LiFe iS a DaNCe, yOu sHoULd WaLTz: The 4th of July

Friday, August 7, 2009

The 4th of July

In Washington DC

2009

Brian took this incredible picture of the Washington Monument

This is our cute little group

Brian, Emily, Brynlee, Taidan, Zac, Michael, Stephanie, and Ashlynn

We got great seats for the

Washington Monument Fireworks

It was amazing!

I'm so grateful we got to do that at least once in our lifetime.

It was worth the trip for that one experience.

The next day was our main sight-seeing day

first stop...

The White House

The whole family...including the little peanut in my belly!

My favorite monument was definately

the Washington Monument

I loved it! We got so many pictures of it.

The World War II Memorial

Every Memorial is beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time,

there are just SO many of them.

Each one represents hundreds and thousands of lives sacrificed.

Freedom Is Not Free

These words are found engraved at the Korean War Memorial

The Vietnam Memorial
I love this picture, but it also breaks my heart.

I think of all the names engraved behind my beloved men,

and all the women that sent them off to war praying they would come home safely.

I am so grateful for men and women brave enough to make those sacrifices.

Zac Martin and Michael Beeman

We got to sign the Christmas Card for The Troops!!!

It will be delivered this coming Christmas.

The flag and blue note under it are from our family.

The Craziest, Fastest Water Chugging Contest

You've EVER seen!

and the winner is....

The Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Mermorial is so iconic.

It was kind of surreal seeing all of this stuff in real life.
And very cool.

These are just a few of the other sights we saw

Top left to bottom right

US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Pentagon 9-11 Memorial,

Washington DC Capitol Building, and Arlington Cemetery

My Cute Little Monkeys, Taidan and Ashlynn.

We were able to go to three of the Smithsonian Museums

The US Holocaust Memorial Museum, American History Museum,

and The Natural History Museum

OLD GLORY

We got to see THE actual flag named Old Glory that inspired the

Star Spangled Banner.

It was huge! Stretching through an entire room.

Because it is hundreds of years old, it is very well kept in an airtight, low-light area

in the Smithsonian American History Museum.

The Natural History Museum

We loved the dinosaurs!

This is an actual size giant blue whale.

The kids had alot more fun in this museum than in the other ones.

On our way out of town back to Philadelphia

We got to drive by

The Washington DC Temple

It looked beautiful, I'm glad we waited until night to see it.

