Fall Fun

It is Fall again in our area. The air is crisp and cool, leaves are turning the colors and all the Fall activities have begun. The kids have started soccer and are enjoying their season so far. They both have wonderful coaches and enjoy the other children on their team. No-no's actually playing on a real sized field this year, they have goalies, and a referee, which the younger children do not have. She is excited and feels like she is playing for "real" now, as she puts it. The practices are on the same nights and the same time, so I am very happy about that. I have about 45 minutes two nights a week to myself (YAY!) and have taken that opportunity to run on the track that is next to where they practice. I can keep an eye on them and get my exercise in as well, so it has been wonderful.

Last Saturday was a very busy day for us and I have pictures of some of our events below. It started with a soccer game for my daughter, than on to my son's belt promotion ceremony. That was followed by a Primary Activity after, which went very well and my kids had such a good time. It was fun to see our Priesthood come and play games and spend time with the kids. After the activity we headed to a play, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, which the kids just loved. The story was fun, the actors sang and dance, and well, could spin a good yarn. I am excited that we bought season tickets and can enjoy other plays. After such a fun day we went to church for dinner and then headed home to CRASH. It was a great day!

We just came back from D.C. tonight. We spent yesterday and today in the Capital. I can't say how much I love that city (well, if I don't have to drive in it). We picked the best time to go, as the Mall was very quiet and we were able to enjoy the museums and monuments without the throng of people. Yesterday we went to Arlington National Cemetery and visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I had not had the opportunity to walk through the Cemetery before and am so grateful we took the time yesterday to do so. It was such a quiet and reverent place. My kids were a little overcome by the number of headstones they saw. It is an overwhelming sight. We visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and had the opportunity to witness the Changing of the Guard Ceremony. It is such a precise ceremony. You can see the path the soldiers walk marked in the ground from the years of black soles that walk the ground. I was very impressed with the sacredness that this ceremony is conducted in.

While at Arlington, we walked past President Kennedy's burial sight and noticed two small white crosses before we reached him. We looked closer and saw that this small white cross marks where his brother, Senator Ted Kennedy, was buried a few weeks ago, another cross just off to the right outside the frame of the picture, is where Bobby Kennedy is buried as well.

We went to the Museum of National Archives yesterday and saw the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. It was amazing to see those original documents, to read the names of the brave men that signed their names to it, and to re-read the words that created this nation. We arrived right as they were locking the doors, so we only had a chance to see those documents, I'd love to spend more time in that Museum.

This morning we arrived at the Mall, just in time. We got in and parked about 9:30 and headed to the Washington Monument. We went to see if tickets were available and they had some for 10:00, WOW!! Amazing, I've never been able to go in before and this was just amazing. We went all the way to the top and were able to see the capital from such an amazing view.

After the Washington Monument we went to the Museum of American History. No's favorite exhibit was the First Ladies exhibit, where we were able to see some of the gowns that our President's wives wore for different occasions. Hiram really liked seeing Kermit the Frog and Dumbo. We then went to the Jefferson Memorial, which the kids called the "Giant Man Place." We then headed home before traffic became too heavy.