Fall Break 2018 - Day 2: Goose Neck

We decided to drive the scenic route around to Cortez.  Our first scenic stop was to Goose Neck.  We first drove the same road way that Forrest Gump ran on in the movie.  It is a beautiful area with amazing views of Monument Valley.
Goose Neck was really pretty too.  It was neat to see a river at the bottom of the valley winding around the mountain.  The water was really dirty looking, but still pretty.

Fall Break 2018 - Day 2: Fort Bluff

After they got changed out of their pioneer clothes we went and played around the yard area.  They had a panning for gold area with fools gold.
We then went through a bunch of small houses that talked about the people who used to live in them.  A few of the houses were still the original while others have been updated.  It was crazy to see how small the houses were back then and how they were able to live.

They also had small wagons with pretend horses and such all around.  The kids liked playing on all the animals and in the wagons.
After we played with all the fun things we went back in the main building to check out their gift shop.  The kids all picked out a gift that they wanted.  They were all pretty good and not too expensive.  We had a good time at Fort Bluff!

Fall Break 2018 - Day 2: Fort Bluff - Pioneer Clothes

They had clothes for kids of all ages.  The kids all got dressed up and so did Lloyd.  The girls looked so adorable in their little dresses, aprons, and bonnets.
Josh really wanted to be the sheriff and Tyler was the villan and they both liked to play with guns.  They were looking pretty adorable too.  They then all got into the wagon and played pioneer.  It was fun to watch them get all dressed up.

Fall Break 2018 - Day 2: Fort Bluff

Our first stop was to Fort Bluff.  It was a super cute pioneer place that had tons of fun activities.  We started off with a movie talking about the pioneers that came to this area.
After that we went outside where the kids started off by pulling handcarts.  They had large and small handcarts.
After that we went on the covered wagon and in the teepee.  They were both really cool.  Then we went to the clothing building to get the kids all dressed up in pioneer clothes.

Fall Break - Day 1: Drive to Moab

The kids had a short day at school and Tony got off of work early so that we could get a head start on our drive towards Cortez.  We planned on staying in Moab for the night.  We stopped in Price for dinner.  It was a yummy local spot that was perfect.  They had a salad bar that Tyler was super happy about.  After dinner we finished our drive for the night to Moab.
We checked into our hotel and got our cool room.  It was a room that had two queen sized bunk beds.  They were pretty impressive.  The girls were really nervous about going on the top bunk so Margie and Lloyd volunteered to sleep up there.  I told them that Tony and I would sleep up there, but they said they could do it.  They are very impressive.
The next morning we got ready and ate some breakfast in the lobby.  They also had a game room off of the breakfast room that the kids really liked.  It was a pretty cool hotel.  After breakfast we all packed up and got in the car to continue on our fun road trip towards Cortez.

Flag Football

The boys decided to try flag football this season.  I first asked Josh if he wanted to play and showed him a couple video's of what to expect.  Josh said that it looked like fun and wanted to play.  I then asked Tyler if he wanted to try it too, and he agreed.
They both played pretty well and had a good time playing.  We enjoyed watching them play and learning a new sport.  Josh said that he really liked it and wants to play again.  Tyler, however, said that he doesn't want to play again.  That's okay.  He likes baseball and soccer best.

Michelle & Tony Trip: Day 6: Driving, The White House, Musumes, & Flying Home

On our last day of our vacation we started off by checking out of our hotel and heading back towards Washington D.C.
It rained pretty much the whole time we drove.  We got tired of driving and knew we needed umbrella's so we looked up a Costco and stopped to do some shopping.  After that we drove a little longer before stopping for some lunch.
Then it was only about an hour and a half until we got to D.C.  We decided to drive around DuPont Circle to see some of the embassy's.  It was fun to see all the different flags flying outside these amazing looking buildings.

After that we made our way by the White House.  We were able to see some of the front of the White House from our car but we knew we would have to walk to see it up close.  So we found a good parking spot and then made the trek up the hill to see the White House.
While we were walking to the back of the house I thought it was still a ways up the road when I saw a bunch of people taking pictures.  I though that they were all taking selfies with the Washington Memorial until I looked over and saw the White House.  I felt pretty stupid.  Silly me. 
We then decided to check out the back of the White House.  We got to see the US Treasury Department building.  It was heavily guarded and right next to the White House.  We then saw the front of the White House and got a picture.  I did have to ask a guard which was the front and which was the back.
We then found a cute White House gift shop.  We found some souvenirs that we liked before going back to our car to see if we could move it closer to the museum.   
We lucked out and found the perfect spot close the Holocaust Museum.  We only had an hour to go through the museum but that was enough time to get the highlights of such a horrific thing that happened in our history.
After that we headed to the airport where we dropped off our rental car and took the bus to the airport.  We then made our way to our terminal and then found some food for dinner.  Then we waited for our flight.  Both our flights went good without any problems.  We then got our car out of long term parking and drove home at about 12:30 am.  Margie and Lloyd were waiting for us at our house with our sleeping children.  It was so nice of them to take such good care of our children for us.  We are glad to be home with our kids again but totally happy we were able to get away and see some of the sights in our great nation.

