Baseball & Spring Break Wrap-Up!

 The last weekend of Spring Break Evan played baseball in Rogers.  It was a great weekend for baseball!

 Beau thinks he is SO big.  He plays with several of the other boy's little sisters.  This day they were playing Barbies.  Most of the time they are just running around, or playing with sidewalk chalk or a ball.  He has been having a blast!  It's so nice for him to be big enough to play and have fun.  Makes it easier on everyone!

 Evan got to pitch some during the first game.  He did GREAT!

 Beau Beau loves his big bubba!

 After Evan's last game, we sat down to watch Travis's cousin Eric's little boy Aiden play for a little bit.  As we were sitting there Evan starting pulling bottles out of his baseball bag.  Apparently it's been a while since he cleaned it out!!  It weighed about 5 pounds less when the clean out was done!

 In other news, Nonnie and Poppy bought a new camper!  It's super nice and they are all excited about traveling around.

 They had it sitting out in their street while they got it all stocked up, so we went over to visit:)  The boys can't wait to take a camping trip with them.

 Beau and Poppy went to the bait store and bought "real minnows" to fish with.  Beau has learned to cast as is becoming quite the fisherman!

 We had a busy, but fun Spring Break!

Spring Break

We started Spring Break off with a visit from the Scoggins.  Beau and Whitney were so glad to see each other.  We went to Genos for lunch and after we had lunch, we got ice cream.  Whitney kept saying that she was thirsty.  Beau asked if he could go get Whitney a Coke.  He wanted to do it by himself.  So, I gave his some money and he walked up to the counter, gave them the money, and got her drink.

 He was so proud of himself for bringing it back to her.  It was SO sweet!

 After lunch, Amy & Hayden came over to play for a while.  It was SO good to hang out with the girls and catch up!

 I got Blake this t-shirt and thought it was absolutely perfect for him.  He agreed!

 On Wednesday, we headed to Branson to meet up with Nana, Evan (he was still there from the weekend when Nana had taken him to his baseball tournament in Harrison while we were in DC), Trisha, Alan, & Malory.  Travis had to stay home and work:(

 We went to see Jonah on Wednesday afternoon.  It was SO good!

 Beau was very glad to see Evan!

 The next morning we got up and headed to Silver Dollar City for the day.  The weather was great and we had an awesome day!

Beau loves the carousel!

He can't wait until he is big enough to ride the BIG rides!  But, he was big enough to ride Fire in the Hole this time!  He wasn't sure, but after we got off he begged to do it over and over!!  Love his smile!

 That night we finally got to eat at the "Big Chicken"!!  It was good!

After dinner, the kids convinced Nana to take them to ride go-carts.  I have a love/hate relationship with the go-cart tracks.  I know it's fun, but they are also such a rip-off.  Anyway, they convinced Nana they should go:)  Beau was finally big enough to ride the little go-carts by himself.  It was SO cute.  He could barely even reach the gas pedal. 

Then the big kids got to ride.  They rode Heavy Metal Highrise and the regular go-cart track. 

 Beau rode doubles with Aunt Trisha and they won!!

 We got up the next morning, had some breakfast at Cracker Barrel, and then made a stop at the outlet mall for a little shopping. 

It was a great trip and the kids had a blast!  So glad we get to spend time with our family and the kids get to play with Malory!  We headed back to Springdale to get ready for Evan's baseball tournament on Saturday and Sunday.

Washington DC ~ Part 2

 On Friday night we went to dinner at the Capital Grill.  Let me just say, that this was one of those kinds of meals that will only happen a few times in in lifetime for someone like me.  It was crazy over the top.  It was so fun to get all dressed up to go out with Travis!

 Brent, the AIA Executive Director, was "in charge".  We had our own private dining room, and Tony, our waiter had waited on Brent several times in the past.  We had huge seafood platters with crab claws, shrimp, and lobster tails for appetizers.  Then an amazing steak for dinner.  Brent ordered wine, and supposedly it was crazy amazing.  I'm not a big fan of red wine, so I just took a few sips.  It was Brent's birthday, so we also celebrated his birthday while we were there. I had flourless chocolate cake for dessert that was to die for!!  This was definitely a wonderful experience, but I'm not sure that any dinner that costs several hundred dollars per person is for me.  I'm just too frugal to be able to truly enjoy it:)

 The next morning I was up and ready to go again!! I decided to walk from the hotel and it took me right by the Capital.

  I headed straight to the Holocaust Museum to get in line for tickets.  I waited in line for about an hour, but was able to get a ticket for the very next time slot.  It took me a couple of hours to get through that museum.  Another very moving, tearful tour.  Definitely a must do if you are ever in DC.

After the museum, I met up with Travis.  We had plans to go to Arlington for the afternoon.  We took the Metro to a downtown stop and found a place for lunch.  It was a neat little burger place called Ollie's Trolley.  Then we got back on the Metro and headed to Arlington National Cemetery.

 We decided to buy the bus tour so we wouldn't miss anything.  It was us and the rest of the senior citizens visiting Arlington that day:)

 Our first stop was at John F. Kennedy's grave site.  The eternal flame was pretty cool.

 Next, we went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  I was speechless.  I could have stayed and watched all day.  Truly amazing!

