I love to see the temple, a musical extravaganza

 We did end up going up to DC again today.  I spent the afternoon preparing a picnic while R took a long nap to rest up for the ordeal ahead.  Around 4 we headed out.  We were in his little car since mine still isn't running so the kids were squished in the back and had no electronics.  It went really well though.  I brought E's cub book and we all worked on a lot of his things.  He's almost ready to get his Bear badge.  One fun thing he got to study was tall tales.  We read several and the children enjoyed them.  I learned a lot too, there were lots I didn't know.

 I had packed some delicious rosemary chicken, tomato and lettuce sandwiches, carrots and dip, cranberry bars and we brought a big cooler with hot water for hot chocolate or apple cider.  Sadly the cooler tipped and the a lot of the water flooded the back of the car :(  We got to the temple and discovered the trunk was wet as was the floor in the back seat area. 
Anyway we recovered as best we could and took our picnic to a nice spot.  I think it turned out fine in the end.  The kids enjoyed themselves and it was peaceful and beautiful. 

After dinner we went over to the visitors center and enjoyed an extraordinary concert by Jessica and Katelyn Lyons.  They play both the piano and the violin magnificently and we enjoyed the concert very very much.

Then we drove home. Hannah had brought some string and they spent some time practice string tricks, like witches cradle, Jacob's ladder and teacup.  Finally everyone fell asleep.  We had everyone home and in bed before 10:30, which is really late for a school night but worthwhile.



temple trip and Mr. Flay's burger

 Hannah has been so excited to go to the temple.  She and Ethan both ask a lot of questions all the time and are really interested and looking forward to going there when they are grown.  She had her birthday in August and was ready to go the next day :), it took us a while longer to get everything arrange but we finally got a chance.  We brought sweet Chelsea with us and the two girls were so darling and had a nice experience.  It was really special for me to see H doing the work with her Dad and I am grateful for the Lord's great plan of Happiness that allows families to be together forever.

 Recently I discovered that Bobby Flay, our favorite celebrity chef, had opened a restaurant in DC.  I have been trying to figure out how to get there ever since.  Sooo, it's 9 miles from the temple.  We left the temple at 9:15 and it closes at 10.  Piece of cake (you might say IF you had not driven in the district before and knew not of what you spoke)  We walked in the door at 6 minutes til.  Luckily it was still packed and there was a line so we just queued up and got our burgers.

 I had the burger of the month, the nacho burger.  It was good.  Everyone enjoyed their food.  R and I shared some sweet potato fries with honey mustard/horseradish dip.  Yumm. 
Would I go again?  Yes, if I was there and someone wanted to.  Would I go out of my way ...maybe not.  It was good, and I do love Mr. Flay but a burger is a burger is a burger.  This was one of the better ones I've had but ...

Then on the drive home we circled right by the Washington monument, which I had not seen up close at night before and it was beautiful.  I wish I had a better picture of the it.  The flags circling the bottom, lite up against the dark night were really lovely.

We got home at midnight and fell into bed.  It's a long and stressful trip.

this Sunday, BTW, the Lyons girls are performing at the visitors center and I have a picnic planned and really really want to take the kids up to hear them.  Frankly I don't know that I can persuade R to venture up again. Usually it takes him a long time to be willing to head to the city again.

mist

I am normally the first up in the morning.  It's still dark at 5:40 when I make my way to Hannah's room.  She is never too happy to see me :)  This morning she got up quickly and we chatted while she got ready.  Tonight R and I are taking her to the temple, she is very excited as she has wanted to go for a long long time and is finally 12.  I made her breakfast and a mug of hot chocolate and at 6:30 we opened the door into the dark.  Matthew was waiting in the drive way, as he is every morning, and the two of them headed off toward the bus.  A good morning chat and cup of warm hot chocolate is all I can give her to fortify her for the day.  The rest is up to her.

