Washington DC trip, part 2

Friday night I got to spend time with Hillary Kew and her family. Steve (her dad)and Terry (her mom) picked Megan (her sister) and I (her friend) up at the Baltimore Airport. We went straight to the rehearsal dinner, where we had Chinese and got to meet both sides of the family. We socialized, took pictures, and then headed to WalMart to get some last minute items. (Just the Kew family and I) This is when I got to spend the most time with Hillary. We started talking in the car as if we had never stopped. That is the beauty of our relationship. We don't keep in touch very well, as neither one is very good at it. But, we can immediately start talking about in-depth stuff that I don't talk to most people about. Of course, talking to her family, I didn't really know she had moved to another apartment, and she didn't really know how old Katie was, but we are still very good friends.




We went to WalMart to get some lunch stuff to eat after the Temple ceremony, and stuff for Hillary and Rick's honeymoon to Costa Rica. (mosquito spray, etc.) As we were checking out, Steve commented that "This is what hell must be like. Stuck in a WalMart store, wandering around endlessly, and then waiting in line for the slowest checker in the store." By then, we all agreed.

After being in WalMart for a VERY long time, (I found some Star Wars toys for Ryan, so the trip wasn't a total loss, from his point of view. :) )we finally checked out and headed to the hotel.

I was so grateful that they let me be involved, and they let me stay in their hotel room for the night. They were so generous. Steve spent the night in his son and daughter-in-law's room so I could share the room with Terry, Megan, and Hillary. I actually got to spend some time with Hillary because of this arrangement, whereas at a wedding/reception, you only get to talk to them for a moment, usually.

Saturday morning was the Wedding Ceremony. The ceremony was wonderful and beautiful. Hillary and Rick look so happy together. The temple and the grounds are a beautiful thing. I wandered around the temple grounds, and looked at the Visitor's Center while the Family Pictures were being taken. The Visitor's Center had a room that had lots of photos in it. They were fun to look at. There were all sorts of themes, and most of them had a scripture or thought that went with it.







I spent more time with the Kews, and then we went to the reception. It was in an old colonial-style building on St John's College campus in Annapolis. The room was gorgeous, with all sorts of woodwork and huge windows. Such a fancy reception. (Or fancy for small-town-Utah-girl. I'm used to receptions in cultural halls.) They had a buffet table with hors d'oeuvres, then dinner, then dancing, and cake, and cookies.



I think it is one of the most fun receptions I have been to in a while. Plus, Hillary's friends were gracious enough to include me in their table and talking, so I didn't feel all alone. One such friend let me ride home with her and her sister, so Alisha and Matthew didn't have to make an extra trip.

What a fabulous experience. I would not have been able to go, without the generosity of Alisha, Matthew, Steve, Terry, Megan, and Hillary, as well as some friends of Hillary. Also, on the home front, Ryan, Irma, Jerry, Mom, Dad, and Amanda helped out so much with Katie. I am so grateful for their help and love. Thanks again for making this trip so absolutely wonderful!

Washington DC trip, part 1

(I started to write this post, and it was really, really long, so I've broken it up a little. Now it is just really long. This is the only record I'm keeping of my life, so it probably has all sorts of boring parts in it. Sorry. :) )

I was lucky enough to be able to go to Washington D.C./Arlington/Annapolis for 6 days. (Aug 9-14) My sister and her husband, Alisha and Matthew, were fabulously kind and let me stay in their condo for most of the trip. They were perfect hosts, as they let me sleep in, watch TV, use the internet, gave me breakfast, and basically made me feel at home as much as possible.

The time I spent away from Katie seemed so long, and it was harder on me than her. I was very happy to come home to her. (oh, and Ryan) :)

Here is a shortened run-down of the trip. I hope you can stay awake. I included pictures, so it might help.

(On a side note) As I was packing Thursday night, (which I had put off until 10:00 PM the night before I needed to get up at 4:00 AM) I found myself wanting to clean out my hairbrush. Now, it hadn't been cleaned for a while, and it would have been fine without a cleaning for another while, but it seemed vitally important at that moment to take 1/2 hour to clean all the hair and junk that collects in it. Don't ask me why.

I had a long layover in Denver, but I was lucky enough to be able to wander around the whole airport a couple of times. The funny part is that when I'm walking, I tend to walk fast, and with a purpose. So, I was really tired after speed walking for a couple of hours. (Of course, that was interspersed with stopping to look at things, but mostly it was restaurants, and people think you are weird if you stop and stare at them while they are eating.) Alisha and Matthew picked me up at the DC airport 2 hours AFTER I was supposed to be there. The flight was delayed because of weather. Alisha had made yummy chimichangas for dinner, so we just relaxed that night. We walked around a little on Friday morning, saw where Matthew works, and had lunch with Matthew's parents, who were also visiting.





