Introducing...Stella!

Introducing the newest member of our family. This is Stella, formerly known as Peanut Brittle.

This photo is from her first night with us - it was late and the light on their faces was from the TV so they look blue. :)

She spent the first evening snuggled up against me.  So far we have learned that she is shy and timid around new things. She loves to snuggle and loves her new bed. She has not been interested in playing with any toys yet (the boys are waiting for that part!).

We are working on going potty outside. She is doing great with lots of breaks. She likes to go potty in the tall prairie grass. We haven't conquered stairs yet - too scary.  The leash is kind of scary too, but once it's on she is fine.

The best part is that through all the new things, even the scary and anxious parts, she has not shown an ounce of aggression. With lots of love and encouragement and time, she is getting more comfortable with us every day.

DC trip day 3 - monuments, monuments, monuments

After the Holocaust Museum, we went to the National Mall and got hot dogs at a food concession stand.  It was still cold, the wind was blowing pretty hard, but it was nicer than it had been earlier.  After eating, we headed out to visit as many monuments as we could before we needed to head to the Capitol for our tour.

WWII memorial

The Illinois pillar

We visited the Vietnam Memorial (The Wall), which is one of my favorite places in the world.  However, I never quite feel right taking pictures there.  It is a solemn, sacred place.  We talked quite a bit about the Vietnam War, and the names of the soldiers on the wall, but no pictures.

Lincoln Memorial

The great Leader.

Can you find Nate?  Taken from the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr gave his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Speaking of Mr. King...

The view from the Tidal Basin.  The cherry blossoms were almost ready to bloom.

FDR memorial

Jefferson Memorial

Inside the Jefferson Memorial.

After viewing the Jefferson Memorial, we called for a ride to the Capitol building.  Nate took a ton of pictures inside the Capitol, but I won't include many of them here.  The Capitol tour was so crazy, there were hundreds of people trying to go on tours at the same time.  Our tour guide was one of Dick Durbin's staffers.  We were constantly being told to get out of the way by the "official" tour guides.  It was so noisy, that we could hardly hear what she was trying to tell us.

So. Many. People.

The original doors, that ended up too heavy for anyone to open.  They became a decoration.

A 15 million dollar chandelier.

DC Trip day 3 - lines

Finally, Monday was a nice sunny day!  It was a bit brisk in the morning (okay, it was cold), but at least the sun was shining.  

We had two things that we wanted to try and do on Monday.  Or three.  Maybe four.  Anyway, we wanted to try and go to the top of the Washington Monument, we wanted to visit the Holocaust Museum, and we wanted to visit all the monuments on the Mall.  This was our last day in DC and we had a lot we wanted to pack in.  Plus, we had a scheduled Capitol tour at 2:40 with Senator Dick Durbin's staffer.  Lots to do...

So first thing in the morning, we headed straight to the Washington Monument to try and get tickets for the tour/trip to the top.  We had read that the ticket window opened at 8:30, and that during busy periods the line formed as early as 7:00 AM.  We arrived just before 8:30.

Want to know why he's giving the thumbs down?

It's hard to see in this photo, but the line was already very long.  We decided to stick it out and wait, as the line was moving fairly quickly.

This was the line we were waiting in for tickets...

I took this picture while waiting in line.

See how tall he is getting?

Unfortunately, just as we got to the front of the line (we were no more than 10 people from the window), they ran out of tickets. Disappointed, we walked up to the monument to get a picture of the view and to decide what to do.

The view from the Washington Monument, at least the ground.

It was just after 9:00 AM.  We decided to head to the Holocaust Museum, because tickets for it would start to be handed out at 10:00 AM.  We decided to go and see how the line looked.  It was already a block long:

Long lines, cranky 5th grader.

Did I mention it was cold?  The alley between the buildings made it like a wind tunnel.

I did not pack for this!

But, we were successful in sticking out the cold wait and were rewarded with tickets to get in.

Success!

We headed in to the museum right away- thankfully the heat was on so we could warm up as we took in the museum.  Next post, the monuments!

