Sometimes an ending is a perfect way to have a beautiful beginning...

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Trip

Hello Peeps! Hope this finds you all well, getting ready for Christmas (yep, Christmas, not 'holidays' as the reason for the season is Jesus Christ) and you are staying warm and happy. We are well, happy, warm and excited about this time of year! We love Christmastime! We've had a very cold front come through... it's 35 right now at 12:05 pm and I've got the fireplace going, the doggies inside, a cup of hot tea and I'm sitting here finishing up some shopping. Join me, won't you?
After a few hectic weeks of holiday in Lake Tahoe (a blast and good to get away) and then off to take our oldest, Bug to Pennsylvania and then on to DC for her White House party (with Thanksgiving in the middle of it all) we are home basking in the memories! Bug and I flew to Philadelphia on Saturday the 28th of November to spend some time with my in-laws at their farmhouse in the Lehigh Valley. We ate at their quaint pizza parlor on Saturday night then headed 'home' to get into jammies and be by the fire with Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on tv. The new one, not the psychadelic version with Gene Wilder, that one just makes you think of the '60s. Anywho, we then went up to bed, Bug and I sleeping in the attic bedroom nestled in the treetops in our queen sized bed. It's even more beautiful than I can describe, even in the winter. There's a view of the stream that flows through their property with woods in the distance, just yards away. On Sunday morning we got up and went to a sweet town in New Jersey, Frenchville. It's about 40 minutes away through the country and over the Delaware river... 'to Grandmother's house we go...' I know it all sounds like a song or a storybook! We had breakfast there then headed 'home' so Bug could go for hike in the woods with her Grandpa and her uncle (who was visiting also). They played all day! My mother-in-law and I went shopping!!!!! They have some of the best shops back there! We put a turkey in the oven for a bit of a Thanksgiving dinner with them and then crashed after our busy day. On Monday we got up and headed out for Washington DC, about 4 hours from the Lehigh Valley. It rained the entire day but we were still excited. We got to our hotel, Hotel Lombardy on, coincidently, Pennsylvania Avenue and then headed to Georgetown for dinner. We had a wonderful French meal at a sort-of posh restaurant. Wine and dessert as well. Yum. On Tuesday Bug and I headed out early to see some sights since we needed to be back in the late afternoon to get her ready for the White House that night. Now, Bug has been to DC before and seen all the sights so I wanted to show her something different. We went to the Smithsonian Museum of American History. We had such a great time there! We saw so many great American artifacts and learned so much. We saw the Star Spangled banner flag that our national anthem was written about, dresses of the First Ladies, the desk of Thomas Jefferson's he used to write the declaration on, the ruby slippers used in Wizard of Oz, historic items from all the wars we've fought in, and an exhibit on the struggles slaves had before being freed, just as a sampling! We ate lunch there and then went back to get Bug ready for her big night. She looked absolutly beautiful in a tailored red and black dress with matching coat, her long brown hair was all curled with a black bow to one side. I even put a bit of blush on with some mascara (shh, don't tell Daddy). I was even surprised by how mature she looked (she looked her age, but mature. I'm opposed to girls trying to look older than they are.) My in-laws looked stunning as well. We caught a cab and were off. I went with them so I could take more photos while they waited to get in. We saw Marine 1 fly in and out of the White House while waiting, taking the President to Westpoint where he spoke that night. Bug got to see all of the White House but the private quarters, of course. She got to see all the decorations, all the paintings, all the history! They had wonderful food and desserts and a wonderful time! Afterwards, Grandma and Grandpa took her across the street to a very beautiful hotel for a Shirley Temple! What an evening!
What did I do you ask? You must've been bored. Were you jealous? These are all questions I've had since then. Well, I was NOT the least bit jealous! I was so excited for her! I was just pleased as punch that our daughter got to go invited to the White House! As for what I did... oh, my, I had the best night all by myself!!!!! Don't forget, I have a very active 18-month-old at home! I took a cab back to Georgetown to grab a bit of dinner from Dean and Deluca then back to the hotel, to the quiet of my room I went. I ate. No one needed me. No one screamed for more or to be let down. I took a hot bath. No one asked where anything was. No one needed me to hurry. No one needed help with homework. I put on flannel jammies. No one complained that I had on flannel! I climbed into bed. No one needed help getting up too. I read. I didn't read about a Hungry Caterpillar. I read magazines. I read the Washington Post. I had tea. No one needed a bottle. No one wanted hot chocolate. I encouraged my daughter to stay out later with her grandparents at the nice hotel bar! At the end of my night, I had my batteries recharged. And I missed everyone.
We headed home the next day, slept on the plane and relished every little memory. So, to my wonderful husband who encouraged and provided for us to go, thank you. To my wonderful parents who jumped in to help care for Buglette while we were gone, thank you. To my wonderful Grandma who also jumped in to help care for Buglette, thank you! You all did much more than care for her, you loved her, you cooked and cleaned for my hubby and you helped me have peace while I was away. To my in-laws, thank you for inviting Bug to go with you and for welcoming us so warmly like you always do. Thank you everyone for making this trip happen for Bug. We are so grateful.

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