Count Down

Our last few weeks in Maryland are here and I still have a list of things I want to do before we leave. You would think that in almost two years we have been here I would have seen everything there is to see in D.C. but..... here it is with just about three weeks until we move and I am still trying to see what there is. This past week I marked a couple of things off my list. A have a couple of more of sights- the Bureau of Printing and Engraving and the White House Visitor's Center. 

The girls and I went to the National Arboretum on Friday and then yesterday I went to the National Holocaust Museum in D.C. I have a mixture of feelings and thoughts from the experience. At different points in the museum I felt like throwing up. In other places I was

bewildered. At the end of the exhibit there is a Remembrance Hall and I felt like I was on holy ground. I went by myself and took most of the afternoon. It was a sobering experience. 

Here are some pictures of the National Arboretum. 

If you are in D.C. it was great and worth the trip. 

The azaleas are in full bloom 

and absolutely beautiful. 

They are sisters- they just look very different. Kaley with her dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and dark complexion. Anna has light brown hair or dark blonde some might say, blue eyes, and fair complexion. Their chins are similar.

These columns used to be at the U.S. Capitol but they now stand in this grassy meadow in the middle of the arboretum. Kaley is at the very bottom of the picture- do you see her? 

The arboretum has an amazing herb garden and bonsai collection. In the herb garden there were different sections displaying various plants arranged by topics such as medicinal, culinary, industrial, etc. I could have spent the whole day there looking at the various plants. 

I always thought Bonsai was a type of tree like Maple or Elm but it is actually a technique or art of growing miniature trees in pots. I thought this was really fascinating. They have a tree there- A Japanese White Pine in training since 1652 (not any of these in this picture). 

End of the adventure and all tuckered out. 

C&O Canal

Have you had one of those days that it is just super great to be alive? I had one of those days on Friday. The weather was perfect- the sun was shining, a cool breeze- nothing could bother me (though the swarms of gnats by the water were a bit annoying- I dealt with it), and everyone was in a good mood. 

Kaley, Anna, and I went with our friend Nikki and her son Michael to the C&O Canal on the Potomac River. We learned all about the history of the canal and took a 45 minute trip down part of it. This is a picture of us on the boat. At the very beginning we went through one of the lock gates. Once we got through the gate, mules pulled the boat on the water. We had a fun time and it was made even better with a trip to Rita's- an ice cream shop that specializes in frozen custard and Italian water ices. I had a root beer flavor Italian ice and vanilla custard. The frozen custard surprised me- really thick, creamy, and smooth. If you get a chance I would try it. Anyways- it was a very nice day and worth blogging about so I will remember how nice the day was.   

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

We have been watching a Masterpiece Theater presentation of Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens online. I had never heard of this book but we have really been enjoying it. Here is a link if you want to watch it. It will only be available online until May3. Tonight is the conluding episode. If you get a chance to watch it I hope you enjoy it. 

Bittersweet

Looking back on my life there are some bittersweet moments.  Times when I have been so excited about what is about to happen next but also sad about what I am leaving. Graduating from high school and going to college- bittersweet. Going home from a mission and figuring out what to do- bittersweet. Moving to Logan, Utah and leaving some good friends- bittersweet. 

Did you catch what I just wrote- moving to LOGAN, UTAH!!! That's right we are moving June 1. Jed got a job with the Utah State University and we are moving. It would be really great for me if my friends here could move with us and be our next door neighbors- is that possible? Is that too much to ask? Then it wouldn't be bitter at all- just pure SWEETNESS! 

I am really excited about our move- it just feels "right." It feels right for so many different reasons (the number one reason will be living closer to both of our families).We are planning on renting something for awhile until we decide where in the valley we want to go. Jed thinks it would be nice to be a little bit north of Logan. We might buy a house or maybe get some land and build. I am not sure what we are going to do. All I know is it will be nice to live in a house and have a yard for the girls to play around in.  

On our exodus out to Utah we are going to make a real road trip out of it. Both of our cars are going to take us to see Philadelphia, NYC, Palmyra, Niagara Falls, Kirtland, Nauvoo, Independence, and Winter Quarters. Jed's parents are going to fly out and drive it with us. It will take us about two weeks to do it. Now- that is a roadtrip. See to the right- Getting to Know Us- about our road trip food picks.  So bring on the sweetness and I will try not to cry about the bitter. Sidenote: I am horrible at saying good-byes. I cry. I don't know what to say. Let's just say, it is not pretty. Actually I just like to pretend it is not happening and not say anything at all- like I am going to see them next week at Church. I might just do that.