Michelle & Tony Trip: Day 5: Church, Boating, & Family

We started our Sunday off with some sweet religion.  Luckily for us it was ward conference for the ward we went to and they decided to have just two meetings both an hour and a half long.  So we got an extended sacrament meeting.  The stake president talked about when he was in the Marines and that was pretty cool.
After church we went to Wendy and Gabe's house and got changed before packing up the car to go on another boat ride.  This time we went in the water that takes us right by the Norfolk Navy Shipyard.
We got to see really big ships in the water and some outside the water being worked on.  Always such a cool site to see.
After driving by the shipyard we docked the boat and went and got some yummy lunch.
After eating we got back on the boat and had a nice ride back to the car.  After getting the boat back on the trailer we went back to Wendy's house.  We hung out there for a while relaxing in the cool house and chatting with Wendy and Gabe.

Tony feel asleep while we were chatting so we let him sleep while I went with Wendy to do her grocery shopping.  It's always fun to hang out with my sister.  After shopping and hanging out a little longer Tony and I decided to go get some dinner.  We stopped at a yummy place called Mission BBQ.  It is kind of like Dickie's but all military themed.  After dinner we went back to our hotel and started to get packed and ready to leave back to D.C. the next morning.

Michelle & Tony Trip: Day 4: Boat, Beach, Jets, & the Game

Tony and I enjoyed sleeping in this day.  We didn't have to be anywhere super early and it was so nice to take our time.  After eating breakfast we still had an hour before we needed to be at Wendy's so we went and walked around Sam's Club (because we are that cool).
After shopping we went to Wendy's where Gabe was all ready to take us out boating.  Gabe and Wendy took us to Virginia Beach to see if we could find some dolphins and to watch the jets from the air show that was going on that weekend.
The weather was perfect again.  They have such a nice boat and we loved riding in it.  It didn't take too long for Gabe to spot some dolphins.  Then we spotted more and more.  Gabe followed a family of dolphins and we ended up seeing six or more all around our boat swimming around.  Wendy said it was the most dolphins she's ever seen at once.  It was super cool to see.
After the dolphins scattered we decided to stop and get some lunch.  Gabe docked the boat and we walked like a block away to a yummy restaurant right on the beach front.  After eating we walked on the beach and let Benje play for a little while.  The sand was nice and the water wasn't too cold.
Lots of people were on the beach enjoyed the nice weather.  After Benje played for a while we walked back on the boardwalk and then went into a cute beach shop where I found some cute shirts for the kids.

Then it was back to the boat.  Gabe found us a sweet spot to anchor the boat so we could watch the Blue something Jets.  I put my feet in the water and then sat in the boat waiting for the jets.  They did not disappoint.  Their were four of them that flew right by us multiple times doing different formations and rotations.  It was really good and the perfect setting being on a boat in the water.
Once they appeared to be done we decided to be done boating for the day.  We went back to Wendy and Gabe's house.  Tony helped Gabe clean off the boat while I hung out with Wendy who was washing her dogs.

After all that fun Tony and I decided to go back to our hotel and see if we could get the BYU game.  Our hotel did not have the channel it was on but Tony was able to get it on the tablet and so we watched the first half from that.
We went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner.  They have a million TV screens for watching games so we thought maybe they would have the game.  They didn't have ESPN 3 but they did have BYU TV so that worked for us.  We were able to watch most of the second half at the restaurant.
After we were done eating we went back to the hotel to watch the rest of the game.  It was fun to be able to watch the game and try a new restaurant.

Michelle & Tony Trip: Day 3: Coast Guard Base - Swimmer School

After seeing all the airplanes and helicopters we went to see the swimmer school.  Even though I had already seen it in May I was still super excited to see it again, and so was Tony (for the first time).
We got to see the regular classrooms, the classrooms where the learn to sew and work on the rubber rafts.  We also saw their gym with all the workout equipment inside and outside.
Then it was time to see the pool.
This time there were actually people in the pool doing different trainings with the instructor.  We got to watch them swim in the water with gear on and then their instructor turned on the wave machine and current maker and we saw them doing drills in the water.  Very cool stuff.
Gabe then turned on the waves and water sprayer and noise on the other side of the pool so that we could see the different conditions that they can make the pool for the trainees.  Once again it was super awesome!
After seeing that Gabe took us to the other building to show up his office where he gets to write up all the tests that the swimmers have to take to advance their rank.  It's not his favorite room because it has no windows and he is stuck in their often.  But it was a cool room.
After seeing all the sweet swim school stuff we then stopped at the Coast Guard store.  I really wanted to buy some more Coast Guard shirts for me and the kids.  I even bought a cute purse that Wendy talked me into buying.  It is cute and she bought one too so we are twinners.
That was the end of our sweet tour of the Coast Guard base in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.  Such an awesome experience to be around so much military awesomeness.  Makes me so proud to be an American and to have such a super cool brother-in-law.
We stopped at a really cute store that is more like a farmer's market.  They had tons of different foods for sale and a lot that you could sample.  They had jelly's, salsas, mustard's, ciders, nuts, etc. It was really fun and I wish we had a place like that here.
After that we went back to Wendy's.  Her ear was really hurting her so she wanted to go into the urgent care to see if it was infected.  While she did that Tony and I went and checked into our hotel.

After that we went back to Wendy's house and went with Gabe to drop off Benje and the YMCA for "Parents Night Out".  Then we picked up Jacob from band practice before going back to Wendy's.
It didn't take Wendy too long at the doctor and came back with a fungus infection in her ear.  So we then all went out to dinner at a yummy Mexican restaurant.  The food was good and the company was better.
After that fun day we went back to the hotel for some good sleep.  What a great day with our family!