What's Harder than Getting a Picture of a Two Year Old, a Four Year Old, and a Five Year Old?

Easy!

Getting a picture - trying to get a picture - of TWO two year olds, a four year old, and a five year old!

We tried a photo op with all of my mom's grandchildren.  TRIED being the key word.  The 2009/2010 Assholes weren't having it!

And the best one of the bunch . . .

Coast to Coast 2012: Alllllll the Other Stuff

1) Our first meal stop of the day was notthatfar from my house, at Loretta Lynn's Country Kitchen in Hurricane Mills (south of Nashville).  It was definitely "country" food and it was really good!  If you ever go, make sure to getcha some of their green beans.  And, believe me, you will probably NEVER again see me recommeding green beans.  These were that good!

2) My daughter gets carsick.  It.was.bad.  She did okay when she had Dramamine.  When she refused to take her Dramamine?  Well.  Let's just say I ended up throwing away my purse at a gas station on the North Carolina/ Tennessee line due to her christening it with her carsickness.

3) I firmly believe that Cracker Barrell is the state restaurant of Virginia.



4) We got in lots of cousin time!  My nephew, who is two and a half, called both the boys "Kyan."  He was more partial to the real Kyan but loved to pal around with both of the boys.

5) Karis was NOT a fan of her cousin.  In fact, she ran and hid whenever he came in the room.  She wouldn't have anything to do with him and I took to calling her Regina George (a la Mean Girls).

6) We found men in uniform in DC!

Say it with me now: HUBBA HUBBA

One more: COME TO MAMA

6) As the picture above evidences, my cousin Alison learned not to ever utter the words "I dare you" to me unless she REALLY wants me to do it!  I will totally catcall a group of young sailors.  Oh yes I will.

7) Something we else we saw in DC?  This guy:

He hung out on the fence, very close to us, not leaving us alone until . . .

My brother offered him a sucker.

DC squirrels . . . ain't skerred.

8) My scalp totally got sunburned on our DC day.  Do you know how bad it hurts to have the top of your head burned?  YEOWCH.

9) Eating dinner Saturday night, the whole group minus ME:

10) I took this picture at the Fredericksburg Battlefield.  Orbs?  Rain? Overactive imagination on my part?

The foundation outline was of the Stephens House -- according to legend, the lady of the house did not flee as the Battle raged on outside her front door and, in fact, tended to wounded soldiers.  She's buried on the land now.

11) We stopped for the night in Cookeville, TN on our way home.  We ate at the Steak and Shake with the ABSOLUTE MOST INCOMPETANT STAFF in the history of ever while we were there.  Gah!  We did, however, get a cute pic or two while we were there.  ;)

Do I look tired and like I'd lost my shit with kids approxomately 23483292 times that day?

Yeah.  Thought so.

I'll have one more post next week but this was, pretty much, our trip!  It was a good time.  As MawMaw kept saying - it was the trip of a lifetime.  I can't wait to take my kids back to DC one of these days.  I can't wait to go myself when I can enjoy the American History museum and the Arlington National Cemetery a little more.  It was a great time.

Coast to Coast 2012: Wet 'n Wild

My kids went to DC.  Saw a TON of history in Virginia.  Traveled to three states they'd never stepped foot in before.  But, hands down, their absolute favorite part of the trip was the day we spent at Wet 'n Wild.

I was NOT excited about this part of the trip.  I mean, I was because they kids were excited.  But I was also afraid it was going to be . . . chaos.  Not very fun for me.  In the end, though, it made me wish that Memphis had something like it!  Karis spent most of her time hanging out with the grandmas and that freed me up to do stuff with the boys . . . who had an absolute blast!

The kids area was amazing!  Karis could play in it without someone having to be right on top of her the whole time.  They had swings for babies and slides that were the perfect size for the boys.

