Summer!
Emma came home first and was quite happy, then Lily and she was happy too. Then the three of us waited for Brandon. One of my favorites is when we can hear all the buses honking as they leave the parking lot but our neighbor across the street had music playing loudly so we could barely hear it. I was sure he was going to be sad because he really loves his teachers but he was fine. I played What Time is It each time a kid got home and had a little dance party and I had drumsticks for them but only Brandon ate one. I had to go pick up Curtis because he had stayed for cross country and he had 15 minutes to shower and get ready to leave for the temple. So then the three big kids left and Brandon went to go play outside with friends so then it was just me again. The three of us had a quiet dinner and watched basketball and it was a calm evening.
Thursday we got up and headed to the airport to drop Lily off. She went to Colorado to spend a few days with my in-laws and so Josh walked her to the gate while we waited in the cell phone lot, then once she was settled we drove up to Philadelphia. We went and toured the battleship New Jersey and it was very cool. It was so big and yet so small at the same time, though I am sure worlds better than a submarine would be. We spent hours walking all over and it was very interesting. Then Josh wasn't feeling well so instead of going to the pizza place he had picked out we went to Cheesecake Factory and re-hydrated and then he ate and all was well. Friday we spent all day at the Franklin Institute. We went many times while our D.C. temple was closed and we were going to Philly a lot but we haven't been since Jan 2020 and a lot has changed. It is still the coolest science museum I think I've been to and we had fun and were occupied from opening until almost closing. Then we walked down to Reading Terminal Market and just walked around and grabbed food as we pleased. I had my pretzel wrapped hot dog and the kids got doughnuts and Brandon and I shared a papusa and Josh got an almond croissant. It was wonderfully not crowded so probably my favorite visit there.
Then we drove to the pizza place he had really wanted to try. It was down an alley and didn't even have a sign but somehow Josh had heard about it and it was on his pizza map so we tried it. I wasn't impressed and it was awkward because they were busy so we sat at the bar, which the kids have never done before. It was fine pizza but a bit too floppy for my taste; I like a hearty crust. Josh wasn't wowed either but he was happy to have tried it. As we were driving back to our hotel we realized we were on the same street as Independence Hall so we stopped quickly to see it and the Liberty Bell, even though it was all closed by then.
Saturday we got up and had breakfast and headed back to D.C. so we could go to the Nationals game. This was all a Father's day celebration so Josh picked most of the weekend happenings and luckily the weather held off so we could enjoy the game. We had never been to the stadium before but it was nice and the game was fine (low-scoring and the Nats lost) and then we tried another one of Josh's pizza places that is right by the stadium. It was fun to see a new area of D.C. and thankfully we were out of Philly before the big protest and out of D.C. before the parade so we missed all of that mess. We did do A LOT of walking around trying to figure out how to get back onto the Navy Yard where we had parked but we made it and had an easy drive home.
It was a super fun few days and we enjoyed good family time, exploring new places and eating good food. I really enjoy just getting away sometimes and doing something different from normal life. Lily had a great time in Colorado and said it was so strange being the only kid around. My in-laws kept asking her what she wanted to do and she didn't know since she isn't usually given a choice. :) They went out to eat and went to Idaho Springs to see a glacier and she got to play with her little cousins.
Sunday was Father's day and it was very relaxed. Church was good and then Curtis made Josh an egg sandwich for lunch and we talked and went for a long walk and I called my dad and Josh opened his cards. Then Josh grilled chicken and we made delicious quesadillas and brownie sundaes and watched his pick, Harry and the Hendersons. Lily called and said hi and told us she made it to Salt Lake just fine and it was a good Sunday.
Our first two days of summer at home have been very chill. I had all the kids clean their rooms yesterday and I did laundry and the dishes and cleaned out the fridge and made doctor appointments and read some and we went to the library. I finalized the kids' summer reading lists and wrote some thank you cards and got the kids new piano songs to practice. Today the kids did the weeding outside and I did a ton of ironing and went to the grocery store and watched Curtis do magic tricks (one of his summer goals). We haven't heard much from Lily but she said her group and counselor and roommate are all really nice and she gets to have mint brownies at every meal and turns out my nephew is doing FSY at BYU this week and is in the building right next to her so I hope they can connect. He just got home from his mission a few weeks ago and we haven't gotten to see him yet. I am so happy summer is here! It is great to sleep in and not have the making lunch drama and to be relaxed. It has been cold so we haven't made it to the pool yet but it is on this weekend's agenda. Hello summer!
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