Julie Stories

I have a good friend named Julie who currently lives in Japan. Nate and I always laugh about Julie because I always have really funny stories that revolve around her. I have to share one on my blog because it still makes me laugh outloud. Her sister threw her a baby shower when she was pregnant with her second child. It was at the sister's townhouse and all these friends were there. At the shower, they played a game that I won so I got to pick out the gift from a little pile of wrapped gifts. I picked out a box that was wrapped so nicely and opened it to see that it was a frame! I told Julie's sister I was so excited (I truly was) to get a cute frame and I proceeded to open the box. You know how frames usually have fake photos of people getting married, new babies, etc?? Well this frame had a photo of a bride with a bridesmaid. I said to Julie innocently without thinking anything - "this looks like your sister doesn't it?" Julie started laughing so loud becuase it was her sister and it was a REGIFT from a wedding party gift that her sister never opened to see that the Bride put in a photo of them in it!

Another funny Julie story is that her mom - who is Japanese - told Julie that she wished she could be in Japan to welcome her home when Julie moved there last year because Julie's husband Jim was stationed there.

Funny thing is that Julie's mom had never even been to where Julie was moving!

I don't know if they are as funny written down as when we talk about them to each other. Maybe you just have to know her...

German Chocolate

Luisa left yesterday and the house is quieter - she was easy to have around:
liked Starbucks, chocolate, and shopping!!

Jefferson Memorial

On Saturday, we went downtown and showed Luisa some monuments. It was a perfect day, not crowded and we found great parking.

Here are the kids at the FDR memorial.

This was really cute... Grace recently got her own digital camera so she was taking photos of the monuments all around DC.

The ducks were a highlight... the best fed ducks in America I am sure.

Ellen at the Jefferson Memorial.

Grace at the Jefferson Memorial.

Quick Bath

Firehouse Playdate

The women's ministry at our church is trying something new and offering two playdates a month for moms with kids at home in the mornings. I hosted for the month of March and had a playdate yesterday at my house. It was raining on and off all morning and we had a great time! Everyone met at my house (14 moms (2 pregnant), 25 preschoolers, and 4 nursing babies) and then we walked to the firehouse for a tour.

Pachyderm Parade in DC

Today the kids, Luisa, I and some friends ventured out to do something that tops my list of one of the most fun things I have ever done in Washington DC!

Every year, Nate told me about the “elephant walk” when the circus comes into town. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus comes into town and they take the elephants, clowns and ponies from the train station to the Verizon Center (huge stadium on the other side of DC) by walking them through the city and in front of the monuments and under Nate’s office building.

This past weekend I read a small clip about it in the newspaper and decided we were going to do this. It is an "underground" event that was on Twitter but it was not like the inaugration parade with masses of people. A lot of people didn't know what was going on and the crowds were sparse. We drove downtown, found a parking spot (another amazing story) and ate lunch at Smithsonian’s American Indian Museum (an unknown delicious place to eat great food!)

Then we walked outside in the beautiful weather to wait for the elephants to walk by. They were running behind schedule so we hung around, got hats and clown noses from the marketing (interns) department.

As you can see, because the crowds were so small, we could get a prime spot! This ended up being the highlight of the whole experience.
Don't forget Ellen! She was a good girl.

Then we saw them coming! It was so different than a normal parade because it was so quiet. No one was clapping and there was no music. The streets were closed to traffic for about 10 minutes, the elephants were just beautiful.

Then the best part was that the elephants stopped right in front of the Capitol so they could have a photo op... that was right where we were!!!

So Luisa grabbed Rita's hand and I grabbed Sam (while holding Ellen) and we ran into the street as far as we could go. The "interns" were all holding up ropes so we ducked and got in the front. We had the most amazing view. We could hear all the commands that the trainers were saying to the elephants.

Ellen, Rita and Sam soaked it all in. I wish Grace had been with us!

Luisa took this photo of the acrobat on the front elephant. To see her get on the elephant from such a close up angle was amazing! The elephant actually boosted her up with his leg and she flew on his back. Rita kept calling her a princess - she looked like one for sure.

This was the "Zing Master." He told us about the circus and I could touch him he was so close.

Of course the Nationals Racing Presidents had to get in on it.

Bye bye elephants. You can see Nate's office buildling right there in the background. He came down and met up with us right at the last minute.

What will be our next adventure???

Don't Ask, Don't Tell (Volume 5)

Don't Ask, Don't Tell (Volume 4)

Yesterday Grace went to the doctor (she has an ear infection and bronchitis). When I went to dress Ellen in her PJs for bed, I found these on her. They are the stickers from the doctor’s office. Grace must have put them on her when no one was looking. (Sorry about the bad photo of her face!!)

National Zoo Day

We went to the National Zoo on Weds for a little trip out in the beautiful sunshine. It was great – no school groups, pandas were all out, and beautiful weather!

Chocolate Lounge

Nate and I went on a date last weekend to an amazing Chocolate Lounge in DC. It was fabulous. The waiter kept saying to us, “welcome to this adventure.”

Here are some photos for all you foodies out there.

Nate's Dark Chocolate Hot Chocolate

Andrea's Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate (homemade marshmallows!)Main Dessert Course

(L-R: Banana Foster, Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Ice Cream, Mini Cupcake, Chocolate Shooter with Dark Chocolate stirrer)

Final Dessert Course:

Cheesecake Lolly with Pop Rocks and Mint Chocolate Cup

Nate!

Kindergarten Bowling

Grace has a school-wide bowling party last week that was so sweet. All the kindergarteners bowled together hence the constant announcement on the loudspeaker, “Please only one child up to bowl at a time.”

BLING Board Fever...

Many people have been making Bling Boards after reading my post and I was just thrilled to hear that! (Even if you do have MODGE PODGE issues... you know who you are!)

I hope everyone can email me their photos so I can post them.

I made this one for my sister in law. Doesn't it look great? She has more jewelry than me!

Before 1 PM????

Often I call this stage of my life beautiful chaos... wouldn't want it any other way whatsoever:

5:00 nurse baby
5:25 a child crying - wet bed, get child on pot. change clothes, hold child in bed for 45 min and then try to wrestle her to be still
6:45 shower child and self. tried to blow dry hair - mine and child
7:00 second child staring at me in shower
7-7:30 homework papers, snacks, drink, lunch packed for child, water in water bottle for me, wake up au pair and send child down to au pair
7:30-7:35 drive and wait for carpool kids, wait, wait, wait - late for carpool
7:35-8:14 get kids to school, make multiple phone calls in car - dangerous i know
8:25 quick grocery store return and purchase
8:30-9 traffic and calls to au pair - is baby okay?? no response
9:00 friend shows up to help, get house ready for cleaning lady, wash sheets, change children, do hair, nurse baby, clean pudding??? off child's face
9:30 WHERE IS SAM? Sam is no where to be found... found in the minivan
9:35 try to nurse baby more
9:50 playdate at coffee shop, performer doesn't show up, I get mad at people for not calling me, no breakfast items for sale, balloons blow away in parking lot - I am laughing at it all
10 - 11:30 nurse baby, dance and sing with kids, eat first food of the day - soft pretzel, HAVE WONDERFUL FUN chatting with friends, listening to performer, hoping au pair is okay sitting quietly in the back wondering why American moms are so odd
11:30 drop off kids with au pair at home, go to lunch buddies
12 nurse crying baby and talk to Grace at lunch buddies
12:50 get home, nurse baby, put kids to naps, drink tea!

Meet Luisa...

We have had some fun times with Luisa and it has only been one day!!

Here we are eating Apple Streusal from the German Gourmet shop nearby...

This is cereal that Luisa eats at home in Germany...
The shop we visited for a little piece of her home...
On the way home...

Don't Ask, Don't Tell (Volume 3)

Fisher Price coins in Nate's shoe in his closet in the basement???

Healthy Sweet Baby

Our baby is getting bigger and is 100% healthy. We are so thankful for her! Grandma came last weekend and I tried to get a few photos.

TF arrived!

The Tooth Fairy came on Wednesday. Grace was grinning from head to toe when I picked her up from carpool. She had on a tooth sticker and a tooth necklace with the tooth inside. It was so fun and she kept telling her teacher that “mommy is going to be emotional.” It fell out as she sat on the blue carpet, bled a little but overall wasn't painful!

The girls were THRILLED to see that the tooth fairy had come and left some fairy dust on the window sill, under their pillow and on the floor.

Luisa arrived last night and Nate's mom leaves today. So far so good! She was already very helpful but Grandma has done most of the work around here lately. I have some photos to post soon.