Washington DC - 4 museums in 5 hours!

We had a great day and it went basically as planned, which is always a bonus!  We started out early and were in DC and parked by 8:30 a.m.  The plan was to park at the Ronald Reagan Building, and through advance research, I found that they had a public parking garage and a big food court on the ground level of the building. So, we arrived early and had breakfast in the food court before heading out.

We ventured out onto the National Mall and took some pics before it got too busy - there was hardly anyone around and it was great!So....

Stop #1 - National Mall Pics

Don's sister "Aunt Chrissy" came with us!

It was 9:30ish and we headed towards the Archives....got there and sat to think about our plan - we had 10:30 timed visit tickets to get in - good thing because at 9:30 the line to enter was down and around the block!

gotta love Technology - phones were good time wasters.

my theme for the day - we had a mission to accomplish - would we be able to do it?

we wandered over towards the Natural History museum and snapped a pic

We decided to head to the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, but it didn't open till 10 either. Well, the nice security guard opened it almost 10 minutes early - and in we went - Ahead of Schedule!!

Stop #2 National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden

the Archives in the distance - opening soon!

Carleigh trying to pose like the rabbit

taken very seriously until...

they were determined to sit on the works of art, but they were all wet...

Katie collects erasers.....

We walked around the Sculpture Garden and then headed back to the National Archives - with a mission to see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  Our tickets were for 10:30 - we got there at 10:10 and asked where to wait, the next nice security guard let us in early and also let Chrissy come in with us (even though she didn't have a ticket) - again AHEAD of SCHEDULE!!

Stop #3 - the National Archives

No pictures allowed inside, so this is it! We spent about 30 minutes inside and saw the three documents - very cool! Then we headed across the mall to the Hirshhorn.

Stop #4 Hirshhorn Museum Sculpture Garden

our turn to pose

 Stop #5 Hirshhorn Museum

We had heard about this exhibit from Facebook and it was a lot of fun!

The exhibit at the Hirshhorn was fun, but a little different. Lots of playing with color and light, but because it was hands on, it didn't feel like it belonged in the museum.

After that, we headed down to the International Gallery - to see the Math Alive Exhibit

Stop #6 - S. Dillon Ripley Center - International Gallery

Katie pedaling to calculate distance

The girls standing in front of a screen and being pixelated.

The video was done with 20 different cameras to get a 360 degree movie, Katie is not moving.The video is made in the exhibit, and then they email it to you.

 Stop #7 - Picnic Lunch before the last museum

 We decided to stop and get hot dogs from a vendor before going into American History.

 After lunch, everyone was about done and a bit tired. We headed over the American History and were there for only about 45 minutes and then back to the car.

Stop #8 National Museum of American History 

the only inside picture and blurry - it's time to head home!

 While inside, we saw the Star Spangled Banner exhibit, the First Ladies gowns and the three different gift shops. So much more to see, but the girls were getting grumpy and pushing on would have been pointless at this point.  They were no longer going to appreciate anything else.

We left the museum and headed the block back to the Reagan building and found the car - got out of DC without any issues and we were home by 3:45. Mission Accomplished!

What was our mission you may ask? Really there were only two stops that the girls had requested...1-the three documents at the Archives and 2- the original flag - Star Spangled Banner. The rest just sort of happened. So we got a taste of a lot of different things in a short time and had a fun day in DC.

It's nice to take the time and appreciate how close we really live to these museums and our Nation's Capital.

So...spring break is officially over, now it's just a weekend and we return to school.  Only 9 weeks until summer and all of the adventures that lay ahead. Planning is in full swing and the countdowns have begun! 

Stay Tuned..... for the last quarter of school and summer plans!

Spring Break Eve and.....I'm DONE!

I am DONE! It is definitely time for a break from the craziness....but, then I think what craziness?  We haven't had any snow days, we haven't had any crazy adventures or travels....so why am I so tired and cranky and need a vacation?  Well, my last post was February 20th, and I haven't had any time to post since then, so something must have been going on that is making me so tired and grumpy....let's see if we can figure this out......

I think I found the culprit....and if he weren't so darned cute!

He is so cute, but so bad right now...8 1/2 months and a ball of energy.  I love my husband so much for not complaining and keeping him exercised so that he doesn't destroy the house.  I think I might complain enough for the both of us.  When he is settled, he is wonderful!! He's had his vet appt. and is ready for Doggie Daycare. Guess where he is going for one day of Spring Break? Yep.....Doggie Daycare baby!! That's the day that Don gets a break and I can clean the house from top to bottom!

My beautiful oldest daughter also turned 12 last week - it's so hard to believe that she is really almost a teenager.....

Patty had fun playing with Lily!

Lily is holding her own and is also very tired!

Do I look tired? :)

 

Don also acquired some old/empty picture frames at a local yard sale and experimented with a photo idea that he saw in a book:

 Annie came and went - Carleigh had a blast and did a fantastic job as orphan Duffy!

Her headshot from Annie

She had a blast and can't wait for next year - it was a busy time, but lots of fun!! I sort of miss it too. It was fun being a mom and mingling with other moms.

Plus....the Annie atmosphere at the middle school was a happy place.

Everyone was excited, the energy was high and there was no negativity! Could that be my problem....I was surrounded by joy and happiness, excitement and positive energy for so long and now it's back to the grind?  I just may have found the answer.....what do people say, "if you surround yourself with happy people....." or "find a way to make your own joy!"