Depending on who is up or not I may go back to bed at this point.  Normally Lucy is up and wanting to play the piano or read a book.  This morning R was up, he often is.  Lu showered while I got her clothes and then I sent E to the shower and went downstairs to make oatmeal, and lunches.  Lu wandered down with her clothes in hand (instead of on her body) and looked outside where she spotted two deer drinking in the pond and an interesting mist. 

She went out, it was cold, and took a good look.  The deer obliged and stuck around a while.  So did the mist.  Cold air, warm oatmeal, two deer to say good morning, sweet!

update by bullet

• weather is delightful.  Coolish, feels like fall.
• E has missed soccer all week.  His hip has been hurting him.
• Lu lost a tooth.  So cute.  It came out on Monday during school.
• I worked at the book fair yesterday.  It was a lot of fun and I bought a few things for Christmas.
• carpet guy was supposed to come yesterday, and today.  Spent both days waiting.  He's actually coming on Monday.  (insert annoyed sigh)
• made chili and bread for dinner
• set the table with my favorite pier 1 white plates and bowls.  Looks very welcoming.
• Elle, from across the street, is over playing with Lu.  It's their first play date together.
• Went to Salsa's once this week with R.
• Lots of good things planned for YW.
• Car is still not working.  Thankfully Calvin let us borrow his but I feel bad having it so long.
• We got "boo"ed the other night.  The kids LOVE that.  Now it's our turn.  I need to make a treat, maybe tonight.
• E spent some time outside last night looking through his telescope for constellations. 
• R's 100 mile ride is next week. 
• We have little fruit flies that have been plaguing me for 8 days now.  I have tried the apple cider vinegar trap and the smashing them ploy and the putting away every single edible anything drill.  We still have flies.  (insert silent scream of frustration)
• my fare watcher popped up $94 from Baltimore to Bermuda.  I want to go. 
• Still looking for a job (so no Bermuda)
• J has a cold.
• H doesn't feel well today.
• She joined the Destination Imagination team at school.  I think it will be fun.
• little artist Tatum has a super cute vid up of her painting. Made me smile.
• that might be it....

little projects

I have time during the day when the kids are in school.  It's strange.  I am subbing but haven't gotten many calls.  I have been job hunting and have put in not a few applications but nothing has turned up.  The challenge is I don't want to work while they kids are home.  I have applied for a few that seemed like a great fit to me, but didn't get called.  So we shall see.  I know money is tight for everyone, even a good income doesnt' stretch too far with the price of everything going up.  So I am grateful and I try and be wise, and I am hopefull the perfect situation will come up (meaning the scheudle works well for our family, I am not too particular about what kind of work I do..for now anyway)

So what do I do during the day?  I clean.  I like my home to be clean but frankly do not find fufillment in the day in day out maintance of our home.  I don't mind it but it's not the purpose of my exisitence. 

I cook.  I pay bills. I go to the library.  I volunteer.  I work on YW stuff.  I watch NCIS.  I do laundry...a lot of it.  I sometimes do soemthing with a friend and I have been dabbling in some crafting. 

 Here is a chair seat I recovered.  Nana refinished this beautiful desk and it's been in H's room.  We moved it down to our alcove and I love it there and love the toile print on the seat. 

I made this cute gift bag out of capri sun pouches.  Lu used it when she went to Maggie's birthday party.

During RS super Saturday, which I did not go to, I saw these cute book slings and thought I could make one.  I found a cute elephant fabric and it turned out pretty cute. 

I made a couple of cute crayon roll ups.  We sent one to Tate and Lu kept one.

I have a couple other projects in the works.  I like the quick and easy ones.

weekend review

We had the nicest weekend.  Tori was the most relaxing house guest we have ever had.  We had our little adventure on Friday.  Saturday we watched conference, went to E's soccer game, watched a movie, made the world's best cinnamon rolls, seriously.  I am going to try and repeat the feat as soon as I think of three people to give a pan to since there is no way I am having four pans in my house.  Sunday was also conference, with Maggie and Summer's baptism in between and a pot luck lunch.  R took the little kids home before the last session and H, T and I stayed to watch.  When we got home we made dinner & watched the priesthood session from the archives.  We had a lot of time to visit.  It was wonderful wonderful.

