Adam and I wanted to do something fun last weekend so we went to Washington DC! We met up with Adam's friend Trevor and his family- they were so fun! I wish we could have done more of the touristy things available in DC but it was a little difficult with 5 kids in tow... So we contented ourselves with the old Post Office and tour through the clock tower, the Natural History Museum, American History Museum, and playing on the Mall around the Washington Memorial. Adam desperately wanted to go through the Capitol building and I wanted to see the Lincoln Memorial again- opposite ends of the Mall and we were able to see neither! Guess we'll have to go again soon!
The Old Post Office. The kids loved going up the elevator and looking out through the windows above the clock.
Capitol in the background.
Mykelle has finally learned to look and smile at the camera at the same time!
The Congress Bells
Mykelle's new friend, Ellia. They immediately started holding hands and didn't want to be separated!
I loved that the kids were so interested in the Human evolution displays!
The kids were fascinated by the different skulls and all of the things they could touch.
Dancing in the American History Museum
Adam was really excited about this steam locomotive, the "John Bull"- it was made by the guy who started Steven's Institute of Technology. I think Adam took about 30 pics of it :)
Walking backwards toward the Washington Memorial
One of the favorite parts of the day was just running/rolling around out on the Mall by the Washington Monument!
It was hard to be so close to the Lincoln Memorial and not make it to visit!
The next day we went to see the university where Trevor works, James Madison University- it's a beautiful campus!
This statue is supposedly true to size of James Madison... He was so tiny!
I was trying to decide which of the following pictures to put in the blog and came up with... All of them! Why not right?
Evan's hair is getting way too long and I've been too lazy to cut it. I try to comb it before we go out but on this day HE had to comb it. He did a great job!!
"Happy Face"
"Squishy Face"
"Mean Face"
"Sweet Face"
Squishy Face
Double chin face?? Ew.
This is what's been happening the past few days... No official nap time, just quiet time. Mykee plays the Ipad and Evan falls asleep on the couch with cartoons on. Works for me!
We had my Father-In-Law here from Oct. 25th to last Thursday for a visit. We always love it when Skip comes! The kids are always excited for weeks before he comes and then sad for weeks after, asking if and when he can come back and they can go over to Papa Skip's hotel!
It was a lot of fun- we went swimming, shopping for fall clothes for the kids, out to eat, Trick-or-Treating, Halloween partying, went to the kid's classes, and we did a lot of playing at home or jumping on Papa's bed at the hotel. We had wanted to do more, including going to church and Trunk-or-Treating but plans were interrupted by the crazy out of season snowstorm we had on the Saturday of Halloween weekend. Church and Trunk-or-Treat were both canceled, local cities canceled Trick-or-Treating and up to FOUR days of school (due to downed power lines and tree branches) and traveling anywhere but locally was difficult for a few days. Still, we were able to do a LOT, and I am still playing "catch-up" with the everyday stuff that went by the wayside, like laundry and grocery shopping.
On our way to Trick-or-Treat- Mykelle changed her costume again and chose to be Princess Belle. Evan was content with being a "mean" pirate.
We met John and Kate to go Trick-or-Treating in our neighborhood.
Mykelle and Evan were more interested in looking at the decorations of people's houses than hitting as many houses as they could. They had a hard time keeping up with John and Kate because they were so distracted by everything to see!
Mykelle and Evan had a great time filling their bags with candy! They were able to eat quite a bit the night of Halloween and were allowed to keep ten pieces the next day before the "Halloween Witch" came to take their candy away on the night after Halloween. I heard of the idea from a friend and I LOVED it! We let the kids choose their ten pieces, which they could eat as fast or as slow as they wanted (both had finished all ten before the day was out). The rest of the candy was placed into a bowl for the Halloween Witch to take and trade with presents- Mykelle was given a green dress-up wig and fairy wings, Evan was given two swords with a shield and a cape and mask (of course all 50% off the day after Halloween!). Evan cried and kept asking why the witch would take his candy but he got over it quickly enough. And now my kids aren't asking for candy every day! But I still have this huge stash of candy to get rid of before I end up eating it all... I think I'll have Adam take it to work with him and let the students eat it.
Yeah, Evan with his hands down his pants during Creative Movement class :)
Evan has some really cool moves where he spins on the floor and even goes up onto his shoulders- I think he could be a really great break dancer!
Music class- Music for Aardvarks- the kids and I all have so much fun! This song they're dancing to is about "Tess" dancing with her scarf in the air. Mykelle calls it the "Beautiful, Beautiful" song that is her fave.
Mykelle in one of her three costumes- the Nice Witch.
Papa Skip with the kids during the cuddle time closing song.
Holiday Sweets & Treats class- making mud and worms.
Evan's "mud" mustache
Creepy popcorn hands
We went to IHOP for lunch- they were giving away free scary face pancakes for children under 12- it was a fun activity for the kids!
Mykee and Evan have been saving their money for a Pillow Pet ever since the gas station attendant showed Mykelle a butterfly while we were waiting for the car to fill. The attendant kindly offered them to us for 2 for $20 rather than the $15 each he was asking (right, and he bought them for what, $2 a piece??). Mykelle has been saving her dollars and coins for a few weeks. She had received some money in her Halloween cards and packages from grandparents but was still $2 short when Papa Skip was here. Through a few days of collecting coins and getting an extra dollar from Papa both her and Evan made it to $10! We went to the gas station (of all places...) and each kid gave the attendant their $10. Evan bought a monkey (yeah, we just got rid of his old monkey pillow pet because he NEVER used it) and Mykelle got her butterfly. They've been inseparable ever since. Except most of the time, when they're separated... :)
Messy kids!
Thought I'd add these pics of us playing in the rain in August- I don't think I put them on the blog... and it was too fun to leave out! And a couple videos of Evan and his baby talking with each other...
Scans and blood work results are in... No new problems! Just keeping a close eye on the swollen nodes with more scans scheduled for the end of January. Yay! I am free for the holidays!! The only surprise was that my blood shows I am POST menopausal! Doc said two weeks ago that I was too young and it was still too early after treatment to be "post," but sure enough, he was wrong! Good thing he's a lymphoma doc and not a GYN :) I have been discouraged from starting hormones and told just to exercise more to deal with my expanding midsection. I was hoping for a magic pill!
So I guess there's just more waiting, which is fine! In the meantime I'm going to enjoy the holidays and go to Utah for Christmas! If my scans come back clear in January we will have all witnessed nothing short of a miracle. If the scans come back with still-swollen lymph nodes... I will probably get the same advice- watch them closely and scan again 3 months down the road. With how well I've been feeling the last couple of weeks I'm going to put my money on witnessing a miracle :)
A poll for anyone that wants to give an opinion:
Which haircut is best? I'm trying to decide what to do with my hair! To grow, or not to grow...
