Blessings

At church today, the youth speaker talked about making a gratitude list of 100 things. I'm not going list 100 items, but I will show you a picture of my top 24!  Not pictured are numbers 25-29 (Elder Aaron + my brother and family who are in Texas awaiting the birth of blessing number 30!

I had to be pretty bossy to get this picture taken. It was cold outside and they wanted to be in the house eating birthday cake.  I wish it was taken with a better camera too.  But it was worth it!  What really matters is that we got a picture of my wonderful family.  Spending a few hours together was a great way to finish up the year!  I love these amazing people!

Cauliflower Soup

We love cauliflower! I found this recipe on Pioneer Woman and just tweaked it a bit. I used up the last of the stock from the two turkeys I cooked at Thanksgiving.  It was my first time making stock, not sure why I never tried it before. The homemade stock was delicious, but I'm sure the soup would be just as yummy with regular chicken broth.

• 1 stick Butter, Divided
• 1 onion, diced 
• 1 carrot diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 whole (to 2 Whole) Cauliflower Heads (roughly Chopped)
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Or Dried Parsley (chopped)
• 6 cups chicken broth or stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 T flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup Half-and-half (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Instructions

In a large pot melt 4 T butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown.

Add the carrots and celery and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine. Add a bit of stock so it doesn't dry out.

Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Add 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt 4 T butter. Add flour, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Add milk slowly, whisking constantly.

When thickened a bit, remove from heat. (Optional: stir in 1 cup half-and-half.) Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper.

Christmas Schedule 2012*

*all times approximate and based on my sleep-deprived memory

12:01 AM  Christmas is here!  We are all sleeping peacefully.
12:30 Lavender awakes crying.  She is teething and in pain.
1:30 ditto
2:30 ditto  Apply Oragel and give Tylenol.
3:30 ditto
4:30 ditto
5:30 ditto
6:40 Lavender is asleep, but Evan is sitting in our room waiting for us to wake up.
7:00 We roll out of bed with a grumpy baby.
7:04 John videotapes the kids coming down the stairs
7:05 Evan unwraps his unicycle
7:45 Wrapping paper and boxes everywhere.  We set up the computer for THE CALL!

7:55 John makes eggs and samples his new hot sauce collection

8:05 Ryan, Molly and the girls arrive
8:10 Skype call from Elder Aaron

8:30 John & I open a wonderful photo book filled with letters and testimonies from our kids
9:10 We say goodbye to our missionary, wonder if he's warm enough and agree he seems happy
9:12 Time to open more gifts
9:40 Cute little girl toys fill the living room

10:10 Brianne and Leighton take their parents home for naptime
10:20 Lavender sleeps - Hallelujah!
10:30 Bakers come over.  The kids compare and share.  Lots of Doctor Who, jewelry & One Direction
11:00 Grandpa & Carolyn arrive with what seems like a sleigh-full of gifts
11:15 The kids help carry in boxes and more boxes of presents
11:30 Bakers head home, I put the ham in the crockpot
12:00 Marianne's cheese ball, crackers, grapes, carrots and hummus for lunch.  Cookies & candy too.

1:00 Molly, Ryan and girls return
1:15 All three girls giggle and play.  Lavender cries and grumbles, finally falling asleep on Ryan.
2:00 Papa John, Brianne and Marianne head to the park.  Evan follows on his unicycle.

2:50 Evan comes home with an injured hand
3:00 Food preparation, snacking, laughter
3:30 Bakers return
4:00 Ham, sour cream potatoes, rolls, corn, green beans, orange jello, sparking cider.  Full bellies.
4:45 Presents!  Cousin gift exchange!
5:20 Brianne passes out her dollar store presents.  I got a foot long plastic lizard!
5:30 Cookies etc.
5:45 White elephant game.  Because we haven't had enough gifts yet.
6:00 Laughter.  Popular items:  "Life Is Good" sign, brownie kit, pumpkin full of Halloween candy.
                       Less popular:  used hard hat, "Big Jesus" skateboard video, luau in a box
                       Popular, but disappointing:  Bacon flavored gumballs (tasted like Chloraseptic spray)
7:00 Everyone loads up and heads home.  I insist they take all of their white elephant gifts.
7:02 We take a deep breath and listen to the quiet!
7:15 Lavender to bed
7:30 RELAX and clean up a bit

8:15 Watch the Doctor Who Christmas special
8:35 We ask Evan lots of questions during the show.  He answers patiently.  Most of the time.
9:30 Skype with (John's sister) Susan, Dave, Holly & Josh
10:30 Bedtime  Ahhh!
11:00 Lavender awakes crying. Sigh!
11:20  I close my eyes and think about our wonderful Christmas day filled with family and fun. So much more enjoyable that last Christmas when I was pregnant and feeling miserable!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a mouse
Because we were all at the cemetery!

