Then Came October

The Disneyland trip came and went and we were headed into October. For quite a few months (more like a year), my Sister, Barbie, and I had talked about flying back to Maryland to see her daughter (my niece), Nicole. The only problem was neither of us like to fly. Barbie has flown a few times back there, so she knew what it was like, but me? Heck no!! I couldn't imagine flying in an airplane that long and surviving, but I did. Barely. Have you ever flown in to Washington D.C.? No?!?! Well, let me tell you, if you fly in there at night, there's bound to be a thunder and lightning storm and because the airport is so dang busy, you circle forever waiting to land. We did survive the storm but not without the plane dropping from the storm. I was sure we were plunging to our death. The worst part was, Barbie and I were in the very back two seats on the plane, so we felt everything!!

The girls in front of the Peep store.

We stayed at this cute place but I can't remember the name of it.

The East Coast is beautiful. The leaves were changing and everywhere you look, it's rolling hills and trees. We spent a wonderful day walking around Washington D.C. while we were there and I left there feeling very patriotic and proud to be an American. Unless you have a chance to visit some of the memorials there, you can't comprehend what our forefathers and many, many people did and gave their lives for so that we could have our freedom. It was wonderful and at times, very spiritual.

Jefferson Memorial.

Nicole and I in front of the Washington Monument.

Roosevelt Memorial.

They were dedicating Martin Luther King, Jr.'s memorial the day we were there.

Jonas and Barbie at the fountain at the WW II Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial. He is HUGE!

The Vietnam Memorial (I think). Very sad.

Sissy (Barbie) and I shared an air mattress and that was an adventure all in itself. She would get cold at night and snuggle up to me and one time I woke up with her arm in my butt crack. She supposedly has stories about me, too, but I think she's making them up. We did a lot of giggling in the middle of the night. A LOT!! I have the ability, some may even call it a talent, to imitate our parents (Hi, Mom and Dad!). If you don't know them or haven't lived with them, you probably wouldn't think it was funny, but I had Barbie rolling. Wonderful memories.

The highlight of the trip for me (other than surviving the plane ride both ways) was visiting the Amish County in Pennsylvania. I am infactuated with these people and their lifestyle. I think times have changed for them, though, because they live in the biggest, most beautiful homes I've ever seen. They still don't have electricity and they drive their buggies instead of cars. It was fascinating to step into their world for a while.

An Amish Boy pulling farm equipment.

The Amish buggy.

One of the Amish market's we visited.

An Amish home. See what I mean?

I so enjoyed Devin and Nicole's kids, Jonas and Alyvia. They are the cutest kids I've ever seen!! Jonas is getting so big and is in preschool now. He is such a good big brother to Alyvia. Miss Alyvia is somewhat of a firecracker. I called her "Emphysema Baby" while we were there because when she would try to talk to you in her language, she sounded like a 90-year-old woman who had smoked her whole life. I loved it!! She was just getting ready to crawl while we were there and we put lipgloss on her every chance we got because she needs to be a diva!

"Emphysema Baby"

Nicole and Jonas sitting on swing in Amish Country.

I was so glad Barbie and I followed through with our "big plans". It was wonderful to see where Devin and Nicole live and to see another part of the country.

The Washington D.C. temple.