Count your blessings...

During this time of year, you can't help but be more reflective than usual. When you start counting your blessings, you realize that besides every-day challenges, we really are blessed beyond measure! This Thanksgiving, we had everything good in this life: Family, good friends, food and the truth of the gospel. We got to spend good times with my family (my mom and my brother), Justin, Stacey and Jack. I, with Stacey as my right hand, cooked Thanksgiving dinner...we did everything...from the turkey, to the stuffing, to the mashed potatoes, etc, etc. We had a few minor mishaps (like forgetting the rolls and yams in the hot oven...and dropping the pumpkin pie on the oven door...but I couldn't have been able to pull it all off without Stacey. She was incredibly helpful and we managed to make a delicious dinner. We also invited the elders, it was nice to have them over. We had a house full, just like it should be on Thanksgiving...we did miss Nya, my sister (she is in Perú for 4 months). I underestimated all the work that goes into making thanksgiving dinner, but it was well worth it! We started a new tradition in our family and went around the table saying what we were thankful for. A common blessing we all shared was the gospel.

The rest of the weekend was spent eating, talking and walking (quite a bit!)!:) We spent every day going to DC and enjoying the architecture, museums, history, and thankfully good weather!!! It was chilly, but no rain, nor snow. We had sunny skies all weekend. We did quite a bit of walking, which was great exercise after all the food we ate! The kids did considerably well, (considering they were strapped in their strollers for most of the day)....except for the time when Braden screamed at the top of his lungs in the very, very quiet Library of Congress...it was extremely humiliating to say the least...and the time when Brielle opened the public bathroom door WIDE OPEN when I was sitting in the toilet to show the world that mommies do also go the bathroom!!! Besides, these and a few other incidents...I have to say that I am proud of Brielle because she went #2 both days we were in DC in the bathroom. She is completely potty trained at home, but when we go out for a long period of time, I always make sure she's wearing a diaper (just in case, we can't make it to a bathroom) specifically for #1. But both days in DC, she notified us that she needed to go #2!!!:)....I'm sure you all had a deep desire in your hearts to know this...:) ha ha!!!!

I was glad to be able to go to DC and see things that we haven't seen before, like the Library of Congress and the Museum of American History. It was pretty crowded every where we went but it was still very exciting to be there. We were glad Justin and Stacey were able to come for the first time and we were able to show them around! Thanksgiving has come and gone and I can't believe Christmas is just around the corner!!!!:)

We've been to the FDR Memorial a few times now and we finally were able to get Brielle to hold still...just waiting in line...:)

We've been to the National Museum of Natural History before but never got a chance to go to the Discovery Room they have for children...Brielle, Braden and Jack had a great time there and Brielle was NOT a happy camper when it came time to go...

Just having fun...

The Capitol.

Somehow I always manage to get a funny picture of Justin!!!:) ha ha ha!!!! (Love ya Justin!!)

The Library of Congress...an AMAZING building!!!! It is literally breath taking to be inside! Wish the lighting was better inside though...not very many pictures that we took inside turned out well...but this building is a MUST see if you come to DC. A replica of Thomas Jefferson's personal library, with some original books, is here. We got there after the last tour had gone out, next time we'll have to do the tour and learn all of the interesting facts about this building. Oh! and this is the building where Braden screamed at the top of his lungs!!...so irreverent!!!!!!!

The Lincoln Memorial...so majestic every time!

World War II Memorial facing the Lincoln Memorial

Every time we go to D.C. I see these random little houses along Constitution Avenue and I think they have so much character..I wonder what they are...I always want to take a picture by the door...and we finally had Stacey take one!!!:)

I guess President Bush was arriving at the White House when we were there...there were lots of people on the White House lawn, I think they might have been having a press conference of some sort...anyway, we didn't see Bush but we did get to see his helicopter!!!:)

Kem was entertaining Brielle at the National Museum of American History...this is where the original Star-Spangled Banner is...too bad we didn't have time to go see it but we did get to see one of Dorothy's ruby slippers from the film Wizard of Oz.

I've been wanting to see these since we got here...I don't even know why...I've only seen the movie twice...the first time I fell asleep, the second time I did enjoy it though...

My madre is so funny when it comes to being cold...she always has a MILLION layers and I'm always teasing her about it!!!