So, in blogging and trying to catch up from the last month, I have found the answer! I need to find a happy place again! I need to make my own joy and not wait for others to include me in theirs! And.....that is what Spring Break is for!

A look ahead to next week:
Saturday - family birthday party and the girls head to the grandparents to come home on Tuesday
Sunday - Date day with the husband - can't wait! Dinner and a movie, yes....the dogs are still here.
Monday - Power clean with no crazy dog - Junior is introduced to Doggie Daycare for the day.
Thursday - Washington DC for the day with the girls. National Archives, American History Museum, New exhibit at the International Gallery

I plan on reading a novel or two and working on my tan.....and finding my relaxed, happiness again. I am also excited about continuing to plan our summer adventures!

I am actually looking forward to the last quarter of school, I just need a break. I have lots of fun things planned for my classroom during those last 9 weeks.

So stay tuned.....will I find joy and fun? What will Spring Break hold for the Rahns?

No snow, but DOGS, BASKETBALL, and....ANNIE!

What have we been up to during the past two months?  Well, it sure hasn't been winter!  Most of you know that my two passions outside of family and teaching are following winter weather and planning vacations.  Well, vacation planning is in it's slow time during the winter, so I always fall back on my "storm chasing" during the winter months. Not so much this year, I was shot down over and over during the early winter months - big storms predicted, and then nothing but a stray flurry. I kept getting back up and trying again, only to get knocked down and disappointed. So...rather than continue to watch and wait for snow in this sorry winter, I did the respectable thing and gave up! I decided to find joy in other places this winter and pick up another "temporary" project/hobby to get me through this sorry winter.

So basically our last two months (outside of normal school schedules and family things) can be best described in 3 words:  DOGS, BASKETBALL and ANNIE

We'll start with Dogs -

Junior and Lily are keeping us busy and our cute, little puppy has become an adolescent. An adorable, pain-in-the-butt adolescent.  He is loud, doesn't sleep, knocks down gates, and loves to play "keep away" with various items that he knows that he shouldn't have.

Yes, he is eating a book about Cats!

 The extent of our "Snow" this winter.

Lily has gotten louder as she uses her border collie instincts and is constantly "telling" Junior that what he is doing is wrong.  The two of them are definitely communicating in their dog language on a regular basis.






Let's move to Basketball:

Katie is playing again this year and loving it.  She has shown great improvements this season and is having fun with all of her friends that are on her team.  Unfortunately, her team ended the season with only 1 win, but not for lack of trying.  Her first playoff game is this week - fingers crossed!

My "temporary hobby" to get me through the winter has become Annie.  Carleigh got the role of Duffy (orphan) back in November and at the parent meeting I volunteered to be official videographer/documentary maker.  It has been SO much fun getting to know the kids and other adults/parents involved in this great production.  I think the best part of this whole adventure for me is that I am known as Carleigh's mom!  In 23 years I have always been heavily involved in different fun activities, but it has always been as Mrs. Rahn, the teacher.

I have never gotten to do something as a mom. With both girls attending elementary school with Don and I, even birthday parties were at "Mrs. Rahn's house."  It's nice to finally be involved in one of my kid's activities and not have that "you're a teacher" role hanging over my head.  There are some alumni from our school involved in the production, but only about 5 out of a cast of 41.

I leave my elementary school and basically head over to the middle school every day and am there until about 6:00. Some of the kids in the play didn't even know that I was a teacher. I LOVE it!!  I have taken miles and miles of video footage and hundreds of photos.  The director and I are working on a "Making of..." kind of documentary of the middle school production (about 45 minutes long) and I also just finished a 3 minute  promotional commercial that is making it's way around the YouTube world and also the facebook community.

Here's the 3 minute "commercial" that I created for publicity.

I got the directing/theater bug from my mother, who is a retired High School Drama teacher/director. So, an added bonus of this adventure is that "Rina" (my mom, Carleigh's grandma) had the month of January free, so she signed on to help with costumes for Annie.  She got to be involved, and also go back to her roots for a month - she LOVED it!!

Here are some pics of the fun -

Mom with the other costume moms, during a rehearsal.

The orphans in part of their "Never Fully Dressed" dance number

 

The orphanage.....

rehearsing one of the dances

The big opening night is less than two weeks away and the schedule is increasing in intensity.  This week Carleigh goes "On Tour."  The director is taking groups of cast members to all of the elementary schools to advertise and do quick promotional type songs/dances.  Carleigh will be traveling to 4 different schools this week and is so excited!  Then next week is Tech Week - known by another name in the High School community.  She will be at school until after 9:00 every night. Dinner, homework time and quick outdoor recess provided prior to big rehearsals.  I'll be at most of those events also, filming and taking pics.

It's going to be a great show - let me know if you are interested in tickets.

Busy, but fun times.  Who needs snow? Not us!! We have successfully found joy in other areas this winter.



So there you have it....NO SNOW, but lots of fun!  After Annie closes, it will be like the day after Christmas in our house as we recover and try to reclaim normal schedules... and then we will be in full swing vacation planning.  Check out our tickers on the right.  They have been updated to include all planned vacations.  We did book our Europe cruise for Summer, 2013.  But first, we will return to Wyoming and Montana and our great week at Emerald Isle with the family this summer! Can't wait.

Stay tuned for the Big Annie weekend and any other fun that makes its way into our lives over the next few weeks!