Summer Highlights in Maryland

 

Here's what been happening with the Howell's since late June. This is going to be a marathon post (I'm really not kidding) since we've been busy, and since I am a bad at blogging regularly. I've been working on this post for a week now.

Starting with June:
A few weeks after moving in to our new place my parents came to stay for a week and a half. It was absolutely wonderful to have them all to ourselves. We relaxed, played, went to lunch, went swimming, picked blueberries, and played at the park. The kids got to know my parents even more and fell even more in love. My mom took some awesome family pictures of us (see above, thank you Mom!). We celebrated the 4th of July with them and the Elliott's (my cousins) on my parents last night here and really enjoyed ourselves. We felt spoiled to have them come all the way out to Maryland. I can't find hardly any pictures of this trip (probably because we were having too much fun, and my Mom takes the pictures so I just get hers eventually). I stole this one off of Facebook, because it totally epitomizes my dad and his grand-kids. It's all about the playing. I couldn't find any of my Mom with the kids, and I swear I took one! Mom do you have that picture?



The week before July 4th a pretty violent storm called a "derecho" blew through the area, causing a great deal of damage from high winds and lightning. We were one of the lucky few with electricity through the whole thing, so we felt very blessed to not have to worry about all the food in our freezer, etc. and to be able to keep cool. Because of the storm there were no fireworks on the 4th due to the fairgrounds being used as a cleanup home-base, but happily they were rescheduled for the next weekend. We set up a spot a ways from the fairgrounds with the Elliott's, and enjoyed watching fireworks with them. We've felt extremely blessed to be living in the same town as my cousins. We've been able to get to know them a lot better and it's been so nice feeling at home with them.

Mid-July we got a little homesick for Williamsburg and took a little road trip down to see off some of our best friends, the Wilkerson's, who left for new employment in Texas. We were able to spend the night at our other best friends empty (of people) apartment, the Taylor's, since they were still in Wisconsin completing an internship, so that was great and made sleeping arrangements much easier. We spent the evening and the next morning hanging out with our friends. It was so incredibly bitter-sweet to be there one last time with them. Jared and Jason graduated law school together, both went to the DR on their missions, and worked in the same Elder's quorum presidency. They got along great, and always seemed to be planning our couples Dominican Republic trip for 2014 together. I could say a million wonderful things about Stacy, because there really are that many wonderful things about her. I didn't really get to know her very much my first year in Williamsburg, but we both later felt regret about what we'd been missing! This woman is one of the most brilliant, loyal, and hard-working people I've ever met. She is an incredible friend. She is the kind of person who hears your kids are sick and shows up at your door with fresh coloring books and chicken noodle soup (this very thing has happened to me). She knows and loves each of her boys fiercely. She has incredible talents with children, and taught me so much about being active with my children's learning (she is also the most incredible nursery leader and teacher ever). We shared so many tears together through some pretty rough times and challenges, and I'm so grateful we had each other. Our kids were the best of friends, and I wish it could always be so. Her kids became like two little nephews to me, and I miss them dearly. Sadly I can't find a picture right now of Stacy or Jared!! But here's one picture, at least of the kids.

Luke, Rachel, Micah, and Alden playing on the bed

After breakfast and goodbyes to the Wilkerson's, we headed to Busch Gardens for one last trip on our summer passes. We met up with more good friends, the Larsen's. We love Gordon, Amber, and their girls so much and it was especially fun for Sophie and Rachel to see each other (these two girls have come from not even crawling to being nearly 4 together). We rode a few rides together and caught up for a few hours and then the weather sadly got in the way. The rain literally came down in sheets and buckets for quite a long time. Alden took a nap while we waited things out and Rachel had fun playing in the warm rain. We were just glad I brought extra clothes for the kids, a towel, and ponchos (I thought it might rain)! We ended up calling it a day before we got to ride our two favorite rides, but decided that we'd come back to BG in a few years when the kids are older and can ride even more rides.

Daddy and Rachel super soaked from the pouring rain. Loved it.

Before the rain on a kiddie ride.

Sophie and Rachel hanging out before going on the battering ram.