Monday I took her back to the airport :( then on the way home stopped at Barnes & Noble (heaven) and to pick up our car  key. 

Colleen called and asked if the kids could come over for FHE so we had a fun night with Chelsea, Eric, Ellie and Jeffrey.  Chelsea made cookies,  Eric and Ethan played on the playground, we watched "monsters in the attic" aet dinner and had FHE. 

I love conference.  So many good words, so much inspiration, so uplifting.  LOVED it.

you too could come visit me

A couple of days ago I found out we were having a surprise last minute visitor for the weekend!  My good friend Tori was able to come stay with us.  I was really excited.  There are two kinds of family, the kind you are born into and the kind that you meet along the way and chose for yourself.  I am lucky to have great great people to call family!

however the trip has brought more disasters excitement than either one of us bargained for.

so, I couple of days ago while driving the kids home from school we saw flashing lights in our mirror. What?? I don't speed, every one was buckled, I used my turn signal...what could it be?  It was an expired tag that brought us to our pleasant roadside visit with MD's finest.  The officer was very nice and I was very polite, and the children were very shocked and at the end of the encounter I had a $290 ticket and an invitation to renew my tags...asap.  Darn it.

I went on line and paid the renewal but my laptop  would not talk to my printer so I couldn't print out the little sticker that goes in the window as a temporary tag. 

now that the background is out of the way on to the story:

Friday  morning I took Lucy to get her stitches out.  It went well.  Then took her to school and headed off to the airport.  The weather was lovely and I was looking forward to seeing Tori.  I pulled into the pick up passengers spot and saw flashing lights behind me (heart sunk)  So I rolled down my window, got out my license and waited.  Was it the tags again??  Yep.  The officer again was so nice.  I told him my sad story.  He went to look it up and didn't find a record of me having renewed my tags.  I DO NOT know why.  He went back and conferenced with his partner while I got to tell T my sordid tale.  Finally he came back and handed back my first ticket and told me to quickly get the situation straightened out.   Off to a good start.

We parked the car, went to the metro, made our way through it's labyrinth like route and came out on the mall.  I have been wanting to see the Constitution and haven't gotten to since I am always down there with the children and I didn't think they would enjoy the national archives very much.  It was a lovely lovely day in DC.  The weather was perfect, the crowds were light, and we were having a fun time.  We made our way to the archives, watched a movie that was interesting then went to the rotunda where we visited the historic documents.  It was very neat.   After that we ate lunch and headed back.

Things were going well until we started our drive home.  My car, which has been in the shop several times recently started to feel funny.  I felt like it was struggling.  Then it got worse and worse so that it was slipping out of gear and having to rev up to gain back power.  Eventually I found a place to pull over and tried the "turn it off and turn it back on" trick that serves me so well in many situations.  Nothing.  Lots of noise, no movement.  Movement is an important part of automobile transportation.  So I called R.  The I called State Farm, then I felt grateful for our smart phones.  Then T and I both called and called.  Her insurance sent us a tow truck.  So nice.  No one had a rental car.  No shop answered my call.  Finally one did.  Still no rental cars available.  Strange. Tow truck arrives.  Driver is nice but super oddly chatty and we learned his whole life story, and saw the track marks on his arms, and survived our drive unscathed and unafraid but with an "interesting" fellow to log in the memory bank. 

Meanwhile I called Laura who agreed to come to my rescue.   Thank you!!  So once at the Chevy dealer we waited.  Watched a little Judge Judy.  Then L arrived and drove us home, stopping at Colleens to get the girls and dropping us at Salsas.  I am so grateful to her. 

Salsas was delicious, the kids were falling asleep at the table (it was almost 9 o'clock by then) and then we came home. 

After scriptures and prayers R and Calvin headed back up to Waldorf to tow our car home because they can fix it for cheaper and we went to bed. 

So if you want to witness a friend chat with a cop, take the wrong metro, look at old documents, have car trouble in the ghetto and starve until late at night I know just the place for you to visit!