don't care.

We had a little lunch on a patch of grass on the Mall and then headed into the museum. We checked out the huge elephant in the rotunda and then went straight to the hall of dinosaurs. It was dark (and PACKED! HELLO! Summer tourists!). So we walked in and i said, "Bode! Guess what's in here?" He walked in and realized what he was seeing and the smile that came across his face was so great. A little bit of awe. A little bit of wow. We checked out the three main dinos--the triceratops, T-rex and diplodocus. We looked at diaramas and more bones. We looked at pre-Ice Age animal skeletons/fossils. We looked at prehistoric water creatures. And after about 30 minutes Bode looked at me and said, "Mom. I'm tired. I want to go back to Grandma's." And really, they were both beat. We were there when Keegen normally naps. Just getting there that morning had worn them out (I'll spare you any more of the parking-at-the-metro/RUDE-metro-"customer service"-people details). (AND a sidebar. Parking at the Vienna metro has probably increased 7-8 fold since i was in college and it was FULL. Gas prices?). Anywho. I tried to lure them into the mammal hall. But no go.

So we stepped outside, grabbed a couple of patriotic popsicles from the refreshment stand, which they thoroughly enjoyed. Walked back to the metro and headed home. They were totally hyper and obnoxious on the way home (after i looked at the angels they were on the way there and thought about how lucky i am to have such great little travelers!). Keegen eventually fell asleep sitting up.

We had a little stop at Maggie Moo's (because the popsicle on the Mall wasn't enough). Then we met my sister and her girls for dinner. And then the boys passed out in bed within minutes of getting there.

Sadly, this is the best picture of these four. i took, like, 8 shots.

I love how much there is to do here. Love it love it love it.

The Long Weekend

dog pile!!!

on the skyride at the zoo. waaaay cool.

this chipmunk picture amuses me

Doug's brother Randy and Doug's sister Kristen and her daughter came to visit us this weekend. It was somewhat unexpected. Randy got orders to move from SC to Seattle (he's in the Navy). He decided to drive cross-country and stop along the way to visit family (so he hit Louisiana, CO, they should be getting to Utah now and then Idaho before they get to Oregon where his parents live). Kristen and Alyssa flew out to Louisiana and joined him for the remainder of his drive.

I was on-call all weekend (still am till 7:30 tomorrow morning) but enjoyed their visit. The boys loved having fresh playmates. And that is one really great thing about Doug's family--they love to play. Bode got up each morning and played quietly until one of them woke up to play with him...Nice. We enjoyed the fireworks on the night of the 3rd. Had a super-yummy barbecue of our own on the 4th. They went to the zoo (i stayed home since i feared being called into work). Played at a couple parks. On Saturday Alyssa stayed home and watched a movie while the boys slept and us grown-ups went out to see "Get Smart." It was a fun flick. Lots of laughs which i really need lately!

Bode was sad they had to leave ("I want them to leave the next morning!"). Keegen smothered them in hugs and kisses. It was an easy goodbye since we will see them next month for the familiy reunion in Aspen Grove. I will miss the lovely distractions they were for the boys!

Cheap Laugh

In an effort to push down the underpants post, i thought i'd share what i thought was funny as i opened the mail tonight (Doug and i were just coming home from a lovely dinner at Chili's WITHOUT the boys. Our neighbor came and sat at the house so we could escape).

So anywho, this made me laugh:

Dear Member:

Mountain View Electric Assocation will have crews working in your area on Thursday, July 10, 2008. In order to complete this work in a safe and efficient manner, an outage is planned. This outage is scheduled from 8:00 am to 9:00 am and will last approximately 1 hour.

I added the bold to show what made me laugh. Thank you for the clarification on how long it is between 8 and 9.

I must be really tired.