We love Williamsburg so much, partly because of the wonderful town that it is, but mostly because of the wonderful friendships we made and the experiences we had there. Law school couldn't have gone better, and we know we made exactly the right choice to be there. Part of us wanted to stay somehow, but we know that with so many of our friends now or eventually moving on and away, Williamsburg for us would never be the same. We're so grateful for the time we had there. We think it will become one of our favorite "getaway" spots for weekend trips and such, and since we know it so well we'll still consider ourselves locals instead of tourists.

August brought my 25th birthday and Alden's 2nd birthday. Our birthdays are exactly a week apart, both on Mondays this year. For my birthday Jase and I bought an elliptical. I've wanted one for so long since I've needed the exercise and the elliptical is a lot easier on my creaky knees (I have joint narrowing and what sounds like a lovely "cracking" in my knees) than running on pavement or a treadmill. I absolutely love it. I also got new dishes, a great nonstick electric skillet (that makes much improved grilled cheese sandwiches over our stainless steel), clothes, and some money. Great birthday. For breakfast Alden and I made blue pancakes (we like to dye them a color for fun), played all morning, got lunch at Panera (one of my favorites), went swimming all afternoon, and picked up Jase from the metro and had dinner at Cafe Rio. Can you tell I don't really like to cook? Jason made my cake the day before and we had cake and ice cream after dinner (I always have yellow cake with chocolate frosting), I blew out my candles, and turned 25.

Before church shot of my two babies and I. Alden looks happy to be sandwiched doesn't he? He always tells Rachie and I: "I love my girls."

Alden helping me with my birthday breakfast.

Jase lighting candles for my cake.

My girl and me on my 25th!

My cake on fire!

We began Alden's birthday celebrations the Saturday before his birthday with a trip to the Smithsonian's Air and Space satellite museum in Chantilly. They hosted a "Super Saturday" all about helicopters, which I think I've noted before as one of Alden's biggest interests. The museum was great, full of tons of airplanes, helicopters, and space equipment, including the space shuttle Discovery. The best part was the chance to go outside and see several working and "in-use" helicopters. We talked to their pilots and crew, and the kids got to climb around, sit in the seats, and ask questions. They loved pretending to be helicopter pilots. On Monday (his real birthday) he woke up to lots of fun presents. He got a tool kit since he's always swiping Dad's tools, a construction worker dress up set complete with hat and vest, some rescue hot wheels vehicles (including a helicopter), the "little people" helicopter and airplane, his first Legos set, several new books, and a movie. I made him all his favorite foods, and mostly he just wanted to play with all his new toys. We had Joani and her girls over for dinner, cake, and ice cream for the evening. Alden requested a blue Buzz Lightyear cake, but since his Mama lacks in cake decorating creativity he got a very basic version of that (a blue cake with an action figure on top). We think he quite enjoyed his day, although he's apparently still not clear as to what it all meant since he will claim through tears that he's still "one, not two!"

So excited to be sitting in a real helicopter pilot seat.

Birthday morning presents after opening. We do the present opening in the morning before Daddy goes to work so the kids can play with their new things all day.

Special breakfast for a special boy--his current favorite: green pancakes, bacon, and orange juice.

So excited for his blue Buzz Lightyear cake.

The week after Alden's birthday was the Montgomery County Agricultural fair. It was awesome. I've never been to a fair close to this big. There were all kinds of farm animals, including many babies. We saw cows, ducks, sheep, goats, chickens, llamas, camels, and many more.

The kids and I went with my friend Jaime and her two boys during the week. Here's the three of us riding the school bus from the free parking lot to the fair entrance.

Rachel having a chat with some dairy cows.

Alden was terrified of the poultry house. Hundreds of clucking chickens are the stuff of nightmares.

Alden was totally tuckered out. Thank goodness Jaime had an umbrella stroller and Eli was awake. This kid is getting heavy. Jase went out and bought one for our next fair trip.

We had so much fun going with our friends that we wanted to bring Daddy too!

Alden having a chat with this Mama cow.

Rachel trying on a fireman's coat. We explored many fire trucks.

The next weekend we got to see Jason's sister, Ondalynn (the kids call her our tiny Onda). Onda had been in NYC for a week to look around and take some trial opera lessons from a Broadway instructor. Her friend Austin had been in NYC for the summer and they drove back to Arizona together, stopping at our house for the night and to play in the morning. We were sooo glad that stopped by!

