Well as I always say, never lose the advantage of a good jet lag 'lag.' Ok, I've never said that but it's basically what I expressed to the kids when I told them we were getting up at 5 a.m. after getting back from Switzerland the night before to make it to the 40th annual Easter sunrise service at the Lincoln Memorial. There might have been a few groans but I didn't let that deter me. We really were on European time so if we were ever going to do this, this was a great year to do it. And kudos to the kids for actually rallying when it came time to rouse ourselves when it was very much cold and dark outside!
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| View when we first got to the sunrise service. Sky is still dark, Washington Monument is lit up majestically. Lights on the stage and some pre-music starting. |
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| During the service. We never had a super colorful sunrise that day but this point in the morning was probably the prettiest. |
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| Really moving and unique way to celebrate Easter. |
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| See - they look mostly awake! |
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| Photo the photographer took from the stage (they emailed it to anyone who wanted it). You can probably see us to the right of the Lincoln Memorial steps below the gray wall by the low bushes if you look carefully! I think you had to BE there by 5 a.m. to get a good seat. We were just glad to be able to see the stage. |
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| We rewarded ourselves with a big IHOP breakfast afterwards. And a few cups of coffee to warm me up. |
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| Late morning Easter egg hunt after our early morning adventures |
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| Even the high schooler is still happy to hunt for eggs! |
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| After years of struggling to keep up with her fast egg finding sisters, Anna finally came out ahead in the final egg count! |
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| A fun family tradition since Jane was five and only asked for a pack of gum and a gingerbread house kit for her January birthday is that Gammy and Poppy send her a gingerbread kit each year. It took us a LONG time to get around to doing it this yet but they were finally enthusiastically put together (in April!). |
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| Regan at the Kennedy Center cafe with me - we went for a special mother/ daughter outing to a performance of the Improvised Shakespeare Company. Go see it if they come to your town - amazingly clever, talented and fun. Regan and I both loved it. All of the cast came from a famous improv group in Chicago called Second City - which is where I first met Jake so it brought back good memories, too! |
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| At the National Cathedral for a church service that recreated Martin Luther King's final sermon and church service fifty years prior at the National Cathedral. They recently found video footage of the sermon and showed it at the service. Felt inspiring and historic (if a bit long for the kids at 2 hours - and this was after an hour Sunday school class at another church before this). Still glad we went. |
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| Meredith getting ready for a Kennedy Center performance |
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| Meredith's choir performed with two other school choirs at a musical festival with the Albany Symphony |
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| Jake flew in that day but managed to rally despite his jet lag to watch the performance. |
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| Neighborhood walks/ strolls/ frisbee-tossing/ scootering/ skateboarding |
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| Enjoying the flowering trees in our neighborhood |
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| A little hiking trail right near our house. It's not long but it is a lot of fun to have a bit of nature so close. |
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| A little pre-pizza ping pong at Comet Ping-Pong (Jake's favorite pizza joint near(ish) our house |
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| Both Meredith and Jane are in softball this summer. They were both a bit nervous about batting so we all hit the batting cage. Even Anna, Jake and I took a turn. We all had a ton of fun |
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| Meredith |
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| Jane |
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| Jane with Jake in background |
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| Cake making party for Meredith and friends at her school. Offered by a wonderful history teacher |
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| Meredith and her friend Noelle |
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| Ta-da! Hamburger cake! |
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| Fishing event on the Anacostia River |
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| No fish for us, but several around us caught something. Beautiful day to be out in a new part of the city for us though. |
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| Jane at the Middle School softball game. She was pretty good at batting. Almost always had a hit. |
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| Meredith's choir singing at the National Cathedral Flower Mart |
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| Jane's choir performing |
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| Jane and her softball buddies |
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| Visiting the neighbor's new puppy |
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| Mother's Day breakfast for me made by the kids! Yummy. |
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| Meredith up to bat at the Mother's Day mom vs. kids game. Moms won last year, but the kids came out on top this year |
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| Despite defeat, I still had a smile - what a fun way to spend mother's day. |
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| Mom and Mere at the Moms vs. Daughters game. We even made the local news! |
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| Dear friends from Abu Dhabi (who live in Houston now) came for a fabulous visit. We got to have our first dinner on our new outdoor patio table. The best. |
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| Regan and Sophia exploring Georgetown |
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| Jane and Maya |
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| Jane in the middle school choir end of year concert. She's not doing choir next year. I don't think she'll miss it much as she wasn't the most enthusiastic participant and singer.. |
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| American University sculpture. We call it "The Avocado" |
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| Meredith with the most-organized girl scout troop leaders ever. Thanks, Mary and Jocelyn! |
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Meredith's girl scout troop was wonderful - they were so welcoming to Meredith
and she had a great first year in girl scouts. |
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| Isn't this the cutest?? Anna reading in our back yard. |
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| Foosball competition in our house |
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| Our new side yard is finished! New landscaping and fire pit. We love it. |
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| Meredith's end of year choir concert. She's really loved choir and will continue next year, too. |
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| Hanging out with our visiting friends |
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| We went to an Escape Room, but Anna decided it sounded way too scary! |
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| So we watched on an iPad. It actually wasn't scary at all so this probably helped Anna realize she could do it next time |
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| Seeing the presidential convoy go by at Arlington Cemetery on Memorial Day |
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| Kids helped put flowers on graves that didn't have any. Cemetery is beautiful with all the American flags |
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| Walking across Potomac to DC from the Arlington Cemetery in Virginia |
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| Lincoln Memorial |
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| Fire up the s'mores again. Regan had a bunch of friends over after school one Friday. Since her school is a bit far away, we don't know her friends very well. We loved getting to hang out with some of her great friends. |
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| Anna was in the "Girls on the Run" club at school and we all participated in the city-wide Girls on the Run 5K. What a fun and inspiring run (despite the pouring rain!) |
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| We're all ready. The rain slowed a bit right before the start. Whew. |
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| View of the capitol on the run |
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| We all made it to the end (including Meredith and me who aren't in the photo) |
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| Meredith's end of year piano recital |
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| Beautiful sky as we leave the recital |
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| Special mom and daughter lunch with my Meredith. We love Millie's - our neighborhood gathering spot |
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| Anna and her friend at our neighbor's pool. Warm weather is finally here! |
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| Arabic lessons at the fire pit |
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| Anna's end of year performance. |
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| Meredith and the Lower School head. What a great year for Meredith at a new school |
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| Regan and her friends at the end of school |
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| Susie came to visit! |
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| Anna's end of year dance recital. It was a bit chaotic but there were real dance steps in there (mostly!) |
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| Anna's class |
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| Anna and her teacher, Desmond |
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| More friends visiting! Now we're at the Post Office Museum. The main draw here were the guns used in the Aaron Burr/ Alexander Hamilton duel |
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| Stamp collecting |
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| And stamp making |
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| More s'mores! |
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| Anna's last day of 3rd grade. Another wonderful year at a new school. |
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