Yay Yay...Rae Rae Visits!

Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.

Rae came to visit us this week while she is on Fall Break from her MBA studies at Duke, only 3.5 hours to our south in North Carolina. It was so nice (no...it was needed!)  to have some girl-time and show her around our new city for her first trip to DC.  We have known Rae for ten years (Natalie's middle name is Rae!) and she has become a close member of our family over time.  We loved having her visit and can't wait to see her again at Thanksgiving.   Being away from all of my girlfriends has made me appreciate the friendships and eager to spend quality time with everyone.  It was a memorable week.

Tomorrow we are off to Green Bank,West Virginia for the weekend to visit and stay at The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope which is the world's largest fully steerable radio telescope. I have no idea what to expect, but I will share it with you next week.  

 

Here are some pictures from our fun week!

  

I can't take these kids ANYWHERE!

Sawyer's attempt at taking our picture at the White House...I guess it just became a nice picture of us!

Sawyer also took this picture and I LOVED how it turned out.

Natalie landed a spot on the WALL OF CHARACTER at her school for the month of October...we are so proud. (She also has her first "rock star crush" on Adam Levine...hilarious).

Taking Rae to a show at the Kennedy Center.

Sawyer at the Old Stone House, in Georgetown...which is the oldest structure in DC and dates back before the Revolution. Cool.

Rae dropping Natty Rae at the bus stop.

Georgetown cupcakes.

Much much much needed friend time.

On my morning run, I couldn't help but take a picture of the colors...seriously insane here this time of year.

We arrived a tad early to the magic show at the Kennedy Center.

Natalie's new favorite show is TLC's DC Cupcakes...so we went to Georgetown for some sweet treats. She was so excited.

Georgetown Cupcakes (with a LONG line)

Believe it or not, the cupcakes were kind of gross...at least they make cute pictures!

Free fun is good!

The journey between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of Life really takes place.

 We are trying each week to make sure we do incredible things...which is not very hard in this city.  This week's adventures included two trips to Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Island on the Potomac where we found great running and hiking trails.  This island is not that far off from the kids' judo studio so Steve and I can once in a while get a trail run in!  That was certainly a good find.  Sawyer and I wandered down to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for another history lesson...he was pretty excited to get pictures there.   Steve got the chance to visit Baltimore this week so the kids and I went to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to watch an international magic show as a part of Kids Euro Festival 2012. This was certainly the highlight of the week for me....nothing compares to getting on a subway outside my door, making the short walk to an amazing cultural event and riding home...FREE.  This place is truly amazing and we are trying to make every day special.  Tomorrow we are off to the French Embassy for an art lesson and puppet show....aaaah!!! This is soooo cooool!   PS: Steve and I also are now involved in sports that include boxing gloves...this year is so very different and I am loving it!

Worn out kids after another trip to the National Zoo. 

Another memorable field trip with Teacher Mom. 

How we roll.

Me and Natty at the JFK Center for the Performing Arts...our first visit of hopefully many!

"Kids Crossing the Potomac" circa 2012

My new gear that I never would have thought I'd own...and I love it!

Steve and TR on TR Island...we finally found trails to run on.

JFK Center before the show.

Kids with Teddy.

Kids dressed up for the show...Teddy Roosevelt Island and Georgetown in the background.

Night out!

Proud kids who earned more Judo stripes for their belts.

The little things...

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

I am trying this weekend to take in the things that are smaller on scale (you know, compared to trying to get my kids to understand, let's say, how democracy works by visiting the Constitution)...I realize, from experience living abroad as an 8 year old, that many times it is the smell of bus exhaust, the taste of a special cookie, or the colors of the fall leaves that will stay in the memories of little kids forever.  

Steve is in Boston speaking with pre-service science and math teachers this weekend, so the kids and I are doing some adventures solo. Last night we bundled up, packed my old-lady cart, with down comforters and pillows, brought some popcorn and went to watch The Lorax under the changing trees outside of Natalie's school. We snuggled and made a simple but silly memory on the crunchy leaves. 

Yesterday Sawyer and I had our weekly"coffee shop kindergarten lesson"...which means, we both bring books and get a treat for as long as possible with a 5 year old. Yesterday's reading time lasted over an hour and this simple pleasure dumbfounded me how a 5 year old boy drinking sugary hot chocolate could sit for an hour and read a book in total happiness. This was one happy mama!  

The kids received "posters" made from all of their best buddies at Cheri's House (our childcare angel!) in Bellingham. They couldn't have been more excited...so both have new decorations on their walls above their bed from their friends.  The simple treat made the week so special.  So below are some pics of our week and the little things that might become big memories to our kids.  

 

Sawyer and his poster from Cheri's House.

Enormous collard greens from Virginia...so yummy...so big!

Coffee Shop Kindergarten

Natalie and her poster from Cheri's.

I found Sawyer reading books to Natalie's stuffed animals while she was at school.  She was happy to know Uncle Sawyer was taking good care of them while she was away.

My little patriot!  She has taken this election thing to a whole new level. When she saw the nice lady selling Obama campaign buttons she begged and pleaded that I go to the ATM to get cash so she could get one. 

Sawyer and I stumbled upon St. Patrick's Catholic Church downtown DC. It is so pretty tucked in between all the huge concrete buildings.

Fooling Around DC

Celebrating Steve's 38th with a fun visit from his mom and Thai food!

Dragons like carrots.

My first knitting projects and first professional modeling shoot. (ha!)

Waiting at the subway with Aunt Marie! Thanks for the memorable visit...

President Natalie

Birthday breakfast at Ihop...typical family dynamics.

This speaks for itself.

President Sawyer.

First pumpkin spice latte of the year...at my new favorite coffee shop: BUZZ.

Pink puffy coat debut directly from Hong Kong...Natalie loves Grandpa Jonesy as her personal international shopper.

Great Falls Park - Maryland

We got the chance to visit Great Falls Park in Maryland on this long weekend.  The park is basically divided into two sections, Virginia and Maryland,  cut by the Potomac River.  The fall colors are just beginning to show and the weather changed from a high of 80 degrees to a high of 58 in a matter of 24 hours...which meant those of us from the Pacific Northwest finally felt at home with fleece and jeans for our fun nature hike.  George Washington commissioned a series of approximately 20 locks along the falls, which are no longer in use, but very much still standing and fun to walk along.  We went with about 15 other Einstein Fellows and a geology teacher who gave us this natural history of the area.  The kids loved listening to stories of the rocks and were "rock stars" themselves hiking with a bunch of adults with no complaining. 

We traveled to Maryland to visit Great Falls Park for a unique and challenging hike.

The kids (and adults) loved the rock wall climb.

Kids, Britta and fun colors.

Kids and George Washington's Potomac locks, and green slime. 

The Falls.

The old locks.

Very big blue heron.

Crazy stuff growing on the river...but pretty!

The fellow "fellow" hikers.

Dad and kid looking across to Virginia from Maryland.

Very "serious" ladies looking across the water.

Another cool old lock.