the Halls visit DC

we got to take an awesome mini-vacation out to maryland/virginia/washington dc over an extended weekend. my cousin got married out in virginia on sat, and we decided to stay sun/mon in dc to see the sights, since i have never been there. at the last minute, i scored great airline tickets into baltimore, a dirt cheap rental car, and we even did priceline for our four star hotel room in georgetown. a 16+ hour trip with my 15 month old was sounding less and less appealing the closer we came to the date, and the hour long flight was SO worth it!!

this is reagan enjoying the dollar dance with my cousin brett (aka the groom). the wedding was lovely and we were so glad we could be there to share in their special day. brett and his sister alicia are more like siblings to my sister and i. we grew up close together, vacationed together, did everything together. they are both younger than my sister, but very special cousins!

here is bryce dancing with the bride, megan. bryce AND reagan were really the stars of the reception. reagan was continually asking where the dancing was even all through the wedding. she was out there from the first song, until she fell asleep in my arms at 10 p.m. bryce would run out there from our table by himself and swing his arms and bounce up and down. it was the CUTEST little thing. they both definetly have the music in them!

jason and i together. i got so many compliments on my dress....to which i must say I PAID $6 for it on the clearance rack at Target. i was thrilled to have everyone commenting on it...i paid more for the earrings at $6.99. i know, big spender!

this is my cousin's new baby lyla...and she is just precious as can be.

my cousin alicia with reagan. reagan definetly found a new friend at the reception...wanted to sit at their table, dance with her....maybe she even wanted to call her mommy! (just kidding, she just really took a liking to her!)

reagan at the white house. on our first day to dc we visited arlington cemetary, Iwo Jima, drove past the pentagon, went in the national cathedral, and walked down to the white house.

day 2 was a busy one. we started at the kennedy center for the performing arts (beautiful facility!), then the jefferson memorial, lincoln, vietnam memorial, washington monument, korean war memorial, WWII memorial and the capitol building. this is reagan standing on the edge of the lincoln memorial looking out towards the washington monument. everything was just so HUGE, i couldn't get over it. i really love history like my dad, and i just thoroughly enjoyed our time there. our kids were not really the most "opportune" ages for a visit, but overall they were SO very good and went along with my "tour schedule".

the pic way at the top is from the WWII memorial and Jason and the kids are standing in front of the Michigan pillar. i got nearly completely done with my post and it deleted the pic at the end, and i can't seem to return it here, so it will have to do.

in all seriousness, i was just overwhelmed with how thankful i am to live in the United States. that i live in a free country, and that we have honored those that have given their lives for our freedom. i was overcome walking along the vietnam wall....all those names, most of them probably younger than me now, giving their lives so that i can be free today. thank you sounds so trivial. we are blessed! along the korean war memorial, there was a spray of flowers and a little phrase that i found so profound:

When you go home, tell them of us and say, For their tomorrow, we gave our today.

We appreciate all those who have sacrificed so that we can be free.

We got in around 1 a.m this morning and we are back to the normal routine around here. Thankfully my teaching schedule is a little more free throughout the summer as my students are in and out for vacations/summer camps, etc. We had a wonderful weekend, so I'm trying to soak up all those memories and store them away! Have a great week!