Alisha and I walked over to the Iwo Jima monument, which is really close to her apartment, as is the Arlington Cemetery. I had no idea the Iwo Jima monument was so large. I guess seeing things in person really makes an impression on you. Strange. The cemetery was very beautiful. We didn't actually go into the cemetery, but rather stood on a stone wall looking over it. The 4 foot drop deterred myself and my pregnant sister from further exploring the area.
Then, the car that Alisha and Matthew had thoughtfully arranged to take me to Baltimore arrived. I must say I was a little taken back when the driver plunged directly into religious and moral conversation. I thought those topics were not normally brought up because of their ability to upset other's emotions. Oh well. It made the trip interesting. I must have looked like quite the floozy in my short (covering my knees) skirt and blonde hair. :) The driver, throughout the hour long drive, informed me that he was Muslim, and that it was important to get married and love your husband, and stuff that I could agree with easily enough. I tried not to comment if I didn't agree. I didn't want to get in a fight with this guy.


(Skipping Friday night and Saturday, as they are on part 2)

Sunday was nice and relaxing. Once again, I was able to sleep in, and then we leisurely got ready for church. We were able to look at some pretty houses that are by the church building on the way to and from church. We then had a nice afternoon, wandering around the city, eating dinner, and having pleasant talks.
Monday I was left to fend for myself, as Alisha and Matthew both had to work. I took my time leaving, but then I got on the Metro (and off) at the all right stops, which I was very proud of. Then I walked to the World War 2 memorial. I also saw the Washington Monument, but just because you have to walk past it to get to the WWII memorial.



I really liked the WWII memorial. It was very pretty, and open. Lots of water, and it had each state's name on a monument by itself. (The tall columns all around are the ones with the state names on them.)
It was really hot, so I walked to the Sculpture Garden, and then went to the Smithsonian Museums of Art (East and West), where I spent the rest of the day.


This was on the way to the Sculpture Garden. I was walking along, and wanted to have a snack. I saw a bench by the sidewalk so I sat down, and realized this cute little gazebo was right there. I don't know what it is, or why it is there, but it just really struck a chord with me. I felt very close to it. Maybe because it was out of place, or because it is an attractive building. I don't know. I just REALLY liked it.



In the center of the Sculpture Garden, there is a pool, surrounded by these trees, and beautiful planters with flowers cascading out of them. I thought the planters were just gorgeous, so I took a picture of them. The funny thing is, as I was doing so, a couple walked by, and the girl told the guy, "Hmmm, I don't think I've ever seen those there before now."



This sculpture reminded me so much of the game Qbert that my brothers used to play. Just color the squares, and put a little hopping animal on it, and you've got the idea.

I really enjoyed the Museums. I liked the West wing, because it was my type of art. You know, landscapes, and romantic poses, and large canvases full of color. Art like that is really interesting for me to study. I love the colors, and the detail. Here are a couple that I really enjoyed.



This is called "The River of Light" by Frederic Edwin Church. I loved the detail and just the beauty that is portrayed in this painting. I wanted to buy a small reproduction of it for a memory, but after seeing the real thing, the 3X5 card just isn't the same.



This one is "Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still upon Gibeon" by John Martin. The detail that I loved in this one is not visible on a smaller scale. The exquisiteness of the people is just amazing, and there are ALOT of people on this canvas. I also really liked the sky on this one.

I also really enjoyed a painter named Thomas Cole. His paintings seemed to portray stories. He has 4 paintings called "The Voyage of Life". They go through Childhood, Youth, Manhood, and Old Age. The themes are very similar, which I appreciated.

After I had exhausted the West wing, I went to the East, which was radically different, but still very interesting. This side was more Modern, with some of those radical canvases that are just paint splatters, or crayon scribbles all over the wall. These are some that I have a hard time visualizing as art. I don't understand the uniqueness of a red square on a white canvas. It just doesn't appeal to me.



I did enjoy the mobiles, and sculptures they had there. I liked how it was open and light, where the West side was a bunch of small rooms that were easy to get lost in, with not a whole lot of light (because it can cause fading and damage to the paintings). I was completely exhausted by the time I met Alisha at her work. We went home and had dinner at Chipotle Mexican Grill. It was really yummy.

Then it was time to go. I exercised with Alisha, packed, and then flew to Denver, where I had the enjoyable experience of another long layover. This one wasn't as bad though, because it was shorter, and it was almost over. The long flight was behind me already. However, there was rain in Denver, so they let us board, then made us wait for an hour and a half until it stopped raining. I talked to my neighbors and worked on some Fill-In puzzles though, and it wasn't bad. I was so excited to see Ryan! I don't think I let go of him the entire time we were in the airport. I just wanted to touch him and relish the fact that I was home. Then, we really did get home, and we woke up Katie, and she didn't even act like I had been gone. She just wanted a drink, and to go back to bed. But the next morning she was laughing and giggling about everything. It was so cute.

Yuck!

Well, we finally have had the experience of poop in the bathtub. I can honestly say I really was hoping I would never have THAT experience, but...such is life with a baby.

