Goodbye and West Virginia

David and I's first Christmas was a success! We had so much fun with his family in DC that we are already planning on going back for his cousin's baptism. 

This picture is, as Vincent would put it, the carnage after the lego battle between him and Uncle Bern. Do you guys like that ATAT? Pretty sweet huh!? David helped them put it together, there were lots of lego things to be put together during this visit.

Out to dinner the last for the last time before we all left. 

They all love the bunny ears, haha Vincent's face in this picture makes me laugh, he is really concentrating on those bunny ears.

Almost all smiles

Everybody

My first time in West Virginia! It was very beautiful lots of "mountains." I realize I have already said this but it is still true they are like baby mountains. On our way out we went through Pennsylvania. On the return journey I insisted/ begged to go a way that we could pass through West Virginia. Obviously I prevailed :) Going that direction added about 1 hour and 52 min BUT we didn't hit a single toll road so it almost evened out. I like all of this traveling however, I am soooooo glad we are home, ahhh I love my own bed 

A neat-o bridge in Pennsylvania

It was really massive.

This is my list of states visited so far, I have added so many recently I decided to start keeping track. From Colorado on were states that I experienced with David, we are having lots of adventures!

States

1. Utah
2. Idaho
3. Ohio
4. Washington
5. Oregon
6. Wyoming
7. Montana
7. Kentucky
8. Indiana
9. Minnesota
10. Florida
11. Arizona
12. Nevada
13. Nebraska
14. Iowa
15. Illinois
16. California
17. Colorado
18. Michigan
19. Maryland
20. Texas
21. Missouri
22. Pennsylvania
23. Virginia
24. West Virginia

Washington DC Temple

 finally did it! I managed to make it to a temple WITH my temple recommend. David and I went to an endowment session yesterday. The first word that comes to mind is wow. Washington DC's temple is huge. According to the elevator there are 7 floors, I guess I just never realized how big it was. I will have to say that I am definitely partial to the larger temples, it's nothing personal, they just seem to have so much more character/ to love.

It will never cease to amaze that out East you can be so close to something as big as the DC temple and you still can't see it until you are right next to it because of all the trees. We were driving and we came around a corner and suddenly there was the temple. Such a beautiful sight. 

There was a guy outside the temple setting up a tripod, I asked him if he would take a picture for us. I guess his daughter was getting married so he was getting ready to take a family picture with everyone. If he had been an actual photographer I would have felt kind of bad free loading a picture from him, haha.

 

Tron

We got to go see Tron. It's another one of those movies that is GREAT visually, BUT the storyline (or lack thereof) was weak sauce. These are the best two shots of about 6 photos :) I would have to say they are a success.

This is us waiting for Vincent and his parents to show up.

Idaho Avenue

Anytime I hear that there is an Idaho ANYTHING I have to take a picture of it. So here you go in the middle of DC, Idaho Ave. I learned that there is a street for every state and letter of the alphabet EXCEPT for the letter J. You will never find a J st. Why you might ask? Because back in the day I and J were interchangeable. For example on many of Thomas Jefferson's personal items his initials are written T.I. Also if you were to pick up a "New Dictionary" back in 1740 you would have found that I and J had a single selection and not separate. The legend is that the French surveyor Pierre L'Enfant hated John Jay who was chief justice of the Supreme Court at the time, for his ruling on on the "Jay Treaty". Therefore snubbed him when he zoned the city streets by leaving out his letter J. History, never stops surprising me, it's so fun!

Another thing we have learned is that EVERYTHING in DC is more expensive. The best example is the price of gas. In Maryland you can get it at about $3.01- 3.05 a gallon, as you move into DC it rose to $3.45 just outside and then to $4.25 within the city! Scary thought right?!

Mt. Vernon

George Washington was just under 6'3", just like my David. I like tall boys!

The day after Christmas we got to venture forth and see George Washington's house. 

Welcome to Mt. Vernon

The area had signs in front of the house that said things like 30 minute wait from this spot. David and I suffered the cold but we got to walk right up to the house; wait not included! Also Christmas time is the only time that tours are permitted to see the third floor, I was so excited. In fact at one point in our tour we had to wait for more people before they would start the tour. I love history and George Washington is one of my most favorite founding fathers, I really should read a biography of him.

This is the backyards beautiful view of the Potomac river.

It was really cold, again.

Us in George's backyard.

BIG house even by todays standards.

A gingerbread Mt. Vernon

There were lots of interesting things to see. Even though I know it would be brutally hot and we will have to wait in line I still think that this particular historical site is already calling to me for a summertime visit.

Christmas Morning!

Christmas morning for us started early, like 6:30 am early. I think it was the earliest Christmas I have ever had. My parents were really big on everyone opening presents together so my brothers and I never bothered waking up super early because we knew we wouldn't get to open presents until my parents gave the ok. This is Vincent, he is the reason why we got up early. The poor little guy was crazy excited and he just couldn't understand why we couldn't get up faster.

David and Uncle Bern

David showing Vincent the electric bugs we got him.

David's Disney Princess Memory game! Just what he always wanted!!! And just in case you are wondering, I really did get it for him, he did not get it for me :) it was my silly present to him.

I got Sleeping Beauty, I have actually always wanted her. Do you like the pretty pink pjs? In case you are wondering if they are footy pajamas, they are. David got them for me! I have always wanted a pair and I love them, they keep me super warm and they're bright pink.

Thumbs up for Barbie, although Vincent was a little preoccupied with her. I think it was against his religion to share the same room his new legos occupied with a ... (seven year old boy look of disgust face) Barbie! Sorry buddy, next time I'll move the doll to an adjacent room sooner.

Lego heaven

This is photographic documentation of the puzzle ball for Deidre. It was a hit and a bit of an obsession. Here is Vincent's Dad playing with it.

David and Bern discussing it.

Still trying to figure it out

Haha this one makes me laugh, they are both puzzling over the puzzle ball. For those of you who do not know what it is, imagine a giant maze a little metal ball has to go through, now imagine that the maze is wrapped around itself inside of a bigger ball. It is much tougher than it sounds.

Vincent kept saying "you guys are obsessed with that thing!" Although, I think he was more worried about how much help he wasn't getting, he needed lots of help to put those lego sets together. 

David putting some lego things together

Making silly faces

team work

Ahh David is so cute when he helps the little guys

At one point David and Vincent were putting some lego creation together and David started teasing Vincent but Vincent was one step ahead of him with the come backs. I tried to jump into the conversation at that point and had fully intended on saying "he's one step ahead of you David" but it came out as "He's a heppa steppa ya"..... haha it was so funny, I blame the sugar overdose and the early morning. Either way I'll be hearing this phrase (used against me of corse) for years to come now, sigh I guess it could always be worse.

It was a great Christmas. I still think it will be more fun when David and I get to have it with our own kids but for now this is great. We got to nap and eat lots of chocolate, cookies and other junk food, I would have to call that a good day.

David reading scriptures at the end of the day. Obviously I was listening intently :)

Washington D.C.

Thus far our travels through the Eastern region of the United States have yielded great fun and learning for the two of us. We managed to drive through Ohio and Pennsylvania with no road troubles and we are now in Maryland. To be fair I didn't drive at all. For some reason the night before I could not sleep. I tried for hours and hours. It could have been because I had a little caffeine, or maybe because David snored... all night but I won't point fingers. Anyways I had many naps in the car, which is unlike me because I rarely sleep in the car on trips,  David was probably just too happy with the silence to wake me. 

My first taste of Pensy (pen-seee), very pretty. I have never seen the Appalachians, it was weird they are like baby mountains. The drive was really good and compared to our drive to Missouri it was really short. We left about 9 am and arrived around 6 pm.

David's Aunt's house in Maryland. This is the next day, I wanted to take a picture right when we got there but the sun had set so I had no light.

Walking to the bus, the next afternoon. We headed out late because David is a sweetie and he let me sleep in. Our initial plans were to take the south bound bus to the metro station and then ride the Metro to DC. For future reference next time we will just drive our car to the metro station, because that is easier.

Waiting for the bus (the wrong bus).

On the bus. Believe it or not David isn't blinking on purpose.

We are still happy because we don't know we are on the wrong bus yet.

David still being happy even after we rode the bus north. This is him getting our metro tickets. 

Riding on the MeTrO

He was supposed to smile, so I figure ok let's go with the funny face.

Then he didn't do it with me!

Third time's a charm

Outside the metro station. I am wearing my hood because it was and I quote "BUTT COLD!!"

Big rose

I love all the old school buildings

The White House, peace.

David face

Peeking through the fence

Crazys across the road. I guess that have a permanent camp set up that has been there since 1992-ish.

Big Federal government building, for people who work for the government.

Honestly I can't remember what this building was.

I got to hold the Washington Monument! 

David's hills are alive with the sound of music

This is an awful picture but it is exactly what the wind was like, ALL day, haha and it makes me laugh at David's dramatics. The only thing this picture doesn't show is how absolutely COLD it was.

One way that both of us could be in our Ohio picture.

Our "home-for-now" Ohio.

My Home sweet home, I love Idaho!

LOVE!

Love the model like pose David, nice touch.

Haha, this is two seconds after he realized I captured his model face on camera. 

World War II Monument 

Lincoln Memorial.... a million miles away from the Washington Memorial, such a cold walk.

We made it to the Lincoln memorial alive and without frostbite!

Oh yyeeeaaaah

More peace signs, I was on a kick that day I'm still not sure why.

View of the Washington monument from the Lincoln memorial.

Like, do I get service here??

Love Abraham Lincoln he is in my top three favorites.

We made it

This is how we both felt after our journeys that day. We probably would have done much better if we had eaten lunch... or breakfast for that matter. We walked a million miles that day and because of the cold our muscles were extra achy. David and I ate in China town, we were planning on going home but David realized I was on the verge of a break down/ fainting so Chinese food it was. Lucky for us the food was good (ie- whatever kind of cat or dog that was in our combo rice and lo mein tasted just like chicken, beef and pork, mmmmm) it was tasty luck.

David under the Gettysburg address. We went to Mt. Vernon today and I have a Christmas post AND tomorrow we are going to the Smithsonian, ahhh I'm so excited so much fun stuff.