{Favorite Things About Dallas}

1. The people are so nice. Everyone has a smile on their face.

2. Everything really is bigger in Texas

3. Including the freeways. When we first got here Owen said, "Spiderman would love playing here!" They are so easy to drive on. I don't feel claustrophobic or rushed.

4. The Sky is truly bigger in Texas.

5. Driving into Dallas at night is like arriving at the Emerald City. Luckily, I get to spend longer than one short day here.

{6 Years of Wedded Bliss...}

And we've never been happier.

I'm telling you-I love this man. I really really love him. Really.

{The Old Man}

Spending time with Grandpa:

{Surprise!}

My mom may kill me for this. As we were watching this video Owen said, "I really want to go back to Boise, Mom." We had a really great time and I am excited to do a little bloggy recap.

{The Tarmac Is Fun!}

Owen, Truly and I left DC a little early to surprise my mom for her {50th} birthday. She had no idea we were on our way. My mother is not an easy person to keep a secret from. It killed me to send her home from Minnesota a few months earlier in tears. "It's hard to leave when I don't know when I'll see you again. It may not be until Christmas," she said. It was hard to contain, "Oh mom. just go. We'll see you in a little over a month." She probably thought I was the devil for sending her off so easily.

The day arrived for the big surprise. We were so ready to finally be home and with family. The first hour on the tarmac, as some scattered showers passed through DC, we were anxious. The second hour we were a little bit frustrated. By the third and fourth hours we gave up and just embraced the situation. It was pouring rain. We were on this airplane and there was nothing we could do about it. The children ran up and down the aisles bringing smiles to most faces and glares to some. It was interesting to see how people choose to react during less than desirable situations. For the most part there was a sense of comradery on the airplane. We were all going through the same claustrophic nightmare. Discomfort was our common enemy.

By the sixth hour the flight attendants announced that we had run out of food and water. Everyone started laughing. We had all lost our minds.

After nine and a half hours on the airplane we landed in Salt Lake for our layover. It was 2:00 in the morning. Jared's brother and his family live in Salt Lake and were gracious enough to put us up for the night. It ended up being a perfect detour.

All in all, I got in some fabulous cuddle time with my babies and a much needed visit with family we wouldn't have seen otherwise.

This is the kind lady who sat next to us on the airplane and let me borrow her cell phone. (I forgot mine in DC) Owen called her his babysitter.

Loopy, loopy children.

{Dreams Come True, Yes They Do}

When you're three and get to meet C3PO, you're pretty much the coolest kid in school.

And when you're 25 (and obsessed with the National Anthem) and get to see the Star-Spangled Banner, you know you can now die in peace. Seriously, this exhibit moved me to tears.

Abraham Lincoln is my hero. These were his and his wife's actual clothes.

And this is Abraham Lincoln's hat. THE hat. He was wearing this hat when he was assassinated.
There's no place like home. Seriously cool. This was Jared's favorite exhibit. He was dying to try them on. It took me a while to convince him that he'd probably be arrested it he tried, so he settled for staring.



Back on the metro... What a day. Owen was in seventh heaven. C3P0 and Michelangelo in one day? Yes please.

{Backyard Baseball}

The Obama's were kind enough to have us over for a quiet baseball game in their backyard. It was beautiful.

The White House Christmas Tree is on the other side of this fence.


If you look closely, you can see two snipers on the roof.


Jared threw a no hitter!


Poor Owen is not friends with the sun.