Little Miss Independence

Who doesn't just love the Fourth of July?  The cookouts, the fireworks, the prominent display of red, white and blue... It's a day that celebrates the strength and determination of the American people.  And this year, I am lucky enough to be spending this Independence Day in Washington, D.C., our nation's capital.  A Capitol Fourth is a concert on National Mall between the Capitol building and the Washington Monument, followed by an amazing fireworks show.  It's all free to the public, and kind of like the hot and humid version of New Year's Eve in Times Square.  I'm so excited.

DC: The Fun and the Fabulous

       



Washington Monument






The Capitol

I've had my Carrie Bradshaw moment.

You know, from Sex and the City?  It's that moment of taking in the glorious city around you, feeling the rush of humanity bustle about, and charging the sidewalk like a runway knowing that you're fabulous and ready to take on the world.

Reaching for the Future

The Rotary Youth Leadership Award changed my life.

No, I didn't receive it.  The Rotarians in my district decided that I was only good enough to be the alternate, and I did not get to go to camp.

Mark Healy, on the other hand, he thought I was good enough.  He knew I was good enough.  And that's something I cling to.

Mrs. Scott Goes to Washington

Here we are in the nation's capital.  We made it through a fantastic week of Camp RYLA (which I will get to soon) and have arrived at our home for the summer. 

We got in late Saturday night after taking two planes, a bus and walking 10 blocks to the condo.  We are staying with a nice married couple in their late twenties.  They own a very nice condo in northeast DC, and we are renting a room from them for a little more than what an average Texas mortgage costs.  Yeah.  Robert discovered they were looking for someone to rent the room through his supervisor, as the wife also works where Robert is working.

To Love and To Cherish

One down, forty-nine to go.  At least that's the standard goal of marriage right?  To reach your golden anniversary?

My hubby and I have successfully made our first trip around the sun as man and wife, and it's definitely been a roller coaster.  We had a roommate for the first month of our marriage (with whom we shared a bathroom!).  We moved to a new state 800 miles from home.  We spent a quiet Christmas Eve and morning alone in our little apartment and celebrated Thanksgiving while on a plane.  We pay for almost all of our own bills and insurance and are really diving into this whole adult thing.  We've also had some great weekends exploring an amazing city, made fun memories with new friends and felt the joy of settling into our very own little home.

My Sincerest Thanks

It's Memorial Day weekend.  We, as a country, remember our service men and women and all they have sacrificed for us.

But do we really?

We say these things, we sing the national anthem, we post pictures of flags, we take the day off of work.  What does all of that really mean?

For the Love of Mothers

Last week, we celebrated mothers everywhere. I had the good fortune to get to spend the day (and week for that matter) with all of the mothers who mean most to me.  Since Robert had finished the semester and we are gearing up to head to DC, we decided to take a week off to spend some time with our families, and it was lovely.  But more about that later.

Our annual tradition as a society to celebrate those women fortunate enough to have given birth or adopted and reared a child has me thinking about motherhood more than I normally do. I witnessed many stages of traditional motherhood over the week, and some less so.

A Quick Catch Up

Well, guys, I'm back.

It's been a four month hiatus, and I know for most people on the planet, "who cares?"  But I was a little shocked back in February when I had at least five people tell me that they missed my blog.  FIVE! That's a whole hand!

I had actually started a few entries and documented some projects with the intentions of posting them, but taking the time to sit down and write has been at the bottom of my priority list lately.  What HAVE I been up to?  Good question.

No Place Like Home

Wow, December has FLOWN by!  It seems like just a week or two ago we were flying home to Texas to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families.  Because of our work schedules, we hadn't been home in 3 months.  I was getting seriously homesick, and luckily, we had the good fortune to be able to travel home during the week of Thanksgiving.  It was so good getting to see our family and friends again! We drove to Indianapolis the night before we left (my first time ever in Indiana!) then caught an early morning flight to Dallas!  

Adventures in Amish Country

Well, we are already 5 days into December, and I still have so many fall happenings that I didn't get to share.  Now that I am working 40 hours a week on a constantly changing schedule, updating my posts has fallen to the bottom of my priority list, along with running, working on my play and practicing guitar.  I have, however, been visiting family, getting ready for Christmas, going out with friends and spending time with the hubby.  Not a bad way to spend my time off.

But before I dive into the Christmas season, I want to share some more fun autumn experiences!  One great experience we had was our first trip to Amish country and our first time at a pumpkin patch.  In Arthur, IL about an hour south of where we live, there is a farm in a predominantly Amish community known as The Great Pumpkin Patch.  Robert and I went back in October and we had a wonderful time.