National Air and Space Part II: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Ollie and I accompanied our friend Lindsay to the National Air and Space Museum near Dulles airport in Chantilly, Virginia this week.

That place is AWESOME.

We saw airplanes, helicopters, missiles, rockets, and other various air and space type national treasures.

Funny story of the day...

Lindsay, Ollie, and I were walking through the space shuttle exhibit and Lindsay was in awe. I was too, but Lindsay was really, REALLY excited about it.

Which is completely understandable, because it was kind of amazing.

But it was a little bit hilarious when we rounded a corner and came across this R2D2 USPS mailbox and satellite phone booth, because that's when I got really, REALLY excited.

We took about 37 and 1/2 gazillion photos of the Enola Gay to send to my grandpa

Oliver J's pronunciation of Enola Gay: "NOAH - gay"

We also spent a significant amount of time growling at this lion and playing with these "drums" because that's what our short friend Oliver was really, REALLY excited about.

Whoever you are, we can't thank you enough...

 I never told you this, but at the beginning of October, we got an anonymous love note in the mail.

The general idea of this love note was:

"You guys are pretty much awesome. Please take the $40 dollars we have enclosed and do something fun on us"

Our reaction to this letter looked something like this:

Because  A) we have the coolest friends ever, B) the sweet sentiment made us feel pretty good about ourselves, and C) we haven't been on a real date since...I can't remember, actually.

So finally, after a crazy hectic October, we planned a date to the Dutch Country Farmers Market.

This place is spectacular...

See that on my plate, that's some very tender pot roast atop legitimate Amish stuffing made with legitimate Amish bread.

Afterwards, we walked around the market trying to identify our best dessert options...

chocolate covered bacon

chocolate covered potato chips

Amish ice cream

Amish baked goods

Amish anything we could ever desire..

.

Except that dinner left us so satisfied that we decided we'd just have to go back another time...

...and since our friends were so generous, we totally can!

 And so, my friends, whoever you are, we can't thank you enough. We want you to know that we had so much fun... and we really, really needed it. 

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far...

Did you know that every morning, like clock work, for absolutely as long as I can remember

(except during most of junior high and high school when I was just so dumb too cool), 

I'd wake up and head for my parents' bed.

"Can I tickle your back?" I'd ask...those were the magic words.

I'm not ashamed to admit that even to this day, when I wake up at home, that's the first place I go.

Lately, my friend Oliver has adopted my old pattern.

He doesn't know about the back tickling requirement yet, but we're getting there.

I'm not sure if my parents loved it as much as I did when I was young...

In fact, I'm now keenly aware of how much space a little body can take up, even in a bed ten times their size...

and just how quickly one's pillow can be completely commandeered...

and that sort of monkey business gets really old.

Really fast.

But, there's something very flattering in knowing that the first thing your little wants to do in the morning is share their bunny blanket (or jungle blanket, or circle blanket, or all of the above) with YOU...

and play with YOUR hair...

and kiss YOUR cheek...

and snuggle with YOU...

I don't think I'd give that up for anything.

I like to think my parents felt the same way. If not, they were pretty great at pretending.

Still are, actually.

336

Dearest darlings of Snowy River apartment 336,

Remember that time in 2007 when we all pitched in some moolah and bought some house supplies...
specifically Costco brand plastic wrap?

And remember how, at the end of spring semester 2008, we divided up the leftovers of said house supplies and I took home said plastic wrap?

Well, I thought you might be interested to know that, just last week, I FINALLY used the last of it...

Ladies, that roll of plastic wrap officially lasted for

3 states, 

 

4 cities,

 

5 YEARS,

 

6 moves, 

 

and 7 apartments!

That's some serious value.

Also, you should know that I miss you.

That's all.

Rapunzel

Oliver got to play with his favorite friend all day today.

We played at the park.

We read In a Napping House,

We ate waffles and fruit for lunch.

While I was in the kitchen doing chores and the boys were in the living room playing with every toy that we own, most specifically our small fisher price castle, I heard this dialogue:

Oliver J's friend who shall remain nameless, "Hey, you! Let down your hair!"

Then I heard Oliver say "BE QUIET!"

Apparently we need to talk about classic fairy tales

...and manners.

Top 10...

Reasons why Thursday rocked...

1. Chinese Potluck Brunch with friends. YUM! Next month's potluck brunch theme: Harvest.

2. Kristen informed me that she has officially booked tickets to visit me out here in the forest.

3. Won this prize from a giveaway at rikrak studio

photo credit

 

That's two clutch patterns and a small clutch from LBG Studio (cannot wait to try making the foldover clutch!), a necklace from Yanessa B., and a stocking of my choice from rikrak.

 

Seriously can't believe my luck.

 



4. Fake it Frugal brownies! I LOVE them! Especially with dark chocolate chips baked in... Mmm! It's currently my favorite treat.

 

5. Found this gem on the Ipod...

 

 

6. Which reminded me of this picture of Oliver from earlier this summer. Can't believe I didn't show you until now...

 

What can I say? We like naps.

 

7. Singing in the car with Ollie all afternoon while we drove to and fro, picking up my friend Oliver's girlfriend Tina and dropping her off at BWI and then picking Jesse up from school

 

8. The Magic of Ordinary Days with newly found kindred spirits Lindsey and Cami, officially on my top ten list of favorite people in all of Maryland. (Bree, you were right! They are my kind of people!)

 

9. Strawberry Peach smoothies for dinner.

 

10. Supernatural with Jesse until 1:00 am.

 

 

 

 









On the farm...

One of my Maryland friends raises animals in her over sized yard.

 

She has goats, chickens, and ducks. As of last week, she has baby ducks and she invited us to come to see them.

Ollie was infatuated. As usual. 





 

He sat to watch them for half an hour, all the while singing...

 

"Sheep goes baa, baa,
Goose goes hissy, hissy,
Duck goes quack, quack,
Hen goes chimmy-chuck, chimmy-chuck,
Cat goes fiddle-i-fee." 

Dear Monday,

Dear Centennial Park.

I think I love you.

Dear Maryland,

Thank you for giving me one day of glorious weather. The temperature was so pleasant that I didn't even notice your incessant humidity. And that crisp, early autumn breeze! I wanted to spend all day outside...and if you know me, you know that doesn't happen. Can everyday of fall be as nice as this one? Pretty please?

Dearest Jesse,

Thanks for making bread, loading/unloading the dishwasher, and watching Supernatural with me. Also, I'm sorry for not listening to you when you suggested that I take the camera to the park and when you advised that I let sleeping dragons lie. You were right on both accounts. But I'm right more often, so you can see why I would have been hesitant to listen. *wink*

Darlingest Bree,

I thought of you a lot today when I made curtains and pillows and spray painted things. Why do we live so far apart? Remember that time you came to visit me? Yeah, I loved it. Also, Oliver is STILL asking for Travis and talking about trucks.

Dear Supernatural,

Thank you for making a Gilmore Girls joke. It was perfect.

Dear Monday,

You were a great one! Keep up the great work.

An Angsty Post About Making New Friends

So...

Tonight I went out with a couple of girls in the ward.

Window shopping. An activity which I sincerely love.

I had so much fun, I couldn't stand it.

Now I am home and I can't stop thinking...

Was I awkward? Did I over share? Did I apologize too much? Did I stay too long? Did they invite me because they wanted to get to know me or do they just feel bad for me?

Making new friends is a little bit scary for me...Remember how I worry? A lot?

But here's the thing:

I have a lot of spectacular friends.

Friends who love and support me.

Friends who think I'm funny and interesting even if we are just running errands together...or sitting around watching tv...or making jam...or cleaning...or studying...or eating taco soup...or eating anything, really.

I think I need to remember that there was a time when I didn't know those women very well either.

And it was probably awkward then too, but we became friends anyway.

I need to remember that I am enough just the way I am.

And that I am good at finding great friends.

Or that great friends are good at finding me.

Whichever the case may be.

Mrs. Alger

From my journal, December 20th 2011:

"Ann is fifty-something, but talks with me like we are the same age. She wears purple mascara on weekdays and has FUN...Ann likes to be called Mrs. Alger rather than Ann. She believes it is best to call everyone by their highest title...she calls me Mrs. Moses. She once had a set of 15 garden flamingoes and makes the best soup I have ever tasted. The Very Best. I think she is my favorite part about Malad."

When Jesse and I first moved here, Ann and I were assigned as Visiting Teaching partners. She took Ollie and me on a tour of the town and bought me lunch at the drive in. She wanted me to feel welcome...

She always had a sincere compliment and a bright smile.

She proved that a sophisticated woman could also be a whimsical one.

I treasured our conversations about motherhood and the mysteries of the gospel.

I loved hearing her firm testimony, which she shared willingly and often.

She was a superb example of a righteous woman.

I truly considered her to be one of my dearest friends, though I only knew her short time.

Today I learned that my sweet friend, Mrs. Alger, passed away suddenly last week from very serious medical complications.

I am a little bit heartbroken...

There are Malad Friends coming to our house for dinner tonight!

You weren't sure we even had any of those, were you?

Haha. Neither were we.

That's a lie, actually, because we are lucky enough to have a fun few...

We are going to stuff Heather and Russell with sweet pork burritos, maybe play some games, and watch our kids play together.

I kind of can't wait!

My Mom Jeans

The other day I was monologuing to Ashley Beatrice about how stylish I used to be, and how I used to have friends to play with, and how my music library was always up to date with my current favorite songs and artists, and so on and so forth...

She wouldn't hear it. Do you know what she said?

"Go put on your mom jeans and get to work!"

That's why I love her.

She's right you know...I may not have everything I used to, but I'm pretty lucky to have the things I have.

That's what we call wisdom.

She also said "Do you realize that we live in different states and neither of those states is Utah? That's crazy."

I'm gonna agree with her...that is COMPLETELY out of control.