Hot, Hot, Hot

School might not be out yet, but it is hot enough to be the middle of summer. Of course we scheduled a hike and campfire for the cub scouts on the hottest day of the year so far--only 99 degrees.

After this excursion through the woods, I had my first tick. Yikes! Ticks are a big deal in Virginia, and it creeped me out.

Memorial Day

After swimming at the pool, we came home to find Doug had resurrected this pool. We haven't seen it since our Long Beach days, and the kids were thrilled. They did get in it, but when I found my camera, they were done swimming.

We had a BBQ and played at our park with friends.

It was a HOT Memorial Day, so the water balloons were a big hit.

First Sign of Summer

The pools in our town opened on Saturday, and you can bet we were there. We know it won't be long now before SUMMER!

These Days

I guess I could get out the Pak-n-Play these days so Hope can enjoy outside as much as the rest of us, but when you're the fifth child, an old diapers box works just as well.

The boys run inside to do their homework, and then I can't drag them in again until bedtime. It's the perfect weather, and I know the heat is coming so we are taking advantage of these days.

These days Hope just gets cuter and cuter.

We Have an Official Webelo

Tonight at Pack Meeting

Spencer did the flag ceremony...

and earned his Webelos Badge.

Way to go, Spencer. On to his Arrow of Light.

More Tricks

This week Hope learned how to clap her hands and say "da-da." She is still a show stopper; everywhere she goes people comment on what a cute baby she is. This girl gets the award for the best baby in the world.

This Girl is Trouble

Aahh, two-year-olds. If she wasn't so cute I could really put her out with the garbage sometimes. She LOVES to make messes. I'm blaming the two-year-old for the state of our house most days.

And lately she LOVES tormenting her little sister. She has been known to pick up Hope by the neck, sit on her and yell, "Giddy up!" and constantly have her hands all over Hope's face and head. This is deja vu with Spencer and James all over again.

Dinner is Saved

I bet you have never heard of the Food Nanny. Am I right? Well, around our house Food Nanny is one more show on our DVR that we watch at night when the kids are asleep. I love her. She has crazy amounts of energy and travels around (mostly Utah) meeting families for her show on BYU-TV and saving families one dinner at a time. When I heard she was speaking at our stake center tonight, I had to go. It was so much fun to meet her and let her know that I'm probably her biggest fan in Virginia. She has great ideas, and if you want to learn more click here.

Great Urban Race

With my young family, I don't know if I will ever get the chance to apply to be on The Amazing Race, so today I did the next best thing, the Great Urban Race. Three of my friends agreed to do this with me, and what a fun race we ran! Corinne, Stacy, Kara and I made up Team Trophy Wives.

We got our envelope of clues and we were off. Disclaimer: the day was very misty with sprinklings of rain here and there that turned my hair into a mess. I didn't look like this when I left home.

We had to get twelve different clues to finish the race. Only one clue told us exactly where to go..

and that was Ford's Theater where we had to throw pennies in a black top hat.

Thanks to Kara's Ipad and our good friend Google we were able to figure out the rest of the clues.

After the Ford's Theater we went to the National Portrait Gallery to take a picture with this work of art.

On to a bar to solve a puzzle.

While waiting for the Indian restaurant to let us in for our clue, we had to wave at a tour bus,

and honk a stranger's car horn.

Stacy and Kara had to try three different dips at the Indian restaurant and tell which was hot, medium and mild.

I didn't know policemen wore kilts and played the bagpipes, but it must have been the bagpipe playing police convention today or something since we saw them all over town.

We had to take a picture with a street sign with double letters in the name-Connecticut Ave.

At another bar we had to score points in shuffle board.

That was the hardest task.

At another bar we had to solve a math problem with players' jersey numbers who played for DC United.

We had to deliver a birthday card to the Starlight Foundation and meet Mr. Starlight himself. Not sure who the army guy is, but he couldn't resist being in a picture with the Trophy Wives.

I think we know almost every bar in DC now. At the last bar we had to belt out singing "I Will Survive." Who else would let all these people in their business in the middle of the day?

Kara and I had to do five different Yoga poses with the instructor at the Yoga school. Good thing our costume consisted of yoga pants.

And then it was a dash to the finish line! Thank you girls. It was the most fun I've ever had in a race around DC. Until next year...

If you want in on this fun adventure around your city, click here and see if it is coming your way.