America Week

At the beginning of the week I was still getting over the plague, but I was mostly better when my family FINALLY CAME TO VISIT ME!!! They flew in on Wednesday night, and I can't even describe how excited I was to see them. I had been talking about it for weeks! I really missed them.

Daily report of their trip to D.C., and my favorite 4th of July ever.

Quick explanation: The 4th of July is my favorite holiday. I have kind of forgotten that fact the last couple of years, but seriously, I used to be obsessed. I would get completely decked out in red, white, and blue. I literally prepared for the holiday for days before hand. I have purchased and worn a flag tee from Old Navy every year since 2000 (except this one. I already cried a tear about that.). I have a festive backpack, visor, flip flops, nail polishes, shorts, pajamas, the works. And I LOVE fireworks. I love it when they are huge and it looks like they are falling on you. And I love America. I am very patriotic. In fact, the whole time my family was here- especially on the 4th- Stephanie often was like, "Well, we should do whatever Audrey wants to do. It's the 4th of July. That's practically Audrey day. It's like her birthday." Because, it kind of is! I love it.

Wednesday: I picked them up at the airport, taught everyone how to use the metro (seriously, guys, it didn't have to be that complicated), and we found our way to the hotel. I should have scoped out the area before they got there, because I wasn't sure exactly where it was, I just knew the general direction. It was a lot more walking than everyone had anticipated, and I think my mom wished we would have just taken a taxi. I kind of agree. But the walking was good for them, and they got to see the neighborhood. They stayed between Dupont Circle and McPherson Square, an excellent neighborhood. McPherson is really close to the White House, so they got lucky! And there are a lot of restaurants near Dupont. After dropping their bags off, we went to find a place to eat. It was getting late, so that was actually kind of difficult. We ended up eating in the hotel restaurant, which wasn't too bad, and then I took a taxi home to Foggy Bottom.

Thursday: The fam came to the Museum That Will Not Be Named! They came down to the Archives Center, where I work, around noon, and I gave them a little tour. It was amazing to finally be able to show them exactly what I do all day every day. And they got to meet all my work friends! I loved it.

And then, I got off work 4:30, and we looked at some of my favorite exhibits in the museum, namely, the Star-Spangled Banner, the Scurlock Studios exhibit (which is what I'm working on), and the Lincoln exhibit on the 3rd floor.

After the museum, we headed to Georgetown. This is what I had been most excited to show them. We stopped at the Barlow Center so I could change out of my work clothes, so they got to see where I live! I think that made my mom feel better about me living in the city, because she finally got to see how safe it actually is. Next stop: Dinner in G-town. They loved it. We ate at Chipotle, not really a local hotspot, but it was good. And then shopping! Georgetown is so great because it is SO cute and quaint and charming and high class, but also because it has amazing food, ice cream places, and excellent shopping! We ended up only having time for H&M (because my family moves slow and it's hard to get everyone moving in the same direction all the time), but that's okay. It was starting to rain and get dark, but before leaving, I convinced everyone that they HAD to walk down to the waterfront to see the river and all the sites from there. We have a good view of Arlington, the Kennedy Center, and Watergate from the waterfront park down Wisconsin Ave in G-town. I love it down there. Me and my Washington friends go and sit by the water probably twice a week, and I had to do it with my family too!

Friday: I don't have work on Fridays, so I got to be with my family all day!! We got up early and met at the metro stop at Arlington National Cemetery. We started there, and it was a long day of walking. After Arlington, which I love, we walked across the bridge back in to D.C., and around the Tidal Basin to go to the FDR and Jefferson (my favorite) memorials, and then back up to the Washington Monument, my museum, and my favorite place to eat near Federal Triangle: Potbellys. It's hard to explain this massive distance, but just take my word for it that it is far (I actually calculated it to be 4.69 miles). But we ate at Potbellys!!! It's my all-time fave recently. I always get a smoked ham sandwich and banana oreo shake (I can't describe how amazing those shakes are. They are literally the best shakes I have ever had. And the oreo banana is breathtakingly delicious). After Potbellys, we walked back down to the Old Post Office Pavilion on 14th and Pennsylvania to go up in the tower so we could see the city. The Old Post Office Tower is the next tallest building in D.C. besides the Washington Monument, so it provides a really good view, and you don't have to bother getting up early to get tickets! A perfect alternative to the real thing. After spending some time in the tower, we walked up Pennsylvania to the White House, and then split ways. Stephanie, my Dad, and Moriah, went back to the hotel, but Elise, my Mom, and me went to the Capitol for the 4th of July concert dress rehearsal!!
We got up to the Capitol lawn and found my friends. They saved a little spot for us. So guess who performed at the concert??!!! Barry Manilow (Elise and my mom are Fanilows!), Aretha Franklin, Natasha Bedingfield (who isn't even American. How weird), Elmo, Oscar, Cookie Monster, Rosita, Big Bird, the Jersey Boys (they were TOTALLY the best part!!! I want to be a fan now), and the National Symphony or something like that. It was SO GREAT!! I was sitting behind this speaker thing, so I could only see about 1/4 of the stage-- but it was totally worth it. My Mommy and Elise left a little bit before it was over because it was getting dark and they still had to figure out how to get back to their hotel. So, I just stayed with my friends and partied with them after.

