1st Part of Washington DC

Zak and I had the opportunity to go to Washington DC with Farm Bureau. It was just one of those great opportunities that we couldn't turn down. We went with 25 other couples from around the state of Utah, trying to represent each county. We left early Friday morning, the flight was an interesting one, coming into DC the wind was around 60 MPH, it made for a very rough, rough landing, it was quite scary, once we landed, everbody on the plane let out a huge cheer- we were all so happy to be on land!!! The flight attendents going to DC and going back to SLC said that it was the loudest they had ever heard on a flight. Once we got to our hotel, Zak and I decided to go grab something to eat, I thought we should go to Union Station, the hotel lady said it was just about 15 minutes away, so we started out on that adventure, 3 other couples went with us. At one point in time, of trying to find Union Station, another guy asked Zak, "are we looking at the same map?" It definatley took longer than 15 minutes, but we found some good food at Union Station, it is really neat- it is a Train Station. As we headed back to the hotel, once again we got lost(but we had lots of good laughs)- but made it right on time to board our bus for the Illuminating Night Tour. It was very cold in DC that night and winds around 30mph.

Inside Union Station

Outside of Union Station

That night we took a tour of the city-

This is the back of the White House- but this is how you enter

Front of White House- the winds were so strong!!! On Saturday morning we took a tour of the White House- of course we couldn't take any picutres!!! I could not believe the security around the White House! It was really neat in the inside, very fancy. In order to get into the White House, we had to have a background check done on us 6 months ago. We went through several security checks before we could even get in. As we were walking out of the White House a group of missionaries were going in for a tour, I think we scared them, all of calling them Elders, we had fun visiting with them- A lady in one of their wards was going to take them on a tour, she wakes up Michelle Obama every morning.

World War 2 Monument

A quote I liked from World War 2 monument

Washington Memorial

In front of another part of the World War 2 monument- behind me is a wall of stars- each star represents 1,000 men who were killed- over 400,000 men were killed.

Monument of the Korea War- there is a huge long wall like above-remembering those who died in this war.

This is also part of the Korea Monument- a field of statues, but what it is must of looked like when they were in war. It was very powerful scene.

Part of the Vietnam Wall Memorial

Abraham Lincoln Memorial

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Iwo Jima Memorial- the war with Japan

Day 2- After visiting the White House we went to Mount Vernon, which was George Washington's farm. He had inheritied it from another guy- it was such a beautiful place!

George Washington's Home, no pictures were allowed inside. It was very intersting. Out all around this house were other buildings- the slaves bunks, a little hospital, lots of barns, for carriages to be stored and for visitors horses to be stored, a masonary, a storage shed for all the paint it took to paint these places- they had to paint the roofs are painted!!! So it was one of the slave jobs to keep everything painted.

This was George Washington's first tomb, they have since built a much fancier one- but no pictures were allowed.

Part of the Washington Farm- look at all the trees in the background- I would love to see it during the summer. George was a very smart man, he left alot of his property wooded, instead of clearing it for fields, he wanted to ensure they would have enough wood for the wood burning stoves, for fences, and for building! He put alot of work and thought into his plantation. He had awesome farming skills, way ahead of his time.

16 sided barn, this was also another of his innovative ideas!

The view from the Washington's house was amazing, just below it is the Potamac River, it was so pretty!

Another view of the river

After this we headed to the Holocaust Museum, no photography was allowed. I just can't even put to words what I saw and the feelings I had. I can't believe that people could be so evil, but it also gave me another perspective, I had a feeling that some of the people who worked for Hitler, may have went along with it and not rebelled to protect their families- what would you do to save your family's life and your own? I had a lot of thoughts, but I still can't get over the cruel things that happened to these people.

After the Museum, we decided to go see Georgetown, it was our first time experiencing the Metro system, Georgtown was fun to see and we found a good restraunt- we looked and looked for one, all the restraunts around here were very expensive, but finally we found one that wasn't too bad! We had a fun time with the group of people we were with.

I felt so dumb as I started seeing all these sights, I felt like I didn't know anything- doing this trip was such a learning experience, to see the history of our nation, to learn, to connect, to make it real.

Really?

