Day 13: Trippin' out with the Rawlings - D. C.

Day 13 was the big day. The day we went to Washington DC. You can guess by the fact that this is being posted the day after, that it was an exhausting day.

We decided to head out a little later to miss the commuters, so we left around 9. We were slowed down by a police check point along the road. That was weird and slow. I don't think that is a very good use of resources. They checked Kenneth's drivers license and then wished us a great vacation. On to DC! The plan was to park at the closest metro station and ride in. We stopped at the first and the lot was full, to the point that it was closed off to all new comers. We stopped at the second... lot full, third... lot full, fourth... we turned the wrong way, drove into town, which was actually a fairly nice town, killed a spider that was in the car, turned around... lot full. By this time we were pretty much out of road because the next thing we knew we were in DC. What?

Since we were so close to Arlington Cemetery at that point we decided to stop there first. We were sent the wrong way to the Tomb of the Unknowns, which we never saw, but we walked around in the heat and took pictures of the amazing amount of graves.

I have never seen so many people in DC before. Then I realized that it was still the Cherry Blossom Festival which I thought would be so cool to see, well it's not. You can see Cherry Blossoms anywhere and it brings a lot of people, so don't come during the festival. So not worth the extra people.

We considered walking across the river to the Lincoln, but finally decided to risk it and drive into the city. So we drove, and drove, and drove, around, and around and around, praying for a parking space. Our spirits would rise, Is that one? No, it's handicapped. Point is if you are handicapped go to DC because they have plenty of parking for you. Did I mention there were a ton of people?

After over and hour of driving around and seeing the Kennedy Center more than anticipated we finally ended up on the far side of the Jefferson Memorial along the Potomac. It was now 2pm.

We hadn't planned on seeing Jefferson because he was so far away from everything else. We thought maybe we would just walk to the monument and then purchase some tickets on the tourmobile, which is this bus that drives around to all the sites and you can get on and off anywhere. That was the plan because it couldn't be that expensive, right? So wrong. I think if we had planned on it beforehand we would do it because now we know what a pain it is to walk everywhere, but just walking up to the bus and seeing the prices I about had a heart attack. $26 for adults and we had 2 kids that counted as adults, so 4 adults and $13 for kids, which we had 3, for a grand total of... $143. All of this would not even be an issue if we had been able to ride the metro in.

Anyway, we decided to hoof it. So walk we did. It's not just the miles, which we are estimating was between 6 & 7 for the whole day, but there are stairs, a lot of stairs, and there was a 6 year old that needed to be packed around for parts of it because he was so tired, and then there were more stairs and by the end I put on my pioneer spirit because if I hadn't I would have just been on the pavement in tears.

We did the whirlwind tour of the mall. We did Jefferson where Dylan bought a flag pin. Then we walked to Washington.

Then we walked to WW II, which I have never seen.

Then to Lincoln, snapping a quick picture of Vietnam and Korea on the way past. I had not seen Korea before either. Then up all those steps to Lincoln. So much pain in my legs, so much pain.

Then down all those steps and we walked to the Natural History Museum. Where Orion bought a saber tooth tiger, Dylan bought a dinosaur kit and Ian bought a key chain with his name flashing on it. We stopped to see the Hope diamond and some of the gems, but that was it.

Then we walked over to Air and Space. They do have the Einstein bobble heads from Night at the Museum if you are wondering. Air and Space is my favorite museum. Theron bought a Newton's Cradle, Sophia bought a necklace and Dylan bought a Rail Twirler that lights up. There, money spent, memories made, move on.

This is my favorite picture of the day because it's really real. They were so tired. Now Smile!

We then started the long walk back to the car. I really just had to grit my teeth and do it. The kids were amazingly strong through this all. They were champs, pioneers, warriors, troopers, tough guys, strong and relatively non-whiny. We finally made it back to the car and collapsed into a whimpering heap. We gulped down water and snacks. We did bring water with us on the walk, but we were all a little hungry.

The weather for the most part was nice. It was a little hot in Arlington in the morning, but by the time we parked the wind had picked up and cooled it down. The rest of the day was windy, but it felt great. We were finally hit by the rain on the drive home.

We decided to try and make it back before the barbecue place closed. We did not make it. So we ended up eating at Hardee's. They still have my favorite burger here which they don't have at Carl's Jr., the sourdough bacon cheeseburger.

We ate, had some ibuprofen and went to bed. Bodies aching, but we did it. The kids all said what their favorite thing about the day was:  Ian - Natural History Museum,  Sophia, Orion and Dylan - Lincoln Memorial, Theron - Washington Monument. Their universal thing that they did not like about the day - the walking.

Haiku to this day:
Walking a long time.
So much to see in D. C.
Calf muscles so sore.

Day 12: Trippin' out with the Rawlings

I basically stayed in my pj's until 4pm today. Yep, pretty much. Kenneth was in bed reading most of the day. The kids played games, played outside, and then watched a movie with me. We watched Big. It's rated PG. What's up with a family PG movie having the mother of all cuss words in it? I was sitting with my kids!! Not as great as I remember now that I've had a reminder while surrounded by my children.