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From the Mouths of Babes

- Taidan, "Mom, I found my arms!" (You can imagine my relief) "Oh, good. Where were they?" "In my room." lol....I'm still laughing, From October 2011
- Snippets from the kids prayer's tonight; Ashlynn: 'and thank you for that yumsy-yum dinner mommy made', Taidan: 'and please help Grampa's heart fell better', Brynlee: 'please, I want a pet unicorn and bear'....all of them made me smile- they are so sweet! From Summer 2011
- Ashlynn was telling me how she got shy during her sharing time. She told me, "I just said to myself, 'Knock it off', I said and I was fine" :) She said it just like her Grandma Bonnie does, emphasizing each syllable...knock-it-off! Ha! Spring 2011
- Brynlee asked what the spots on my arm were. I told her they were freckles and she corrected me, saying "No Mommy, they're sparkles." ah...sweet girl! Spring 2011
- I asked my 4yr old Taidan to be in charge of FHE the night after Easter. After thinking it over for a few minutes, Taidan decided we would have an Easter Play! He dragged out the end table in our living room and threw a blanket over the top of it for a tomb. He crawled inside it, playing the role of Jesus. He instructed Brynlee to be the angel and take the blanket off, like the angels had rolled the stone that was blocking the tomb. And Mommy played Mary Magdalene crying outside of the tomb. The play was beautiful and I was so proud that Taidan came up with it without any help from me or Daddy. I'm so grateful that Easter meant something special to him. He is an amazing little boy. April 2011
- One of Ashlynn's prayers (while Brynlee had the measles) ended like this, '...and please bless that Brynlee won't have the sneezles any more. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." Oh, so sweet. Dec 2010
- Brynlee was trying to call Daddy a 'Doodie' all day, but what kept coming out (with her adorable baby laugh) was "Daddy, your a douchie!" Brian was like, "I'm a what?!" I ♥ toddler talk. 2010
- Ashlynn to Uncle Jay, "Uncle Jay, you have a chocolate face." "Yes, I do." He said smiling. "Do you have chocolate feet?" Asked Ash. Lol...."Yes." He said when we'd all stopped laughing. Summer 2009
- On our way to the Huntsman World Senior Games Opening Cerimonies, it started pouring rain! We had to make a mad dash from our parking spot to the building while squeezing all six of us under two small umbrella's. Taidan, Kimbree and I were all hurrying under one together when we came across one of the longest earth worms I had ever seen ( a good six inches). I thought Taidan would think it was cool and want to pick it up or at least watch it wiggle around. "Taidan, look at this!!!" I exclamed. Taidan leaned his nose down close as I said, "It's an earthworm." Without further ado, Taidan jumped on top of the earthworm smashing it into a hundred pieces. Before I could react he goes, "It's ok, Mom- I saved you!" Lol, I ask him to kill spiders way too much I guess! I explained how earthworms aren't mean, but they are kind of slimy and fun to play with- especially for a three year old boy! He's still not convinced... Sept 2010
- Brynlee was showing Grandpa some of Taidan's Hotwheels cars and Grandpa was quizing her on the colors, "What's this one?" "Boo", "What's this one?" "Gween", "What color is this one?" "Sparkly"...lol, leave it to a princess to include 'sparkly' as it's own color. Fall 2010
- Taidan was riding back from diner in our friends, Kory and Marianne's, car. When they drove by the temple Kory pointed it out and said "Do you know what that is? That's the temple, that's God's House." Taidan thought about and said, " So... does that mean we're in Heaven? Cause God lives in Heaven." ;) Fall 2010
- Ashlynn and her cousin Brooklyn were giggling in the backseat of my sister-in-law's van. "Amber, do we get to stay up all night?" Ashlynn asked. "No, we'll have to go to sleep sometime." After some more whispering and giggling, Brooklyn told Amber, " we're going to wait til you fall asleep and put peanutbutter and jelly on you and eat you up!" The girl's cracked up. Then Ashlynn said to Brooklyn, "When you fall asleepI'm going to put peanutbutter on you and eat your toes." Brooklyn said, " You can't eat my Ashlynn, I'm your best friend." Lol. That precocious at 3...we're in trouble ;) From Fall 2019
- Ashlynn turned to Brian and said, "Mommy's boobies make milk. My boobies make wash cloths." "Wash cloths?!" Brian laughed. 'Yeah, wash cloths, like magic. What do your boobies make Daddy?" he he, From Spring 2010
- At dinner one night Mom did something silly and Daddy called her a dork. Taidan goes "Your not a dork Mommy. Your beautiful. Your a princess". So sweet...I ate it up. Fall 2009
- Taidan and Ashlynn found a rip in the knee of my pants. Taidan got so worried, "Mommy, what happened to your pants?!" "I don't know" I said. So Ashlynn asks, "Did you fall?" "No", I tell her. " Did you pick at it?" "No", I say. "Then what happened?" she asks. "They are just really old", I tell her. The lightbulb above her head goes off and she says, "Oh...like Grandma and Grandpa," nodding her head knowingly. Lol, From Fall 2009
- Brian was talking when, out of nowhere, Taidan put his hand over Bri's mouth and said "Shush Dad, shut your lips". Then shaking his little booty all over he said, "Do the Hellen Keller, and talk with your hips". It was so unexpected and stinking cute. We're still laughing about it. Fall 2009
- During bath time Ashlynn discovered she can reach both handicap bars in the bathroom by stretching her arms as far as they go and just barely gripping with the tips of her fingers. Taidan tried his hardest but couldn't quite reach. Ashlynn, always the good sister goes "ok, here's the rules- you grab that one and then we hold hands and I'll grab this one." Together they could reach both. Taidan was completley satisfied. What a sweet sister! From Summer 2009
- A really loud thunder storm woke Ashlynn up early one morning. She ran into our bedroom and yelled, "Daddy come quick- there's a vlocano outside!" She dragged Brian to the window and showed him the crazy lightning show flashing! I love to hear how kids explain things, Ashlynn especially has funny and adorable ones. From Summer 2009
