The Moth and Memorial Day Weekend.

I thought I was going to be able to post these pictures right after I posted the last post but it just didn't happen...the moth hatched last week and it was quite amazing to witness! I couldn't believe my eyes when I noticed that it was out of its cocoon! I was disappointed that we missed the actual hatching part, but I guess we would have had to watch it every second of every day to actually see it...

This little girl is so brave and was a little hesitant at first but she totally went for it after a little while! She kept saying that it tickled!

Braden touched it once and that was it! He's definitely more reserved than Brielle!

I made a video of all the little videos I took of the experience...there are some very funny moments:

Enjoy:

I've mentioned that Scott has been taking a Kaplan course to help him study for boards, we drove him to school last Saturday early morning and then we decided to hang around D.C for a little while...I recently discovered that there is free 3 hour parking right on Independence Avenue, we got there early enough that there were plenty of spots...

We headed to the Lincoln Memorial...

It was such a nice day, not too hot...and look at Abraham Lincoln, he's just sitting there looking so majestic.

I'm in awe every time I visit the Lincoln Memorial...

After the Lincoln Memorial, we walked along the Reflecting Pool to the World War II Memorial. It doesn't seem like that long of a walk but it is! I didn't bring a stroller so by the time we got to the WWII Memorial the kiddos were ready to call it a day! ha!

We of course had to take pictures by the Idaho pillar, since these two little monkeys are indeed Idahoans!!!

We sat by the fountain for a while resting...it was so enjoyable...these two children are getting to be such big kids. They have been acting more civilized this week!!! ...After I called an EMERGENCY family counsel night and gave a lesson on "Showing love by Obedience"!!! ha ha!!!

It worked, I brainwashed them!!! :)

When they are obedient, I very much enjoy my time with them.

They were dying to touch the water, so I just let them...they had a good time.

Here We Mark The Price of Freedom

The amazing Freedom Wall...I learned that this wall has 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 Americans who died in WWII. You do the math...that is a lot of soldiers who died...we are so thankful for them...

I've been wanting to take pictures of this amazing statues...I finally got around to it...

On Memorial Day, we headed to Manassas National Battlefield...I've had quite a few people suggest that we go there and it was so worth it...it's amazing that it's only about a 20 minute drive from where we live...

...and what you get is beautiful wide open spaces...

...big spiders...

...and lizards...

It was so beautiful there and the wild life made it that much more amazing of a place...it was a super hot day and we made those kiddos walk...we probably hiked about 2.5 miles or maybe even a little bit more! We brought plenty of water and snacks to sustain us...

This little boy was soooo hot he took his shirt off...I have to say that the heat was so intense, I was wishing I could have done exactly that...but you know...it doesn't quite work that way for the rest of us...

This little creek was so cute and this is where we should have stopped and turned around...we didn't realize that the loop was a 5 mile hike...so we kept walking and walking...we didn't grab a map which was very dumb of us...but we spotted some people and they gave an extra map...there's no way on earth we could have hiked all the way to the end...we still had about 3.5 miles or so...so we turned around and headed back the way we came...

...and yes you are seeing right...I was wearing flip flops!!!! What was I thinking?!!! Wow! I think that deep inside I still think I live in Miami or something! Mental note to myself, when you go HIKING you wear tennis shoes...yeah! I'm a geek! I really do not understand what I was thinking...I think it was one of those things where you're getting everyone ready, snacks: check, water: check, kids' shoes on: check...and then I just walked out the door with my sandals on...

As always, spending time as a family is just so energizing to me, just the four of us.

It is my very favorite!!!

We were all exhausted by the end of our hike...we went to 7-Eleven and we all got Slurpees...it was sooo refreshing...and what is Memorial Day without a barbecue? We got home and had a little barbecue and ate delicious hamburgers and hot dogs...but before eating our yummy dinner, we ALL checked for ticks and scrubbed our bodies really, really good...we found a tick in Brielle's shoe and 3!!!! on Scott's legs!!! THREE!!!!!!! Just thinking about it, makes me itch all over...I hope I got them all because Lyme disease is no joke!:)