Saturday: I am a slave driver, I made my family get up and meet me at 9:30 at the Eastern Market!! We got in line for breakfast, which is in my top 5 favorite things about D.C., and waited for like 1 1/2 hours for our food. My Dad was grumbling a bit, but I convinced everyone that the food was well worth the wait. I was starving and nearly fainting by the time I got my french toast with pecans on it, but it was so amazing, that I don't rememeber being miserable anymore. The Market was really busy that morning, but we got our fill of the flea market, the fruit and vegetable stands, and everything. I love that place. I think they really liked it too-- that's what is important.

And then, me, Dad, and Moriah, went to the Nationals game. We were playing the Braves. By the way, the Nats are my team. I love them. Even though they have like the worst record in the MLB. But they have a really nice stadium, I can get in to a game for $10, their colors are red, white, and blue, they have in-between inning races between dressed-up giant-headed presidents, I love baseball, they are the National team, and they are from D.C. What more could you possibly ask for in a baseball team??? (Besides a winning record...) And, surprise, surprise, WE WON!! But, I guess, that shouldn't be too shocking, because it was the 4th of July! But it was a lot of fun. I'm glad I got to spend that time with my Dad and my sugar doll, Moriah.

See the giant headed presidents??!! They are awesome!!!

We met up with Mom, Elise, and Moriah after the game and walked up to the Library of Congress, which was closed. And this is where we split ways. They all wanted to go back to their hotel and watch the fireworks from their roof while they sat in the pool. That sounded like a lot of fun... but I REALLY wanted to hang out on the Mall and watch the fireworks from there. Seriously, I didn't want to miss that opportunity. And although I was kind of sad about ditching my family, I'm really glad that I did! I found my friends- they were sitting between the World War 2 Memorial and Washington Monument kind of by a stage where an orchestra was playing. It was perfect. We sat and played cards- go fish, scum, spit, and frustration. The weather was perfect, the setting was amazing, and the company was wonderful! The fireworks started around 9, and they were literally the best fireworks I have ever seen!! We laid on the blanket and watched the fireworks shoot up and fall on top of us-- they were huge and beautiful and shocking and loud and amazing. And the whole time, among other things, I was thinking about a career change. I am sorely tempted to become a firework show designer. How fun would that be? It would be a dream. Afterward, I told Cameron about my new ambition. He was like, "I thought about that too!! Except, I want to invent and make new fireworks. Study the physics." And so we came to an agreement. He will make the fireworks, and I will design the fantastic shows.

This one was during the finale. My camera couldn't handle the amazingness.

After the fireworks, we walked with the masses of 4th of Julyers home. The minute we stepped into the Barlow Center, though, Tyson convinced everyone that going to Thomas Sweet in Georgetown for frozen yogurt was the best idea ever. So, we went. We got some frozen yogurt, and finished the night at the water front, looking out over the river and the city. So gorgeous and so perfect.

It was an amazing fourth of July: my favorite breakfast ever to begin the day, a Nationals game (what's more American than baseball?!), and fireworks on the lawn of our nation's capitol? It was fantastic. I can't even describe it. Laying there and watching the fireworks was breathtaking.

Also, another huge event occurred that night-- something that will change my life forever. But we'll get to that in another post. I want it to be noted and significant.

Sunday:

I rode the bus and met my family at the Friendship Heights metro station to walk to church. It was a traditionally long testimony meeting, and we sat in the overflow, which is full every Sunday. My ward is enormous. My family was amazed.

My family is so dang cute I can't even stand it.

We spent the afternoon on the Mall, finally walking around the WW2, Lincoln, Korean War, and Vietnam War Memorials. I could do that everyday, and it wouldn't get old. I just love being on the National Mall. That night, after dinner, we rode the metro out to the Pentagon. My last request was for my family to see the September 11th Memorial. It's one of my favorites. And then I went home and went to bed.

Monday: The fam did stuff all day until their flight, but I had to work, so I just saw them at lunch. They got picnic stuff and we ate outside You Know What Museum on the grass. That is my favorite kind of lunch- outside in perfect weather with my family eating simple, pure food.

We all accidentally matched on that last day. :) I guess that's what sisters do.

Sunday was my favorite day with my family because it was less stressful than the other ones. I wasn't as worried about making sure that everyone was happy and having a good time. That felt good. For some reason, being their tour guide was ster-ess-ful!! Every night when I got home I breathed a sigh of relief, and I was SO tired! It was hard.

The biggest frustration of the weekend, though is that my family was NOT used to walking a lot. They walked slow, they were tired, and their feet hurt. All of these complaints were perfectly normal. My feet hurt and I was tired too. BUT, somehow, I could still walk a faster speed. It was SO FRUSTRATING!! And Stephanie and Elise kept getting mad at me and saying, "Well if Audrey would stop riding that invisible scooter maybe we could keep up!" They could have kept up if they would have tried harder. I'm convinced of it. Every time we sat down somewhere and rested for a while, I would say, "Okay, I'm going to count to 5, and then we are going to stand up. So get ready." And then I would count, get to 5, and be the only one to stand up and walk away. GOSH FAMILY! I would get several feet away, turn around, and see them still sitting there looking all tired. Seriously. In the end, I find all of this very comical, but it was stressful and frustrating at the time. :)

The whole weekend, for me, was about doing things so that they would have a good trip. I was totally stressed about not seeing enough cool things. I wanted them to LOVE D.C. SO BAD!!! Because I love it so much. This city is pretty dear to my heart. I wanted them to understand why and love it too.

And I think they had a good time. It was an amazing weekend. I loved having them here. I LOVED being able to show them everything that I do and see everyday. It was a blast. I loved taking them around Georgetown, and walking around the monuments, showing them where I work, what I do all the time, teaching them how to work the metro, everything.

And also, it was the best 4th of July ever.