At 4 we headed over to the outdoor pool complex here at the resort. I say complex because it had 2 pools, 2 hot tubs, and a splash pad. So cool. The weather felt so perfect. The water was a little cold, so the little ones didn't want to stay in the water. I finally took them to the hot tub to warm up. Then the Pelo family came and some of the kids were willing to get back into the cooler water while the parents sat on the edge. Kenneth and Sophia actually stayed in the water and swam for quite a while. It was so nice. I was able to get some magazines read today as well.:) Dylan came away a little pink, but everyone else seems to be fine. We definitely don't burn as quickly here.

Back to the Pelo's house for dinner. We sat out on the deck and ate and talked and kept their kids up too late. The kids just love running around, swinging and jumping on the trampoline in the back yard. There was such a nice breeze and the bugs weren't buggy. I know this is not characteristic for this time of year, but I am so grateful that it happened while we were here.

Haiku to this day:
Sitting on a chaise.
I read and watch my kids play.
Let me stay right here.

Day 11: Trippin' out with the Rawlings

Seriously, who would have thought that Virginia is the place to vacation if you are looking for a sunny warm spring break? It was in the 90's today, but it didn't feel like it. It felt hot at times in the full sun, but with so many trees around and a nice breeze it just felt amazing.

I finished my book this morning. I'm glad I finally finished it. It was such a sad story.

We decided that baby nap time would be a good time for the adults to go out to lunch. So we headed over to the Gordonsville Deli. It was gooood. I love a good deli. I had the pesto panini and Kenneth had an egg salad sandwich. They came with a side and we both had the baked mac and cheese. We finished with cupcakes, because who doesn't like a cupcake? Jared had the portobello mushroom sandwich and M-Ann had the egg salad as well. The owner told us that we should be so proud of the work M-Ann does as a member of the Friends of the Library and all the work they have done to get a new library in town. I thought that was so nice. M-Ann is great at getting involved in her community.

We waited for the kids to get home from school and then we went to Madison County. We headed to a river with a swinging bridge and the road is paved right through the river. So we drove through the river and then crossed the bridge and then played in the water. I packed for spring weather so I had no shorts or sandals, but I made all the kids pack that stuff so they were set. One fun thing was when Dylan and Noah were crossing the river and they fell into a deep area. Luckily they can both swim. Afterwards Dylan said, "That was awesome." He wanted to do it over and over, but that's a no. Falling into the river over your head is only allowed once a day. All the kids were soaking wet, except Sophia.

When we got back to the house we went and picked up dinner from the local bbq place, The Barbecue Exchange. I need one of these places in my town because it was seriously sooo good and very reasonably priced. I really, really want it close to my house!

Haiku to this day:
Walk through the water.
I see Dylan go in deep.
Jared yells to, "SWIM!"

Day 10: Trippin' out with the Rawlings

Morning - Stay in pj's until after lunch. I was reading and crying. The book I'm reading is Goodbye Wives and Daughters. It tells about an actual event, The Smith Mine disaster, in which my father lost his father when my dad was just 6 yrs. old. The instant I saw my grandfather's name in print I started crying. It was such a tragic event. It happened in Montana during WW II. The book has been slow going for me as it is mostly a lot of facts and introducing me to a lot of people I'm having a hard time remembering. Today though I finally got to the telling of the actual event. So heartbreaking.

Afternoon - We headed to the indoor pool. M-Ann brought the boys over and we all headed over to play in the pool. M-Ann then went to wake up Jared and get him and Grace ready for our outing. Kenneth and I took all the kids for a walk down to the lake. Then we headed back to the cabin to get ready ourselves. The Carpenter bees are everywhere. Some of the kids are a little freaked out by them. They totally ignore us humans though. Yellow Jackets on the other hand do not. There's a nest right outside our door and one got in this afternoon and stung Theron. Poor kid, he's fine, but it did hurt him pretty bad.

Late Afternoon/Evening - We went on a private tour of UVA. Our tour guide may or may not be part of a secret society here at UVA, the Zs, the 7s, or the Ravens, he would neither confirm nor deny. It was so cool to see all the stunning architecture. It's just such a beautiful campus.

Our drive to Charlottesville was so gorgeous. We drove along a back road with some amazing homes and luscious farmland. I felt like I was looking at a painting.

After our tour we drove to the Downtown Mall, one of the longest pedestrian malls in the US. It has lots of cute shops and restaurants. We started by ordering out pizza and then walking the mall. Then we got our pizza and it was soooo tasty.

It was in the high 80's today and it felt fantastic. I didn't mind walking and sweating in it. I loved feeling warm. It's supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. Luckily, we do have a/c here at the cabin. It has more moisture in the air so it feels like a soft warm blanket. 

Haiku to this day:
UVA is nice.
Did our guide hold a secret?

He would not tell us.