While we were there we got to watch a couple of school groups present flower memorials.  They got to actually be a part of the presentation.  Then the bugle player played Taps.  I bawled like a baby.

 Watching the kids get to be a part of this was so cool.  I would love for my kids get to do this with their school at some point.

 

 That night we got to go out by ourselves. I really wanted sushi and Travis was super sweet to find a place nearby that we could walk to.  It turned out to be really authentic.  Maybe a little more than either of us had bargained for, but it was definitely an experience we won't forget!  We took this pic walking back to the hotel. 

 The next morning it was time to get up and ready to head home.  We had a VERY long day of traveling.  Our layover in Atlanta was almost 5 hours.  Thankfully, we had just recently gotten hooked on Downton Abbey.  So, we found a wifi hotspot in the airport and sat and watched several episodes while we were waiting:)

 On the last leg, almost to Ft. Smith!!

We had such a great trip!  I loved getting to play tourist.  I saw so much, learned so much, and had an awesome getaway with Travis!!

Washington DC ~ Part 1

 One of the perks of Travis's position on the Arkansas AIA Board is that he gets invited to attend the AIA Grassroots Convention in Washington DC.  I have never been, so we decided it would be fun for me to tag along.  Thankfully, the grandparents were more than willing to divide and conquer all our kids and their activities so I could go!

We left really early on Wednesday morning from the Ft. Smith airport.  We had a really long layover in Atlanta, then we got into DC around mid-afternoon.  We had planned to ride the Metro to the nearest stop by our hotel, but we weren't anticipating that it would be pouring rain!  By the time we navigated the Metro and walked several blocks in the rain, we were SUPER glad to be there!

 After we checked in and got dry and settled, i was determined to get started sight-seeing.  I was on a mission to see everything I possible could over the next 4 days!  So, I took off to the nearest Metro station all by myself!!  I was super nervous, and anyone that understands my sense of direction would  understand why:)  But, after a couple of close calls, I got off the Metro at the Smithsonian stop on the Capital Mall.  It was freezing and yucky, and drizzling rain.  My first impression left a lot of be desired. All I wanted to do was get inside somewhere.  I headed to the Smithsonian American History Museum.  It looked cold and dreary from the outside.  But when I got inside, I figured out that every teenaged Spring Breaker in the country was also inside this museum!  I fought my way to the top floor and toured all the presidential history stuff.  I LOVED the First Ladies dresses.  SO cool!  I only had about an hour before the museum closed for the day, but I looked at as much as I could, then headed back to the hotel.

 That night I tagged along with the other guys from Arkansas AIA and went to an awesome dinner in an old fire station.  I enjoyed the company and conversation even though I was the only female in the group:). 

The next morning I got up and got ready to head out again.  Thank goodness it was beautiful and sunny!  Later in the day I realized that I missed my Capital tour that was scheduled for that morning.  (I was SO sure it was for the next day).  

The Metro!  I met a very nice girl who gave me a few etiquette lessons.  The most important...on the escalator, walk on the left, ride on the right!

 The view on a sunny morning was SO much better!  Still a bummer that the Washington Monument was under re-construction so I couldn't even get near it:(

 Even the Museum of American History looked SO much friendlier on a sunny day!!

 I absolutely loved the "blasts from the past".  These things were in my kitchen as a kid.  How on Earth could they be in a museum now?  And the McDLT....I loved that burger!!!

 Next, I headed over to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.  I LOVED the dinosaurs, but to be honest, I just kinda skimmed through a lot of this one.

 These were pretty awesome!!

 Look at me!  The only other super impressive thing in this museum was all of the jewelry.  The Hope Diamond was pretty amazing!!

 Next I headed toward the Lincoln Monument.  I walked past the Washington Monument and the World War 2 Monument.  It was cool, but the fountain was empty.  So, there wasn't a whole lot to look at.  At that point my back started hurting really bad and I was absolutely starving.  I sat down on a bench to rest and eat a snack.  It was kinda surreal!

 Getting closer to Mr. Lincoln!!

 I finally made it and it was SO worth it.  Truly awe-inspiring.  Reading all the stuff engraved on the walls made me teary.  He was an amazing president that had more impact on our country that most ever do.  And when I turned around, the view back toward the Washington Monument was breath-taking.  Sadly, the reflecting pool was also empty. 

 After that, I walked down to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  Another moving sight.  All of those names...they seemed unending.  I loved this picture of one of the park rangers making a rubbing of a name for a visitor.

 After that, I got a second wind, and decided to try to find the White House.  I used my Maps ap in walking mode, and after several blocked streets, I finally found a way to get there. It was cool, but not what I was expecting.  I guess I didn't realize it was so close to other buildings and it wasn't as big as I had expected.  Still cool, though. 

 At this point I was totally starving and was thinking about buying something from a food truck, when I walked around the block and the only restaurant that anyone had recommended to me to try, was right in front of me!  I was SO happy.  I sat down at Old Ebbit Grill and order some very late lunch. Travis called, and he had just finished all his Capital Hill visits for the day, so he came and met me there. 

 We walk around and did a little more sight-seeing.  It was such a beautiful afternoon.

Then we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at the Capital Grill!!