Music to Speed Us on Our Way

A playlist is a very personal thing, but we are really loving the mix of music from family history that is providing the soundtrack for our journey.  There is something for everyone, from baby songs to romantic tunes.  The miles are sliding by.  I'm still grinning about singing My Love with my two oldest girls.  Take a peek.

Let There Be Peace.                      African Children's Choir

Fish Heads.                                    Barnes and Barnes

Morning Has Broken.                     Art Garfunkel/Diane Krall

Help.                                              Beatles

Paperback Writer

The River of Dreams.                      Billy Joel
Let Me Call You Sweetheart.  (2)        Bing Crosby

Do You Want to Dance?                 Bobby Freeman

The Ugly Bug Ball.                          Burl Ives

On the Front Porch 

Bad Day.                                         Daniel Powter

Volare.                                            Dean Martin

Everybody Loves Somebody (3)

Don't Bring Me Down.                     Electric Light Orchestra

Can You Feel the Love Tonight?     Elton John

Next to Me.                                     Emeli Sande
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling. (4)        Foster and Allen

Pumped Up Kicks.                          Foster the People

Straighten Up and Fly Right.            Linda Ronstadt

I've Got a Crush On You

I Love you For Sentimental Reasons

U Can't Touch This.                         M.C. Hammer

A-You're Adorable.       (1)                  Perry Como

You'll Be in My Heart.                      Phil Collins

My Love.                                         Petula Clark

Only You (and You Alone).   (5)            The Platters

Crazy Little Thing Called Love.        Queen

Stand.                                              REM

Bless the Broken Road.                   Rascal Flatts

That Where I Am...                           Rich Mullens

You Send Me.    (6)                              Sam Cooke

Skinamarink.                                    Sara Newman

You're Still the One.                         Shania Twain

The 59th St. Bridge Song.                Simon/Garfunkel 

Scarborough Fair

The Wind.                                        Zac Brown Band

Toes

Zig Zag Dance.                                 Sesame Street

Nearly Missed

Just Happy to Be Me

Caribbean Amphibian

One Small Voice

Take Me Home, Country Roads.       John Denver

Thank God, I'm a Country Boy.

Tennessee Waltz.                              Patti Page

Born to Be Wild.                                Steppenwolf

Living on a Prayer.                             Bon Jovi

Pocketful of Sunshine.                       Natasha Bedingfield

Radioactive.                                      Imagine Dragons

You Got It.                                         Roy Orbison

Scissors are evil.

I came down this morning to settle a breakfast food dispute and I looked down to find my son's foot covered in blood.  He'd stabbed it, by somehow kicking the scissors that his sister had brought for paper crafts.  Our plan to visit the National Aquarium was gone in an instant and instead he went to the hospital for stitches and then spent the afternoon sleeping on the couch.  So as not to waste the entire day we went to see Despicable Me 2.  Everyone loved it, and we had accomplished a lot of good things done with our unexpected day at home.  I'd rather we'd forgotten the scissors.

A Capitol Fourth

We really had a good time at the national Museum of the American Indian.  It was the most child friendly without compromising the quality of the exhibits.

There are certain things you want to for your children, and seeing the Capitol fireworks was high on my list.  We had a great time and got really cozy on our spot in the grass.  The show goes on and on.  The kids were in awe, and it was just the way I hoped it would be.

Love & Pizza

We spent most of the day at The National Museum of American History.  We saw a lot of great stuff, but my favorite was Julia Child's Kitchen.

I remember walking under this whale years ago thinking about how much more fun this was going to be with my kids.  I was so right.

I was missing Mama Mia's in Spring Lake, so we decided to pick up pizza on the way home.  H & Pizza was amazing offering artisan pizza I'm going to run by Mama Mia's.  you know it's good when you order gourmet pizza and your kids polish it off easy.

Spaced

The National Air and Space Museum is the museum I know best.  Every time we came to DC when I was a kid we stopped there.  When I was older my job as a day camp counselor required me to chaperone fifteen, four and five year olds throughout the building every summer.  Kurt and I came here when we were dating.  It is a place that stirs a deep nostalgia.  Watching my own kids dashing about from exhibit to exhibit, I remembered how crazy it was with my little campers, and I felt over-prepared for this moment.  We did very well, until we left.  The door closed behind me and I did a head count and Iris was missing.  Kurt took charge while I jumped through security hoops.  I looked everywhere for her neon green shirt, and finally headed to the security desk.  As soon as I opened my mouth she came dashing around the counter, and we both were close to tears.  We spent the rest of the day hand in hand, and going out again wasn't very interesting.  We'd had all the space we could handle.

Beastly Day

The National Zoo is always a good time.  It rained off and on all day, but we still got to see all the reptiles, amphibians, and pandas.  The family whistles were great, and the backpacks were helpful.

We enjoy the two sisters on DC Cupcakes, so we had to try some.  They are beautiful and beautifully packaged.  The variety they offer is amazing.

We were supposed to go to the Library of Congress, but no one wanted to go other than me.  Since I took a three hour nap when we got home I can't complain.

Too Gorge

We started Sunday with mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.  The art is so beautiful and uplifting.

We went to the National Gallery of Art, and really enjoyed a tour.  I also said hello to most of my favorites.

Kurt and I wrapped up the day watching "Anything Goes" at the Kennedy Center.  I had forgotten how shocking that time period can be, but it was a great cast and they put their heart and souls into it.