Handsome Men

Happy Easter!

Chris, Josh's mom, and I worked together while she was here for Spring Break to make my boys all bow ties.  The little men all got pre-tied bow ties and Josh got a standard bow tie.  I must say, I'm happy with the way they turned out (and the fact that the boys couldn't take them off).  They all wore them to church Easter Sunday.  I truely have the handsomest men in my life!

CRABS!

On our way home from the beach we stopped at a crab place for dinner.  We ordered all you could eat crabs and steamed shrimp and then ate it all like heathens-- no plates or forks allowed.  Josh was happy as a clam :) The food was all good though not something I plan on having again anytime soon but I can now say I know how to eat crab.  It was MESSY and a lot of work for very little reward.  The boys had fun ripping the crabs apart and using the hammers on the claws. 

Assateague Island

Wednesday we went to Assateague Island.  I was afraid that it would be busy because it is Spring Break but happily the beach was rather empty.  It was a partly cloudy day and it was warm (ish in the 60's) but the water was cold.  All in all we had a wonderful time.

LOVE this picture of Elijah

Ben was not the happiest.  He was SO tired.  When we first got to the beach Josh took Ben down to the water and Ben came up freezing cold and rather distraught.  I bundled him up and put him in the stroller where he was content.  He ended up falling asleep and slept for a few hours in the stroller.  Poor kid didn't get to play much at the beach, but he seemed okay with that.

Josh's dad brought his trick kite and Josh tried it out while we were there.  It looked like quite a workout to keep the kite going back and forth.  It was pretty cool to see.

Elijah and Sam caught a sand crab while digging in the sand.  The poor crab was not very happy about it.

I spy with my little eye... a sand crab!

Elijah spent a good chunk of time digging in the sand and made a sand turtle (which you can't see really well but he is laying down parallel to it)

Air and Space Museum: Chantilly

After lunch with Mat we drove up to the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly. It is an extention of the one at the MALL in DC, a massive extention. It is a huge hanger full of planes, rockets, missles, helecopters, etc. My father in law was in heaven and could have spent days in there, sadly he had to settle for just a couple hours.

R2D2 Mailbox

Sam took this picture of Elijah and I

Enola Gay

Happy Birthday, Elder Harb!

This past week I was able to go see my brother on his mission for his birthday!  It was so good to see that man.  He is doing an awesome job on his mission and it is amazing to see how he has grown and changed because of his service to the Lord.

 We got to go out to lunch with Mat, his companion, and his APs.  It was nice to see Mat goofing with my boys.  Sam told him that he wants to be a missionary when he grows up.

A Beautiful day at Mount Vernon- George Washington's Home

This was the second time we have visited Mount Vernon since we have lived here, the first being when Ben was about a week old. Last time it was humid and HOT but today was very pleasant. We weren't the only one's that thought so and the estate was rather crowded today. We still had a very enjoyable visit and all came home happy and with sore feet.

front porch of Mount Vernon

I think Ben's favorite part was the gravel pathways.  He was constantly stopping to run his fingers in the dirt and pick up the tiny pebbles. 

Sadly we missed the Cherry Blossoms in DC this year (the weather was so mild they bloomed early this year) but there were a few beautiful trees on the estate.

More rocks in his hands.

Mount Vernon is partly a working farm.  They have beautiful gardens and at this time of year have a large flock of baby lambs.  They were adorable!

Tulip Poplar planted in 1785 by George Washington

Proof that I was there too!

There's the best thing there and I actually got to bring him home with me!  Isn't he handsome?

And yes I do have two more adorable children other than Ben, they just are harder to catch on the camera (especially Sam)

Beautiful tulips outside the estate.   Ben is holding his souviner duckling.  He was so excited about it and was quacking and quacking.  We have been singing the Five Little Ducks song lately and he loves it.

Smelling the flowers

Sam being goofy in front of the camera.  I love that little man.



And if you ever leave Mount Vernon starving like we were, be sure to look up the restuarant Thai Nakorn (8733 Cooper Rd #F Alexandria,VA22309).  It was delicious!  We all especially liked their massaman curry.  There was hardly a drop left of it by the time we left