Help Harper's Class

Harper's Teacher is trying to win a classroom grant through Sonic's Limeades for Learning! It sounds like a really cool project...they just need votes to win!
Please go to the following link and VOTE. You can vote once per day per email address you have. The first vote sends an authorization email to your email account and then voting is easy after that.
Thanks for helping!!!
www.limeadesforlearning.com/projects/view/617779/view

Look Mom...No Training Wheels!

A few weeks ago, we went down to the park in our neighborhood and ran into one of Harper's friends from Kindergarten. He was riding around on his bicycle without training wheels. This prompted Harper to inquire about how she would learn to ride without training wheels. We told her the best way was to...PRACTICE! She is doing much better each time she gets out there. I think she is still a little scared of falling...she hasn't had a big crash yet!

She actually needs a bigger bike, but to bribe her (we believe in bribery in our family) I told her that if she learns to ride, I will buy her a bigger bike. We shall see what progress she makes!

First Day in First Grade!

Well, the first day (and week) of school has come and gone...and Harper is having a BLAST!!! This year we, once again, went to Back-to-School night a few days before school started and scoured all SIX teacher's lists to find Harper's name on Mrs. Mathew's List. She has a few friends from her Pre-K and Kindergarten classes but none of her closest friends are in her class. This is good, I told her, because she will get to make even more friends this year!

Frist Grade in our community marks the first year of going to school ALL DAY!!! This thrilled Harper because it means she also gets to go to Music, PE or Art each day. She is loving that! She is having an absolute ball so far and she has learned so much already. She will start spelling lists, high frequency word lists and homework this week and we are both so excited! I think Harper loves school just as much as I do!!!

The King

When we started talking to Harper about our family vacation last Spring, we talked about how we would be driving through Memphis...where Elvis' house was. She has been infatuated with Elvis ever since "he" came to her school to perform on 50's day. She was so excited to visit Graceland...in fact she was so excited that she wrote about it in her Kindergarten Journal. On the last entry for Kindergarten she finished "This summer I am going on vacation to..." with a big stick figure Elvis. Washington DC, New York City...and Graceland. Totally in the same category.

We actually spent the night in Elvis' Campground and Richard, Harper and I walked over to Graceland the following morning. We all had so much fun on the audio tour of Graceland...very informative. We also loved Elvis' car museum and were very suprised to find a John Deere Tractor in there. Visiting Graceland was the cherry on the top of our trip!

The Big Apple!

We sure have done alot since vacation, but I wanted to stick with my totally type-a personality and blog chronologically...so we are back to the last week in July on the last part of our vacation.

My mom, sister and I have been taking girls trips to NYC for a few years. We love it and I always talk about the fun, exciting, craziness that is in the Big City. Richard has been wanting to go forever and Harper has also been asking for several years how old she had to be before she could go. Since, we knew we were taking a trip to the east coast and Aunt Melanie and Uncle Cole would also be visiting NYC at the same time, we thought it only appropriate to go there too!

Early, very early, one morning, we headed to Union Station to catch the Amtrak passenger rail from DC to NYC. Owen was so excited about the train he could hardly stand it. It was really neat to ride on the train and pass through Baltimore, Philadelphia, etc. We will definitely ride a train again!

Once we were in the Big Apple and all the shock and awe escaped, we hit the ground running. We had a lot to do in a little under 48 hours! We hit Ray's Pizza first, Rockefeller Plaza, Radio City Music Hall, and then the girls and boys split. The boys went to Central Park and us girls headed to pure enjoyment...the American Girl Place! Harper had received a multitude of gift cards for her birthday and had been saving them to buy her special doll. Which she promptly named McKenna! Not only did we get to visit this amazing multi-story venue on Fifth Avenue, but we got to watch Harper pick out a doll that looks just like her and we ended the afternoon with a lunch tea party...fit for a princess and her dolly!

We headed back to the hotel to meet up with the boys...who had a blast roaming Central Park. My sister and I then headed to H&M (...best store EVER!) for a shopping extravaganza. You can totally tell we are sisters...because we bought almost all of the exact same things! That evening, we ate at Bubba Gump's in Times Square and headed down Broadway to see the Lion King. One word...AMAZING!!! I have had the privilege of seeing many musicals...but this one tops them all. At one point, I looked over at Harper and she was clapping and singing along!

The next morning, we all headed to see Lady Liberty herself. Everyone, except Grandma, Owen and I went to her crown. They all loved it. Next stop on the tour was the Peanut Butter Company...yummy peanuty buttery goodness! Then we visited NYU and headed back to catch the train. Such a fun excursion to the Big City!

Our Nation's Capitol

Ten years ago, Richard and I (right after we got married) took a trip to Washington D.C. and loved it. You just can't beat getting to see the history...not to mention...everything is FREE to see. Harper has been infatuated with the White House for the past several years and she has always asked to go see it. We figured she was finally old enough to understand the meaning behind some of the history and it was finally time to go. My parents had never been their either and we knew it would be a great, fun family adventure.
We saw as many sights as we could fit in each day, despite the super humid, HOT weather. I think we walked almost as many miles as it took us to get to DC. :) However, it was very nice to visit the cool, air-conditioned museums in the heat of the afternoon.

Public transportation was a new adventure for Harper and Owen and they loved it...except when it was crowded during "rush" hour. I have to share the best story of the whole trip. One evening, Harper, Rich, Owen and I were riding the subway from Georgetown back to College Park. The metro car was packed like sardines and we were all standing. Of course, everyone is usually quiet and subdued on these things, but not Owen. He looked at me and said in normal voice, "Mommy, did you pinch my hinney?" I said no and he proceeded to ask Richard and Harper the same question. To which they replied, "No." In the loudest voice I have heard come out of that kid, he belted out, "SOMEBODY PINCHED MY HINNEY!" and it didn't stop for the next 3 (seemed like 45) minutes, he kept repeating this same phrase. At least we got some people to smile on the metro!

Caution! Lots of pictures follow with captions above.

{Waiting for their First metro ride!}

{Arlington National Cemetery}

{Watching the changing of the guards}

{Walking (hiking) across the Potomac River}

{The reflecting pool had been drained...not so reflective anymore!}

{Grandma reciting the Gettsyburg Address for Harper}

{She finally gets to see the White House!}

{He doesn't! He slept through it!}

{Museum of American History...She's a Grand Ol Flag!}

{Seeing the First Lady's Inagural Ball Gown...she really was excited even thought it doesn't look like it!}

{Eating at the Famous Ben's Chilli Bowl was yummy in our tummies}

{Harper and Boppy looking up at the Washington Monument}

{The closest I've ever been to a million dollars!}

{Playing on the grass after our picnic on the mall}

{Playing the fountain at the Art Museum...I guess it was ok to do that!}

{Had to stop here and get a t-shirt for Rich!}

{A stop at Georgetown Cupcakes. Just as yummy as they look on TV!}

{Of course we had to visit the Zoo}

{The pandas...something we do not have at our zoo}

{Watching the lion cubs}

{A tour of Ford's Theater}

{IMAX 3D at the Natural History Museum}

{Harper loved the Hope Diamond!}

{Owen loved the Dinosaurs!}