Anyways, things are good here. Katie has a bit of a runny nose, and seems whiny, but I don't know if she is sick, or just overwhelmed:

On Friday, Katie and I watched Naomi and Dennis's 6 kids (that is 7 children ages 8-1) from 12:30-5, (she didn't get a nap), then Ryan came home from work and we drove out to Elberta to have dinner with Serena, (Ryan's cousin), her family, and her fiance's family. Ryan had to leave early to go to 2 Softball Games, which their team won! Katie and I stayed until about 8:00 pm. Clarissa and Ryan were kind enough to take us home, where Irma followed us. Then, Irma, Katie and I went for a walk through the orchard by Mom and Dad's house, which Ryan's uncle George owns, or rather, owned. Then, George, Arlene (his wife), and Jerry came to our house with us and stayed and talked for a while. I finally put Katie to bed around 9:30, but she had had a very long day.

Then, on Saturday, Katie and I went over to my parent's house while Ryan helped set up for the wedding and reception that night in Goshen for Serena and David. Katie took a nap from 2-4, and then we left around 5 to go to the wedding at 5:30. The wedding was nice, then we helped with the reception. Katie and I left at 8:30 because she was sooooo tired. She fell asleep as soon as we got home, and then I straightened the house while I waited for Ryan to get home. I started getting ready for bed, and then at about 10:30, Ryan comes in the house and says that we have company waiting outside that want to see the house, is that okay? No problem, let me just get dressed. Len, Virginia, Jacob, Jason and Cami (their children), and Derek and Lexi came and took a tour of the house. It was nice to talk to them for a little bit because I hadn't had a chance to visit with them much at the reception. Then, they all (except Derek) left to go to Clarissa's and see HER house. So, Derek and Ryan stayed up until about 2:30 talking, while I went to bed at 11:30.

So, on Sunday, when Katie wanted to go back to sleep at 8:30 am, (church starts at 9), I was okay with that. Ryan sacrificed and slept through church with her. That afternoon we went to watch Matthew get ordained as an Elder, and had a delicious dinner at the Bowman's house. Katie took a half hour nap in the time it took to get to Mickie's house in Provo and meet some more relatives. We left there at about 6:30 and put her to bed. She didn't go to sleep though, and so we fed her, and then she fell asleep at about 7:15 pm.

So, understandably, her weekend was pretty difficult. Especially when you consider that if there is anyone around, she feels the need to entertain said person or persons. Also, her days usually consist of waking up, eating, playing with Mom, nap, eating with Dad and Mom, playing (sometimes with cousins), nap, snack, playing, dinner with Dad and Mom, going to sleep.

I must say that we had a very enjoyable weekend. It was extremely nice to see lots of family we haven't seen for a long time. It might have been a little hard on Katie, but really, it was worth it. I'm grateful we live close to both our families, and that we get to see them often. I would rather spend time with family than almost anyone else. That said, I am looking forward to getting back in a rhythm. :)

Winking

Katie will close both her eyes and open them again, then smile. I think she has figured out that she has eyelids, and she knows how to use them. I "wink" back to her, and she thinks it is funny.

Strangely enough, I realized that Katie's last time to nurse was on the 29th of June, her 13-month birthday. I didn't plan it that way. I was just thinking about it, and looked at the calendar. She doesn't seem too excited about stopping, but she gets over it pretty quickly. I thought putting her to bed for the night would be the hardest, but because Ryan has been putting her to bed so often, (I tend to be busy at night, when Ryan can watch Katie) she adapted to that quicker than the morning nursing.

In some ways it is very nice to not nurse anymore. I can actually wear normal bras and dresses, (shirt and skirt are a lot easier to nurse in) and start eating better. Not that I do as often as I should, but I try.

But it also makes me feel a little sad that my little girl is old enough to actually not be much of a baby anymore. She isn't nursing, she is almost walking, (when she feels like it) her hair is getting long and curly, and she has such an independent spirit sometimes. Not always, which can have its benefits and disadvantages. She doesn't like to play alone very much, but the walking thing is pretty obviously independent and stubborn.

She is still the joy and happiness in our lives. How blessed we are to have her in our family.

Quick Update

Katie is walking more and more, when SHE feels like it. She can be extremely stubborn at times. Now who would she have got that from? :)

Just this morning she pulled the lid off a pen, and put it back on!!! by herself at least 4 times. She concentrates really hard, and puts the end in the tube. Sometimes it will slip out because she gets the angle wrong, but she tries again until she gets it. Then she pulls the lid off and starts again. That seems amazing to me.

She is still sleeping all through the night, and taking two 2-hour naps in the day. Yes, I know, I am very blessed that she still takes naps, as well as long ones.

Katie figured out how to blow "raspberries" on my arm the other day. She seemed surprised at first, then repeated it a couple of times because I kept laughing.

She got her third tooth in on Saturday the 23rd. It is her top canine tooth on the right side, I think. The left side feels really close too. She didn't seem to feel this one come in. At least, I didn't notice a fever or fussiness that I associated with the tooth. We took an hour long drive to get to Palmer's cabin in Fairview, and she was fussy for being in the car that long, but I don't think her tooth caused her orneriness.

Alright. I will try and get some pictures up next time.

On a side note, if you want an email when I update this blog, let me know. Thanks.