Welcome to our World

Fort McHenry, historic ships, and our first Orioles game As Husband drove to Baltimore I had the Good Morning Baltimore song playing from Hairspray on my phone.  This was his first visit to the city and he could see why I was so excited to show it to him. First stop was Fort McHenry, the place that gave me my first real feelings of patriotism as a child. It was great. The story of the Star Spangled Banner came alive for us and the kids seemed to appreciate our nation's flag after that. While there we bought a children's book called "The Biggest (and best) Flag in the World" which both K and D got to have their teachers read out loud to the class after returning home. After that we went for more history touring the USS Constellation in the harbor -- still just as cool as I remembered it. Much of what I saw reminded me of the books in the Bloody Jack series I've read about a girl who pretends she's a boy so she can join the navy as a ship's boy. We also ...

Monday thru Thursday we were on our own, so I did my best to not rush the children and stop and return to the hotel when the they asked. Of course we didn't see as much as we would have otherwise, but we had a great time and no meltdowns. Mission accomplished. In order to let K and D see to some of the sights they had learned about recently in school, I wanted to take them to the National Mall.  How to do that when you're solo with 4 kids ages 7 and under?  A tour bus!  I highly recommend it. We took the metro to Union Station, where we boarded a double decker bus we could go on and off as we pleased. We got to see the Washington monument, which was what K wanted to see most. We spent a lot of time at the Jefferson Memorial, including eating lunch. It was a bummer the cherry blossoms we still buds instead of in bloom, but we had frozen lemonade, so it was all good. I had never seen the FDR one and the children loved it. K was super happy she could show a picture of her...

Husband came home from work one day and apologetically explained he had to go out of town on business the week after Easter. I replied it was the kid's spring break and to ask his work if we could join him. We could, so we did! We flew ahead of his co-workers to enjoy the weekend with Dad before he had to arrive at work Monday morning.   On Saturday we were thrilled to meet Joe and Sandy at the Air and Space Museum annex. They are such a great couple and so good with my children. (We hadn't seen Joe since last June when he, his dad and step mom fly out to visit us. And we hadn't seen Sandy since 2012.) It was a joy to be there with them seeing the space shuttle Discovery and THE Enola Gay. That plane gave me goosebumps as I thought back to the book Unbroken and what those POWs thought about seeing B-29s flying over Japan. Although atomic weapons are hideous, I can't help but be grateful for all the lives it saved on both sides of that hideous war. Easter Sunda...

I simply adore how birthdays are celebrated in Waldorf schools.  I was so full of pure joy I could have cried.  The children had all found something special in the yard to give to her like an acorn shell or a pretty leaf and our family was invited to join us in a candle lighting ceremony where we shared a short story from every year of M's life.  D couldn't have been sweeter to his little sister, either.  He was so proud to be there after being picked up from kindergarten. Her birthday fell on a Friday this year so after being fed cake and ice cream and given a present at her dance class, Daddy took her out to eat at her favorite restaurant, Texas Roadhouse. The next day was her Octonauts birthday party.  If you had asked me a year ago about this tv show, I would have had no clue, but she loves it now!  It's like the Wonder Pets meets Wild Kratts under the sea.  That wall in the dinning room got painted blue just in time, don't you think? On...

Happy Palm Sunday!  This was one of the last Sundays we were stuck being in the lobby during Sacrament meeting because we were late.  We've finally figured out what time to set the alarm clock for and it helps so much N loves nursery and is so excited to get her own shoes on for us.  Since so many of our neighbors were going to be out of town for Easter Sunday (including us) we had our annual Easter egg hunt in the pocket park on Palm Sunday this year.  A wonderful time was had by all and my children were so grateful they didn't have to miss it after all.  I apologize I didn't get great pictures. These two sisters.  It is so fun to see them wearing matching outfits K and M used to wear together.  I just love the smile N is giving M in this picture.  It should be interesting to see how N gets used to having M also go to school every day like K and D do next year.  I hope she doesn't get bored! This is perfection right here. ...