The boys both said their favorite thing was the wave pool.  I've always been a fan of the wave pool at places like this too . . . just notsomuch when I'm holding a four-year-old and a ginormous wave knocks us both down, skinning my leg from foot to butt.  :/

Even with my tumble(s) in the wave pool . . . and even with the fact that the place was crawling with 17-year-olds who knew not of such things as cellulite and stetch marks . . . it was a pretty great day!  Hey, Wet 'n Wild!  Come to Memphis!

Next up: Final trip wrap up!

Coast to Coast 2012: Onto North Carolina!

My cousin and his family live in North Carolina, about four hours from where my brother is, so we knew we had to make visiting with them a part of our trip.

I gotta tell ya'll.  I LOVE North Carolina!  The state was beautiful.  The weather was fab.u.lous.  You can buy wine in the grocery store.  The people were friendly (we decided that for Virginia to be considered a southern state, the people there sure do act like Yankees!  Not so for North Carolina) and I loved the way they talked!  I grew up in Arkansas and I've lived in Texas and Tennessee so you know I have me an axe-sent but the Carolinans have a different drawl.  I want to move there.  So far, however, my husband isn't on board.  Ass.

We had dinner at East Coast Wings in Greensboro.  I LOVE WINGS and these were good.  Even better than the wings?  Their ranch dressing!  It was so so so so so so so so good.  Like, I wish I could've taken home a bottle.  Or thirteen.

Kyan bonding with his cousin Katelyn -- I'm not 100% sure but I *think* this was the first time they met!

My cousin is the manager of a movie theater so we got free admission to Madagascar 3, much to the delight of one very excited five-year-old.  (The four-year-old was cool with it too).

Since going to a matinee runs at least $30 for our family - and that's before popcorn and drinks - a movie in the theater is a rare treat.  This just so happened to be Miss Kare Bear's first ever theater movie.

She lasted all of five minutes.  She wouldn't keep her glasses on and thought it would be more fun to try to climb under the chairs or run down the aisles than actually, you know, DO WHAT SHE WAS THERE FOR and watch the movie.  She and I hung out in the lobby for a while where she bonded with her cousin Austin (he's only one and was also not quite ready to experience the movie theater).

Next up: Wet 'n Wild!

Coast to Coast 2012: Arlington National Cemetery

I knew my children were going to have no idea of the magnitude of what they were seeing at the Arlington National Cemetery.  When we walked in I told Jaidan, "everyone who is buried here did something during their life to make your life better."  He still didn't really get it but I'm hoping that one day he - and his brother and sister - will realize exactly what they experienced.

The magnitude of this place . . . of all the people who died defending our freedom or devoted their lives to this country. . .  is something every single American should experience.  It is most certainly humbling and just . . . I'm not sure the words. 

One of our first stops was the eternal flame and the graves of John F. Kennedy, Jackie O., and two of their children.  (Total sidenote: for some reason, I expected to see the grave of JFK Jr.  The children buried were a daughter and the son, Patrick, they lost while Kennedy was in office.  I Googled and JFK Jr was cremated and his ashes were scattered at sea.  Just in case you were also curious).

Without a doubt, the most touching thing we saw in the cemetery was the Tomb of the Unknowns and the Changing of the Guard.



There is a sign posted at the Tomb that asks for "respectful silence."  Trying to get a two-year-old to administer respectful silence is easier said than done.  :/  I tried shooting a video of the changing of the guard but when Karis started yelling, "Hi Ty Ty, Hi!" over and over to her brother, I had to shut off the recording and tend to her.

I was in kindergarten when the Challenger shuttle carrying Christa McAuliffe and six other crew members exploded.  For whatever reason - perhaps because it's my first ever historical moment - that has always stuck in my mind.  I wanted to make sure we saw the Challenger memorial while we were at the cemetery.

We didn't get to see as much of the cemetery as we would have liked.  It's a big place and would be easy to spend an entire day there.  The kids were wearing down, though, so we headed out.  If you are ever in the Washington DC, keep me in mind that the national cemetery is an absolute must.

Next up: Onto North Carolina!

