Jenny's Trip to DC

 Alan has had some extra time off these past few months due to a very generous amount of paternity leave his company gives him.  He went on a trip to Mexico City with some mission companions a few months ago, and he is also going to spend some time in NY in May.  He said would be happy to take a few days off and be Mr. Mom so that I could go on a trip, too. My friend Ann-Marie knew that Alan wanted me to go on a trip, so she invited me to go to Washington D.C. with her in February!  Since Abby still needs her mommy, she got to come along for the ride, too.

It was an amazing set up.  Ann-Marie knew an awesome family that let us stay with them, so we didn't have to pay for accommodations.  Also, since Ann-Marie lived near DC for three years, she knew how to use the Metro and was my own personal tour guide. It was sweet!  We spent about half of the time doing sight-seeing, and the other half of the time visiting with Ann-Marie's old friends and co-workers.  I think it was a win-win situation, all in all.  :)

Forgive my pictures--they were taken with my old crappy camera...

This was Abigail's first (of many) rides on the Metro

I need to take a moment and say what an angel Abigail was for the trip!  She was awesome on the airplane rides and the Metro rides, and she was perfectly happy to switch between the baby carrier and the stroller during all of our sight-seeing.  She was flexible with naps, too, and even fell asleep in my arms for both airplane rides (which she never does at home!)  Except for some sadness late at night in our rental car, and a little reluctance to sleep in the pack-and-play, she really was amazingly happy for most of the trip.

One of the hardest things about our trip was finding all of the stroller-friendly entrances and exits (i.e, wheelchair access) for the museums and Metro stations.  We got totally turned around several times and did lots of extra walking in the chilly and windy weather.  Ha ha! At least it wasn't snowing!

Ann-Marie and I saw all angles of the Washington monument with all of our walking around

 First we went to the American History museum. My favorites were seeing the Stars and Stripes, Lincoln's top hat he wore the night he was assassinated, the First Ladies' Inaugural Ball gowns, the original Ernie and Bert, and Dorothy's slippers.

Dorothy's ruby slippers

By a complete coincidence, Alan's little brother Mason was in DC with some friends the exact same weekend.  When Mason called me to see where I was so we could meet up, we happened to be in the same corridor on the same floor in the same museum at the same time!
   

Abby and Uncle Beef

 I am missing some pictures here and need to get them from Ann-Marie...

Next we went to the Natural History Museum and saw the Hope Diamond, other gems and minerals, and their awesome animal exhibits.  


The Air and Space Museum was fun, too.  I touched a real moonrock and saw the Spirit of St. Louis!  I also bought my kids overpriced astronaut ice cream as a souvenir.

Model of the Starship Enterprise.  I took this picture for Alan.

The Wright brothers' plane from 1903

 Ann-Marie and I also went to the wax museum because neither of us had been to one before.  I was amazed how lifelike all of the celebrities looked!  (Yeah, I sat and nursed my baby right next to Tom Cruise.  It was awesome.)

Abe and I chillin' at the theater together

I couldn't go all the way to DC and not take my picture with Donald!  Note that I'm not too excited to be with him, just like he's not that excited to be with me.

We didn't have time (or energy) to see all of the different monuments and memorials, but we did go to the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  It was so cool!  The last time I had been there was when I was 12 years old.

View of Washington Monument from Lincoln Memorial

On a different day we went to the National Gallery of Art.  My only wish was to see the impressionists, which were amazing: Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, and Degas.   I love Degas' ballerinas!! (I really like ballet, if you haven't noticed that about me.)

Yet another view of Washington Monument, with a sunset in the background.  It was beautiful.  

Ann-Marie was awesome to put up with the all the complications of taking a baby on this trip.  She is seriously such an amazing person!  And Alan was so wonderful to take time off work and stay home with the other three kids (and I think it helps him appreciate more what I do every single day!)  I love my hubby.

Parent Observation at Dance

In February, Alan and I were invited to Maggie's dance class to observe what they have learned so far this year.  Maggie has been taking a fun tap and ballet combination class with her friend Kirsi.  

Now for the ballet part.  Maggie inherited her mom's flexibility (well, when I was that age. Not anymore, ha ha.) I think she is the only one in her class who can do the splits all the way.

She has really improved this year with her technique.  I'm so proud of her!

Bowling

As part of our Christmas gift to Grandma and Grandpa Stout, we went on a fun bowling activity in February!  I hadn't been bowling in like a decade.  Alan had been more recently for a work activity, and Jared had been once for a friend's birthday party.  It was a fun-filled afternoon!

Abby and Grandpa!

Oops, blurry Maggie

Out of the two games we played, Alan's mom got the high score of all: 120!  (Yeah, none of us are very good...)

A couple of other random pictures from February:

Maggie and Evelyn always fight over who gets to take a bath with Abigail, so we have to trade off every other time.

We sometimes call her "Happy-gail"

Jr. Jazz

Jared participated in Jr. Jazz again this winter.  He had a lot of fun, and I think he is really improving.  He is great at defense, and Alan and I are trying to get him to work harder getting rebounds, too.  Here are some great action shots Alan took at one of his games.  

January Pictures

Abby's six-month birthday meant solid foods!  She loved rice cereal!  She has like almost every food that she has tried, although this week (beginning of March) she has had a bad ear infection/cold and has been refusing any solid foods.  Only Mommy's milk has been good enough for her.  Not fun for me! We will have to get her back on track...

Jared got a ultra-cool chemistry set for Christmas from Grandpa and Grandma Smith.  Here they are doing a few experiments!

 I LOVE this girl!  I love her ballerina outfit.

Maggie dressed up as a 100-year-old woman for the 100th day of school, a tradition for just the 1st graders.

Evelyn has been enjoying Joy School.  One day when it was at our house, Evy's cousin Lily showed up in a matching outfit (they were Christmas presents from their grandma!)

Matchy matchy!

Lily, Evy, Sarah, and Kate, a few other Joy School friends

Evelyn is super tall for her age.  She is almost a full head taller than all of the other sunbeams in her Primary class at church!