Washington, D.C. - Day 1

Let's go back to May 8.  Kaylyn and I took a little trip to Washington, D.C. for her class trip. We had fun, but it's an EXHAUSTING trip to say the least.  You are sleep deprived, and forced to walk about 83 miles per day, oh and lets not forget you are there with 95 five pre-teen, 5th and 6th grade children, who don't have any sense.  I kid, I kid (sort of)  It really was a good trip, just tiring.

 We left the school at 3a.m. --yes, you read that right--that's 3 o'clock in THE MORNING to load the bus to head the the Birmingham airport to board for our 6 am flight to Baltimore.

My friend Sharman (Kaylyn's BFF Shaylan's Mom) and I on the bus headed to the airport: 3am photo shoot.  Don't we look chipper

 Waiting at the airport for Southwest to open.  Yep we were EARLY!

Kaylyn, Bella, Shayln, and Isabella (Izzy)

 First stop:  Mount Vernon: George Washington's Home.  FYI - The lady with the umbrella is Dottie our tour guide.

 Back of Mount Vernon Mansion

 Gardens

 These are sheep not goats on the plantation

 Down at the wharf

 

 George and Martha Washington's Tomb

 Overlooking the Potomac River from the front porch of the mansion

 Next Stop: Ford's Theatre

 The balcony where Abe Lincoln was shot

 The bed where Lincoln died

 All the books written about Lincoln

 Next stop: International Spy Museum for a little lesson on espionage.  Probably would have been more interesting if I hadn't been having to use toothpicks to hold my eyelids open....

 Resting outside the spy museum waiting

 Next stop: Hard Rock Cafe for dinner

 Next stop MLK and FDR monuments

 Washington Monument.

 FDR Monument

 Kaylyn, Izzy, and Pop

FINALLY the end of Day 1!! 18 hours after we met at the school, we checked into our hotel to SLEEP!

Attacked by a Crazy Giant Bird and a Lost Tooth

For this post we go back to April 29....

....What the heck is the above picture you ask?  Well, that's the remains of the crazy, giant bird that decided to attack my car as I was driving along one Sunday Morning.  Yes, I am completely serious.  I was driving along, minding my own business, when all of the sudden, this giant hawk came, literally, swooping from the clouds and smashed into my car and then exploded (the poor car behind me got sprayed with bird guts and feathers)!  I think the sun's reflection from my ring caught his eye and he mistakenly thought it was a tasty meal for him.  Anyway, it was his last thought...I now have a nice dent in the door of my car, he hit so hard, and the pic above is what I believe to be his wing which was caught on the window.  Seriously, I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried folks....



After my eventful morning of my own version of Angry Birds, Luke had an evenful afternoon of his own.  He lost his first tooth!  It's about time!  The boy is almost 8 years old.  I was beginning to think he was going to graduate high school with his baby teeth!  He as so proud and of course the tooth fairy came to visit that night,

So, I Need To Catch Up....

Yes, I'm definitely behind.  So much so, blogger has changed since my last login!  (and I'm not sure I like...)  There's lot's to catch up on.  If you're on facebook, you see what's been happening in the Chilton household, but I just haven't had time to get it on the old blog. I know, I know....I have no excuses.

There has been another dance competition, Luke has FINALLY lost his first tooth, my car has been attacked by a giant bird, Kaylyn and I have made a trip to Washington, D.C., and the school year has ended since my last update.  So, lots to catch up on!

Thunderstruck Competition

Let's go waaayyy back to the weekend of April 21. Kaylyn had her second dance competition at the Alabama theatre.

The team waiting to take the stage.  The jazz team did well and received a "gold ranking."

Kaylyn and Gracie

Having fun between dances

The team's tap dance did really well at this competition and brought home a "high gold ranking," and a 1st overall ranking.  But the big award was an "Excellent in Tap" award which meant we had the BEST tap dance for the ENTIRE DAY!!  Pretty exciting for our girls!!