Mikesells see DC

After spending Friday playing with Seth and Meg, we spent Saturday in DC seeing the sites that Marah and Bethany hadn't seen previously (a few repeats). The Holocaust Museum was one of the most memorable experiences from Kenna & Megan's 8th grade DC trip. Tickets for that tour was our first stop. We had 40 minutes before our tour so ran over to see the Washington Monument (Kenna's all-time favorite) and then the WWII memorial - new since Russell and Kenna had been to DC. We spent several hours in the Holocaust museum. I don't have words to describe the experience - heartbreaking, reverent, unsettling. I was grateful for the section dedicated to those who risked and often gave their lives to save others. Their stories gave a small glimmer of humanity in an era of unimaginable cruelty.

Our next stop was the Jefferson memorial and decided when we visit next, we will be the people in the paddleboats enjoying the view of monuments from the Potomac.
Our feet were aching on the walk back to the Smithsonian museums. First, of course, we toured the Aerospace Museum and then a quick trip through the Natural History museum to see the dinosaurs and Hope diamond. We also experienced an evangelical revival in front of the capital with the leaders shouting hoarsely on three huge sound systems with gigantic projector screens. The lower half of the mall was filled with followers. It was surreal...
Believing that we could drive through Arlington (like we did in 1976), I convinced our weary feet that we need to see one more site. We walked further in Arlington than the entire day in DC... First we found the JFK "Eternal Flame", and gratefully, arrived at the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier" just as the guard was changing so it was worth the hike (at least no complained to me).

We saved Mt. Vernon for the next trip - right after paddleboating! We got back to Meg & Jon's just in time for Seth's bath - his hair goes fuzzy - and to see Jon's nightly ritual of swaddling Seth like a baby burrito.

Blessing Day

How many relatives can you fit into Jon & Megan's home - 5 Mikesells & 9 Bloods - plus Jon, Meg & Seth. It was a party, and we enjoyed meeting the youngest 5 Bloods - 3 uncles (Timmy, James & Jacob), 1 aunt (Joanna) & Seth's two-year old cousin (Jocelyn). We love Jon's family!

Seth arrived at church asleep and in a onesie. (Meg was terrified he would repeat a previous church adventure when he wet all over his outfit and spent the last half of Sac. Mtg. wearing only a diaper.

Rudely awoken to be changed into his white blessing 'tux', an unhappy Seth decided that he was starving!!! Gratefully, he was content to devour a bottle of pumped milk (almost as loudly as he nurses). Not quite finished with his bottle, a binkie was quickly substituted as Jon took Seth to the front of the chapel. The binkie sufficed until Seth accidentally spit it out toward the end of the blessing (or was it in protest because Jon was talking about meeting a special girl and getting married?) I had to peek as the fussing got louder and saw Gpa Raz freeing his arm to put the pacifier back in Seth's mouth. Jon quickly returned to the pew so Seth could finish his meal.

A great meal and family pictures following the blessing.

Then it was time for Jon's family to make the drive home to either Albany, NY (Daniel, Wendy & Jocelyn) or Hurricane, WV (Mark, Sara, Timmy, James, Joanna & Jacob). We got to stay and play for another day!

Bethany almost beat Jon at Monopology...

Gpa claimed the baby.

and it was "Facebook" time for Meg, Kenna and Marah.

Of course, I was busy being the photographer!

Amazing Aunt Bethany Kay aka Auntie Bubba Jo

Auntie Bubba spent two quiet weeks with Seth. While he was sleeping or eating, she finished watching the last Cosby seasons, rewatched the Harry Potters, and polished off "Breaking Dawn" and many other books.

Besides being the baby holder, Bethany developed an Xfiles addiction adopting Meg & Jon's routine of an episode a night. Jon enticed/forced her away from her books to play "Citadels", "Monopology" (Jon's rapid version) and "Settlers". Beth retaliated by making him play "Life" (Jon hates - no strategy) and beating him at MarioKart!

Meg also blogged about dragging 3-week-old Seth to explore Washington DC... I'm not sure who was the most unhappy about the heat and humidity - Seth or Beth!

But Meg didn't write about dragging 2-week-old Seth to explore Chesapeake Bay. (Couldn't let Bethany Jo be so close to historical sites and not see them.) Seth slept soundly in his stroller as we walked around Havre de Grace.

Despite the delays on connecting flights, returns to the Chicago terminal to be 'deplaned', and missing school registration, Beth enjoyed her time as only aunt. (Although she may not admit it now... She's a tough 8th grader now - grrr! Liking babies is NOT allowed.)

Seth & Beth do DC

Meg blogged about this infamous trip also... Bethany and I flew home August 4th so Beth could start school on the 7th. Not realizing HOW FAR the drive and HOW AWFUL the traffic is in and go of DC, our flights went into Dulles. Jon took the day off so we could do some sightseeing on the way to the airport.

Jon spent most of his sightseeing time finding parking, Meg spent most of her's nursing a hot baby, and Beth spent most of her time telling us how hot it was and how much her feet hurt...

I hadn't been to DC since our family's 1976 USA camper tour so I was anxious to see the Vietnam, Korean and WWII memorials.
We trekked from the capitol to the Washington memorial and even onto the WWII memorial before Beth and Seth were done.

Jon took Seth under a tree and bounced him to cool him off. I enjoyed my walk through the geese by the reflection pond, while Beth and Meg took the shaded pathway.

The stairs up to the Lincoln memorial seemed insurmountable until it became a race, which I lost.







We wound our way through the Korean and Vietnam memorials and then to the White House.

Both Beth and Seth had adapted to the weather and became pleasant touring companions!







The "eths" survived their 1st DC outing!

Seth meets Gpa Raz, Aunt Marnah Fish & Aunt Nenna

Flying on three airlines into two airports, it was time for Seth to meet the rest of the Mikesells.

Gpa Raz :

Aunt Marnah Fish:

Aunt Nenna: