cheerychirp: May 2011

Even more... with more photos and a video!

It was a little rainy on the day we went to Mt. Vernon; the plus side is the crowds were down. I'm very grateful to the women who insisted that the property be preserved, and that we can still see it and its vistas as it was in George and Martha Washington's day.

George and Martha, granddaughter Nelly, and Nelly's friend, Poppy.

I hate having my picture taken!

Stables? We don't mind the rain!

Mt. Vernon, home of George and Martha Washington

Then Steve was home from his business trip, the cousins were home for Easter weekend, and there was much visiting, late into the night. I love being with my family!

Hi, Steve! Hi, Willie and Emma!

Max and Bethany
Such a cute couple.

I'll leave you with 35 seconds of silliness from my favorite five-year-old!

More travels, continued, with more photos!

Following our day in D.C., the Hurwitz's joined us! Hooray! We went to Annapolis and played at the park, walked the wharf, and drove around the historic sites.

"Don't take my picture!"

I love being loved by you!

Discussing music and culture.

A surprise push! "Not so high, Gramma!"

Love the beards.

Wearing her favorite Little Orphan Annie dress.

This is not a stick. It's a bomb. To keep the bears away.

I told Laura she didn't have to buy Poppy a present, surely she had something at home that would make Poppy glad. Despite her protestations, Laura found a bin that was a treasure chest of Barbies and dress-ups.

Poppy loves this Snow White dress that Laura once made for Molly.
It was Emma, Laura says, who once cut a chunk out of the hem to use for a project.

Crazy-hair Barbies are still precious.

On the way home we stopped to take a peek at the oldest, continuously active social club in America, formed in 1700, house built in 1742. Take that, facebook!

You can get a glimpse of a flowering cherry tree behind Bethany and Poppy. We saw beautiful foliage; white and pink cherry blossoms and dogwoods, and tulip trees. We were fortunate to be there when everything was so beautiful!

More travels! Lots of photos ahead!

John and I took a field trip over Spring Break; Ralph had to go to school, poor guy! John and I visited my sister Laura, who held her own feet to the fire in order to finish the first draft of her research project so she could play with us. Hooray, Laura, you did it! (Seriously, Laura is awesome!)

Laura took us on the grand tour of Washington, D.C. We got off the Metro rail right at the Mall,

then walked to the Washington Monument

and the WWII Memorial

Honor Flight from Kansas, singing the National Anthem.

and the Korean War Memorial

and the Lincoln Monument

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here,
but it can never forget what they did here."

"Here you go, the Washington Monument!"
This is Laura's town!

and the Viet Nam War Memorial, including the Three Soldiers and the Women's Memorial. (No photos, it feels too personal, somehow.)

We enjoyed a lovely lunch at the National Gallery of Art, and spent hours looking at the collections there, including

Ginevra de' Bencithe only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in the Americas

Thinker on a Rock - 1997
Barry Flanagan

Yes, we're dressed alike. Sisters.
It wasn't intentional,
but neither of us could be bothered to change.

We didn't realize the NGA closes earlier than many other museums in D.C., so when we were being shooed out of the gift shop, we took the underground passage to the East Wing and dashed through a few of the modern art exhibits: