Daddy

We were invited to attend an award ceremony for Daddy at his work today. It was his last day at Headquarters. Oscar started out shy with all the nice people we were meeting, but gradually warmed up enough to shake hands. When we met the Admiral he crushed him! They also enjoyed choosing candy at the store on the first floor...gummy lifesavers anyone?

Oscar loves his Daddy!

He often asks if Daddy has to go to work today and has even commented that when we move to Ketchikan that it will be Mommy's turn to work & Daddy gets to stay home! We always watch him walk down the road from the front door and wave, several times!

Swordfight!

Oscar & his buddy Caleb having fun with their sandwich swords from lunch!

Mount Vernon

Relaxing on George & Martha's front porch with a beautiful view of the Potomac River.

Preparing flax to make linen by removing the seed pods.

Drew & Eleanor as George & Martha

Oscar hamming it up but never quite holding still long enough for me to capture him!

The whole family!

As Drew was about to leave, Oscar requested I take a photo of he & Drew in their

tri-cornered hats!

It is always so good to see friends, we hope you are able to visit us in Alaska!

The White House

What it really looks like outside the White House front lawn...tired sweaty children that are tired of walking!

Nothing a Red, White & Blue popsicle can't fix!

Bureau of Printing & Engraving

SO...are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Drew & Oscar contemplating before our tour of how they make our money.
I KNEW they were worth a lot to someone else besides just us!

You aren't allowed to take photos on the tour, but one of the many neat things we saw that stood out was all the green viscous ink the money is printed with.

Jefferson Memorial

Our friend Drew & his family came to visit us from Norfolk.

We spent the day in the District & were able to take in many sights.

Here we are at the Jefferson Memorial.

Yes, Norah was there too!

Cannonball!

Oscar has learned how to swim!!!

Here he is in the deep end showing Daddy his newest trick, "Cannonball!"

His breakthrough came with his "snorkler" mask. I think being able to see underwater & having his nose covered helped him. He also had a little positive peer pressure last week with another 4 year old boy as they both started out with lifejackets on & then were bragging each other up by going without it and seeing how far away from the ladder they could go. Before I knew it he was going out and back 3 feet by himself without the lifejacket! Awesome!

Eleanor is my diver.

She loves diving down after her diving rings & retreiving them, no matter the depth. Not even the 11 foot deep end!?! I can't even do that! Amazing!

Not to be outdone, Oscar begged Daddy to let him ride on his back and go down to touch the bottom (or "floor" as he calls it). He loves it and says he wants to use a breathing tank some day! My future scuba divers...

Here he is adjusting his mask.

The strap pushes his ears down & it looks so uncomfortable but he could care less! Shrek?

Geronimo!

I am so thankful to report that my children love the water & are comfortable in it!

Final Swing

We have been blessed with a wonderful neighbor, Marthalee, who loves us and more importantly, our children. She calls herself a "GIT" Grandmother In Training. She comes for coffee every morning and always pushes the children on the swings after breakfast & checking her email.

With the advent of our upcoming move, we have been downsizing and recently passed along the swingset. I am sad because it has been such a part of our lives since acquiring it in Norfolk when Eleanor was two. We have had countless hours of fun and now we have outgrown it. I know we can buy (or build?) a new advanced swingset, but know that we will never find a neighbor as wonderful as Marthalee.

News Flash!

We are moving to Alaska! Kristian got orders to transfer there...still sinking in but we are all very excited at the opportunity. The children & I were to have flown there on Tuesday to visit for a month but now we are all going together and for three years! With my Mom having just retired, she is thrilled to announce our moving there as her best retirement gift.

Now comes the organizing, packing out, moving cross-country and getting settled all before school starts on August 31! Please keep us in your prayers for a smooth transition. We will miss all our lovely friends in Virginia, our home for the last six years.