Coast to Coast 2012: Aquia Church and Quantico

We had originally planned to go into DC again on Friday the 15th.  But our Thursday in the area completely wore us out.  There was just no way we could go back again -- especially with having to get up at the crack of dawn to make the train.  Ackkkk.  Wasn't happening.  Instead we set out for more exploring in Virginia. 

We started off at the Aquia Episcopal Church.  The church was established in 1654 and the building was beautiful!

Also, the sky?  SO BLUE!

There was a cemetery on the grounds with stones dating back to the 1700's.  I loved looking at their names on the tombstones.  I think my favorite was a man named Rowzee.  Definitely not a name you see every day!  And speakure.ing of the tombstones, it was kinda crazy how many of them we saw with something that would be considered morbid nowdays -- like a skull and crossbones and things of that nature.

After leaving the church - and grabbing lunch - it was on to Quantico and the National Marine Museum.  Not only was the museum free (score!) but they also had a playground on the premisis.  My sister-in-law took my nephew and both my boys to play while the rest of us checked out the museum.

Or tried to check out the museum.  A certain little girl wasn't feeling it and was, therefore, being an absolute turd.

From what I did get to see I can tell you that the displays were pretty realistic and some of them were quite graphic.  The Marines have an interesting history and, man, are they proud of it!  This museum is definitely one that will make you feel proud to be an American and leave you in awe of our Armed Forces.

After our quick walk through the museum, Alison, Karis, and I checked out the Semper Fidelis chapel before heading over to the playground to hang with the Boy Crew.



We wrapped up the day by getting stuck in traffic (on the highway!  We'd been told repeatedly to avoid I-95 and were behaving!) and then stopping for ice cream.  Karis alone polished off two kid cones from Coldstone.  Where ever did the child get her love of ice cream?

Next Up!: Arlington National Cemetery

Coast to Coast 2012: Day Three: DC Part Two

If we lived in DC, I swear to you, the kids and I would be at one of the Smithsonian museums at least once a week!  We loved the museums and definitely did not get to spend enough time in them.

Museum Numero Uno was the American Indian Museum.

I never would've really thought to go into this museum -- it's not one of the "big" ones I thought about when thinking about the Smithsonian, you know?  They happened to have a really cool kid's area though!  The boys liked it and Karis - man, she loved it.  Melt-to-the-down when it was time to leave.

The kids tried Indian Fry Bread for the first time at the museum.

How do you think Kyan felt about it?  ;)

Note: that Sprite cost more than the bread! 

We spent a little over an hour at the Air and Space Museum.  I don't know if there are words to express just how much Jaidan loved this one.  The next day, he asked if we could go back.  He loved seeing all the planes -- and being able to climb into planes and space shuttles and stuff.



The neatest thing we saw at the Air and Space Museum?  In my opinion, hands down, the Wright Brother's plane.  For the boys, though, it was the space ships.

My personal favorite of all the museums was the National Museum of American History.  I am a pop culture junkie and this was a treasure trove of all kinds of pop culture!

Among the more interesting things we saw: Innauguration gowns (including Michelle Obama's which is pictured above -- the line was a little long to get into the First Ladies exhibit but it was SO WORTH IT!), the china selected by all the first ladies over the years, a Lou Gehrig signed baseball, Babe Ruth signed baseball, Dorothy's ruby slippers, Ali's gloves, a camcorder used to shoot footage of 9/11, Archie Bunker's chair, the flag Francis Scott Key based the national anthem on.  It was such an amazing museum!  I could have literally spent the ENTIRE day there.

My only *sad face* from the day is that we didn't get to make it to the Natural History museum so my boys could check out the dinosaurs.  Correction: my brother and his nephew totally made it to the museum and saw the "roars" but I was too busy paying $8 for ice cream from a vendor to even realize they'd headed over there.  There is probably some sort of lesson in that and it involves, like, calories and high fructose corn syrup.  Sigh.  The fat kid never wins.  :/

Next up: Aquia Church and Quantico!

