Wash, D.C.

Very often when we have visitors we take a trip down to Washington, D.C. It's a fav place of ours to tour around! We also tend to pick the HOTTEST days of the summer to go down there and this time...we took ALL the cherubs...need I say more?? Here are some more shots ~

Heading out early...we all look pretty happy eh?! ;D

On the metro...

The veeeery loooooong walk down to see...

this, the Lincoln Memorial...

This is what the cherubs looked like half way down that looooong path...

To see Abraham Lincoln...

it's always impressive to stand there and look up...

just funny!!

This is a really neat WWII Memorial...

What in heaven's name are those people doing in the water??!!!

I don't know them...even if it was 5,000 degrees that day! :D

And I DEFINITELY don't know this kid...or where in the world his mother was!!!!

This was very cool!!

The Washington Monument...we had been up there before but our friends hadn't.

Someone walked up to them and GAVE them 3 tickets so they could go on up!!!

Ooooh, and look who we saw at the eatery in Union Station...wonders never cease!

Late for School

Even though I am ridiculously late with this post...I had to do it just to document that yes, my cherubs DID begin school this August!! We had a very rough start to school with Chloe-girl and honestly, we are still not yet back to normal. BUT this first day of school was good and I'm posting these sweet picts to remember that fact...

Alex started 3rd grade...

Chloe started 1st grade...

My life, my heart...

With all the neighborhood kids at our bus stop...

(don't ask me what's wrong with the poor girl on the far left)

Watching and waiting...

Alex's best friend, Christopher...goofy boys!

Day of Thanks

Natural History

Also while our English friends were here, we enjoyed a very HOT but lovely day in Wash, D.C.! For the first time, we took all our cherubs with us and BOY that was an adventure for sure!! Everyone had a great time and we made lots of fun memories...these were taken at the Museum of Natural History ~

Motherland

This summer before school began, our dear friends from England came over for a visit!!

We had a BLAST together...sooo sad when they had to leave.

So neat to see our kids become good friends.

It's totally our turn to head over to the Motherland and visit them

but we'll have to save our pennies! ;)

Chloe with Annabella...

Silly Abraham...

Amy with Bella...

Abraham being a ham!!

Chloe...part girl part fish!

My sis, Erinn with Abraham...

Chloe, Bella and Alex...

I just LOVE this shot ~ tired but happy waterlogged cherubs...

All of us together...they are gonna hate me for this pict but it's soo fun!! :D

(Little Evangeline is the cutie-pie on the right in pink!)

Little Bubba

This summer my nephew, Abraham was over our house playing...he's soo stinkin' cute I had to capture some picts of him sporting his little mohawk (courtesy of his father)!!

I just looooove being an Auntie!!! ;D

Family

In October we had an awesome visit from Joel's family for a week...it just wasn't long enough!! We celebrated Christmas together early and had a beautiful day for some family photos ~

Joel's sister, Sarah and her husband Derek with their son, Silas (our first time loving on him!)

They are missionaries in Indonesia and are heading back next year...

Joel's parents, John and Dian with ALL the grandchildren...look at their big smiles!!

Joel's brother, Nate with his wife Rachel and their girls, Aislinn and Aibrean...

The cousins (minus Silas who was staying warm inside)...

The Schmidt Family, together for the first time in a loooong time...

They looove their new cousin!!! :D

And us...one of my favs in a while!!!