After my mom passed away we wanted to come up ways to remember her that were fun and that the kids would enjoy.  One of the things we decided to do was to decorate her grave a few times a year.  We were a little late with our holiday decorations this year, but on Christmas Eve we finally made it to the cemetery.  We decorated the tree near her grave with red jewels and silver snowflakes and we put poinsettias on her headstone.  Mom always loved Christmas, decorations and the color red, so it was a good combination!

Alyssa holds Lavender beneath the decorated tree.

Rudolph

My girls

Cammi liked being Rudolph, but Lavender wasn't so sure about it.  We had fun singing Christmas carols, but certain people got embarrassed during "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer," especially when someone drove up to visit a nearby grave.  It may have been slightly inappropriate, but my mom always thought it was a funny song!

We headed back home and Ryan and Molly join us for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner of pizza, salad and vintage soda.  Then the kids acted out the nativity story while Emma read from the second chapter of Luke.

Some motley wisemen and shepherds and a complaining baby Jesus.

Our knitting narrator

 

A reluctant angel

Mary, great with child (or something!)

Evan shared a great video he saw in his seminary class and then we watched a couple of other short Christmas videos.  Finally, the kids got to open one present.  Amazingly, they all got Christmas pajamas!

Ready for Christmas!  Bring it on!

Santa Baby

Merry Christmas!

A Christmas Favorite

Almond Popcorn

1 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tsp almond extract
16 cups popcorn
4 cups mini marshmallows
2 cups sliced almonds

In a large bow mix the popcorn, marshmallows and almonds and set aside.  In a heavy saucepan mix the butter, sugar and corn syrup.  Bring to a boil.  Once it starts to boil, stir for three minutes.  Remove from heat and mix in almond extract.  Let cool for a couple of minutes.  Pour over popcorn mixture and mix until well coated.

Oh So Yummy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

So did you know I use my blog as a recipe book?  It is a quick and easy way to find my favorite recipes.  It is even more convenient when I am shopping and want to make sure I don't forget anything I need to make my favorite soup, casserole or dessert.  Before my iPhone/blog/recipe-filing-system, I often came home from the store without a crucial ingredient.  Does that ever happen to you?

Last night I got my munchkin in bed and I decided to bake, but I couldn't find the recipe on my blog.  I had to dig through my recipe box and when I finally found the card, it only had half of the recipe!  Why would I write half of a recipe down?  Who knows?  But I did.  I finally found the recipe on Marianne's blog.  Later I found a link to the recipe on my blog, but it isn't quite the same.

Since my post baby bedtime baking time is at a premium, I want to make sure this recipe is easier to find next time.  These cookies are so delicious, I don't want anything to get in the way of my baking.  Thanks to my cousin LaRae for the recipe!

3 sticks butter

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 t vanilla

15 oz can pumpkin

4 cups flour

2 t baking soda

1/2 t baking power

1/2 t nutmeg

1 t salt

2 t cinnamon

2 cups oats

2 cups chocolate chips

Mix butter and sugars.  Add the rest of the wet ingredients.  Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to the wet.  Mix well.  Add the oats and chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes.

Lavender On Stage

Nine months have passed, it's almost ten
And I look back amazed.
In one short month you changed
From an observer to an actor.
And not just any role for you.
You are the star of the show,
The one who makes it happen,
Our leading lady.
You crawl and climb,
Stand and cruise.
Always moving, talking, smiling.
Your chubby fingers wave and pat and pinch
Rarely still, even while you nurse.
You feed yourself eggs, bread, pears
Bananas, dog food, burrs and leaves.
No teeth, yet you gobble it all down
Unless I am quick enough to remove
What seems inedible to me, but tasty to you.
Someday you'll sit on my lap and listen to stories,
But today you grab and gulp and go
Ready for your next adventure.
A tiny explorer, artist and entertainer
who loves to perform for her audience.
You reach up  to touch the piano keys
Barely within your reach
Making your own music.

