'Business' trip to Baltimore

This last weekend, Dallas and I took a trip to Baltimore. Just like our last fun trip I tagged along on a business trip. It is quite convenient!! Dallas's work pays for the hotel, rental car, and a certain amount of food!! The only thing we have to really pay for is entertainment and my plane ticket. He even gets paid while he's there so most of that stuff ends up being paid for anyway.

Here's some fun Pics...

Dallas and I arriving in Baltimore, picking up the rental car!!

On the way to the hotel we got really lost. A trip that normally takes less than 10 minutes took us over an hour. I was supposed to be navigating and Dallas was driving. We thought it was my fault the whole time. Of course the next day we discovered it was actually Dallas's fault the whole time! (These are very important distinctions) It was actually a really fun diversion. We drove through some of the prettiest country. I absolutely loved the trees. At one point we passed under a one car bridge so we stopped. We got out and took pictures because it was really pretty. Funny we were supposed to be on a freeway????

Dallas and I decided to try this Brazilian Steakhouse that we found. It was actually really cool. They had a salad bar that you could visit as many times as you wanted. When you were ready for meat you flipped over this little card on your table. Then about 10-15 guys would rush your table with big slabs of meat on these sword like pokers and ask if you wanted this or that. They had steak, sirloin, bottom sirloin (my favorite), filet mignon, prime rib, chicken, sausage, and a whole lot more. You could have as much as you wanted. It was actually really really really good. It was also very very very expensive. It is the most expensive place I have ever ate or probably will ever eat. You know your in trouble when there are no prices on anything.

These are some things I found that were humerous to me.

This is a 'parking meter'. It says, "It's okay to say No to panhandlers, and Yes to helping homeless people." So it has a place for you to put your change!!


This is a life preserver, hilarious. They have these all around the inner harbor. They are in glass!! To save someone who has fallen in you just have to break the glass and throw it in. Kinda like a fire extinguisher!! (On a side note, they also have fire hydrants 10 feet from the water?? Like you don't have enough water right there or something, you've got to bring it in from somewhere else?)

We visited the National Aquarium of Baltimore. It was actually quite cool. There were lots of big sting rays, sharks, and fish. I mean lots I didn't think we were ever going to be done looking at fish. Don't get me wrong, they are pretty cool, but enough is enough. My feet were killing me by the time we got through the whole thing.

Dallas had a little 'accident' when we were wondering through the 'rainforest.' This little bird above gave Dallas a nice little turd right on his shoulder. It was pretty gross!!! You can't see it very well in this picture but it was green and yucky!
(do you see a similarity?)

Saturday, our last day in Baltimore, it rained. Luckily we slept in and didn't have to run around in the rain very much. When it stopped raining we walked a couple blocks down to the Baltimore Washington Monument. It is pretty much just a really tall tower with a statue of George Washington at the top. You can climb up the winding 250 something step staircase to the top. Here are pictures of us in the dark stairway. The first picture is a view of Baltimore from the top of the tower.

UPDATE

We went to Show Low on Thursday and it snowed. I could not believe it!!! It is almost the end of May and I got snowed on. The only thing I took to Show Low was shorts! This is Jason and Dallas painting our "study"!! We had a lot of fun. It only took 3 trips to Walmart and 8 cans of paint. We 'finished' around 3 am. There is still a lot of painting to do, but at least all the big stuff got done before we moved in the next day.

Thanks so much to all my family and Dallas's family for helping us move. It was a lot of work and there is no way we could have done it without your help!!
Dallas and I got Caleb back Monday and Tuesday (Yeay!)
He found my closet and started running around in it.
Isn't he so dang cute???


He thought my belts were really fun to play hide and seek in!!

We started playing tickle bug and he thought the hat added a little bit extra.

soooooooooooooo cute!

Kyson is home!!! Here he is wire free and sleeping!!

Andrea and Jared finally home with precious Kyson!!

I am so thankfully for the time that I got to spend with Caleb these last few weeks. He is such a happy boy. His laugh is contagious. I love to look back at the few shots we got of him and remember all his smiles. Although he missed his mom and dad. I am so happy that he gets to be home with them and little baby Kyson for awhile.

We are now pseudo official homeowners!!

We signed papers this morning, a day early!!! We won't actually 'own' the home until tomorrow when it is recorded somewhere. ****So exciting****

Here's a tour through our house!!

When you walk in the front door, to your right is the stairs..

and to the left is our little kitchen...

Our front room and dining room (It's actually pretty big!)

Upstairs are the two bedrooms!!

This will be the study room:(

This is going to be our bedroom!!

Don't be jealous but there are two walk in closets!! Dallas gets one and I get one:)

Today Dallas and I spent the day with my little nephew Caleb, while Andrea and Jared spent the day with his little brother Kyson. (Kyson was taken to the hospital today for low oxygen and it was discovered that he has a heart defect. Andrea and Jared .)
Caleb is such a fun, easy going little boy!! I love his smiles and laughter which filled my day. I can't imagine how much his parents must be missing him. I was so thankful to have him with me today. After Andrea and Jared got 'settled' in at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Dallas and I stopped by with Caleb and visited Kyson. Caleb was absolutely wonderful. He laughed almost the entire time he was there. I was sure when it was time to leave, Caleb would throw a fit having to leave his Mom and Dad behind. Thankfully, like he knew what was going on, he gave them hugs, kisses and waved goodbye. That is amazing for a 2 year old. I was so thankful.
The cutest part was when we kneeled down to pray before it was time to go to bed. He folded his arms and bowed his head (almost the whole time.) It was an extra long prayer as we prayed for his little brother and he still stayed perfectly silent (only peeking every once in awhile). I was so impressed. What wonderful parents he has who have taught him at 22 months to pray.

We are all praying for little precious Kyson who will be going to surgery tomorrow morning. He is so little, it breaks my heart to think of the pain he may have to go through. I know the Lord is watching out for him and that the surgeon's hands will be guided by the Lord.

WE LOVE YOU!!

JUST FUN PICTURES

Christy's graduation!!

Christy and Zack

All the girls at Kyson's Blessing

(With Caleb and Kyson, ofcourse)

We had a hard time figuring out what boys to get in this picture. First we had Jason, Stephen, Kyson and Caleb. Then Jared popped in. Then we realized it couldn't be a family "boy" picture without Dallas. Then we realized that Zack will 'probably' be in the family soon so we should add him to the Picture. So below is the final result!!!

I just realized there are now more boys in our family than girls!! I didn't ever think that would happen. (Not including my Parents). We have 6 girls and will soon have 7 boys!!! We have been a family full of girls for so long it's kind of a funny!!??!

I have been terrible at updating our blog. Stuff has been happening(I've even taken pictures). I just haven't found the time to update.

Today Dallas and I went through our house for the last walk through before we sign papers NEXT WEDNESDAY!!

Everything is coming up soon and all of the sudden I feel like my days are speeding by. School starts 24 days from today which is a little more than 3 weeks!!

Caleb came with us to walk through our house. Dallas brought the tape measure to start measuring things and Caleb thought it was fun to pull it out then watch it snap back into the case.