Day 9: Trippin' out with the Rawlings

What a lovely sabbath day. After not getting a "day of rest" due to travel last Sunday it was extra sweet. It was a lazy morning, as Conference doesn't start until noon here. It would have been lazier, but my kids are loud.

We headed over to the Pelos to watch Conference. It was such a wonderful session. I felt the love of my Savior so strongly.

After Conference M-Ann made a really nice Easter dinner. Her mom, Dini(sp?), came over and brought some other yummy food for the dinner. It really was quite the spread. Dini also brought us some toys for the kids and some tasty rice krispy treats. Seriously, I can't believe how nice our in-laws families are.

The second session was as wonderful as the first. After the last session we went for a walk around the beautiful town of Gordonsville.

More kid swapping. Gwen is with us and we left two wild and crazy boys with M-Ann. Fair trade? No, but M-Ann's a champ like that and can take on my rowdy boys. Hopefully, they get some sleep over there.

Haiku to this day:
Peaceful Easter day.
Conference lifts my spirit.
A day of rest, yes.

Day 8: Trippin' out with the Rawlings

Saturday was a beautiful day here in the east. It was a little overcast in the morning in North Carolina. Making it perfect egg hunting weather. Aenea put together a yummy picnic and a wonderful egg hunt with treats and eggs provided by her and her wonderful mother-in-law. Isn't that so nice?

It was fun watching the kids hunt the eggs. We went to this amazing park. It was so large and soooo many trees. It was still a warm day, but we were mostly in the trees so it was really nice.

I must admit it was really sad for me to say goodbye. I love Aenea and Dave and their kids. We obviously don't get to spend much time with them. It was so much fun to have these few days with them. I hate being apart from family. I just need a private jet to fly me wherever I want to go when I want to go there. Then I would spend a weekend a month with family who is far away from me.

A quick 4 hour drive later and we were in Gordonsville, Virginia. It's near Charlottesville, VA. Seriously, this is what Orion said to me this morning. “This is going to be a quick drive today, right? Like only 4 hours, right?” That's right my kids think that 4 hours in the car is a quick ride. I actually think so too. The prettiest part of the drive was the Shenandoah Valley. That place is so beautiful. We made it to the Pelos in time for a dinner of hamburgers and hot dogs. Very tasty. The kids played like wild animals. These are cousins they know and love and miss all the time, so they fell right back into where they were before. Mychael-Ann and I chatted while the laundry was going. The guys had left for the priesthood session of conference. After her kids went to bed M-Ann led us out to where we are staying in the lovely bluegreen resort. We get to stay in a cabin here about 10 minutes away from the Pelos.

As we were trying to get into the cabin I was viciously attacked by 2 carpenter bees. It was funny because M-Ann was telling me about them right at that moment. It was not funny because they flew up my pants. I am not even kidding. M-Ann saved me. With the first one we were out on the porch trying to unlock the door when I felt it and shook my leg and one fell onto the porch and M-Ann crushed it. I thought that was the end and that I was just feeling the creepy crawly after affects, you know, when you still feel like something is crawling on you. We got into the cabin and I quickly figured out that there was indeed something creeping up my leg and buzzing loudly at me. I was pulling at my pants and freaking out.:) M-Ann realized what was happening and grabbed the bottom of my pants and pulled it up so the bee could fly out, then she crushed that one. She is my hero.

I am so happy here. I have a king sized bed in a separate room. All the kids are on beds and we have a full kitchen and two TV's. Life is good.

Haiku to this day:

Carpenter bees buzz.

They are big slow flying bees.

Mychael-Ann kills them.

Day 7: Trippin' out with the Rawlings

I can't believe we are already to the last full day in North Carolina. It was another warm/hot sunny day. We headed up to Pilot Mountain to go hiking. Wait, I need to make sure that it's a mountain because mountain seems like a strong term to use to describe it, please hold...I'm back. Though it is small in comparison to my mountains, it is indeed a mountain. I guess in comparison my mountains are small compared to Mt. Everest. Pilot Mountain is really cool looking. It just sticks up out of the sea of trees. We drove to the top and walked around the little pinnacle. It was a short hike, perfect for the kids after a day at the zoo.

Back at the house Kenneth worked on the bread he was making for dinner. It was a artisan cheese bread. Then off to the pool. We went to the YWCA in downtown W-S. We were able to drive right passed Old Salem. Salem was founded in the 1760's. Isn't that amazing? They have a bunch of original buildings down there. It was cool to drive past, but I don't think we would have been up for a visit. The pool was nice and we had fun messing around for a little while. It would have been great if there was an outdoor pool, but this weather is unseasonably warm and the outdoor pools won't open until summer.

Back at the house we had gnocchi, which I love, with the cheese bread and a tasty salad. After dinner we hung out and later played Disney Scene It. It was girls against boys. The girls were clearly the better team, soundly massacring the boys the first game. The second game they barely squeaked out a victory. I really wish we could have had time for a tie breaker game. C'est la vie.

Haiku to this day:
Old Salem is old.
Tobacco and cotton here.
Hanes and Krispy Kreme.