Climbing Bliss

Thunderstorms held off yesterday allowing us free reign of the PA rock. We'd been wanting to get out so we can reacquaint ourselves with the rock as a family before taking some friends out and this turned out to be a beautiful day for it. There were times with the kids that I was nervous for their safety when both J and I were on the rope but I kept telling myself that I needed to chill; we're creating unifying memories. Plus, I tell myself, it helps them learn control, safety, limits and creates lasting memories. Like little A's first time harnessing up and B's longest outdoor climb to the top:

B makes it up this hefty face; she's becoming quite the climber!

Little A gets the full body harness on for the first time! She did so good and really enjoyed it!

Oh my goodness could I love this girl more?!

Little J is going thru a little of a fearful stage but we got him up to the ledge at least. I figure he'll get out of it if we keep encouraging him with positive experiences. What a sweet boy he is!

B on her second climb of the day.

B pulled this roof with no hesitation. Her technique was looking much more experienced.

Good Stuff

Two Festivals in one day. Little A loved this slide at one and at the other Festival ALL the kids braved horse riding! We knew B would, she loves them, but even though my other two were hesitant they gave it a go!!

University Festival where B always gets her face

painted and this year I decided to do it with her

I've been thinking about making homemade granola bars for a while and finally got up the nerve after tasting a friends'. They are good, but I am definitely not sticking to this recipe and will do some more attempts to find what we like best. I did 1/2 choc. chip and 1/2 craisin. The possibilities are endless!

This has been my fun project in my kitchen!! I'd been wanting to put something fun here and after finding just the right design online I copied and painted it, after plenty of deliberation of course. I'm tickled with it and it makes my time in the kitchen all the happier every time I see it.

DC Baby!!

Can I just say that I love Washington DC?! Perhaps because it's our nation's capital and I have a bit of national pride. Could be that it's very open (I learned the reason why I've always thought it so different from NYC even though the metropolis size is somewhat similar is because no buildings can be higher than the dome of the capitol building! Cool! (I also learned that "capital" is the city and "capitol" is the building. Educational trip--bonus!)) Maybe it's because we've only gone here as a family and I love being together as a fam! Perhaps I can feel tingles of the fact that our national laws are being debated here, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke here, SO much history occurred here and find it super cool that our Presidents walked the same ground I am. Maybe it's reflecting on the memorials of past greats and military lives lost for protecting the rights of others. It's simply a beautiful city. My love of it may also have something to do with our recent 3 day, 3 night trip there that cost us under $25 all told. How do you do DC for almost free you ask? I'll tell ya:

a. Your hubby scores a free hotel room for the fam because he's presenting a paper at a conference. Of course, this means you have to sightsee without him here and there, but you still see more of him than you would at home & you get to feel pretty awesome that you are toting 3 young kids around DC alone for the most part and not losing anyone or getting lost!

b. Hotel parking, gas, travel expenses & tolls paid by university sponsored student funding

c. Your hotel room has a full kitchen, thus you spend no extra on food because you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner the same as you would at home!, other than perhaps a few extra snacks for the car.

d. The national mall is FULL of amazing museums and historical sites that are 100% free, as long as you've packed your lunch in your backpack.

e. You are a stickler on not spending extra on well, extras. (Money is always allowed to be spent on a super cool book about space told Dr. Seuss style, but pretty much ends there)

f. Your hotel is only a mile from the mall, meaning you pay less for transportation to and from hotel and sites because you walk everywhere.

However, I might need new walking shoes now........ :)

Enjoy the pics! (our camera was lame and lost battery power too quick or there'd be more)

First stop, Arlington National Cemetary. This was really neat to see

and it's hard to imagine how big it is without being there.

George Washington University garden area, Bug-a-boo and little J pointing us in the right direction (but upside down ;), WA Monument (all 555 ft. of it), me and Abe at Lincoln Memorial

WWII Memorial, sculpture garden in front of National Archives,

Jefferson Memorial, view of mall from Robert E. Lee house at Arlington

Other awesome stops:

Library of Congress (can I just say, Wow!)

Women of Vietnam Memorial

Reflecting Pool (had 50+ ducklings the kids loved!)

Vietnam War Memorial

Korean War Memorial

American History Museum

Natural History Museum

Air & Space Museum

White House front (saw back last time)

Smithsonian Castle and Gardens

National Botanic Gardens

Capitol tour