Day 7 - Hanging out with Nate and Malan

After all the sleeping she did she was starving! She had a bucnh of chicken nuggets, a whole pizza slice, a tall cup of water, and an icecream cone. I was so amazed at how much she wolfed down!

We pretended we were airplanes after exploring the Air and Space Museum with Nate and Malan.



Kallyn either did not want to go home or she just didn't like flying to the car in the parking lot! It scared her a bit too much.

Day 7, Sunday - White House tour

Kallyn almost missed the tour because she fell asleep while we were walking to the entrance gate. But she woke up about halfway through it. Phara hooked us up with a sweet tour guide. He was great with the girls and seemed excited to show us where the president works. We only saw the west wing and the pressroom which used to be a pool! The oval office was so much more awsome than in any of the movies or pictures!






We were only allowed to take pictures outside and in the Pressroom.


The pressroom where the President gives speaches and press conferences.


Just inside the gate in front of the White House




All the tourists stuck on the outside wishing they had an awsome friend that works in the Pentagon who could get them a personal tour through the White House! Thanks again Phara!
In front of the White House with the rest of the tourists.

Day 7, Sunday - morning at Goodsons, Holocost Museum, and Veteran Bikers

Good morning Munchkins!!!!!! Malan was so excited to have girls to play with.

Subway Junkies! Can't get enough of it!

Allison learned the trick of plugging your ears and it's not so loud.


We went to get tickets to the Halocaust Museum and were given some ANYTIME passes from one of the Vets who had extra passes. I did not like the idea of taking the kids through and I ended up walking ahead of Nate and Eric with three screaming toddlers trailing behind me. It was not the experience that I was looking for, but at least I got to see some of the exhibits. Allison's favorite exhibit was the pile of shoes on display showing the thousands of shoes that were taken from the people before they were taken to the concentration camps. Go figure! Her and shoes are like PB&J!

Since it was Memorial Day there was a HUGE Veterans gathering of Bikers. The Paraded around the National Mall. It was stressfull because we had to cross the street twice to get o our White House tour and they wouldn't allow anyone to cross the street while they were making their rounds. It was hours before they were finshed. We were able to bolt out and cross through the big gaps in the bikers and make it to the tour on time.

I love this Picture! Kallyn was so excited she got to give them a high 5. More like touch fingertips, but she was excited none the less!

The Best 6 years ever

Eric was taking a class in DC for school and we tagged along with him so we could celebrate our 6th Wedding anniversary. We ran into a couple and they were celebrating their 6th year anniverasry also! So cool! They had 2 kids like us also! But they left theirs behind.
I have been so blessed to have such a loving and caring husband for these 6 years. Thanks babe! We have come so far in our marriage and we have overcome so many obstacles. I am very impressed with the way we have grown together. I love you Eric!

Day 6 Part III, War Memorials and Dinner

Walking the Vietnam Memorial


Beautiful WWII Memorial






The crew walking to find dinner. Notice that Lexi and Allison are holding hands. So cute! Lexi sure is a great big sister and good friend.

My favorite picture of Russel. Actually, my only picture of Russel. What a trooper! Lucky fellow!

We tried dinner at "Trolly Ollies" a cheap old fashioned burger joint. I dodn't think that I have ever smelled so much grease before. It was almost naseating, but the friends were unbeatable!

Day 6 - Part II, Monuments and Memorials

After strolling the street we met up with the Allen's at the Washington Monument and then we walked over to the Lincoln Memorial. It was crowded so it was hard to get a good picture of the Lincoln statue, but we got some great pictures of the Allen Family! We also had a great time hanging out and giving the kids some time to play.
Who's that? Can you tell?




The girls followed me over to the front of the statue while I took a family picture for the Cranes. I didn't know they followed me so I walked back to the group and found them to be missing. I franticly tried to stay calm and retraced my steps hoping to see them and I found them posing for a group of non-English young adults where I had taken the Crane's picture. They were so cute standing next to each other giving their best smiles and poses. Then they insisted on getting pictures with them. So here's about half of the group with the photogenic toddlers of mine!



I love this picture with me and Bug!



Sweet! The crowds parted for a small moment so we could get our family picture!



Lexi, Kallyn, and Allison in front of the Lincoln Memorial, eating gold fishes.

While in the Lincoln Memorial the babies needed diaper changes and feedings so we let the kiddies run around for a bit. This is a video of the creative minds of little children who have a crippled father with a really awesome old-man walking cane:

The kids did about 20 laps around the parents!

Day 6, Saturday - Big day! part I

Start off with a good nap!



and Piggy noses!




In front of the Information "Castle"






What's a Fallout shelter?


Our day started off a little late as usual. We stayed the night with some more friends from New Mexico-the Goodsons, but they live an hour north of DC so it took us a while to get there. We tried the Air and Space Museum, but they wouldn't let us in because of Eric's soda! Yup! The one in the picture above. So we started walking hoping to catch up to the Allen's or the Crane's. On the way we ran into another couple celebrating their 6th wedding anniversary also. The husband had just gotten back from Iraq and they were spending some time together before he left again. Kallyn was thoroughly enjoying the time with daddy! She was so excited to show him all the things we had seen earlier in the week without him. She had to do everything with him. They were inseparable, at least until we caught up with the other kids!



We were playing statues!

Day 5, Friday night - Dinner at Five Guys with 3 guys and their families

Good friends + good food = GOOD TIMES!

Day 5, Friday - Mishap at the museum and more!

Eric's last day. He only had class in the morning so Michelle, the kids, and I met him for Lunch at the Museum of Natural History Cafe. Kallyn had to go to the bathroom and on the way down she got her fingers squished in the Elevator. It was a glass elevator and she was looking out at all the people when the doors opened right as we stopped and her fingers slid with the doors as the opened and the metal frame squished them stuck as it completely opened. There was a young man in the elevator with us and he quickly pushed the open doors button to release her hand. Poor Kallyn was so scared. I was too! She was screaming and no one bothered to check to see if she was alright. I stole a soda cup to fill with Ice and Eric got her to stick her hand in it. Her fingers swelled up really fast and I was so scared that they were broken. She insisted that she needed a band aid so I took her to the information desk to ask if they had a band aid since her fingers were just crushed in their elevator. The guy behind the desk politely responded with "unfortunately we don't have any band aids, but you can purchase a first aid kit in our gift shop" then he directed me in the direction of the gift shop where I am sure that the "first aid" kit he was referring to would be a tiny bag of 5 off brand band aides and a single use neosporin cream for $15 (thankyou for supporting the National Musuem! Your $15 will save the planet!). Thankfully there was a sweet grandma who immediately dumps out the contents of her purse right there on the counter and shifts through the stuff and pulls out a few band aids. Kallyn immediately stopped crying and we had a rather enjoyable day thereafter. Her fingers were bruised but not broken!


In front of the big elephant in the mainfloor lobby of the Museum of Natural History.

Looking at the fossils and dino bones.





At the really cool fountain/reflection pool in the Sculpture Garden.



Jace LOVED the pool. Allison would splash in the water and he thought it was the funniest thing! His laugh is sooo cute and contagious!