Spring Break Trip to the Zoo

With Spring Break upon us we headed out each morning to take in a few sights and sounds of the area. We started with the zoo. It was insane, I had never seen it so busy and it was hard to even get close to see the animals, so we made it a quick trip and stopped by the Museum of Architecture in DC, a fun day had by all, except for maybe the poor animals that were hounded at the zoo!

DC Challenge Nation

We got our team together again to participate in the DC Challenge - it was great fun, so fun to get out with these fun ladies!

 Ivy, Stacy, Kara, Natalie and Corinne

 Our first photo was with a stranger on the subway wearing a Braves hat.

 Re-enacting Lincoln's assassination at Ford's Theater.  I'm not sure why they are laughing when someone is getting shot.

 Outside the Secret Service Headquarters.  We were supposed to do a pose based on what has been in the news lately, but that's as good as we got.

 The Modern Art Smithsonian Museum at the outside sculpture garden.

 Native American Museum.

 Shaking a dog's hand (paw).

 A typo in this sign.

 Monument to President Garfield.

 We had to spell USA with our bodies in front of the capitol building.

 The Grotto close to the capitol.

 Supporting a charity called "Back on My Feet" at the Union Pub.

Here is the shot at the finish line with our medals (we didn't win, everyone got a medal). It's a great way to see a city and spend a day with great friends. Not only did we have fun, but we beat the mean team with the sombreros, and that's really all that matters.

Spring Break 1 - Lowry's & Streadbeck's

We spent Spring Break in the District, playing tourist and tour guide and we loved it. 

We had so many friends and family visit us over the past several weeks - we kicked it off with the Lowry's visiting from California and the Streadbeck's from Richmond, VA. 

It's always fun when old college friends get together!

 We took all of these kids on a tour of the Capitol - I think we might have set a record for the largest group of kids that was not a school! But they all did really well and even learned a thing or two. 

 We then took a little tour around some of the monuments - and were even able to get a group picture. 

 Connor and Tate are in training to eventually give a tour of the Capitol - they've done it about a dozen times!

 These two just tag along and go with the flow, snagging treats as they go. 

 Connor and Blake were two peas in a pod. I'm not sure who had more fun with who, especially as they texted back and forth poking fun at each other and sending hilarious emoticons. I'm glad they were both entertained!

 Maren was a great sport with Gage - who latched on to her and took full advantage of having someone new around to talk their ear off and steal all attention he possibly could - mission accomplished!

 I'm never in pictures - Ryan insisted on one of us together. 

 This clown makes us all laugh. 

 And this girl is a super ham for the camera!

And these two, ahhhh! Can I just say it does my heart good to see them together, happily married and blissfully with each other. So glad that they were able to come out and visit - if only it could be every weekend!

Toothless

Soon this little boy will not be able to eat at all. It took him quite a while to lose any teeth at all, not a single tooth until the end of first grade. Then it was a long wait until late in second grade when he finally lost another - now three in just a few weeks and he is loving the cash flow it is producing for him. 

His last tooth he lost and couldn't find it anywhere, so he brazenly left a not for the tooth fairy explaining his predicament with full faith that he would be rewarded. Turns out, our tooth fairy is a softy and left the promised cash for the little money grabber. 

Crazy Hair Day

For once I finally held off cutting the boys hair so that we would be able to do something with it. 

Here is what they requested and came up with. 

 Gage decided on a faux hawk - I cut the sides but left the top longer - with an immediate haircut when he got home from school!

 Connor went with as many pony tails as possible with his longer locks - he got a lot of compliments from the female contingent. 

Tate was a twinner to Gage and also received a haircut upon return from school. 

Jimmer in DC

The BYU Alumni Association here in DC does some pretty great events. Jimmer was in town with the Kings to play the Wizards so everyone was invited to buy seats together and meet Jimmer and watch the Kings warm up. It was a lot of fun and there were more BYU jerseys at the game than there were Kings or Wizards jerseys. 

It happened to be Jimmer's birthday so we sang the primary version of happy birthday to him. Each time he scored the arena erupted in cheers. We had lots of fun, ate way too many nachos and popcorn and got home way to late on a school night.

But we would do it all over again. The boys loved watching one of their favorite sports heroes and McCall enjoyed being spoiled by all the young people from the office, I'm certain she ate her weight in candy supplied by the staff. 

Cub Scout 007 Night

What do you get when you mix cub scouts and a spy theme pack meeting?

A bunch of boys that think they are really cool!

 The boys enjoyed creating spy equipment out of piles of junk.

Taping off crime scenes.

Finding their way through laser beams to get to dessert. 

A fun time was had by all.