Washington D.C.

At the end of April Nate called up and said that he had to go to Washington D.C. for work and wanted to know if I wanted to come too. I, of course, was really excited because that is where Becka and Bennett live and I really wanted to go see them. I also thought it would be a good experience for Kace to come too and it would also give me someone to go and do things with. And I knew that Kace was my companion with my companion pass so it would be a free trip if he came.
We were only there for three full days so I knew they were going to be marathon days. The first night when we got there we went to Becka and Bennett's house and just hung out. It was so much fun to see them and to catch up. I wish we lived closer to each other.
The second day Kace and I got up early and headed to the Smithsonian. It was a rainy day, but of course this year we were used to it (come to find out we missed the only three nice days of spring while we were gone). Once we figured the metro out (I am now a metro pro :) ) we got there and looked for the museum of natural history. I stopped and asked someone and they showed me and then asked why I was here and where I was from. I explained that Nate was here for work and that he worked for the government and was working at hill. He got really excited and asked if I was LDS. I told him I was and he immediately stuck out his hand and introduced himself and his wife as Brother and Sister Evans from Nova Scotia. Come to find out he just got made Stake President. I thought that was pretty cool.

We went to the Museum of Natural History, Air and Space Museum, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. This was one of the things Kace really wanted to do. He told me before we left that he wanted to go see the money being made.

That night we were pretty tired so we had the Oberg's come to our hotel (the hotel had a free buffet dinner) for dinner and then the kids went swimming. Seeing Ashden and Kace was so much fun. The immediately clicked and acted like long lost best friends.

The second day we had an appointment to tour the capital through Rob Bishop's office. We got there a little early and this is how we killed time:









I thought the capital was so pretty. The detail was amazing. There was an artist that did paintings all over the walls, ceilings and tiles on the floor. It was beautiful.

Then we went to the International Spy Museum and to Arlington National Cemetery. I loved Arlington. It was probably my favorite. I really liked the spirit that was there and the changing of the guard and the history that was there. It was all interesting to me. However, Kace got really bored here and was really tired and ready to get back. Go figure :) The picture pretty much sums up Kace's feelings.

That night we met up with the Oberg's and went to see the national monuments. We started at the Jefferson and then went to the Lincoln, WWII, and Washington monuments. One thing that I really noticed was the mention of God on all of the monuments. They were truly inspired men and knew that they were being led by our Father in Heaven. They gave credit to Him. What has happened since then?

It didn't matter where we were, those two loved to wrestle!

The next day we went shopping to the outlets :) I wonder whose idea that could have been! They were good sports though. That night we went to Oberg's for dinner. Becka's mom and dad were visiting as well and it was good to see them. I met Becka (and her brother) while working at ICON in 2000 and became good friends and did a lot of fun things together. She ended up marrying Nate's cousin! I was so excited!! Anyway, I knew her parents from before, and Kace has seen her dad for his feet so it was really fun getting together with them.

It was a great trip. I love the history stuff. I really wish I would have paid more attention in school :)

Kace Face

I know I really need to post our Washington D.C. pictures, BUT I found this little beauty on my camera and really needed to share. Kace would probably die if he knew I put this on, but I will take my chances. It is really too funny.

Please ignore the totally messy room (although they clean it and this is the way it looks the very NEXT DAY :/ grrrrrr) It adds to the video though!

Herpes

Ty is showing off his new spiderman watch (thanks Grandma Spencer!)

So (my stories always start with 'So') Nate and I were driving to Logan the Saturday before Easter and I was telling him that I had thought about getting the boys a bunny for Easter. His eyes got really big and started to sparkle at that thought. He was all for it, but then I burst his bubble and told him that I quickly dismissed the idea. The Easter Bunny did bring them some awesome bubble guns and I thought that was good enough.
By the end of our date he was still thinking about the bunny and how great it would be and how it could live out by the pond and eat the grass and just hop around all day long. So, being the nice wife that I am, made a compromise.......I said that if we could go to Spoon Me (it is closing and I wanted to go once more before it closed) then we could get a bunny. Imagine a little boy on Christmas. He was SO EXCITED!
We drove back to the house on the corner that was selling bunnies in the front yard and picked out the perfect bunny.
Now for the BEST PART! On the way home we were just chatting and then Nate said, "EW! My leg is all wet, I think the bunny peed on me!" I DIED LAUGHING. So funny.

When we got home we told the boys we had a surprise for them. They were ecstatic! They didn't want to leave it alone and fed it carrots and just loved it. Now we had a dilemma in picking out the name. We all wanted different names. I wanted Easter, Kace wanted Calico and Ty wanted Christmas. So we had Nate be the tie breaker and he said he didn't like any of those names, he wanted it to be named HERPES. So the bunnies name is Calico Christmas Easter Herpes Jones. But for short the name Herpes has stuck.

On Monday Nate let Herpes out of its pen (yes out by the pond) and we watched it hop around. On Tuesday morning I hadn't seen it hopping so I started wondering where it could be. I sent Ty out to see if he could see it. As I looked out the window at him walking back to the house, my heart started to break. He looked crestfallen. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "Heeeerrrrrpeeeeeessss is gone (crying). Dad is a meanie, he let him out of his cage." So he called Nate and told him the news and Nate told him to say a prayer. When Kace got home Ty told him to say a prayer as well. And then they started to look. They spent about an hour and a half searching all over, but never found him. I was thinking great, Herpes only lasted TWO DAYS!

But as we knelt down for family prayer that night Nate looked out the window and was staring at something. It was, you guessed it, Herpes. The boys were so happy. They came in and said a prayer of gratitude. Nate and I could hardly stop laughing as they gave thanks for Herpes (because of the name, we would never laugh at the actual prayer :) ).