The very next day some of our favorite people came to visit us. The Taylor family came up from Williamsburg for dinner and to stay the night and go to the temple the next morning. We got some Costco pizzas and I had a blast catching up with Keegan. The kids played like crazy and picked up right where they left off a few months ago.

Other than the bigger events above, we've gone on a hike, gone swimming several times, shopped (the kids love Costco and call it the "snack store" since they have samples everywhere), played at the park, and got creative inside. The kids and I don't like this crazy heat, so we've been finding fun things to do indoors until fall hits. We've done lots of painting activities (birdhouses, pictures), played with play dough, made homemade bean bags, done fingerprinting, and lots of assorted art projects. We've built forts and sat in them while having popcorn with afternoon movies. We've put masking tape all over our carpet to make "little people cities," complete with parking lots and streets. We've sung at least one hundred thousand songs, read twelve hundred books, and gone to the mall to walk around and go to the library (our library is temporarily inside our local mall). We've had play dates with new friends, and even built a homemade volcano with them. Basically having two walking/talking/playing/learning kids absolutely rocks. I sleep all night and play all day, and even get a nap quite often!

Enjoying our hike in Seneca Creek State Park.

Silliness at the pool.

Practicing our cutting skills! He's pretty good with his toddler scissors.

Hanging out in one of our many blanket forts, complete with child-size lanterns.

Another tent day with blankets and pillows for comfortable movie watching.

Filling bean bags.

Masking tape cities and little people.

A few random things about the kids I want to remember:
--We're beginning to understand how much of a winter-girl our Rachel is. She can't stand the humid heat outside. When it started to get really hot, she would work up quite a sweat sitting in her car seat each time we hopped in the car. The first time she got so sweaty (we're talking dripping, even though the air conditioning was on full blast) she sounded so frustrated and grossed out when she asked me, "Mom, why am I all wet?" She is a self proclaimed "winter girl." Rachel asks me every couple of days, "Why is it taking so long for my birthday to get here?" and "How many more days until Christmas?" I think it may be rubbing off on Alden as well, since every night he's been requesting "The First Noel" and "Jingle Bells" as bedtime songs.
--Both kids now know all the words and proudly sing Lee Greenwood's song "Proud to be an American" and I just love it every time. They know so many songs and love for me to turn the music up in the car and we all sing. Their favorites lately are Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby," Justin Beiber's "Baby" (Rachel can even nearly do the rap part...haha), Taylor Swift's "Today Was a Fairytale," American Tale's "Somewhere Out There" (they even separate the boy and girl parts, sing them appropriately, and do air guitar during the totally 90's electric guitar bridge), Robyn's "Show Me Love," and Christina Perri's "A Hundred Years." I play them lots of music at home and in the car and it's funny to see which one's they request over and over again. --They've started singing their own "theme songs." Whenever Alden does something cool (like put on his own shirt), he comes out and expects Rachel and I to sing his theme song. Alden's goes something like this: "Go Alden, go Alden, yeah, yeah, go Alden." He shakes his head from side to side while we sing it. We do the same for Rachel, but her theme song goes like this: "Yay for Rachie, cause Rachie's number 1, Hey!" I think this whole thing is hilarious. Basically it's always a party at our house.

In other news, lately Jase and I keep busy with our callings for church. Jason is the Ward Mission Leader and I'm back in Young Women's with the 16-17 year old's (I've been doing this for about 3 years now). Both have been challenging and demanding for us, but we've met so many wonderful people and are happy to help. I've grown so much since teaching YW classes, and I love being able to get out of the house one night a week to be with the girls and the other leaders for youth group. In other news, Jason has decided against taking the bar now that he's enjoying his PMF program and human resources experience. Taking the bar is a financial and time commitment he's not sure is worth it. He's getting so much training and is thinking that since the human resources field is growing and seems more versatile than the legal field that he'd rather pursue that. His legal education gave him a ton of valuable skills and knowledge for human resources, so we're still very happy he did it. We wouldn't have been in the position we are now if we hadn't come to William and Mary for the Law program and had the experiences he did.

I'll blog soon about our recent camping trip (which was a very interesting trip indeed). That's a wrap!