book.(12)

beautiful.

july.

updating! 

kensington.

 the washington d.c. temple is in kensington, maryland.

which if your on the east coast driving from state to state 

is sometimes like driving from city to city.

we have been so lucky as to go several times this summer.

even with the busy schedules.

the beautiful visitors center.

our amazing temple.

which if you read here i have been taking pictures all year.

i think i have captured some beautiful ones as well :]

it's hard to believe we were sealed less then a year ago.

it feels like a lifetime. 

also we look very super imposed, though were not.haha

and this big beautiful temple is pretty in the dark as well.

if you notice the stain glass on the bottom sides.

i think its' just amazing.

jefferson.

 so to add a cherry on top of an already great week.

add in a few great friends and your set!

amy, kenny and jake.

traveling this summer decided to come see us too:]

 drew has been friends with amy and kenny since junior high.

and when i married into the group i have always been treated like one of them.

it's kinda the best :]

 we explored d.c.

this time were able to see the jefferson monument.

which is one the few remaining things we have yet to see.

 haha again i only got a few picutres while they were here.

but they took care of the rest.

 i am going to miss our capital.

we only have a few weeks left ya know.

 also what's kind of neat is that everytime we head into the city,

we descover something new.

even if its just a new building or a street.

there is just so much to see.

this time around we learned all about fords theather.

i think they could be friends:]

yeah, it was just a good time.

history.

 one thing i have really loved about virginia is the history we are a part of.

it's all around.

i was able to get a few more photos with my parents, 

though they were here for almost a week.

don't worry my dad got enough for the both of us hahaha.

and let me tell you there are some winners.

 for example i had him take this one of me and my mom.

in the one he took with his camera,

we are laughing so hard i can only imagine our faces.

my mom is my best friend.

i miss her when she is not here.

though i sopose we are the ones who took off.

it was the best thing ever to have them visit.

 we were able to save some of the things me and drew have not seen for 

when he could manage to get off a little early.

which he was amazingly able to do a few days!

 when went to the changing of the guards.

it was a neat ceremony. 

and i think the rain just added to the day :]

it's beautiful you know.

i sopose i should dedicate this to all the men and women who serve our country.

and have throughout history:]

charlotsville.

 so my parents came to visit :]

it was great, one day my father had business in charlotsville.

which is a place i have been wanting to go.

drew was able to get off work.

all of which are makings for a great day.

 charlotsville is a couple hours away from reston, va where we currently live.

it is a cute little college town.

and is where thomas jefferesons house is located.

might i add that they charge 24$ just to look at it.

so we ended up not going there.

 i had fun none the less.

 i don't think the boys liked the shops as much as the girls but that's okay :]

 cute little old fashioned building.

 a preschool chain of children.

which really made me miss teaching preschool.

 and beautiful vineyards.

 where we had some yummy peach ice cream.

because i just think it's cute.

all of us :]

book.(11)

i find reading about the holocaust so interesting. 

thanks for the recommendation treg :]

festivities.

 yay fourth of july!

we had a good day, though it was kinda sad not to be with family and friends.

 first we went to the parade.

 then i wanted to capture d.c./america!

so i did this by: 1. getting some photos of this cool umbrella haha.

and 2. trying to creep on all the cute little kids dressed in american clothing.

it sorta failed, i only got a few. i didn't want people to be worried.

my idea was to capture children of different ethnicity.

 the easiest were clearly babies on their parents shoulders.

 we then walked around a bit, d.c. was packed.

 we then ate lunch.

which included tiny american cookies.

ultimately anything tiny is good by me.

 cute husband.

 silly excited wife.

 see! cute and yummy.

 oh did i mention i bought tiny pinwheels because they were cute.

 white house.

i'm told that when kyler becomes president will get to stay in the basement!

 drew was going to back-flip off.. but they had a fence around it.

 oh, and every time we come into the city i want an american popsicle, but it's usually sunday.

well not today.

and what better time then to enjoy one :]

 toward the evening we headed to the capital building.

 I've never been so close, it was cool.

and packed because we decided it was prime firework watching area.

little did we know the fireworks would have been better a little further down.

but none the less it was great!