Christmas Feels Different This Year

For me, Christmas is all about traditions.  Things have been pretty much the same for as long as I can remember.  We always have the same Christmas eve meal that my family had when I was growing up.  Santa Claus does things exactly the same way he did as when I was a kid.  When I was 12 years old, my best friend and I started a secret Christmas giving tradition that my family still loves today.  Our family newsletter tradition is only 18 years old, so that's a recent addition for us!

I've never been one to shake things up or try something different at Christmastime.  But in 2010, my mom passed away and everything changed.  Not only was my sweet Mom gone, but my dad went with my brother's family on a trip to NYC.  It was fun for them and a much-needed change for Dad, but it was really hard on me.  It was my first Christmas ever without my parents!  I had spent every single one of my 43 Christmases with my mom and dad.  Most of the time, my siblings were all there too!  That was the beginning of a big change for me.

Most things are still the same. We still decorate the tree with our traditional ornaments, but we've added some of Mom's.  We'll be baking and making our favorite Christmas cookies and treats.  We've got our baskets full of Christmas books in the living room.  I have my favorite decorations out.

Some things are different, of course.  I will miss being with my brothers at Christmas and I will certainly miss Elder Aaron.  Different isn't always bad though. My Dad's wife Carolyn joins us now.  She has a great sense of humor and makes the best desserts ever.  She made our white elephant exchange especially fun last year.  Lavender is here now too and she will bring a special excitement and joy to our celebrations!  With her and our little granddaughters here, it has been fun to shop for the little ones again.  I also talked it over with Marianne and Evan and we decided that Santa will wrap all of their presents from now on.  Santa has always carefully arranged his gifts on the couches for the children until they leave home.  He will still do that for Lavender, but not for the older kids.

It is freeing and exciting to introduce a bit of change into our Christmas traditions.  I know that as my family grows, things will continue to change.  We have already added a beautiful daughter-in-law and I am hopeful that our children will bring spouses and add grandchildren to our family in the coming years.  Changes will come and for the first time, I am excited about them.  As long as our focus is on our Savior Jesus Christ, our Christmas celebrations will be joyous!

Christmas Cleaning

My mom was the queen of Christmas decorating.  I've never matched her level, but I do have lots of nativities and other decorations.  This year I haven't gotten out even half of our Christmas stuff.  Mainly, this is because I feel like I need to do some serious cleaning first.  A couple of weeks ago I felt a prompting that we needed to clean out the hall closet under the stairs.  We discovered that one of our water storage containers had leaked.  The leak must have happened quite awhile ago because there was some mold.  Our wooden train board was ruined and one of the baseboards was moldy and had to be thrown out, but fortunately it hadn't gotten into the drywall!  We cleaned everything with bleach just to be sure and now things are as good as new.

This experience reminded me of some cleaning Elder Aaron has done recently.  I'll let you read about it in his own words:

October 22nd in Leamington. Ontario :  When we cleaned out the baptismal font a few weeks ago there were a lot of dead crickets and spiders in the font (Leamington hasn't had a baptism in over six months). But it was clean for John's baptism.

December 10th in Timmins. Ontario:   We had cleaned the font on Saturday and assumed everything would be fine. The first time we filled up the font, the water was a murky dark green color. So we had to drain it and fill it up again ( and we didn't have a lot of time before the service was supposed to start). Apparently the same water had been sitting in the water heater for ten months and acquired a green color. But in the end, all was well. The water was nice and clear. 

This got me thinking.   What really needs cleaning this Christmas is probably my heart.  What spiders and green gunk do I have lurking there?  Are there things I need to let go of?  People I need to forgive? Fears I need to release?  

Isn't that really what Christmas is all about?  Coming before our Savior with clean hands and a pure heart.

November 2012 Family Pictures

Photos of some of my favorite people - the Happy Hartz Family

By one of our favorite friends - Trevor Davies

At one of our favorite places - Spreckles Organ Pavillion in Balboa Park

Best. Present. Ever.

I am pleased to announce that I have finished my Christmas shopping.  Unfortunately, I still haven't  received all of it yet, nor have I wrapped and/or mailed everything.  But I'm working on it!

