Washington D.C.

Out of over 600 pictures taken in ONE week I have managed to limit our trip to about 60 pics for your viewing pleasure and for my Journal-ing purposes. We had an Amazing trip. We absolutely loved it!!! Thanks much to my cousin Jon and his wife Melissa who let us shack-up with them for a week, and gave us the grand tour of everything DC. They watched Slater so we could do things on our own and they took MANY of these pictures. which is awesome because they are so great at taking pictures and their camera ROCKS. Thank you SO much Jon and Melissa!!! We owe you guys big time. It was great to get to know you both better. And thanks to the Zauggs and the Jacobs for watching Mav while we were away. He had a GREAT time!

***We are so grateful for the history of this country and that we enjoy the freedoms we do, and for the sacrifices that have been made so we still enjoy the freedoms we do. Regardless of our current president or not... this is a great country. I am Proud to be an American!***

Thursday, September 3, 2009: Plane ride and Hangin' out.

9:50 AM Slater's first plane ride! He did amazingly well. By the end several of the people around us said he takes the prize for the best baby they have EVER flown with. Yeah Slater!!! And it was super nice for me to not be prego sick on this flight like I was last time... After we arrived we got to eat and hang out with Jon & Melissa, and Van & Slater got to play and get to know each other. They are just 9 days apart in age. It was fun to watch them!

Friday, September 4, 2009: White House tour, National Archives, The United States Capital tour, and Old Town

Yes, You read that right. We got to go on a White House tour. Not many get to do that anymore, but Jon & Melissa hooked us up. It was Awesome! It is just amazing to be in a place with SO MUCH history. I loved it. They didn't allow you to take your camera in, so unfortunately we have no proof that we got to do it... we just have a normal picture of us outside, like everyone else gets. It was Awesome!

Then we walked to the national archives to see the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution. It was totally worth seeing!!

This next pic was taken inside the elevator going up to the room with the documents. We thought it was sweet!

After lunch we headed up to capitol hill to Senator Bennett's office. Slater was happy to be out of his stroller

Then we got to go on our tour of the Capitol...

All three of us standing at the "Center of the nation" it is supposed to bring you good luck. We'll take it!

In the Rotunda room. It was incredible! The art and architecture was so amazing.

All of us. Van FINALLY crashed out after our tour guide held him and got him to sleep. Cute little guy.

Standing where Lincoln's desk sat when he was representative for Illinois in the HOUSE

After our tour, infront of the capitol (have you noticed the constant smudge on our camera lens? Yes, it was there ALL day! Lame!)

Chillin' on the Metro. Good times... lots-o-germs!

Then Jon & Melissa let us go on a "Date". We went to Old Town Alexandria. It was a cool place with lots of shops and street performers.

These were some cool street performers, that danced and everything!

And here we are on the Harbour. We ate some yummy ice cream and called home to Maverick while dangling our feet off the dock and watching the boats go by.

Saturday, September 5, 2009: Holocaust Museum, Jefferson monument, FDR memorial, Lincoln's monument, Vietnam memorial, WWII memorial, Japanese restaurant.

The Holocaust Memorial Museum was definitely sobering, but so amazingly put together. I am glad we got to see it. and Slater was really good considering how quiet he had to be for over 2 hours...

Slater so happy in front of the Jefferson Memorial

We saw this cool "United States of America" helicopter... Had to take a picture.

Bri by the Japanese pagoda

Britt in the "bread line" at FDR's Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial Monument

We also got to stand right where Martin Luther King stood when he gave the "I have a Dream" speech.

Slater and Daddy looking toward the Washington Monument.

Slater happy to not be in his stroller at the Vietnam memorial

our reflection

Slater and Mommy at the WWII memorial

Melissa, Jon and Van met us at this little Japanese restaurant. It was... an experience.

Had to get a picture by the Stratford sign...

Sunday, September 6, 2009: Church, Airforce memorial, Pentagon and September 11th memorial, and Iwo Jima.

After a relaxing morning and a great afternoon at church then dinner, we headed out...

Slater and Van. Such cute boys!

The dudes in front of the Air force memorial

Us standing at the memorial looking toward the pentagon, Washington monument and the capitol.

Britt looking up at the monument...

Notice the difference in the stone on the building

Every person that was killed has their own bench

You can see the airforce memorial in the distance..

Then we went to see Iwo Jima. The statue is WAY bigger than I ever pictured it really was. I am glad I got to see it in "real life"

Monday, September 7, 2009: Kyaking on the Potomac, Ford's Theater, ate at Potbelly's, the National Zoo, the National museum of American History. Jon & Melissa went on a date.

It was awesome kyaking on the potomc river right by George Town Universityand the old King Street Bridge. We loved it!

Slater and Van Chillin in a chair by the river. Notice the King Street Bridge in the background

The actual gun that John Wilkes Booth used to shoot Lincoln.

The booth at the theater where Lincoln got shot.

Then we crossed the street to the room where he actually died. Crazy! It was cool to see.

Ummm..... our feet...

The National Zoo had PANDAS! They were adorable. You may or may not be able to see the panda behind us... It rained on us at the zoo, so we didn't get many pictures

We had to get a picture at the museum of American history by Oscar the Grouch for Mav

Tuesday, September 8, 2009: Arlington Cemetery, top of Washington Monument

Us infront of JFK's Eternal Flame

On the tram. We passed hundreds of thousands of graves. Pretty amazing that they all fought to save our freedom. It was REALLY neat to see.

The tomb of the Unknown soldier. We watched the changing of the guard.

Us standing where the president of the united states always stands on Memorial Day to give his speech each year.

Then it was off to the Washington Monument

Inside at the top...

The view from the top looking down on the white house, with the LDS temple in the distance

Our cute Slater baby sitting where he sat for more than 1/2 of the trip. He was SUCH a good boy!!!

We loved the architecture!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009: The Temple, and the trip home

The Washington DC temple was GORGEOUS!!! Melissa watched the boys solo while we did sealings. Its was so great. We were so grateful we got to do it.

Also, My sweet Brian gave me a new ring in honor of our anniversary while we were there. I was so surprised when he busted it out. What a sweetheart! And what a great end to a wonderful trip!!!

Thanks again to all who helped make this trip possible for us: Keith and Janelle for the plane tickets. Tara and Ed & Dan and Deanne for watching Mav. Jon and Melissa and Van for sharing in the fun with us! AND Brian. Happy 5 year anniversary baby!! Love you!

AAaaahhhh!

THE END