Visiting Catherine in Washington D.C !

There must be a filter on iPhones that makes you look like you have a baby's bottom on your face. Where are our wrinkles and age spots?!

Take a good look at this photo. It took us three tries and catherine badgering the completely dishonest and lazy security guards (they told us the place was closed and had it locked -- when we went inside there was an NPS person on duty who said they do that all the time !?!) to make it to the top of the original Post Office tower. 

I love FDR, but his memorial statue was not becoming of him. Jefferson, MLK, WWII, Lincoln. . . we got em all. 

I cannot believe I included that horrendous booty-shot of me, but I stole this collage off Cath's blog. That is us watching the planes come in at gravelly point-- they were so close!! 

About a  month ago I flew home with both kids to North Carolina. Catherine had taken the bus all the way down that weekend so she could spend time with the girls, even though I had planned to go up to DC solo and spend time with her. I was really touched by her desire to spend time with my littles. Not only that, but she threw me a belated surprise birthday party! I totally sported the homemade glitter crown that has been at Hatch family birthday parties since before I was born. 

The same day that Cath headed back up to DC, we headed south to Charleston, SC to visit Emily. The one stipulation of my trip this time was that I wouldn't bring my nice camera with me. I lost my point and shoot, so I have no photos from my visit there-- but it was a treasure. I loved watching L play with her cousins, plan a Frozen-themed birthday party for Allyson and chat with Emily. Liesel asks me at least once a week if either Aunt Emily can come over or one of Emily's children lives close to enough to play. 

The day after I returned from SC, I boarded the bus and left my kids behind (!!!) for three days of DC madness. Let the fun begin! And it did! I read 4 National Geographics cover to cover uninterrupted on my drive up. Catherine and I consumed a Crumb's cupcake in Union Station within 15 minutes of walking off the bus. We rode the metro all. over. DC. I stayed up late and walked the monuments, watched a move (past midnight) and even slept in until 8:30am. I don't think I have done that since. . . 

Catherine and I used bikes to tour the city. I LOVED this. It is so freeing. And allowed us to cram in way more and be far more spontaneous than in a vehicle. And let me tell you, I cherish a little spontaneity these days. Wanna check out the botanical gardens before we hit up Eastern Market? Lets go this way and see the White House! Portrait Gallery? We ushered at Ford's Theater, learned a lot about the conspiracy behind Lincolns assassination, ate a LOT of food (I made sure that none of it was something available in Moab. . . although that's really not that hard). I think I ate Pho three times. 

And the most hilarious thing about touring a city with your sister is that everyone knows you must be sisters. Constant laughter, super hilarious conversations, no holding back opinions and I there's always so much to say. 

My sisters are my best friends. 

ps: the kids did great with grandma!