Happy Thoughts from the Past Week

Happy Thoughts from the Past Week:

• Home Sweet Home
• The Olive Garden (I really debated which one to list first!) :)
• The Olive Garden again -- I could eat there every day! Twice in 24 hours isn't bad.
  
• happy homecoming hugs
• smooth plane rides
• a bee sting to remind me how perfectly things went
• not being allergic to bees
• orange, blue, red, yellow, green -- colors of the metro
• reasonably humid weather
• not getting lost
• the White House
• the Capitol Building, black cats, and accoustics
• the Tourmobile
  
• holding my newest sweetheart niece Gwen
• playing with Zoey & Skylar
• political conversations with Curtis
• visiting with Lindsay about babies and birth and lots of girl stuff
  
• helpful DC residents and tourists
• a gigantic McDonald's
• amoxicilin that makes babies' ear infections go away quickly
• understanding metro riders who didn't mind that Baby had had a long day and needed to let off some steam
  
• the best hotdog I've ever tasted
• the beautiful DC temple
• thunder storms, pouring rain, and hail in July
  
• thinking of my 3 biggest boys working on merit badges at scout camp
• family members willing to help out to make my vacation so wonderful (and possible!)
  
• a helpful Cameron who was mostly cheerful and happy the whole time (amazing for a 12 year old). There was one point where I had to remind him how lucky he was to be there and to try not to ruin the trip for me. After that he was great.
  
• trek was a meaningful experience for James (I won't say pleasant experience because he said he was completely physically spent by the time they finished, but he could understand why he was meant to be there)
• she finally learned how to say "Mama!" (and "uh-oh")
  
• beautiful green Virginia
• romantic Front Royal
  
• walking through the streets of DC looking up at all the tall, beautiful buildings. They paid so much attention to detail - I wish all buildings were like those.
• Cameron the spy
• Cameron the pilot
• the shocking pen
• the rear-view glasses
• Elly taking several steps at Grandma Whiting's house on our way home -- I was worried that after a week of sitting in the stroller and the metro and the car, she would forget her talent for walking.
• the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights (the security guard told us that National Treasure was not filmed in the National Archives. Hollywood made their own set. Bummer)
  
• strollers
• sipper cups
• wet wipes
• raisins
  
• James meeting us at the baggage claim
  

Classic Quotes from the Past Week:

• Teancum: This was actually from before we left on the trip. He came to me complaining that, "Mom! Micah gave my brain a woogie." He meant a noogie.
• Teancum: Yesterday, "I sure wish we didn't have to worry about rats eating the soles of our feet if we didn't keep them covered at night." Mom: "We don't have rats. And besides, if we did they wouldn't eat the soles of your feet." Teancum: "yes they would, because the soles of your feet are sort of like chicken. The rats eat them and then they grow back. Sort of like eating an apple." It's been a while since we've watched "The Other Side of Heaven," but I guess he's still thinking about it.
• Elizabeth: This isn't something she said, but something she did that I thought was so funny and insightful. Last night we were eating popcorn. She still didn't feel very well so she only ate a little bit of it, but she loves popcorn. So after a few minutes she started pulling on the top of my shirt and sticking popcorn down my shirt. I realized that since I am still nursing her she has figured out that that's where she gets her food, so she was putting her food storage in there for later. What a smart girl! (no, I don't still have popcorn in my shirt. She's out of luck). She is feeling mostly better today, by the way, although she did throw up a little bit in her crib during the night.
• Teancum: "I'm playing play station in my head." Cheap entertainment.
• Cameron: I can't remember the exact quote, but he'd been in the room for lots of conversations between Lindsay and I. Since she just had a c-section 3 weeks ago, lots of our conversations were about having babies or nursing or just womanly stuff. Finally on the last night we were there Cameron said something like, "I'm glad you guys don't usually talk about stuff like this." Lindsay explained that we do, but usually he's not around. :) Poor Cameron. We're going to turn him into a great husband.