Boy have we had a HARD time catching up on REST and getting back into a routine!!  We are almost back to “normal” this week. 

Reflecting back over the trip we really do have some awesome memories.  We did SO MUCH in 10 short days!!  The only thing we did not get to do that the boys really wanted to do was go up in the Washington Monument.  I don’t know why we did not do that but we did get some very pretty pictures of it.  I was also disappointed that we did all the DC monuments at night.  Most of them are beautiful at nite but I don’t think my boys understood what they were seeing at the Vietnam Memorial becuz it’s a black wall & it was dark with no lights to light it up at night.  But they can say they’ve been there.

Thinking about funny things that happened or funny things that some of the kids said, I have to share some of them with you…  When we landed in Baltimore our awesome bus driver picked us up at the airport.  We all loved our bus as soon as we saw it.  We began our journey right then.  We all laughed when they told us they were taking us for MEXICAN food for dinner!!  Of course East coast Mexican is NOTHING like New Mexico Mexican food!!  It was very good though.  On the way to the restaurant one of the girls said… “This is NOTHING like Lovington!”  Indeed, it is VERY DIFFERENT, everything from traffic to clothes.  In DC the AVERAGE commute time to work is 3 HOURS then they drive 3 HOURS back home in the evening!!!  We ladies noticed at all the buildings we visited all the ladies working there were wearing very high stiletto heels!!  My feet were killing me wearing tennis shoes!!  And these people WALK a long way from their transportation to the office!!

I did not mention in my daily blog from DC all the security lines we stood in.  EVERY building in DC has a security line just like at airports to get into the building.  It is good that they do this but it is not much fun for those on a tour like we were.  Every line takes at least 30 min to get through.  We stood in line for 1 ½ hours to get into the House of Representatives!!  Yes, that was the day we had no food or water!!  We were very grumpy & became grumpier with every security line!!  We didn’t get lunch that day until around 3:00 and our guide insisted that we stop at the Supreme Court before going to lunch!  As we were going into the court house S said…  “Is this a restaurant?  PLEASE let this be a restaurant!!!”  I did not hear him say that but some of the other moms did and they laughed about that all week.  We were all thinking it, but only a child can say it and get away with it!!  Haha  That nite at dinner the waiter asked all the kids a question- I can’t remember exactly what it was but N & Heidi both quickly answered – A POLAR BEAR - and WON a big piece of chocolate cake!!  YUM!

On day 3 as we walked around the White House a lady was walking toward us.  Remember there are 20 of us and we are enjoying our stroll around the block.  This lady was very rude when she got right in S’s face (a 5 yr old!) and said… “STAY TO THE RIGHT!”  Of course he had no clue what she meant by that.  It became quite a joke for some of us the rest of the week.  Someone would just proclaim…  STAY TO THE RIGHT and we would laugh!

I am adding loads of pics from the trip for you to enjoy.   On day 4 N & S DID NOT want to get out of bed at all.  T pulled S halfway off the bed and he just slept like that until Daddy finally got him to wake up.   On the nite of day 7 we arrived at our hotel and T came running out of the bathroom and said…  MOM, you GOTTA come take a picture of this!!  He was so impressed with the fancy way they folded the toilet tissue and towels!  haha

I have to tell you how very proud I am of my boys!  They did so good on the trip!  I got so many compliments on their good behavior.  Sometimes I wonder…  Are they learning ANYTHING???  I feel as if I’m always on to them about something!!  I guess they do listen to me when I think they don’t.   I thank the Lord for my boys and I thank Him for the opportunity to homeschool them.   I feel like this trip was a chance of a lifetime for my family and I am SO GRATEFUL to all the people & businesses that donated to help us get there!  Going back to being proud of my boys… They did NOT complain one time about anything (except being hungry) the whole 10 days!  They just took it all in & enjoyed every minute of it!!  I was complaining after the 1^st day of my feet hurting!  Their little legs walked many more miles than mine did and none of them complained until on the airplane coming home S said…  Mom, my legs hurt.  So here I have to thank my Lord for blessing my boys with good health & stamina!

Thanks for taking the time to read my blogs.  Here are 3 slideshows of pics…  Enjoy…