- Ashlynn is our little singer. She sings all the time at the top of her lungs, we love it. One day she stopped mid-song and, bottom lip extended, said "Daddy, I wish I could sing beautiful". Brian said, "Honey, you sing beautifully." Ashlynn, not convinced told him, "I sing like a little kid, I want to sing like a grown-up." Sweet baby. We love how she sings; Like she does most things, she does it with ALL of her heart! From Spring 2009
- While watching a movie and eating pizza, Brian and I heard Brynlee cry out. We don't see her in the corner where the sound is coming from- the spot where the loveseat, sidetable, and couch all meet. Brynlee cries out again, sounding really mad this time! Meanwhile, Brian and I are spinning in circles, confused and a little frantic now, because we still don't see her. Brynlee starts to really cry now. 'Under the loveseat?' I offer, questioning the idea myself...there's no way. A few seconds later, with Brynlee still crying out for us, we tip the love seat over. There's my poor, 9 month old, baby Brynlee...who had managed to get stuck dead-center under the loveseat, where no little arms or legs could give her away. That crazy baby!! Spring 2009
- Daddy and Uncle Zac took Ashlynn and Taidan on a walk. While Brian and Zac's attention was diverted Ashlynn pulled her pants down and started to squat right on the sidewalk. As soon as Daddy noticed he grabbed Ashlynn, shocked "What are you doing?!" he asked. "I have to go poop, Dad." She answered, as if it was the most natural thing to go potty outside on a sidewalk. Brian hurried Ashlynn home laughing all the way while explaining to Ash that we don't go potty outside like doggies. LOL! Spring 2009
- Brian and I were playing basketball and letting the kids roam around the giant basketball/tennis courts. Brian noticed the kids captivated attention at the edge of the fence...any time kids get quiet and still for any length of time it usually means trouble. Brian headed over to check things out and started by asking questions. Ashlynn started to answer him but T must not have liked her answers. With us all watching he machine-gun fired out one little black rock after another untill (several rocks later) his mouth was empty enough to speak...that little boy does some of the grossest/funniest things. Spring 2009
- We took the kids out to Manhattan, NY to finally meet Uncle Jason, Aunt Angie's husband. Ashlynn and Uncle Jay were instantly BEST friends, inseperable. After spending the day in her uncle's adoring attention, Ashlynn wanted to talk to Uncle Jay about his skin color. Ash told Uncle Jay that he has a chocolate face. Lol, Jay said that was a new one...leave it to my candy obsessed three year old to come up with it. Spring 2009
- Taidan and Grandma Kiki were cuddling quietly on the couch, when Taidan suddenly got up, MAD, and stomped off, muttering his little way to the back room. A very short time later he reappeared and said with finger pointed, 'don tah to me lite dat, Gwa'ma!' (don't talk to me like that, Grandma)...we still aren't sure what he was upset about :) Spring 2009
- Brynlee was screaming from the living room while I was in the kitchen and out of sight. Her little rescuer's Ashlynn and Taidan rushed to her aid, waving toys and making silly faces to cheer her up. They were definately getting somewhere, but not far-she was grumpy. All of the sudden she stopped, no more whining, no more crying...nothing. I poke my head around to see what's worked...there on her tummy lies my little angel with her brother graceously offering his dirty little boy toes for her to suck on till mommy could get there...eew! From Late Winter 2009
- Brian was in a hurry to get home from a friends house. Meanwhile, the rest of us were talking and taking our time getting out of the house. Brian finally grabbed Brynlee and T, and said "K, bye. I'm leaving." And walked out of the house. I told Ash, "Daddy's gonna leave us, he thinks he's SO funny." She said,"No, he is not funny...he's retarded." Oops... Fall 2008
- Brian was in the other room and let one rip...let a couple rip. Ash comes running in and goes, "Dad, what was that? It sounded like a duck!" Fall 2008
- Ashlynn decided, after much debate, to be Belle for Halloween. About a week before Halloween, Daddy asked Ash what she was going to be for Halloween. She said," I'm gonna be Belle. I'm gonna get big boobies and dance with the Beast." Daddy laughed and said "WHY?!" She said, "So I can get more candy!" Fall 2008
- My nephew Weston is Ashlynn's age, and one of her very best friends. I'm always reminding them to include Taidan, which annoys them. Taidan was crying. When I went to check it out, I found out Weston had hit him (normal kid stuff). I asked him what had happened and he said in the most angelic way," I really am sorry". It suprised me so much I laughed, and just kind of went "oh, okay". I never expected such sincerity from a 3 year old! Fall 2008
- My 6 year old nephew Luke was building a dam with Uncle Brian and a few of our other nephews in a small man-made creek running through the middle of the park we were having a picnic at. The water wasn't very deep, but for a 6 year old it felt a bit higher. With his hands on his hips, Luke yelled, "this water is so high, it's almost touching my PEANUTS! Woo!", Brian and I couldn't stop laughing. Summer 2008
- We were at the leopard exhibit at the Denver Zoo. Ashlynn said," Dad, look it's a tiger", Daddy corrected her and told her it was a leopard. She goes, "No, it's a tiger" They went back and forth till Ash went, "It's a tiger, it has spots!" Daddy says, "Leopards have spots, tigers have stripes". Ash got the most confused look on her face while she tried to make sense of the new reality. Summer 2008
- Taidan's new thing is, "Mom, Ma, Mom, Mamma, Ma, Mom!", without any pauses or breaths...Finally I'll go "What T?" and he'll say sweet as can be, "I wuh yoo". Then he'll start on over, switching back and forth between me and Daddy. It's so funny! Summer 2008
- Ashlynn was helping T so sweetly. I told her "Ash, you're so beautiful". She flipped her hair and said matter of factly, "It's my hair" then turned right back to what she was doing without a second thought. Lol, I had meant from the inside out, but ok... From Summer 2008