In case you are still contemplating what to get that special someone, I have a suggestion.  My kids (my oldest two, who just happen to be married to each other) gave me a wonderful gift on Mother's Day.  While it was perfect for Mother's Day, it would be an equally wonderful Christmas gift.  Best of all, it won't cost you too much!

Ready for the details?

Gather 52 cards and envelopes.  You can use simple cards or fancy stationery, just as long as you have something to write on.  Next comes the hardest part.  Think of 52 things you love (or are grateful for) about this person.  Again, these can be as long or short as you'd like.  When you're finished writing, you will probably feel really happy that you have this great person in your life.  Next, put each card in an envelope and then put all of them in a basket or other container.  Add a ribbon and you're set!

Ryan and Molly told me I could open the envelopes whenever I chose.  Since there were 52, I decided to open one every Sunday.  I have "cheated" a couple of times when I was having a bad day.  Just opening that little envelope really cheered me up.  I know it would bring some Christmas cheer to anyone on your gift giving list!

Happy shopping!

Day 10 - Cruisin' Around New York

Note: I am bound and determined to finish posting about our trip.  Since you've had to wait so long, I've included extra photos as a reward.  If you consider it a punishment, please keep it to yourself.

Thursday 10/25
This morning we slept in a bit and John brought us breakfast from a nearby deli.  While we ate, we watched a rooftop daycare out the window.  Then we watched Lavender.  The hotel had an actual crib rather than a pack n play and Lavender grabbed onto the bars and pulled herself up to stand for the first time.  In honor of her accomplishments, we decided to take a cruise. Well, a short cruise.  At least one where we could see the Statue of Liberty.  We were disappointed that she was still closed for repairs and figured we could enjoy her beauty from the boat.  We took the subway and then had a long walk to the ship.  It was then I realized that I had neglected to check the schedule before we set out.  It was a two hour wait until the next cruise.  I said, "What in the world will we do for two hours?"  Apparently my vision must be worse than I thought because Evan gently said, "How about that?" and pointed to aircraft carrier I had failed to notice.

The USS Intrepid was a great place to kill some time!  I didn't want to pay the $25 admission price, but then I noticed a little sign that said something about "public pier access."  I asked about it and found that we could check out the area for free and long as they saw my id and "signed me in."  I'm not sure what that was all about.  We couldn't go onboard the Intrepid, but we did get to see the Growler submarine and the Concorde supersonic jet.  We were also surprised to find a little corn maze and pumpkin patch.  They were even giving away free pumpkins!  We got a few pictures of Lavender, but she was fascinated with the hay and mainly just wanted us to leave her alone so she could play.

Lavender was happy with her baby-sized pumpkin and it was time for our cruise.  It was chilly out there on the ship, but we had great views of Manhattan, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.  Lavender and I relaxed while Marianne and Evan took lots of pictures.

We worked up an appetite with all that cruising and walking, so we stopped for lunch and we continued our cupcake tour.  The internet coverage in NYC was horrible, so the GPS on my phone wasn't very helpful.  Somehow we managed to find both Magnolia Bakery and Baked By Melissa.  Yum!

We trekked back to the hotel to meet John and then headed out for the High Line, a cool new park built on elevated train tracks. Side note:  riding the subway with a stroller is a pain.  The pain was greatly lessened because of Evan.  He folded and unfolded that stroller and carried it up and down the stairs and on and off the trains.  I carefully planned our route to the High Line so that we would arrive where there was an elevator.  It meant we had to walk a bit further from the train station, but I figured it was worth it to avoid the stairs up to the park.  No such luck!  The elevator wasn't working, so got a long walk PLUS the stairs.  We did enjoy the High Line though and it was cool to go at night.    There is great artwork in the park too.

By this time we were all a little tired and grumpy, but a quick dinner at The Diner and a good night's sleep fixed everything! (Did you notice that Evan got the most pictures in this post? Just my way of saying thank you for all the heavy lifting he did during the trip.  Lavender's stroller was much heaver than the cupcakes he carried in the picture above.)

Eight Month Birthday

In the midst of a busy vacation

We barely remembered the day,

But she celebrated life!

She reveled in the chaos of the city

Squealing with joy at the rumbling approach

And screeching brakes of the train,.

Smiling at strangers on the subway

Even stony-faced New Yorkers  

Who couldn’t help themselves

And finally smiled back at her.