This past week has been kind of an interesting one. Last Thursday Hallee started not feeling well, her tummy hurt and her throat hurt. She gets up on Friday morning and wants to stay home, I was going to let her, but her dad made her go. I pick her up from school and she is as white as a ghost and just dragging her feet, she gets to the car and tells me she does not feel good at all. She spends rest of the day cuddled up on the couch, in the meantime she breaks out in a rash (which doesn't worry me, she does it every once in awhile, shes had the backpoke test done to see if she is allergic to something, but it came back okay), on saturday she wants to eat lunch and miraculously feels so much better, she goes out and rides her bike. She gets up on Sunday ready for Church and we get to church, I'm sitting there in Primary when Hallee's primary teacher comes and gets me, she tells me she thinks Hallee has Strep throat, her kids broke out with the same rash, and it has been going around the school. I grab Zak to figure out what we should do, he had to leave for work that afternoon, we decided to take her in to Insta Care. We wait and wait and after an hour and a half, it is confirmed that she has strep throat. The next day Zak doesn't feel well, goes in and he has strep throat. On that previous Saturday I get the idea to pull out all of our appliances and clean under them- the fridge, washer, dryer, and stove. On monday while Zak is sick in bed(which is Valentines Day), I hear this running water, I look down the stairs, and water is just pouring out of the ceiling(ended up being the heater vents), I run to the laundry room and there is water everywhere- I turn off the washing machine, start soaking up water with every towl I own. So Zak forgot to hook the water hose back up, so we had to pull out the washer and dryer again, to soak up all the water. I had to soak and soak water out of my carpet down stairs, pull it up and put a fan on it, try to soak water out of my heater vents- but what a mess! I spent pretty much an entire day cleaning this one up. The next day I decide to make bread, I go downstairs and feel my bucket back up with flour, I come up the stairs, almost to the kitchen Sicaly wiggles in my arms, I drop the bucket of flour and it goes spewing everywhere- I mean everywhere!!!! All over the carpet, all over my hardwood floors- in its little cracks between each board, all under my freshly cleaned underneath fridge and stove!!!! Really!!! Sometimes you wonder why you put so much effort into something and it just blows up in your face. So once again I had another huge mess to clean up, and Sicaly was right in the middle of this one. And I didn't pull out the fridge and clean out underneath- it will just have to wait!!
Sicaly in the meantime has had a cough and wheezy, on Friday afternoon Blyss is not feeling so hot, by Sautrday she is definatley sick, I get a doctors appointment for Blyss and Sicaly. Blyss had Strep Throat, and Sicaly got put on doing breathing treatments to help clear out her lungs. We went back on Monday and the Dr was paranoid that she was getting pneumonia, so she is on antibiotics and doing more breathing treatments, but she is sounding better, everyone is feeling better. I just am praying that I don't get Strep Throat, since we leave for Washington DC on Friday. And I am praying for Sicaly to get fully better, so when my mom takes her to the doctors on friday all will be well.
I hope we don't have any more REALLYS for awhile.

HaPPy VaLEnTiNEs DaY

These two girls want to wish you a Happy Valentines Day!!!

I really got into the Valentine Mood this year- I had fun trying out all the heart hair do's- Hallee went to school everyday for a week with some type of heart hair do.

Blyss even let me do her hair a few times.

Then I felt an urge to have some Valentine decorations in my house- I only had 1- a heart wreath on my door. So I made a heart topiary thing and the LOVE blocks with left over wood from finishing the room in our basement.

Then I saw this wreath on a craft blog I like to get ideas from- it turned out so cute!! I LOVE it!

While in the crafting mood I decided to whip up myself a new skirt. I did a ruffle around the bottom, and in the back it has 3 ruffles- it turned out so cute.

I had to throw this picture in- I'm the best mom and let my child play in the dirty dishwasher to keep them entertained so I can do the dishes from dinner- this is seriously what I resort to when Zak is gone so that I can get something done- and she has a ball!!!

It's Good to Be 4

Blyss has been excited for her birthday since Christmas. I told her her birthday will come after Christmas, so she asked me everyday if it was her birthday yet. The day finally came, she got up very earily and wanted to open her presents, Zak was gone so I told her she could open 2 in the morning and 2 when Zak got home. She got the DVD Barbie in a Fashion Fairytale and Lipstick. That day she got to go to preschool and celebrate there. After she got home Blyss had a friend come and play while I worked on her birthday cake. Then that after noon I met Zak and we went to McDonald's- Blyss' choice of course. Then when we got home she got to open her other 2 presents- a Leapster and a princess game to go with the Leapster- we had to wait an hour before we could have cake because Blyss was having so much fun on her Leapster.
This past weekend we went to Idaho and she got to visit both of her grandparents and have a party with the Miller cousins! She got to celebrate her birthday for 3 days- How would it be to be 4!!!

Cinderella

Blyss and her cake

We are sure glad we have Blyss in our family- she is a very energentic, stubborn child, but she is also very loving, kind, and loves to help in the kitchen, folding clothes, dusting, and cleaning bathrooms! She loves to play barbies, sing, and loves to get in the crib with Sicaly after her nap and play with her for awhile. And of course her best friend is Hallee- these two play very well together, but also fight very well too- I guess thats what sisters do though.

We love you Blyss!!!

I had to throw in a picture of our little tootsie roll- she is getting so big!!!

Snow Man 2011

Here is this year's snowman!! He only lasted a day, thanks to the rain and warm weather. But he was pretty good lookin at least for a day.

So last week we had a yucky bug was going around our house, it started with Sicaly, having diarrhea and throwing up and not feeling well. Then Hallee, then Blyss and I- we all had differend forms of it, but mine hit Friday, I was naseauted and dizzy, Hallee went to Kindergarten and it was time for me to pick her up, I not feeling well get in the car, back up, looking out my windows as I back up and crash, I hit the mail lady! I get out and she said I didn't even see you and I said I didn't even see you, but it only left a ding in her car- which she didn't care because her car has dings everywhere on it. But it left a nice big ding in my car. But I'm going to blame this one on being dizzy and naseauted. This is my first official accident! Thank goodness it is tax return season!

Pay It Forward 2011

I promise to send something hand-made to the first five peope who leave a comment here. You must in turn post this on your blog and send somthing YOU make to the first five people who comment on your post. The rules are: the item has to be HANDMADE and must be sent to the five people sometime in 2011. So do it! I can't wait - this could be so fun!

My GiRlS

Hallee is such a funny girl- she is my worry wart!!!! She is worried that I'm going to forget what Blyss wants for her birthday- so Hallee wrote Blyss' want list and set it on my dresser so I can look at it and know what Blyss wants for her birthday. I'm really proud of Hallee and how well she writes and she is sounding out words to write them.

I forgot to mention what I got for Christmas- I got a rocker recliner chair to put in Sicaly's room. It has been great. We spend lots of cuddling time in this chair.