Running around chasing my tail isn’t my favorite way to go about things. Whooosh, it’s the middle of July already- good grief. I’m not a person who takes joy in busy-ness- I don’t mind getting things done, but they better have a purpose and get to a point where I can find enjoyment- I’ve never been about filling up all available hours. So being busy… yeah, I’m over it.
I’m painting again. For the first time since we moved, I set up my easel. I’m not going to show you what I’m working on yet- it’s for a former bishop and dear friend, and I don’t want him to see it… but here’s the set-up. The kids were enchanted when I got it all out. I didn’t realize how much they like that part of their mama.
Abby has discovered Pinterest. She spends as much time as she can weasel pouring over the science boards, and follows me around telling me about whatever mineral has captured her imagination. She can’t decide if she likes Rhodochrosite or Tourmaline with minor Albite better. I’m pleased to report I actually do have a clue what she’s talking about. That may not always be so.
For the 4th, we kept it pretty low-key. A friend of mine was in town from Idaho, and she invited us to join her and her kids on the steps of Lincoln for the Capitol fireworks, but as a now-local, I just couldn’t bring myself to go near the Mall on a holiday. I know, I’m a wimp. Instead, we just headed to our little downtown, threw a blanket on the grass, and enjoyed a quite-nice and uncrowded show just the same. Way more my speed. I hope my children someday forgive me for depriving them.
Speaking of my friend who was in-town for a visit, it was fantastic spending time with her. She had a little blog you might have heard of- Feminist Mormon Housewives? Yeah. They who started the whole Scholarship fund, honored me, saved my biscuits, and will be helping single-moms every year heading back to school in perpetuity. I’ve seriously been graced to know some pretty amazing people. We held a small luncheon for local friends at Cafe Rio. How Mormon are we?
Please ignore the fact that my hair is taking over the world. Virginia summer humidity is not kind to my vanity- but I’m so happy about this picture and the amazing women I got to hang out with and meet, that I’m willing to pocket my pride and say, “Yay!” I love this community, hair-mess be damned. In this photo is the founder of one of the biggest Mormon websites out there, the founder of a social activism movement you’ve certainly heard of, two senate staffers, various other amazing women, and me. I’m humming that Sesame Street song… you know the one…
Dandelion Mama 
I have braved the fireworks on the National Mall once, back in 2009. My in-laws watched my kids so I could go with my own Mom, sister visiting from New York, and husband. The fireworks were great. And then it took us over an hour of standing in a packed crowd trying to get onto the Metro. My New Yorker sister nearly had a nervous breakdown. It was pretty awful. But Craig and I kept grinning at each other and saying, “At least we’re not trying to do this with strollers!”
Finally on the subway ride back I started to feel woozy from so much standing (I was 5 months pregnant) and asked some young man for his seat, which he very nicely gave up for me.
It was a lot of fun and pretty awful all at the same time. I can’t imagine that we will EVER bother doing it again. Unless someone is paying for us to stay in a hotel right close by!
Alanna, yeah, the idea of taking Bean into a crowd like that is enough to make me think three times and then again. A hotel is a good idea, and probably the only sane way to do it if you wanted to be right downtown.
When I was in high school my family moved out to Southern Maryland for a while. Our first year there my mom decided that we really needed to watch the fireworks at the Mall. It was hot, crowded, and getting home on the Metro was a nightmare. But, the worst/most interesting part of the evening was when a very drunk woman near us on the Mall decided to relieve herself (yes in the middle of the crowd), lifted up her skirt and revealed that she was not actually anatomically a woman, and proceeded to pee all over. None of my siblings have ever wanted to go to the Mall for fireworks since then, but surprisingly my mom has been back.
OH EGAD, Jessie! How horrible!!
Love, love, love you and your random catch ups…
Happy mail on its way!
Love you!
Got your card yesterday- thank you! Love you back.
That wasn’t the happy mail – more is coming! 🙂
The best way to see the fireworks on the mall is to sit on the river bank in Arlington and watch from there. They are reflected in the water and the wait to get on the metro is minimal compared to the hour plus on the mall. We’ve done it both ways and will never go back to the mall.
That’s a great idea, AnnE! Maybe next year we’ll give it a try.
I was in DC in May and thought about inviting you to poke around in museums, but succumbed to introversion. Speaking of museums and minerals, I was in the Museum of Natural History in NYC just before the DC trip, and was blown away by their minerals exhibit. Giant museum-size rooms full of mineral specimens and gemstones. Likely rivaled by the DC counterpart on the mall (the Hope diamond!), which we walked by both days we were there on our way the the National Gallery and the Hirshhorn. And since it belongs to us taxpayers, it’s free, unlike the expensive NYC institutions. The only better field trip I can imagine on Abby’s behalf would be a lapidary shop.
Have a great summer!
Awww, sometimes introversion is a drag. You should have emailed me- I’d have loved to meet you!
I didn’t even think about a lapidary shop- what a great idea!
ditto for all the comments on trying to watch on the mall- we’ve given up on it and we live a leisurely 20 minute stroll away. We can get away with peering around the side of the Capitol. 2002 was the first year they set up security- prior to that it was much easier- but as someone already pointed out, more of a drunk fest than it is now.