Memorial Weekend Day 3



Touring the home



Today Aunt Carolyn and I went to visit the home of our first President, George Washington's Mt. Vernon. I love coming over to this beautiful homestead. It's such a beautiful, quaint sanctuary along the Potomac River. The view is spectacular, the gardens are impecable. The spirit there is amazing. You can feel the love of the Washington family and the nation for this family when you visit the grounds, home and tomb of one of the most influential leaders this country has ever known.



View of the Potomac River, the highway system of the 1700's 



Enjoying the trails through the woods



Welcome to Mt. Vernon

After touring Mt. Vernon, we made our way over to Wolf Trap for an evening with the Presidents Own Marinen Corp Band. Anytime you hear a band playing with the President around this is the group. They do such an amazing show every year that I love coming to. With classic patriotic songs performed with such precision, it's hard to not be moved with patriotism for our country and the men and women who serve to protect the rights we have as Americans. God Bless America!

Wolf Trap - The Presidents Own Marine Corp Band

Memorial Weekend Day 1

Today I was reminder about why I love libing in the DC metro area. My Aunt Carolyn came out to visit me for the weekend. She has never been to DC before so of course I need to make sure that she visits all the iconic DC sites.

She started off with a tour of the Capitol Building while I was in work meetings downtown. We met up outside of the Capitol and made our way over to the Jefferson Library of Congress building. I love being surrounded by all the amazing books full of history and stories of life and culture from all over the world and throughout time. Not only are there amazing books but the architecture is astounding. Every inch of the interior is a work of art. Looking up, are amazing mosaics depicting different authors from various genres and quotes. The frescos on the walls are magical that transport you into various times and places. There are statues of literary icons everywhere. Cute little cherubs are intricately cut along the stairwells. The marble floors designs are captivating. Pretty much everywhere you look rich decor enfolds you.

We then made our way over to the Supreme Court building. It's great to be reminded of the third branch of our government that is established to ensure that justice is upheld. The feeling inside the building is one of respect for justice, law and order in the country and for each other.

After fully exploring Capitol Hill we made our way down to the National Gallery of Art. I love walking around and getting lost in the paintings of so many famous artists. Monet, Manet, Degas, Raphael, Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Bassatt, all great artists that have given so much joy to in my life.

Finally we made our way to the Natural History museum for a viewing of the Hope Diamond. I mean really, where in the world would you wear that to? Even so, it's a beautiful diamond that a girl can dream about while singing along to Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend.

It's wonderful to be able to explore such a great city with so much to give and offer. I love living here and being able to share these national treasures with others. We'll see where tomorrow takes us.

I Love Going to the Temple

I had a really good evening in the temple tonight. It was a night where I was able to experience all of the ordinances in the temple in one night. I started at the bottom with baptisms and confirmations. Then I worked my way up to initiatory. I was then able to help out at the veil. Finally, I finished off the evening in the sealing room. It was really nice to reflect on the progression of the ordinances and covenants of the temple and how it all leads us closer and closer to Christ. The gospel is such an amazing blessing in our lives and the lessons we learn are so amazing. I wish that everyone could experience the blessings of the temple more in their lives. Its a beautiful place that gives me just the boost I need to get through the rest of the week.

C&O Canal

My friend Megan and I decided to spend a day hiking through the C&O Canal which is the Maryland side of Great Falls National Park. It was a gorgeous day outside to go out for a hike. There are lots of rock cliffs to climb around which made for great exercise. We even found our own little spot where we could look out over the water while sitting back and relaxing. Megan had me do the famous "Mormon Pose." All in all it was a gorgeous day outside and rejuvenating to my soul. I look forward to many more hiking outings with Megan. Time with a friend in nature is good for the heart.

Trucko de Mayo

Have you ever heard of Trucko de Mayo? I hadn't either but it's a great event. All of the food trucks in the DC area get together in one main area. I totally felt like I was having a Gilmore Girls moment. Going around from food truck to food truck eating everything I could. Well ok not eveything. But I did have a homade popsickle, a cupcake, and an empanada. All of which was amazing. Who new that food trucks could have such great food. If I had had more room I would have eaten so much more. Next year I'm going to Lorelie Gilmore that event to the ground. Bring on the food trucks!

Travel the World in a Day

How many countries can one person travel to in a day? I made it to 8 countries today thanks to a great event in DC called Passport Day. The world embassies open their doors and invite the public in to tour their embassies and learn about their countries. It's a great event that allows you to step on to foreign soil and get a feel for other countries and world cultures. And yes I said foreign soil. When you step inside an embassies grounds you are stepping off of American soil and onto the another countries soil. Weird to think but so true. It's a whole lot cheaper to travel this way. I was able to travel to Botswana, Trinidad, Kazahkstan, Rwanda, Mozambique, Indonesia, Australia, and Peru.

In Botswana I ate a worm. It was actually really pretty good. A little chewy and kind of had a tofu taste to it but it wasn't bad. Its a very pretty country though and the brochure says that the most beautiful women live there. They also brag to have the most friendly people as well. The ones at the embassy were pretty nice.

Kazahkstan was amazing. I was quite impressed with the embassy itself. The murals on the wall were exquisite. Hand painted walls and ceilings giving the feeling of being in a jungle area. They pictures of the capital were really interesting. The architecture is incredible.

Indonesia is one of my favorite embassies. The staircase is impeccable. My jaw drops everytime I see it. There is also an antique pipe organ inside that is envious.

What passport day really does for me is put new places on my must travel to list. I definitely want to travel more. Time to pull out that passport and get some plane tickets purchased. Where to first?