DC trip day 2: Sunday

Long lines were the theme of our trip.  No matter where we went, it seemed that there were hundreds of other people wanting to do the same thing.  Apparently Spring Break in our nation's capital is very busy - several people in the area said it was unusually busy and "crazy."  It also turns out that many places have started to sell advanced "timed" tickets for entry to the sights.  You can try to get in line and get a free ticket, or you can go online and buy them in advance.  Well in advance.  Most of the places that we wanted to see were sold out for several weeks in the future.  More on this in the post about Monday.

On Day 2 of our Washington, DC trip, we were in line for the Air and Space Museum bright and early 20 minutes before it opened.  We weren't the first in line, but we definitely had an edge over all the other people who showed up after us.  

This museum was one of the highlights of our trip.

In line, before the museum opened.

We watched the IMAX 3D movie about D-Day.

Wearing the goofy mirrored 3D glasses...

Nate got to see the Lunar Module.

It was really cold, and a bit rainy with some sleet on this day.  I think the high this day was 38.  It was cold, but we toughed it out.

After the Air and Space Museum, on the National Mall.  Do we look cold?

Nate had really wanted to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and Bill of Rights.  However, the line to enter the National Archives was way too long, so we decided to get a snack instead.  

A coffee shop right behind the National Archives.

After the snack we went on a walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.  

Nate and the Treasury Building

The White House!

The (under construction) American Black History Museum

After this walk, we headed back to the hotel, with a quick pit stop in the Natural History Museum for a bathroom break and to warm up.  

The cleaning staff had made Nate's bed...

Dinner was burgers at a local bar/grill/restaurant.  Then on the way back from dinner we found something that we couldn't pass by without photographing.  (This may be one of my favorite pictures from the whole trip.)

What do you think is on the placard?

"Tom's"

Distance Walked: 8.1 miles.
Total Distance: 13.5 miles

DC trip day 1

I have been waiting for almost 11 years to share one of my favorite places on earth with my boys.  However, we have been waiting until they are old enough to appreciate it, and old enough to spend all day on their feet.  I wanted to make sure that they really enjoy it, and that the experience is great.

No, it's not what you might be thinking.  I am not talking about Disney.

I'm talking about Washington, DC.

We decided a few months ago that the best way to really make this a special trip was to have it be a 1:1 trip.  So we decided that I would take Nate alone over Spring Break.

We traveled on Saturday morning.  It was his first time on an airplane, so we commemorated it with a "selfie."

Unfortunately, when we landed, the weather was cold and rainy.  Actually, it was pouring when we arrived.  Luckily most of this rain fell while we were traveling from the airport to the hotel, and while we were waiting for our hotel room.

While we waited for our hotel room (it wasn't quite ready yet), we walked around, got some lunch at a nearby Quizno's Subs, and visited our first museum of the trip, the Hirschorn Museum of Modern Art.  And yes, Nate picked the museum.  :)  It was pretty neat, although one floor was closed, we were able to see a video art exhibit on the lower level and an extensive collection on the upper floor.  Nate even spied an artist working on painting a wall on the closed level.

One of the key places we wanted to go on this trip was the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.  As we walked around the National Mall area (in the rain), we saw that the line for the Air and Space Museum was 2-3 blocks long in each direction, so we decided that our plan would be to go there first thing on Sunday morning.

Nate had told me of an International Spy Museum that he wanted to go to, so we decided to go there instead.  This museum is not free (it's not part of the National Parks or the Smithsonian), but it was definitely worth the money.  Highlights included selecting our own "secret identity" and getting to see countless types of spy gear.

We hit up a nearby restaurant for dinner, and then the best gelato place we have ever tried.  (it was that good, really).  Then we walked back to the hotel to relax and make plans for the next day.

Total distance walked:  5.4 miles.

Star Wars hats

This year, I found a pattern for a Star Wars hat online. After making a test hat for Tom, the rest of the boys wanted one too. And then I made Tom a new one using the lessons I had learned. 

Now I am the only family member without one. 

The original:

Novak's:

Nate's:

Nile's:

Tom's (take two)

Tie Fighter Valentine Box

If I were President I would...

...build the White House in the middle of Wolf Road.