she gets kissed to death daily... I wonder why.....

My sister, Erin....

My sister, Erin, is graduating from high school in nine weeks. She is her class valedictorian and is pretty cool- (when she wants to be ) she is, after all, a little sister. She plans on attending college in Billings and wants to be a physician's assistant. Hard to believe I used to baby-sit her in the summer and played mean tricks on her! These are her senior pictures.....

Do you remember when you were graduating and it just couldn't come soon enough!! Oh, to be young again.... but looking back, I wouldn't change a thing!

My 100th Post! (and other random things)

Yes, that is right- I have been blogging now for a year and a half, and this is my 100th post! I don't think I have many loyal readers except Papa M! But, I know family and friends do check in from time to time.

Friday night was my grandma's 81st birthday. This is my mom's mom. My mom was originally one of 11 kids. But, about 10 years ago, my uncle was tragically taken from us. All of the surviving 10 kids do live in the Billings area. But, it is hard to get everyone together. But, on Friday night, they were all there. We also celebrated my little 2nd cousin's 4th Birthday!

Here is the birthday girl before opening her presents.And blowing out her candles.

Here is Colter having fun with his daddy.

"I wish it was my birthday, too"

My cousin Kendra and her daughter Carly

Lizzy and Colter

My gramma and Colter and Lizzy

My uncle Marty and Aunt Carla.... and the punkin... (she's not spoiled is she)

She fell asleep on my dad's lap....
And my dad was in love!

Colter helping out with the binky

The Edwards'. 10 kids and my gramma

More Lizzy......

We bought this little teddy bear for Lizzy when we were on vacation. The little hat says "Washington, D.C." She is teething at 12 weeks. You can see two little bottom teeth pushing through. So she uses it as a chew toy!

More of Washington, D.C.

We have been home for five days and we are still trying to get on Mountain Standard Time. I have been waking up at 5:30 AM every morning ready to go. We had a fantastic time and I don't think anyone can come back from from Washington, D.C. and not feel at least a little bit patriotic. I love my country and am so glad I live America and that so many men and women gave the ultimate sacrafice so I can worship freely, have free speech, and have so many rights. Thanks Dad for a great trip! We had a blast!

This is the escalator down to the subway stop near our hotel in Dupont Circle. It is the longest escalator in the world. (I think...am pretty sure that's what they said)

The beautiful Capitol Building. It is so majestic!

Here we are heading to the Capitol Building for a tour through our Senators' office.

This is my favorite picture, taken from the Iwo Jima Memorial
Arlington was probably our favorite place. It's humbling to be in the presence of Heroes.

Benjamin, in front of Arlington House at Arlington Cemetery

I love this picture we took of ourselves.... but kind of morbid.....taken in a cemetery. ( We took a picture of ourselvesat every monument/memorial/attraction...kind of a silly little thing we did so we would BOTH be in the picture) The Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers is erie and humbling.
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Here is the Soldier guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. There is an Honor Guard Soldier there guarding the Tomb 24 hours a day/ 365 days a year/ rain, sleet., snow, hurricane.

They take 21 steps...wait 21 seconds and turn and go back 21 steps...Very Precise..

Every hour on the hour they do a "Changing of the Guard." Again, it is a humbling and almost erie experience.

A view of the almost 900 acre cemetery. It is beautiful!

Arlington Cemetery was the original plantation of Robert E. Lee until he and his family left after he went off to lead the South in the Civil War. During the War, Union Soldiers overtook this plantation and used it as a cemetery and Army headquarters. Lee never stood on the grounds again. His family officially sold it to the US government for $150,000. ( Just a fun fact for you)

A view from Arlington House ( Robert E. Lee's Mansion)

The front of Arlington House and JFK's eternal flame grave.

The US Marines Memorial ( The raising of the flag at Iwo Jima) This was Ben's favorite!

Ford's Theatre, where President Lincoln was shot.

The box that Lincoln was in when we was shot. It is all preserved to how it was that night in April 1865. Very neat!This is Peterson House, across the street from Ford's Theatre, where they took President Lincoln to die.

This is the bed Lincoln died in.

And, that's about it! That was of course a very short and condensed version. I took over 500 pictures!