Coast to Coast 2012: DC Part One

When I was a freshman in college, I got an idea in my head.  I knew (or thought I knew) that I wanted to go to law school anyway.  (I was so going to live out a John Grisham novel.  Preferably one notsomuch with the mob following me but more like The Street Lawyer or The Rainmaker.  Gosh.  I just went off on a total tangent about John Grisham books then deleted it.  I really do adore him).  Anyway.  I decided I was going to do one more year at Baylor and then transfer to Georgetown and maybe, possibly, sometime not too long after that snag me an internship with someone involved in the government. Mind you, this was when all the Clinton/ Lewinsky brouhaha was going on - a time when I actually had a dark-haird waitress at Chili's on Halloween dressed in a beret and wearing knee pads - and saying internship was a lot like uttering a dirty word.  But I've always enjoyed politics and it's something I really wanted to do. And, besides, I didn't own any blue Gap dresses anyway . . .

Then.  A boy entered the picture and I forgot all about that dream of Georgetown and a Capitol Hill internship.  Being in DC a couple weeks ago (it was my very first visit, by the way, I didn't go back the summer after sixth or seventh grade when it seemed like erryone was going) made me realize: that city would've swallowed me whole!  If I'd gone when I was just 20-years-old, never having really been anywhere, HOLY SHEE-ITE, you guys!  It's busy and it's loud and the traffic is like OMG and there's just  so much.

We started our day in DC bright and early by catching the commuter train in Fredericksburg.  It was the first time for most (maybe all?) of us to take any sort of train like that.  I'm sheltered, ya'll, or maybe just a country girl.  My only other experience with any sort of train was The El in Chicago.  Oh, and the trains at the zoo.  Those totally count, right?

We ended up only spending one day in DC and it was JAM PACKED and FULL.  I'm exhausted now, just thinking about it.  Rather than being all, "first we did this and then we did this and then we did that" I'll give you an entry full of buildings and monuments and another entry full of museums. 

Our train brought us to Union Station and as soon as we walked out we saw the Freedom Bell and the Columbus Memorial (along with several street people who glared at us as we took pictures.  Street people?  You live in DC.  You are sitting on a memorial.  You should be used to people taking pictures.  Kthanks).

Then it was on to Capitol Hill!

Hahahahaha.  Picture Fail!  I'm the only one looking and you can't even SEE most of the capitol!

The DC tours are so expensive!  Especially if you have children with you.  We ended up just walking everywhere we wanted to go.  Which would've been a better idea if, you know, I had thought to bring a stroller for the four-year-old.  Karis was totally content to chill in her stroller (okay, for the most part) but Kyan pretty much lost his shit about halfway through the day.  He was DONE with walking.  Not fun.

Who knew the Washington Monument leaned a little?  ;)

I absolutely LOVE this picture!

The Washington Monument and the WWII Memorial -- I pretty much love how this picture turned out!  I wish the pics showed up as vibrantly on my computer as they do on my iPad.

There was construction going on at the National Mall and we were not able to walk over to the Lincoln Memorial and the monuments close to it (we could have but we'd have had to go way out of the way).  We saw (from a distance) the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and White House but weren't close enough to snap any decent pictures.

We passed the Grant Memorial on the way back to the train station.

Gotta love this one with the capitol in the background!

Note: I saw more monuments than I have pictures of because my crappy little camera just wouldn't/ couldn't zoom enough to get decent photos.  (There's a smudge on the lens and whenever I zoom my pics end up with a pink glare on them).  ANYway.  Just yesterday Eddie called me and told me he'd been able to pick out a 15-year-anniversary present from his job.  Wanna guess what he picked out?  A new camera!  And it's a point-and-shoot but it has some super duper zoom lens.  Ahhhhh!  What I wouldn't have given to have had that in my hands a couple weeks ago!  As it is, we have to wait for it to be delivered and won't have it for our California trip either.  I would pout but, hey, regardless I'm STILL getting a new camera!

Next up: Museums!