Buckle up...

It was a LONG ride! but well worth it for all the history and fun we were able to squeeze in with work! We headed toward the East Coast and the beginning of our country.

Our first stop was Washington DC.

This is a view of the city from Arlington National Cemetery.
We ended up here first just going with the flow!
It was amazing to see the sacrifices that have been made for us to be free Americans!

Huge beautiful grounds and much was in bloom, bright green reminding us of springtime and our freedom to enjoy it!

We arrived around the cherry blossom festival time and everything was beautiful!

Even got to enjoy TULIPS!!!

Once we found parking by the plaza, we began at the Roosevelt Memorial (but failed to get pictures).

We then walked (we thankfully had 2 scooters along which worked great to keep the younger two moving along!) to the Lincoln Memorial a very stately sight (no pun intended for the construction barrel!)
Very amazing to be there and grasp the hugeness of it!
As you can see the younger boys are wondering if this is all there is????
The view from there was incredible especially considering our drive the day before had been alot of raining/foggy weather! THANK YOU LORD for a sunny, dry warm day!

Next we walked by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. Seeing all the names made all of us realize how many have given that we may be free -- THANK YOU!!!

The kids were impressed with all the notes, flags and flowers left by the wall.


As we walked around the WWII memorial we found a nice spot for a picture!

Right between two M states!!!The kids were getting warm at this point and thought the fountain looked pretty good!

We pulled them away and continued down the mall making our way to the Washington Monument.



We really took this picture!
it looks like a postcard with such a beautiful blue sky the monument looked incredible!


hard to get the kids and the monument this worked pretty well
down and up all at the same time!


Brought up our study of obelisks from a few years ago :) always learning!


from there we could see the capital buildings to the East (behind the girls, but we were starting to slow down so didn't attempt to walk that far!) To the north we could also see the white house from there so we headed that way.


Since we didn't get our background checks in 6 months ahead, we weren't able to go into the white house. It was ok, the kids feel sorry for the Obama girls being in the middle of a city and yet a yard that everyone watches. Always having to have secret service with you or watching you didn't sound too fun to them either!
A picture through the fence then it was time to head back.

We finished up at the Jefferson Memorial to the South of the Washington monument. Once again the size of the statues is amazing!
Part of the Declaration of Independence.


That is it NO MORE PICTURES!!!

They were really tired out!
we likely walked between 4 and 5 miles!!! Z said "really mom I CAN'T walk anymore!" so i said "good thing we have your scooter!" he said" but my "scooter foot" (i love that!) doesn't work either!" then he tried pushing with his left foot and found that to be a distracting of enough challenge that he carried on not realizing he was moving again :) and this guys ALWAYS has energy :) yes he was running up the stairs!!!
the big sister who was willing to carry the scooter when we couldn't ride them.
The other sister was just taking it all in, she enjoyed seeing so many of the things we read about this year.

well this one about sums it all up -- a nice cold drink of water and rest the feet! we got a good night sleep and then were setting up the convention the next morning!

Well more to come!!!
the traveling Quaks

Stone Soup

So the lesson was R rock... we read the story stone soup.
Stones are pretty much like rocks, and he wondered what it was like so........ He found a GOOD rock
and washed it up really well
then put it in a pot of boiling water.......

found a few other things,
like potatoes, carrots, celery, corn, meat,
tomato soup and some seasonings
let it cook a long time............
bake some flower rolls (flowers are always by rocks :))


sit down with the teacher to enjoy your creation!!!

STONE SOUP IS YUMMY!!!!!

When you think you don't have anything for dinner... just go out to your yard, find a ROCK and make your own STONE SOUP! :)

FUN with the rest of the cousins

Not only did we love getting to met the NEW cousin but we had tons of fun in two days playing with all the other ones!!!!

Just takes a little while to reconnect and they were off!SMILE -- there isn't a lap for everyone anymore!

surrounded by the GREAT LAKES ...MI is a great state!
wish it was always this sunny :)

a few of the amazing butterflies we watched

Look at all those beautiful butterflies....

two girls as butterflies and the boy as a cute caterpillar

We enjoyed a day out with some of the cousins to see a BIG horse!

Fun just with FIVE year olds :)
so neat to see the cousins playing well together

a visit to some botanical gardens was a beautiful reminder that spring is coming!

It was a beautiful sunny day so there were lots of butterflies to watch too
as well as lots of fun things to do in the children's tree fort outside!

Look at all those cute kids!
(who pose VERY well I might add!)

Doing a great job keeping Gr and Grs house from being quiet or boring!!!!

Here we got to watch an Easter play with "Jesus" dying on the cross, (with a crown of thorn - aka headband -on) being wrapped in cloth (sleeping bag) and rolled into the grave. Then he arose (crawled out of the sleeping bag) and the "ladies" came back to look for him but he was gone!!! It is precious to see the children acting out bible stories :)

Gr K got to be read to from the reading "book" that Gr Q helped Z make!

goofy girls -- they look a little scary here but they are just being silly -- really!

Hello little guy!

Well, we did a spontaneous road trip!

(It was only 9 1/2 hours :) the attitude makes all the difference!!!)
And this morning I got to hold this sweet little baby boy!!!

What a treat, he is just a tiny little bundle with chubby check amidst being early.

Who doesn't LOVE baby toes? yes I even got to change a diaper

The Q's and Ks sure do fill up a couch!!!

Eyes wide open though he looks a bit worried...
couldn't be all the annoying flashes in his face that would bother him?????

another K. BOY cousin YEAH!!!!

We celebrate with this family and praise God for this healthy little boy.
If you want to see more adorable pictures or read their whole story check out their blog http://thekuipersfamily.blogspot.com/

NOT AN APRIL FOOL --a new nephew arrives!!!!

We praise God for a healthy little boy brought into the K family yesterday!
Congrats James and Carrie!!! He joins his two big sisters who will take great care of him
and tell him about his 2 brothers already in heaven.

Greyson James arrived 3 weeks early

weighing 7lbs 7oz and 19 in long

This long awaited little boy is such a blessing!

We are so happy our family can be represented by Mags who went up to spend a week with the grandparents! perfect timing I guess! (more on all that soon!) All of this is enough for me to make a road trip!!!

Well just wanted to share this new little joy with all of you!