Delighted with crowds of commuters

Even laughing when fifteen Japanese tourists

Swarmed around her in an elevator.

The perfect little traveler--

She was content in her stroller or carseat

But happiest in our arms.

Late Saturday night in Times Square

We were tired and a bit grouchy,

But she was calm and peaceful, long past her bedtime.

Carefully watching the throngs of people.

Drinking it all in with her eyes and ears

And savoring every drop

Like liquid joy.

October 2012 - New York City Harbor Cruise

Day Nine - Moving Day

(We've been home nearly two weeks now and I'm finally blogging the rest of our trip.  I'm sure you've been lying awake at night wondering when I'd post!  Here it is.  Now you can sleep.)

Wednesday was our big moving day!  You probably didn't notice, but so far on our trip we changed hotels every two nights.  It was a little crazy and I was grateful we would be in one place for the last four nights!

After our big Letterman adventure, John started to feel a cold coming on.  By Wednesday morning he felt really sick, so we came up with a plan so he could get a little rest.  The kids and I would head out for a full day of sightseeing, while John took it easy.  In the afternoon, he (and our plethora of luggage) would take a car to our new hotel where we would all meet up.

We headed to the train station (the one with the cool stained glass windows that I blogged about last year) and Lavender had her first subway ride.  I was surprised that she loved the noise and commotion of the NYC metro system.  As soon as she heard a train coming and felt the vibrations, her little feet would start kicking and she'd get really excited.

I told the kids that they could choose our itinerary in the city.  Evan wanted to see some sites from his favorite TV show Doctor Who and Marianne wanted to continue her cupcake tour and see some sites from Home Alone 2.  In honor of Kevin McCallister, we headed straight to the Plaza Hotel.  The lobby didn't look anything like the movie, but it was gorgeous.  We looked around a little bit and then headed for the basement.  That's where all the food is!  We each had tried something different.  I had the tiniest California roll ever.  Marianne had a turkey sandwich and Evan was adventurous and had a shrimp roll and blueberry soda.  He was happy with his choice and said they were both delicious.  Then it was time for dessert!  Marianne and I sampled cupcakes from Billy's Bakery while Evan had the hugest cakepop I've ever seen.  We also selected some macarons from FP Patisserie.  I had never heard of  Francois Payard before, but let me tell you, he has some delicious flavors going on.  We tried pistachio, pumpkin, salted caramel, raspberry and more, but we waited until just before dinner when we really had an appetite.

After lunch we crossed the street to Central Park, all dressed up for autumn with her gorgeous leaves.  We found the bridge where Kevin met the Pigeon lady and then the kids went ice skating in that lovely setting!  Afterwards, I really wanted the kids to see the Guggenheim Museum.  Unfortunately, when my phone told us we had arrived, we were nowhere near the Guggenheim!  We chalked it up to adventure and took a little stroll that took us by some amazing stores, the NYC Public Library, Bryant Park and Crumbs Bakery where we picked up a few more cupcakes.  We took our shopping bags and treats and headed to our new home away from home--the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel.  I don't know why they have that little equal sign in the middle, but I don't really care.  It was an incredible hotel!  John was working a convention there, so thanks to his employer, we got to stay there.  The kids did a little exploring around the hotel and temporarily got separated, but we were eventually reunited and met my brother Scott in the lobby.  John still wasn't feeling well and decided to stay in the room. The rest of us went out to a great pizza place, although I opted for salad after all those cupcakes.  It was a fun evening and Lavender enjoyed all the attention too.  Scott gave us some ideas of where to go and what to see and we made some plans for the next three days!

Day Eight - NYC

Today was not the kids' favorite day, but it was date night
(afternoon) for us! The day started early for some of us. John and
Evan got up at 5:00 AM to return our rental car. They took the train
back and bought our metro passes for the week.

Later that morning, John and the kids went into the city while the
baby and I stayed at the hotel. It was a win-win. They got to see
Grand Central Station, I got caught up on my email and Lavender had a
nice long nap. I guess I need to add another "win" in there!

The kids spent the rest of the day at the hotel, babysitting and
studying. Marianne even had her Spanish class via Skype. As John and I
left for the subway station, I was flooded with memories. Last summer
the two of us spent a few days in NYC. Unfortunately, it was 100
degrees and I had terrible morning sickness. Being at the same hotel
and walking up the stairs to the train, I remembered how awful it was.
This time was so much better! We has beautiful fall weather and I felt
great.

