Being Tourists (Typical)

I have time to blog again! Yes!
Which equals more of DC! 

Andrew and I were extremely lucky to do this trip. We kind of just did it on the spot. 

Andrew's sister, Amy occasionally gets to go and work in DC.

And when she goes the hotel is paid for by her company. Which is really nice and free (for us). 

We decided to go while we had the chance! 

And we did and it was 100% worth it! 

If any of you can go to DC I would recommend it! 

I was constantly amazed by everything. 

Words cannot describe the place.

So just go and experience first hand.

And here is a picture overload.

Just a warning. 

The metro was crowded in the morning.

No sitting room and I'm short. 

I'm actually just proud that I was flat footed! 

First thing of the day was touring the Capitol Building.

Inside the capital building. 

It's an amazing place and if you can get a tour when going I recommend it.

We learned a lot of fun facts given by our tour guides. 

This was probably the best part of the day! 

^Center of the city^

It was roped off and everything (can you see the gold on the sides?)

The whole city was built off the center of the city.

Reminded me of the Salt Lake City Temple and how city was built off the center of it.

Every state has 2 statues of their choosing representing their state. 

Utah chose Brigham Young (led the pioneers to Utah and declared it was the place) 

and Philo Farnsworth (he invented the TV and he's Mormon- fun facts).

Our tour guides told that only 2 statues from the 50 states are sitting.

If the statues sit they need special permission from the government people. 

And Brigham Young is one of the two! 

They didn't know the special permission reasons for the sitting and it's killing me! 

I want to know why!

So if anyone knows, please get me in the loop and I will love you forever.

(Google won't tell me).  

Statue of Freedom which is 19 feet and 6 inches.

This is a replica in the capital building of the one who is on top of the building.

She faces east to welcome those who come in this direction.

 Andrew and I were SO tired, I can't even tell you.

I mean, a security guard was yelling at me and I didn't even realize it.

Our early morning flight from the day before with little sleep 

then waking up early to tour the capital building we were so exhausted. 

We shared a Coke to wake us up and that did it!

We were awake! 

Thank goodness for caffeine. 

Here are some Capital Building pictures. 

We loved this building a lot. 

We sat down and ate lunch and the birds were coming right up to us. 

We fed the birds (Mary Poppins) :) 

And there are seriously squirrels everywhere in DC. 

I literally mean everywhere. 

 And the Washington Monument is pretty amazing too. 

The Library of Congress. 

That is an amazing building. 

 The Air and Space Museum! 

I think Andrew loved this place most of all!

This is both of us touching an actual piece of the moon! 

I am someone who loves real actual artifacts! 

Replicas are cool. They help get the picture, but I love the real deal!

This plane was the REAL Wright Brother plane that they first flew. 

How amazing! History seriously comes to life in DC! 

I don't know who these people are. 

But I liked the pose. 

 Have no idea what this is. 

But Andrew loved it. 

Ok, I asked him because of course he would know. 

It's one of the five rocket engines that sent astronauts to the moon.

Pretty cool!

Saw the Deceleration of Independence and the Constitution at the National Archives. 

It is so faded and hard to read but it was amazing to see the real deal! 

This is the escalator in a metro and we were not even at the top (we were close though).

DC sunset. 

In love with the city!

Look at those miles we walked in one day!

I don't know about you, but that is not normal for me

(haha, as you can see- I'm trying to be better).

This was such a phenomenal day! 

If Andrew and I ever moved to DC I don't think I would mind.

It's such an amazing place with so much history and wonder.

I think no matter what you do, you will always learn something! 

More updates on the trip is one the way! 

We Saw the White House

For those of you who don't know Andrew and I were able to spend four and a half days in Washington DC!

And it was absolutely amazing! 

It was one of those weeks that made me so proud to be American! 

And helped me realize again (because I always need reminders) that I am SO blessed!

 Our layover in Colorado.
They had a selfie wall and we thought why not?

We were flying into DC and we could see the temple.
Sights like this make my heart so happy!

 Met up with Andrew's family in the airport
We are officially all in DC! :) :) :)

Look at this!
Seriously, kinda loving it lots.

We saw the White House.
It is not at all as internet and textbook pictures portray it.
Out in an open field. All alone.
False.
Right in the middle of DC with everything and everyone all around.
We now know the truth.
It was nice to see it just the same. 

^Had dinner here^
So good. and so busy.
Reservations were a must or we would never had got in.

Whoa. Just noticed my hair is a little crazy.
But that's ok. I like that background.
And the guy next to me.
Anyways... this was a cool waterfall fountain place.
Right next to Founding Farmers.

After dinner we went to bed which was extremely welcome.
It was 8:30 Utah time (10:30 Eastern).
I don't think I've ever slept so good.
Even if I could feel every spring on the hidabed.

More pictures coming!
When I find time to blog again
because life is just a tad crazy now.

Life Happenings:

1. Praxis test studying, So nervous for that thing. My fingers are crossed that the things I studied will be remembered.

2. Cleaning the apartment again. Every time we leave and come back our apartment gets so cluttered which drives me up a wall. I can't handle it. So I put everything away and clean it (and we are still not finished deep cleaning it).----> HELP!

3. Yesterday was my brother's birthday!  We went all the way up to Logan and celebrated and then we came home that night which was actually 3am this morning! We were so tired! But Happy Birthday Blake! Love you and so glad we got to see you!

4. Work. You know. Time consuming- like any job. I mean, you have be there and work and then it's just exhausting. When I come home I want a nap. But I love it. It is so rewarding and there is never a boring day. Ever! But I'm also extremely happy that it's the weekend + an extra day. Yay!

