Heats visit- DC day 1

Tuesday March 24

Tuesday we planned to head to DC and spend the day there. We parked in Bethesda and rode the metro into downtown since we knew parking would be a nightmare. Going up and down the escalators with a baby and a stroller was sure a fun adventure.
The weather ended up being cold and snowy and just crappy so we didn't get to do everything we had hoped, instead we spent all day at the Smithsonian museums which worked out fine since they alone took all day and we were still exhausted by the end!

riding the metro

Heaton was the guide telling us which stops we need to get off at or change trains at

you can almost see the Washington monument through the crappy weather.

inside the Natural History museum

a t-rex skeleton

Nate & Spencey in front of a giant sloth

some kind of giant whale?

our little trooper.

some of the gems.

sooooo many people, and this was after it cleared out some!

Nate with a cassowary- his favorite bird.

a little nicer weather.

Air & Space museum.

Heat's visit- Appalachian trail & Antietam battlefield

Sunday March 23

Sunday was rather boring as we just stuck to our usual habits of the day. We went to church, watched some NCAA and then finally I made the boys come with me on a little hike up part of the Appalachian trail.

It was a little chilly so it didn't last too long, maybe only a mile or so up and then we turned and came back down.

Since Saturday was Nate's 29 birthday, we also took cake and ice cream to our friend's house to watch The Amazing Race (but I didn't get any pictures)

Monday March 24

Monday was a busy day for us, Spencer had a doctor appointment (and more shots which I HATE) and then Nate had to go up to Chambersburg for an interview. Heaton was probably way bored all morning but luckily we got done early enough in the afternoon that we squeezed in a trip down to Antietam battlefield. Nate and I had never been but we had heard good things about it. We didn't know what to expect but it ended up being a really neat place and I enjoyed learning about it.

this was looking out over the main battlefield.

a hand sewn flag.

this tower was on the driving tour and I had sore thighs for days from running up it.

this bridge played a major role in the battle.

this tree was alive during the battle

The battle of Antietam was the bloodiest day of the civil war and if I remember correctly I believe it was also the bloodiest day in american military history. 

Afterward we stopped and ate a delicious sushi dinner and then got the world famous Krumpe's Do-nuts. Heaton didn't believe me when I said they were the best donuts, he doesn't like donuts and I'm not the biggest fan but these are different. I tried to tell him he would like these. He didn't believe me, and then came home and promptly ate 3 of them :)

Heaton's visit- Gettysburg.

March 22, 2014
On Saturday, Nate had to work at 9am so we had all day to check out Gettysburg.
We went to the museum and after talking to the presenter there, the cyclorama is definitely my favorite.
Too bad my camera doesn't take super great pictures in the dim lights.

As we were leaving the cyclorama and entering the museum a man stopped us and asked us where we were from and if we went to BYU. We told him our brother did and he told us he was there touring with a group of professors from BYU. I thought it was awesome that he could tell we were mormon. Then I figured he probably had seen my garments since I was nursing my baby at the beginning (I guess I haven't mastered the blanket covering).

you can't tell but that is Abraham Lincoln being carried to a first aid tent.

he was painted in to represent the wounded union.

Heaton testing the slave shackles.

Heaton taught me that the P in 'marine corps' is silent.

He then proceeded to make fun of me the rest of the day.

 

After the museum we did the driving tour of the battlefield but it was windy and we had a crying baby so we didn't actually get out at many stops. But I did make Heat get out and climb to the top of the Pennsylvania monument, I thought that one was cool.

the black speck at the base of the dome is him.

Uncle Heatie's visit- Baltimore.

My little brother came to visit and tour around for his spring break.
We had lots of fun, did lots of driving, and ate a LOT of sandwiches.
I was completely exhausted after he left and am just finally getting back into my groove.
Everything is 10x harder, more stressful, time consuming when you have a baby to cart around with you:)

Friday, March 21
We had to take Nate to work at 2 so we had a late start to our day, which was kind of nice since we didn't get home from the airport until 1am.
We all went on a walk in the morning to show Heat our town.

After taking Nate to work me, Spencer, and Heaton drove to Baltimore to go to the National Aquarium and see the inner harbor which I'd heard a lot about.
This also happened to be sandwich stop #1 (Panera- and the best clam showder I've ever had!) and #2 (Potbelly).

the pyramid building in the background is part of the aquarium.

the glad building is also part of the aquarium.

The aquarium was pretty neat, there were giant sting rays, lots of colorful fish, eels, turtles, sharks, dolphins, and even some birds. Unfortunately the lighting in there was pretty crappy so my pictures didn't turn out that great. Bummer.

this was the main pool that at every floor you could stop and look over the edge at it.

also, where the speaker is standing is deep and you could go down below and look through the glass there as well. this was my favorite thing.

this is the boys with a whale vertebrae.

megaladon jaw.

I hadn't been to Baltimore before (except the airport) and it was a little scary driving through parts of it. I also should note I am terrible at parking the truck and the parking garage was tight so I eventually gave up and made Heaton park it, he did awesome on his first try.

Nate-ism #19.

March 31, 2014

Nate wanted to get a shirt for Spencer for April fool's day that said "Big Brother".
I didn't think it would be a funny joke to which Nate responded that it didn't have to be a joke.
He then concluded with, "like I always say, 7 kids in your house is better than 150 eggs in your womb."
Real philosophical he is.