A few weeks ago, John was excited to get tickets to "The Late Show
With David Letterman." It was quite a process. First he requested
tickets on line. Then he got a phone call giving him a number to call
to answer a question. They took our names and gave us a name and color
as our "code word." When we got there we had to stand in line to get
our tickets. An hour later we had to come back, stand in more lines,
show our driver's licenses to multiple people and go through a metal
detector. The security was tighter than the airport!

Finally, we were prepped on how to laugh and applaud correctly. We
were told to laugh heartily and immediately when Dave told a joke. We
could think about it and decide if it was funny on the way home. Then
they had us practice our laughter and reminded us not to whistle, yell
or "wooo." If we made any of these noises or took any pictures at any
time, we would be kicked out of the theater. It all sounds pretty
harsh and we knew they were serious, but they did everything in a nice
way with a sense of humor. The show is 30 years old, so I guess
they've got a system that works!

Inside the theater, we were happy to get seats in the third row. It
was cool to see all the lights, cameras and equipment. I hadn't
realized that the backdrop of the city is a 3D model. Before show
started, Dave came out to talk to us. He started talking to a guy
with a Wyoming tshirt and then recited all the facts he knew about
Wyoming. Then he jokingly asked how many other people were from
Wyoming. Of course John raised his hand and called out. At first Dave
didn't believe him, but then he asked him what city he was from. He
made a couple more jokes and then left. So John was one of two people
who actually got to talk to Dave.

Once the show started, I was so interested in watching the production
crew that I nearly forgot to laugh and applaud correctly. I was
surprised that while they were filming, there were 15 - 20 people
onstage in between the audience and the cast. Of course you can't see
them when the show airs, but you have to look in between them to watch
the show from the audience. I was also surprised that Dave reads the
jokes off cue cards. They are hand written with a fat marker and held
up close to him, right underneath the camera. No Teleprompter for him.

The guests were Taylor Swift and Rachel Maddow. John was disappointed,
especially when he knew that Bill O'Reilly and Donald Trump would be
on later in the week. We are not fans of Maddow and I admit to not
clapping at some of her comments. Honestly, we are not really fans of
Taylor Swift either, but it was very fun to see her up close. She gave
a good interview and a great performance! Even better, we were not
there the night Snooki was a guest!

After the show, we freed the kids from the hotel room and took them
out to dinner at an Irish Pub. As soon as I saw the menu, I remembered
what I had last summer and ordered the same thing: a hamburger on a
pretzel roll. It is truly the best burger I've ever tasted. Delicious!

Day Seven - City of Brotherly Love

Today was our long day in the car. Thankfully we traded in our local
rental for a mini van. We assumed our usual positions with John behind
the wheel and me behind the iPhone as navigator. We made it to
Philadelphia in about 2.5 hours. Shortly before we got there, John
pulled off the highway looking for a place to eat. As he drove around,
Marianne and I told him we weren't really hungry. I think the graffiti
covered buildings made us lose our appetite, or maybe it was the
hookers. We found a Burger King in a slightly nicer area and Lavender
got her first crown, which she kept grabbing off her head so she could
eat it. Some of us may have been tempted by the bacon sundaes, but we
resisted and headed into the city.

Our first stop was the Liberty Bell, that great symbol of freedom. Did
you know it weighs 2,080 pounds, has a 12 foot circumference and is
made of bronze? (Me neither, but John and Evan remembered that and
much more!)

We had a terrific guide for our tour of Independence Hall. She was a
great storyteller who helped everyone understand the significance of
standing in the very room where our founding fathers signed the
Declaration of Independence and the Constitition of the United States.
It was awe inspiring to be there and to see the original chair where
George Washington sat to preside over the constitutional convention.
Benjamin Franklin pointed to the sun on that chair and asked if it was
rising or setting.

We spent some more time learning about Franklin at his print shop,
post office, home site and grave. Then we walked down Elfreths Alley,
the oldest residential street in America with homes from the 1700s. We
went somewhere a little more modern for dinner--Jim's Steaks has been
in business since 1939 and they make mean Philly cheesesteak!

