Heat's visit- DC day 2.

Thursday March 27

We still needed to see all the monuments in DC and the weather was thankfully much more cooperative this day! Nate decided to ride his bike to work so we could leave earlier and have a full day of sightseeing. We again parked and rode the metro into town.
We started out walking to all the monuments which ended up being about a 5 mile walk and taking longer than anticipated but it was fun. Afterward we tried going to the zoo but it was too cold, none of the animals were out and we were exhausted so we left.
On our way back there was a very long escalator down to the metro stop. And wouldn't you know it but it was out of service with no elevator to be found. The next closest metro was at least another 5 miles from the direction we had just come. What a nightmare that was. I put Spencer in my sling and then ever so slowly with Heaton holding the front of the stroller and me holding the back we bounced down ever. single. escalator. step. I was sweating by the end trying to hold my baby with one hand and a stroller with another while going down a very steep incline. How obnoxious that TWO up escalators were still working just fine??  We even overheard people going up commenting, 'oh my gosh, look at them!' 'take a picture!' And we were not the only ones with issues, there was an older couple slowly making there way down as well. I am just glad we only had to do that once. I'd be fine to never have that experience again.
the White House.

not the last time we were mistaken for a cute little family!


Washington monument.

Heaton photobombed this couple taking their selfie pic. at the WWII memorial.

WWII memorial.


Vietnam memorial.

can you spot Heat?

Lincoln memorial.


very busy at the Lincoln memorial!

Korean War memorial.

Korean War memorial.

Martin Luther King Jr. memorial.

Roosevelt memorial.

Jefferson memorial.

at the zoo.


another Cassowary in honor of Nate.

We had a fun time and were glad he got/wanted to come hang out with us!

Heaton's flight out of DC left at 7:30am which meant we needed to leave home by 5am to get to the airport on time. Nate had an interview the same morning at 10am. I gave him the option of taking Heaton to the airport or staying with Spencer, he picked staying with Spence. Heat and I got up and got ready and Nate and Spencer were both asleep. A half hour into the drive Nate text me saying 'as soon as the door closed behind you he started crying and hasn't stopped since.' And apparently he cried the whole time I was gone...that rotten baby! Because as soon as I got home it was cease crying and straight back to sleep (nursing of course). 

That same morning I had to be to the church at 11am to help set up for the Women's broadcast at the next day. My friend asked if I was sad that my brother left and although I was a little sad, I was also a bit relieved, it was hard work just going and going and going everyday and especially the days where it was just me taking care of Spence. I was definitely glad for a day to just sit and home and recoup!

Heat's visit- Amish country.

Wednesday March 25

Nate had to be to work at noon so we had most of the day to do hat we wanted again. We still had things we wanted to see in DC but the weather still wasn't great, it quite snowing but was SOOO windy!
We debated what to do and ended up driving to Lancaster County to see the Amish country.

We walked around some of the shops and bought some treats but it was very chilly with the wind and my baby got grumpy so we didn't last too long. We drove around and saw some of the covered bridges and lots of Amish horses and buggies, we even tried to go to the underground railroad museum which I was really looking forward to, but it didn't exist! At least it wasn't where the address said it was, that was a bummer.
Heaton could not believe this place was ACTUALLY named Intercourse.



He was a good sport about pulling into a random parking lot for 20 minutes so I could feed the screaming baby.


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 :)