What??? It's Supposed to be Spring?

I think Eastern Idaho missed the memo about spring. Spring is trying to sneak in, but winter just doesn't seem to want to let go. Just Monday we mowed the back lawn and started some spring clean-up. Just early this afternoon I mowed the front lawn. Adam is ecstatic to see the snow. Last week he went outside to play, wanting to play in the snow. He was not happy with me because I couldn't make more snow. All he did tonight was run around in the snow, excited to have it back. Am I the greatest mom or what? Who else has been able to provide snow (he he). What a great picture of Adam and Josh - on a lawn mower, in the snow. We had been cleaning off the patio for a BBQ tomorrow with Kelauni and some of her friends, when we had to move it all back because it started snowing. Looks like it will be an indoor BBQ tomorrow. My flowers in the front lawn were just starting to bloom - ahh! By the time it stopped snowing, no grass could be seen. We are so ready for spring and warm weather.

Fast and Furious - N.Y., D.C. and Baltimore Trip

After a long day of waiting in lines, airports, shuttles, and car rides, we finally made it home last night from our trip. But then, it has been a week of waiting in lines, buses, shuttles, airports, train stations, subway stations, lots of walking and blisters. Josh went out early for a conference in Baltimore, I joined him three days later. We spent a week traveling- just the two of us! It was great. We haven't had a trip with just us since our honeymoon. Adam had a great time at home with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. A great big thanks to all those who helped take care of Adam so that we could enjoy this trip together. We only had one day in Baltimore, two in New York and two in D.C. so, everywhere we wend seemed to be fast and furious to get in as much as we possible could. Of course, all the places that we stopped at were very touristy.

Day One: Baltimore

My flight didn't get in until after four. So we just had the evening. We walked around the harbor on Chesapeake Bay, ate dinner on the harbor and found the Orioles Stadium. Josh was able to go to a game earlier in the week. He happened to be standing at the right place at the right time and was given a free ticket.

Day Two: Drive to Newark New Jersey
On the way we stopped in Philidelphia, but we didn't get there until 4:00 and most of the sights close at 4:45 so we were only able to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Of course, while we were in Philidelphia we had to find the Museum of Art and run up the steps that Rocky did and get our picture taken.

Josh's favorite billboard from the trip: "Bank fees are like financial wedgies"

Liberty Bell

Museum of Art/Rocky


We finished driving into Newark - which was absolutely crazy. Thank goodness for GPS or we would have been completely lost.

Day Three: Manhattan
After a two hour commute with shuttles, trains, and buses, we finally made it from our hotel in Newark to Manhattan. We filled our day with a "Hop on, Hop Off" tour bus. It is a double decker bus that travels all over the city- it has about 50 different stops. We were able to get off at whichever stops we wanted and then catch the next bus as it came around. If you only have a few days in New York and want to see most of the city, we highly recommend this - it was a great way to see the city quickly. The highlights were Empire State Building, Ground Zero, Statue of Liberty, Manhattan Bridge, Rockerfeller Center, Time Square, China Town, and Little Italy. At night we took at night lights tour that took us around Manhattan and into Brooklyn to see the lights. The day was quite sunny and warm - up to 78 degrees. Yeah for some warm sunny weather (it was snowing when I left Idaho). As you can see in the pictures from the rest of the trip, I had more sun today than I planned on and did not prepare for it. I have a nice sunburn line that shows up way too well in pictures from Day Four. After that, it starts to fade a bit.

Monument for WTC

Rockerfeller Center Plaza

Wall Street

Empire State Building

Ferry to Statue of Liberty

Day Four: Broadway

We continued on our tour bus - Central Park (of course we had to stop and get a hotdog from one of the vendors in the park), Harlem, Museum of Natural History, and other museums. We found the Manhattan Temple, although we missed the session. The Pope was in town, so of course they had a whole section of town that was closed off for him. It set us back a little bit, but overall I don't think we missed too much. The best part of the day - and the highlight for the trip was a visit to Broadway. We went to the musical Wicked, which we both loved. Seeing a show on New York Broadway has always been on my list of things I want to do. It was so much fun and I loved it! After broadway we went to the famous Carnegie Deli and had a sandwich and some New York Cheesecake - delicous. Yes, this day was all about the food. Good thing we did so much walking. I didn't gain any weight - phew!

Central Park

Manhattan Temple

Hotdogs in Central Park

Wicked! Outside the Gershwin Theater

Carnegie Deli - Sandwich and Cheesecake - it tasted as good as it looks!

Day Five: Drive to Washington D.C.

We found a small branch in Newark to attend. Then we headed south to D.C. It was a six hour drive. A little longer than we planned, but okay because we got to see places we have never seen before. We stayed with some family in D.C. Josh has never met them, and I haven't seen them in over ten years, it was a fun visit. Thanks Stan and Lila for letting us invade your house for a few days and being such kind and gracious hosts.

Day Six: Holocaust Museum, Monuments

We spent today hovering under umbrellas as we ran from place to place and still managed to get soaking wet. It was raining quite heavily most of the day. There was water everywhere, if you don't believe me just check out he picture of the park bench that was on the path around the tide pool between the Lincoln and Jefferson Monuments. We spent most of the day walking between monuments to see all the famous monuments. The afternoon was spent in the Holocaust Museum - amazing. It is so overwhelming and humbling to see all that happened during that period of time. It is impossible to put into words the multitude of feelings one feels. How fortunate we are to live when and where we do. Although it is hard to tell in the pictures, it is still pouring rain.

Seat anyone? Can we say- just a little wet!

Mama ducks and their babies were all over the reflecting pool - so cute!

Korean War Memorial

FDR Memorial

White House

Vietnam Memorial

Standing on steps of Lincoln Monument looking at Washington Monument

Day Seven: Arrlington Cemetary, Archives Museum, D.C. Temple

Today was a much better day for lots of walking - too bad the majority of our waking was yesterday. We did the usual at Arrlington - JFK grave site, changing of the soldier at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a 15 minute walk to the Iwo Jima memorial. Another metro ride back into down town, a few more long lines and we were able to visit the Archives Museum and see the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and wandered through the public vaults.

Arrlington Cemetary/Tomb of the unkown soldier/changing of the guard

Iwo Jima Monument

Waiting for yet another Metro

Another Metro ride home, some quick dinner and then Stan and Lila took us to do a session in the D.C. Temple. I love this temple. We always love to visit new temples wherever we go and see the personalities of each one. No better way to end our trip.

Day Eight:

Up early to the airport and head for home. It was a great trip, (the best was traveling with my best friend) went by quickly, but as always it is good to be home in our own beds. It is especially good to be home with Adam. We were very nervous about leaving him, but he did great. He had so much fun, he didn't even ask for mom or dad until the night before we came home.

Adam Got Tagged!!

Eight Things About Adam -

1. He has an infectious smile. We can't help but smile or laugh when he does. His fat little cheeks squish up and it is soooo cute.

2. He loves to play with his dad. He laughs and squeals and runs around the living room waiting for dad to come in the house as soon as he hears the garage door open.

3. He loves to be outside. He loves to play in the "now". (We are still working on the s sound). Everday he wants to put on his "coke" (coat), boots, and hat and go outside. It is so nice that it is finally starting to warm up some. We took a walk yesterday for the first time this spring. It was finally warm enough to get all the way around the block without freezing. It was such fun, but the walk took awhile as we stopped to look at every tree, rock, dirt, birds, whatever there was.

4. Adam loves animals. He has a set of farm animals that he loves to play with. He gets so excited anytime we see animals. It amazed me how many animals he can name or make the sound of. We checked the movie "Babe" out of the library the last week. Everday he takes me to the T.V. and makes all the animal sounds - his way of letting me know what he wants to watch. He will be very sad when we take it back next week.

5. Adam is a great helper. He helps mom and dad with all the chores - dishes, laundry , vacuuming, cleaning, cooking, raking, shoveling. You name it he is there to help.

6. Adam loves water - just not on his face. Although we are hoping to take swim lessons this summr and work on it. He loves to be in the bath, play in dish water, play with the hose outside, wading pool, or just have a cup of water that he can pour into other dishes.

7. Adam's newest favorites are: coloring, play dough, tickling others toes, playing with cousins and grandparents, bubbles, and hide and seek.

8. Adam has a great sense of humor. We can see it developing and growing everyday. He loves to laugh. He has his funny little antics and facial expressions that he knows will make us laugh. He pulls these out often just to get a laugh out of whoever he is with.