With full bellies we continued our drive up to New York City. After
fighting traffic and paying numerous tolls (one bridge was a whopping
$12) we were rewarded with spectaculars views of the lights of
Manhattan. Let the adventures begin!

Day Six - GW's Turn

John tried to convince us that we didn't need to visit Mount Vernon
since it was practically the same as Monticello. I think he just
wanted to save some money and see other DC sites, but the kids really
wanted to see George Washington's house. He is such a good dad that he
even sprung for the "National Treasure Tour" that took us behind the
scenes into Mount Vernon's cellar where Nicholas Cage kidnapped the
President. We also saw the bush where he emerged pretending to be a
waiter, the dock where his dad was fishing and the door where they
came out of the underground tunnel. If you don't know what I'm
referring to, you may need to watch the movie again. Coincidentally we
watched it at Sharon and Duane's so it was all fresh in our minds!

We also saw plenty of non-Hollywood history. We loved the brilliant
colors inside the rooms of the mansion, especially the Prussian blue.
Did you know that Martha preferred lighter colors and their bedroom
was off-white with light blue molding? The mansion has a lovely piazza
(back porch) with an incredible view of the Potomac and the Maryland
shoreline. After our tours, we all sat out there for awhile and just
relaxed!

Washington was an amazing farmer, landscaper and inventor. We loved
walking around a small part of the 8,000 acre estate. His 16-sided
threshing barn was a wonder!

In the museum we got to see Washington's annotated copy of the
Constitution and Bill of Rights that he used as a guide during his
presidency. It was recently purchased for 8 million dollars.

We ended our visit with a visit to "Lady Washington," a living
historian who played the role of Martha Washington very convincingly!
It really felt like we were there with the first First Lady herself.

When we finished at Mount Vernon we realized we had just enough time
to make it to the Kennedy Center for another concert. This time the
place was packed! We were lucky to get seats for Marianne and Evan
while John, Lavender and I got one of the last spots on the floor.
There was a huge group of people standing in the back. All the
excitement was for the (apparently very popular) six member Haitian
band, BeLO. These guys were incredible musicians who had the crowd
dancing, clapping and singing along. Lavender loved the music and
rocked out to the delight of everyone around us.

For our last night in DC, the kids wanted to go to the same spot. Evan
wanted to see the Lincoln Memorial and Marianne wanted one last view
of the Washington Monument in the mall's reflecting pool. Sadly, the
monument is closed for earthquake repairs, but we loved gazing at the
glistening white obelisk from the outside just as well. It is a
fitting tribute to the great man who was our first president.

Day Five - A TJ Kind of Day

We started out early for our trip to Monticello. We were excited to
see the home of Thomas Jefferson on a gorgeous autumn day. We loved
the octagonal rooms, the dumb waiter from the wine cellar and his cool
clock in the front hall. Jefferson decorated his rooms to invite
conversation and discussion. They were full of Indian artifacts, great
artwork an interesting gadgets. My favorite room was his
bedroom/office. It has a huge beautiful skylight, a bed set into the
wall and a machine that made duplicate copies of his letters.

Outside we tried writing with a quill pen and ink and touring the
grounds. Evan especially loved seeing many varieties of plants.
Marianne took tons of pictures of the falling leaves. And Lavender
made friends everywhere we went.

We decided to forego the shuttle and walk back down the "little
mountain" stopping at Thomas Jefferson's grave. The cemetery is still
owned and used by the family.

After a great day at Monticello we made the drive back to Washington
and arrived just in time for a free concert at The Kennedy Center. Raw
Men Empire, an Israeli indie band, was performing. The four guys from
Tel Aviv played for about 45 minutes. Our favorite song was called,
"Israeli Women Are the Best Looking Women in the World." Another funny
song was called, "I've Got A One Track Mind That Leads No Where."

After a photo with the giant JFK head and a quick stop for more
pictures of the Washington Monument by moonlight, we appropriately
ended our day at the Jefferson Memorial. The white dome glows beside
the water and the statue of Jefferson is surrounded by quotations from
his writing. For some reason there were multiple signs admonishing us
to be quiet and respectful as well as a park ranger and armed guard
standing watch. This was quite a contrast to the free-for-all at
Lincoln's Memorial. I wonder if it was a reflection on the style of
the two great leaders. I've heard that Lincoln was a rather permissive
parent. Maybe Thomas Jefferson needed more quiet while he did all that
writing?

I'll leave you with my favorite new quote from Jefferson:

"It would be a great calamity if we did not have ice."

Day Four - Southern Virginia

We enjoyed hearing the rain on the copper roof of Canary Cottage
during the night, but we awoke to a beautiful autumn morning!

My Uncle Duane cooked us breakfast and then gave John and the kids a
tour. He gave them a ride on his "popo" around a small part of their
60 acres and the cemetery next door.

My cousin Darren and his family had arrived late the night before, so
it was fun to visit with them and compare Lavender to her second
cousin Decker who is just a week older. He has six teeth while she is
still gummin it! She does scoot around more than him though.

Late that morning we left for Southern Virginia University, a small
LDS liberal arts school. The rolling hills and brilliant fall colors
made for a lovely drive. We were warmly welcomed at SVU and talked
with a number of staff members and one of the VPs. We also took a tour
of the beautiful, historic campus and took a peek at the girls' dorms.
(The rooms are huge and have private bathrooms by the way.)

We ate lunch on campus and then met up with our good friends John and
Nick. We drove to nearby Lexington for ice cream and they told us
about SVU from a student's perspective. We have known these two since
they were just little guys and it was fun to see them all grown up and
independent.

As we headed back to Duane and Sharon's we stopped at a scenic view
spot. Strangely, there was man playing the bagpipes and a woman
wearing a tiger costume/pajamas.

We got back just in time to help Sharon get dinner on the table. My
cousin Melinda and her kids live nearby so we got to see them too!

Lavender and Decker played together until it was time for bed. All
went well except for Deckers enthusiastic hug and kiss which ended
with a scratch on Lavender's head.

It was a nostalgic evening for me. When I was eleven years old my
family moved to southern California and we lived about 30 minutes away
from Sharon and Duane's family. (BTW, Sharon was my mom's college
roommate and she introduced her to Duane!) Our families spent many
holidays and weekends together and I loved being with my cousins. Most
of them live on the east coast now, so I don't get to see them very
often. I was grateful for the chance to spend time with some of the
family. We have some interesting similarities. Darren has a 12 year
gap between his kids (I beat him by 2 years). Melinda and I
comiserated about the difficulties of pregnancy over 40. I still beat
her by a few years too!

Day Three

We started off the day at the Smithsonian Museum of American History.
Marianne was disappointed to learn that Dorothy's ruby slippers were
visiting England for a month. We did get to see Julia Child's kitchen,
Kermit the frog and china from every First Lady. Evan especially
enjoyed the musical instruments and we all loved seeing the
Star-Spangled Banner flag!

We must have enjoyed ourselves a little too much, because we soon
realized we were running late for our tour at the Capitol. I strapped
Lavender into her sling (since we thought strollers weren't allowed on
the tour) and we headed up Capitol Hill at top speed. We were all
breathing pretty hard until John snagged us a ride on one of the
little shuttles. We made it with six minutes to spare! John thought
the driver was a volunteer and offered to tip her. She refused,
explaining that she was "a full-time employee with full benefits and a
pension." So your tax dollars helped give us a ride up the hill!

We had a great tour of the Capitol from Brandon, the very effeminate
tour guide. Afterwards we asked about getting into the House or Senate
chambers. He told us we had to go check with our Senator or
Congressman to get passes, but then added, "You might want to check at
the information desk." Fortunately, we scored passes to the Senate
for the kids and John.

Lavender and I were given the job of running back down the hill to get
the car before our parking time was up. Lavender's 16 extra pounds on
my chest was getting heavy as I hurried down the hill. I offered a
quick prayer that I would make it back in time. As I turned the
corner, I saw a pedicab. The driver offered me a ride and I figured it
must be an answer to prayer! We had a nice ride back to the car and I
was grateful to be reunited with our stroller.

Next we headed off for southern Virginia. We thought we were leaving
early enough to beat the traffic, but we still spent a lot of time
bumper to bumper.

A week or two before our trip, Marianne decided she would like to
visit SVU. So we rearranged our plans and she made an appointment for
a tour of the campus. My aunt and uncle live in the area and they
invited us to stay with them.

After the heavy traffic we had a rainstorm, but finally made it to my
uncle and aunt's lovely home, the Canary Cottage!