A Nice Day Out

I was going to write a little note about this photo. Natalie wanted Isaac to swing with her and once we put him in (it was a bit of a squeeze) she was overjoyed. After a little while the smile started to fade and pretty soon she looked up at me and said in a voice that sounded like she was trying not to complain, "He's kinda heavy." Poor thing! I think her legs must have fallen asleep.

Washington D.C.

Fun times these past few days in Washington. Usually I'm glad to be home from trips, but not so this time---I'm pretty bummed and have a little empty spot in my heart. Alright, that was pretty cheesy. Anyway---Jared's sister and family were there on vacation so we crashed in on them and made it a party! :)


Natalie and Mikey in the car on the way there.


We hit the National Zoo first...Nat was in love. Isaac wiped out in Jared's arms and was actually pretty content just like that. Jared's arm was not.






My favorite thing in D.C.: the Metro. It feel like I'm in a movie jumping on and off trains. Does anyone else think the Metro is glamourous? Jared says his favorite thing in D.C.: the escalator leading down to the metro which I'm pretty sure he just say's to poke fun at me. It was pretty cool though and this picture does not do it justice.



This is the booth where President Lincoln was shot at the Ford Theater. I'm so glad we stopped here and listened to the details surrounding his assasination and that period of history. Last time we went to D.C., when Natalie was Isaac's age incidentally, we visited Gettysburg on the way home. So this really topped it off for us as far as continuing the story of President Lincoln. Amazing to see the Lincoln Memorial. Awesome in the true sense.


On Saturday we opted for a "Go Buckeye's" look in their honor and we should have counted how many people were either also sporting Scarlett and Gray or stopped us to talk about the Bucks. Nice.

Seriously, is he really 2 1/2 months?


This door is giagantic!!!! "Welcome to the National Archives" can't be said much louder than that can it?


Heh heh heh. Age jokes are never old in our house.

This photo we are forwarding to the National Parks Service. We were at the Jefferson Memorial (really probably my favorite favorite place on our trip) at Sunset and caught the light juuust right.



I visited the Holocaust Museum by myself and am grateful to have witnessed it (just because the way things worked out since appropriately kids are under 11 are not allowed). Things I had always wondered about, cleared up. I didn't leave feeling overwhelmed or depressed. The museum is organized in such a way that the focus is on real people, not just the atrocities which occured. I didn't feel like it was a freak show to come and stare, but part memorial, part document, part look forward. I really, really wish my brother Byron could have toured it with me because he would have had a lot to say about it and I missed him there. Also, I think having read a lot about it and seen quite a bit as well helped not feel so shocked---not that a person could ever be prepared for a place like that, it just helped me grasp it better.

Anyway, great time with family. Can't wait for our next trip.

For the week of Oct. 9

We went to Cincinnati this week for just a random two day trip. We had a free night stay at a hotel and took advantage of it! Of course we couldn't miss going to the Gap Clearance center and loaded up on ultra cheap duds. This nice worker-lady brought out a purple dragon costume from the back and said "Oh, this is the last one and it would fit your daughter perfect." That was very out-of-her-way and the costume fit Natalie too perfect considering she wears costumes all day long everyday. We had to adjust her carseat straps. In the afternoon we went to the Cincinnati Museum Center a spectacular building which houses several museums. Well, my dear sweet weird child who couldn't part with her dragon costume even to purchase it (just imagine for a moment how it looked to have her being scanned by the checkout lady. I think it brightened her day and well as everyone in line) had to wear it into the museum as well. So anyway, here's Natalie looking at a polar bear with her costume and with her dad in front of a wolley mamouth exhibit. She drew much attention, some comments directed to us, some overheard. My favorite was a 4 or 5 year old boy, "Mom, why is she wearing that?" "Oh, I don't know. Maybe her mom is trying to get her money's worth out of her Halloween costume." Ha!

You may have to click on it to enlarge it.


A tag-team effort in apples this week. Natalie and I went apple picking with some friends last week, Jared canned most of them a few days later. His mom's apple crips/pie filling is to die for and easy as well, pie. (Like I can talk! He did it) Anyway, all we have to do now is pop open a jar and wahlah! Apple crisp. Yummm!!! The best part about winter. We also dried a bunch. So very yummy.


Friday I taught a half day Special Ed.---It's npt called that anymore. I really enjoy doing that. One boy hugged me twice. A little awkward, but sweet. Jared manned the house with Natalie as first mate. Here she is feeding Isaac (for the first time and loving it...I think his hand is brushing up against her and tickling her). Too bad I can't enlist her help at 3am.

Jared would make an excellent stay-at-home-dad. The other night we were talking about mommies and Jared asked her if she wanted to be a mommy when she grew up. She said, "No, I want to be a daddy."

Isaac has come down with brocio something rather. He's breaking my heart. When Natalie got sick, she let everyone know about her misery. Isaac just kinda moans and we cuddle a lot. I don't feel too guilty about enjoying it.

I sent this package to Byron. It was an idea I got from a friend and the Post Office actually sent it like that! It's just plastic sheeting you can buy at the fabric store and sewn into compartments. I'm covering the address for his privacy.

Just Pictures

12:40am

I couldn't sleep. My is tired, but I just couldn't sleep. Jared and I were talking about how to make the world a better place. Give everyone an extra 10 hours. Arguably this could create simply an inflation effect. So, only HE would have an extra 10 hours. That would make the world a better place. Maybe it could be a diagnosis at birth. 1 in every 100 babies would be born with the 10+ syndrome. Just think how much better the world would be if one in every one hundred people had an extra 10 hours (work with me here at far as the details of alternate time theories).
One in every one hundred would get full nights of sleep.
One in every one hundred would get everything on their "TO-DO" lists checked.
One in every one hundred would go to an annual convention and solve the rest of the world's problems with all of their free time.

My problem with sleep: I love it but can't get myself to give up life to do. Barring times when I just can't quite turn off my brain, there'e just too many wonderful things to do instead. It doesn't help all of us at our home are certified night owls. I love the early morning. I love the late at night. I'm not so fond of the 4pm time of day, though.
I think though if I did actually sleep regular, solid, lengthy amounts of time I would be able to devote more of true myself to life anyway.

Well. That's all for my late night/early morning rambling. It took me 9 minutes to write this. Ha! Maybe that's all I needed, a little writing and run out my brain. I think I can sleep now. Good night.