Fun in Texas

Texas was our second stop on our trip across the nation. After the festivities in Washington, D.C. we had to do everything Texas style. So the Colton, Sarah and I went to Texas to be there for Morgan and Crystal's open house and spend time with Nana and Granddaddy and visit with my Granddaddy and Aunt Shayna as well as my cousins, Angel, Jimmy and kids and Mark, Lori and their kids. It was really great to see everyone and be back in my homeland for even a brief time.
Colton is a magnet to all animals and Nana's dogs, Mia, Lala and Cloe were his next best friends in Texas. Everyday and still most days there is at least one conversation a day about us getting a dog in our house. So maybe someday sooner than later we will have a pet in our house.
Sarah loves her popcorn and sitting like a big girl enjoy a movie at Nana and Granddaddy's house

Colton will never miss a portion of the popcorn bag along with a good movie. Colton's favorite choice were the Bionicle movies that he got to enjoy with his Granddaddy.
Here is Colton with his Tio and new Auntie Crystal. And included in the picture is one of Colton's new toys, a Bionicle. Thank you to Granddaddy and Nana for the great new toys and clothes.
There is nothing like family and "We are family!!"

Trip to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum was probably the kids favorite with exhibits of things that the kids are familiar with. When you enter the museum we saw the large mammal exhibit with a huge elephant in the middle. The kids were excited from the first moment.
Colton's absolute favorite area were the dinosaur exhibit. We even went through the dinosaurs twice and here Colton stands under the mouth of the great T-Rex. He almost looks like a little raptor.
Sarah loved the gift shops and all the cuddly animals. She loved seeing the exhibits too but she couldn't touch those. Sarah is a hands on everything baby and the soft and cuddly things are her absolute favorite.
My absolute LEAST favorite thing was walking through the insect exhibit and seeing the spider displays but Jay thought it would be ironic to get a picture of me with my LEAST favorite creature that God created on this earth, spiders.
Colton is certainly animal and insect friendly. Here he is holding the largest cockroach, a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach. I say, "Yuck!!" and Colton says. "COOL!"
Sarah and Jay enjoyed viewing a few water bugs through the glass. I think Sarah would have looked at anything just to be able to climb and walk around by herself and not be strapped in the stroller. But our family favorite was the "Live Butterfly" exhibit where we went into an enclosed room that was full of tons of beautifully colored butterflies freely flying around.

Morgan and Crystal's Wedding Reception

What a night at the Congressional Country Club in Potomac, Maryland as we enjoyed and celebrated the joining of Morgan and Crystal for time and all eternity. It is such a joy to be a witness to the love and passion in the eyes and actions of a newlywed couple. Neither Morgan nor Crystal could stop smiling all night even with the level of exhaustion. But we were all smiling too, from seeing them so happy and having a fantastic time ourselves.

Once the band started Colton was a magnet to the dance floor and wanted to dance with every pretty lady there that was dressed in white, Crystal, her little sister and Sarah. Colton was dressed to knock socks off himself in his little tuxedo.
Boy did Colton cut a rug with his smooth dance moves. He was our little "King" on the dance floor and boy could he spin in his shiny shoes.
And Sarah just liked "to get down" and enjoyed dancing as always but she was tired enough that she just took in all that was going on, most of the time. However, she looked adorable in her little ivory dress and Mary Jane dress shoes.
After all the fun and fantastic food the night ended with Morgan and Crystal driven away in a "Bride&Groom" Rolls Royce. What a beautifully fantastic night that was simply unbelievable.

We had such a great time and were so grateful to be able to make the lengthy trip across country from one coast the the other to support and show our love to our family.

Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

The Air and Space Museum was huge and seeing all the planes hanging from the ceiling and exhibits spread throughout the two floors was a lot to take in and we didn't know which way to go. But Colton quickly led us to where he could see the missiles.
As we walked through the exhibits pointing out various displays that we thought would amuse the kids Colton, Jay and I took turns recording with pictures our experience in the sky.
Even Sarah was thrilled to escape the restrictions of earth and her stroller and take to higher ground as she enjoyed the hands on exhibit about the airline industry through the years and today.
Colton was our curious little scientist as he tried each and every experiment in the air current and movement exhibit. Here Colton is seeing how the air flows around a plane wing when it is in different positions.
Sarah adores her brother and likes to do whatever he does no matter what is may be. Here they are standing side by side to get a closer look at the Wright brothers' first airplane. Did you know the wings of that plane were covered in simple muslin fabric. Amazing!!
You can't go to Washington DC without seeing the capital building, even from a distance. Next time we will be sure to make arrangements to have an inside tour.

Visit with the Buckley family

It was so nice to visit Jay's side of the family while we were in the Washington, DC area. Aunt Loretta was so kind to open up their home for us to stay.

Colton and Sarah were immediately drawn to the animals, the dogs and horses.

Colton thought the dogs were his new best friends and he took good care of them and definetly ran them around more then they were used to because we all know 41/2 yr old boys never stop running.
















Here is a picture of Loretta and Doug's house in Virginia. What a beautiful home with land and surrounded by trees. There was even an old Civil War path that crosses through the front of their property.

This area is full of history.















Colton never missed a moment to learn more about Loretta' animals and tried to be a really big help with the dogs and horses.

We appreciated Loretta taking the time with Colton and showing him how to take care of her animals and letting him help.















Colton was also very entertained by the G.I.Joe
toys that used to belong to Ike and Lance.

















Sarah and Colton really loved the horses.

Sarah was so amused by these large, graceful animals but touching them was a different story. She just liked to admire from a safe but relatively close distance.

Tourists in Washington, D.C.

We began our day on Monday, August 25 at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. What a beautiful tribute to an incredible man who helped establish the freedom, so many take advantage of these days.

Inside the phenomenal building is this enormous statue of Thomas Jefferson. It was really inpressive to see all the different people that were respectful and reverent in a sense to this monument.

These are my guys posing outside the Thomas Jefferson monument.

We really liked the view across the lake. We could see the Washington monument really well from the steps of the Jefferson monument. Colton said that next time he wants to go to the top.

Here we are all sitting together with George Mason. What a brillant writer he was. I really enjoyed taking a few minutes to read the words of our fore fathers and feeling of their inspirations for America.

There was a lot of walking and a little bit of heat but the overcast was great for pictures and made the day much more pleasant.

Here Jay, Colton and Sarah stand on the top steps of the Lincoln monument in front of the Abraham Lincoln staute.

Inside the Gettsburg Address was engraved on one wall and his second Presidencial address was on the other wall and Colton insisted that I read both to him. He actually sat and listened interested. What an educational opportunity. We had such a great time.

As we left the Lincoln monument we walkedthrough and admired the War monuments and statues.

Words cannot even fully express how grateful our family is for all the men and women who have and continue to defend our freedom in this country. We will always stand steadfast and salute those who have and are willing to fight for America. Thank you!!

As we headed back to the car we stopped at a street vendor for hot dogs and drinks. What a great afternoon and it was not even over. We were off to the Air and Space Museum.

Morgan and Crystal's Wedding at the Washington DC Temple

Jay, Colton, Sarah and I packed up and headed to Potomac, Maryland for a fun filled wedding of my brother, Morgan to Crystal Richards on Saturday, August 23, 2008.

The morning of the BIG day the girls got all dolled up and then we met everyone at the Richard's home to caravan in limos to the temple.

We all went to the Washington, DC temple for the sealing on the afternoon of the BIG day in a family limo.

It was really neat to ride together as a family, along with adopted brothers Ben and Tyson, and enjoy those moments with Morgan before he began a new adventure in life.

Colton and Sarah really enjoyed the limo ride after the sealing and pictures back to the Richard's home.

This is a picture of the Washington, DC temple, a beautiful and majestic House of the Lord, where sacred covenants are performed.

We attended Crystal's endowment on Thursday and then the sealing of Morgan and Crystal on Saturday.

It truly was a blessing to be a part of such a blessed event. I really do "Love to see the Temple."