Happy Extra Long Weekend
(I'm so thankful for Labor Day). 

I Got a Cup (and a job)

I tried too many different times for a somewhat decent picture

but it just did not work. This was the best one there was. 

So there you go. 

The purpose of the picture:

I got a job being an aide in a special education classroom.

Today was my first day and wow, I absolutely love it. 

It's crazy and I'm tired but it's wonderful.

I see these children and my heart expands. 

They are so loving and have so much to offer.

I love them so much. 

I am so excited to continue to work with them! 

As an aide I got a cup.

With an awesome lanyard and candy. 

I feel legit. 

As legit as an aide can be. 

Another positive side note about this 

is that I get first hand experience,

Special education is what I want to do.

I get to learn about different disabilities,

how to handle misbehavior, and how to reward. 

I get to learn from the teacher and the students. 

Oh and I get paid! Yay! 

Happy First Week Back to School!  

Zermatt Getaway

Andrew has worked at his job for 5 years!!! 

Which means they paid for us to take a small getaway vacation

from Monday-Wednesday which means an extra long weekend.

We were kind of in the middle of nowhere. 

But the place we stayed at was really nice (and beyond). 

It had 3 bedrooms (really nice ones), a master bathroom, a living room and kitchen.

It was really nice (and way bigger than our entire apartment).

 

Cafe Rio. We got it 2 nights in a row! 

We may be slightly obsessed. 

We went to Walmart to pick up some groceries 

and we saw this sign. I thought it was so funny! 

Secretly loved this shirt because of how weird it was.

Andrew would never!!!

We will always be children!

I really wish that I had more photos from our mini vacation

but we didn't take many. It was also a lot of relaxing. 

We did get a Christmas ornament for our tree though.

I'm so excited for Christmas (but not so much for winter).

Haha, back on track. Zermatt getaway=good. 

The End :) 

The Week List (it's a good one)

Summer term is over

which makes me a very happy camper. 

And I actually had time to make dinner this week!

Which is a huge! 

(Andrew usually does it)

I am very proud of my dinner making doings. 

And Andrew with a cookie that melted. 

Can you believe a cookie that big?

One night we decided to do go all over town and run random errands.

Such as Krispy-Kreme.

And we each had a dollar off coupon so it was a no-brainier!

My Grandma gave us money for groceries which was so nice!
While out shopping I got Mane and Tail shampoo and conditioner.
I've heard it really helps to make your hair grow and I'm so desperate.
My hair fails to grow. I also got Hair, Skin, and Nails too.
Hopefully these things will make my hair grow like Rapunzel (but not that extreme).

Friday we decided to deep clean our apartment because it was filthy!
Before we moved in they said they said it is white glove cleaned by the previous owners or the apartment staff.
NOT TRUE!
I think the top of those cabinets, the light fixtures, AC vents, etc..
have not been cleaned since they were installed. Literally. It was gross.
See all those black specks on the counter?
That's the dust rolled up.
Gross.
You're welcome future residents of our apartment.
You might not know what we did, but the place will not have 10 years of dust layering up.

We decided to take a small break from the cleaning and get some apartment necessities
(and some frills) that we have been lacking.
We basically bought out Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Target.
Now that we have our basics with some extras- it's wonderful!
Our apartment is nice and organized.
And we have a bedspread. Which makes me very happy!

^This is from a storage container. It looked much cooler through my eyes vs. the camera lens^

This weekend was a special one a year ago.
So we thought we would celebrate with a picnic at Nuns Park.

I am so excited for next week and the week after that.
We have some good things planned.
Then school (which is not so exciting but defiantly good).

Happy Weekend! 

:( ........ :) [<--- that's the best way I can sum this up]

 Friday was bad. I cried when I was walking home.

Life is just crazy, up in the air, and who knows what else right now. 

Which is hard because I usually have a pretty good plan of the next step.

Andrew saw me crying because he came to pick me up.

But I wanted to keep walking.

I told him I would see him at home.

When I got home I cried some more. 

And he let me.

And we talked. 

And I cried. 

I love him.

And then he told me that he would make dinner. 

Even though he does that every day.

I was going make dinner that night

But then Friday happened. 

He made this.

He found it on a Facebook video,

And it was actually pretty good.

I'm going to put in my recipe binder. 

Then we watched "Walk to Remember." 

He's never seen it and I've been craving a chick flick. 

Especially after watching Star Wars and Star Trek 

(I don't dislike them, but if I had the choice I would choose the chick flick 90% of the time). 

He didn't really want to watch it.

But he watched it with me anyways :) 

But he started falling asleep a little less than half way through. 

He told me to stop it so we could finish tomorrow- on Saturday.

Saturday was better. 

This place helped a lot!

And it was really bright outside so we are squinty faced. 

But I always want a picture when we go to the temple. 

They are so beautiful. 

We had dinner with his parents and his sister Amy. 

They are great.

And we didn't have to cook (a little happy about that too).

 When Andrew and I got home we finished "A Walk to Remember."

Before we watched the movie he watched the trailer and said he knew the entire plot.

"They hate each other, fall in love, and live happily ever after." -Andrew

Not so fast. 

He didn't really want to watch it because it was so predictable 

but when it was over he gave it a 7 or an 8!!! 

I'll take that score. It means he didn't hate it.

And he might watch it again with me later down the road :) 

 ^^About to finish our movie night ^^

It looks like I have 3 arms

One is an arm. 

The other 2 are my legs. 

It's like an optical illusion. 

But not really. 

Anyways. 

Life is still crazy.

And unknown.

And there will probably be more tears.

But, that's okay.

We'll figure it out.