2022 :: week 17

 

April 24

Sunday we taught our first Youth Temple & Mission Prep class. Since it was our first class we brought our kids and introduced our entire family. Then we split the kids into randomly assigned pairs, had them interview each other and then present their partner to the class. The kids weren't excited about the random pairs, but they mostly went along with it with only a little pushback. Then Will came into the classroom dressed up like the Easter Bunny, and we had the kids go outside and hunt for Easter Eggs. They seemed to have a good time and a few stayed after to talk to us more. That evening Anthony flew to Phoenix a work conference.

April 25

Memaw warmed Miles up at Elliott's baseball game Monday night. It was sunny and pretty warm, except when the wind blew. Elliott kept us entertained with his gratuitous sliding and celebrations, but he also got a few very good hits and made some great defensive plays. It is fun to see him participate in activities he enjoys so much. 

April 26

We had what felt like the perfect afternoon Tuesday. The weather was gorgeous and I opened most of our ground floor windows. I could hear the kids and their friends laughing, playing basketball, and having fun together while I prepped dinner. Elliott had a playdate with two of his favorite friends who live a few doors down from each other, Lauren had a few friends over to our house, and Will and Knox worked on their book report in his bedroom and then played outside. Miles went back and forth between Will and Lauren and their friends. 

April 27

Wednesday was a busy day getting ready for our trip. Anthony arrived home from Phoenix in the wee hours of the morning. I packed and ran various errands. I made stir fry for dinner, in attempts to use up some of our veggies before we head out of town. One of my goals this year has been to eat more vegetables, and I have been pleasantly surprised with not only how well they have eaten them, but how little complaining the kids have done. 

April 28

Thursday morning we woke up early and flew to Washington DC. For years we have talked about visiting DC again during the temple open house and when the time came, it worked out that we were able to. We decided to go before school got out because the price of plane tickets were half as much right now. After a relatively uneventful flight, we landed at DCA, purchased 7-day unlimited metro passes and headed to our hotel. We stayed at a Residence Inn in the Rosslyn neighborhood in Arlington, VA. That afternoon we took the red line towards the temple, then boarded the church's temple shuttle. Miles--who refused to take a rest--fell asleep on the shuttle, and Anthony had to carry him fast asleep through 1/3 of the temple tour! 

April 29

Friday was a busy day! We started the day with a visit to the Museum of African American History. We visited the museum in 2017 and went to the history galleries below ground, this time we went upstairs to the "Sports: Leveling the Playing Field," exhibit. The kids were excited to see athletes they had read about before, and both Anthony and I could sing along with a Michael Jordan Gatorade jingle from the 90s. Next we went to the American History Museum. Dorothy Gale's Ruby Slippers, dresses worn by First Ladies, and various presidential paraphernalia were highlights for our family. We were disappointed that Kermit the Frog and R2D2 were part of an exhibit that is closed and undergoing restoration until this fall. That evening we took a commuter train to Baltimore to go out the eat and then watch an Orioles game with the Tame family. Tony and Kevin are good friends and roommates from their college years. 

April 30

Friday was a busy day where we walked about 9 miles. We started the day slow because we didn't get home from the Orioles game until around midnight. Thank goodness the hotel served breakfast and hour later on the weekend! We rode the train to McPherson Square and walked to by the White House. Construction and gates kept us from getting as close as we have in the past, but it was still cool to walk by the Executive Mansion. We ate a few snacks in the ellipse, then ventured back to the Smithsonians, this time checking out the Museum of Natural History. We bought lunch from the food trucks along Constitution Avenue, then met up with the Merrills. Nikki and I were roommates during my final years at BYU and it was fun to reconnect with her while our families walked the monuments together. We started at the World War II Memorial--where the boys dunked their heads in the rainbow pool. Then walked along the reflecting pool to the Lincoln Monument. A family of ducklings crossed in front of us and then swam along the reflecting pool. At the Lincoln Monument Elliott *purposely* slid of the side and scraped his chin. We walked all around the monument and of course took a few photos. Then we headed on the the Korean War, Martin Luther King Jr. and FDR memorials and walked part of the way around the Tidal Basin. Dave generously picked us up and drove us to a metro station so we could head to Chevy Chase and visit with the Salazars. The Salazars treated us to pizza and yummy s'mores on the back patio of their new house. The outside is gorgeous, and the inside will be soon (currently lots of construction). It was so fun to see Hillary and Ben and Lucas again, and to meet Mateo for the first time. It felt so nice to sit and relax and visit after a long day on our feet. Hillary gave us a lift back to our hotel, which not only saved us time, but walking. We all passed out and fell asleep so quickly that night.