McPherson Marathon: Road Trip

When the Army sends soldiers to schools for weeks at a time the wives come up with fun trip ideas - but many times who wants to go on a trip without adult backup. Gloria's husband got selected to go to a short school and we had talked about taking a trip to see part of our Army family and it worked out that Jon had a crazy week and said go ahead take the girls and have a blast. While it was sad to leave him it really is nice to be the one leaving on a trip and not being stuck at home while he goes and does crazy "fun" things. So Tuesday after bible study the McP girls drove up picked up the Morken crew and we started on our 4 days of FUN! We made it to DC in time for everyone to make pizza's and the partying didn't stop until Friday at 2pm when Gloria and I both were ready to be home with a few hundred times to go:) 4 kids 5 and under with only 1 in diapers calls for lots of potty breaks and snacks but Gloria and I were prepared and made pretty good time considering the amount of times they wanted to get out. The kids all love the Lewis family and their kids are awesome entertaining the young ones!! We made pizza, had a mini party for the little ones, saw the Air and Space Museum and Caisson stables at Arlington and just hung out. The best part was the amount of adult conversation with 7 kids and 2 dogs to entertain each other - after bed time the first night we stayed up until past 1am which did not happen again because the kids did not get the sleep in memo! We even had a ladies only date one night, while Ch Lewis and kids watched the littles we went to Cheesecake Factory for dessert and just talked and hung out. I am so thankful for friends who are up for fun adventures anytime. I am also thankful for a gracious husband who let us leave him in the middle of the week and cleaned the house while we were gone - JON IS AWESOME!!

Pizza party - everyone made their own

Ch Lewis helping Spencer with his toppings

Whoppy cushions - what kid doesn't love making toots (or adults really), Riley is either being held or attempting to climb up 1 of the 6 flight of steps in the house her favorite game while we were there.

Getting a game plan for the Air and Space - or maybe playing angry birds at lunch. Molly loved raiding Olivia's room for accessories - Olivia was gracious and let Molly take her purse she sewed for our outings.

Getting ready to go to the observation tower at the new Air and Space

I think they could have all sat there for 15 minutes

Will giving Molly a tour - he knew almost every plane there. He would tell me and then ask me questions but alas my plane knowledge does not compare to a 5 year old obsessed with planes. He was in heaven and Molly was happy because he was happy so she would go off on things too but I am pretty sure we will be back to purses now that we are home.

Molly and Spencer loved the hands on screens they got to push the buttons and pretend to fly

McP Girls take their first flight in a Cessna

Who can resist the souvenir shop? Molly got to shop and the boys got to read lego plane books fun was had by all

Riley just couldn't handle all the fun so she napped through the shopping and last bit of the tour

The next day we went to the Caisson stables at Arlington were we got to meet cowboy soldiers, see the horses who pull the bodies to the graves the highlight meet the barn cat. Yep the kids loved the kitty who would have thought:)

Either Mickey or Minnie part of the white team who had the day off with our cowboy solider. Ch Lewis works at Arlington right now as part of the team of Chaplains who have the privilege of burying veterans daily and we even got to stop by his office for a potty break.