You're Not Gonna Believe This...

Well, some of you won't believe this. Others, who don't know me as well, won't understand the issue here:

The kids and I left town today. As in, we left our nice little area of suburbia and headed north to Mt. Vernon.

Shocker, I know. It wasn't my idea though. Mel (my baby sis) wanted to take her girls (Alyssa & Kenzie) up to see the shuttle circling DC, so the kids and I accompanied her. (Good thing she mentioned this since I, who-never-gets-to-watch-the-news-and-so-is-the-most-uninformed-person-in-this-area, had no idea this was going to take place.) 

We thought we had planned our trip (and timing) perfectly. We left my house just after 9, and headed north. As we were slowly making our way up Route 1, the shuttle made its way overhead. Mel and I quickly pulled over, hoping we could get the kids out in time to witness the event. Not sure if Leah actually saw the shuttle; I pointed, but I think she was looking in another direction. (Though, when I asked if she had seen it, she replied "uh-huh.") 

We filed back into our vehicles and proceeded to our destination, a park off the George Washington Memorial Parkway. It was packed! (Guess we weren't the only ones out and about.) And... we just managed to miss the shuttle flying over the Potomac. *sigh* 

So much for taking pics of the shuttle. Good thing the kids didn't disappoint! (Though I realized after uploading these that Alyssa is mysteriously absent from them, even though she was always right there.)

 Leah was the only one of the three girls who wanted to hold the ladybug (one of three!) we found. She loved letting it "tickle" her fingers. 

 Well, at least Kenzie is looking at the camera!

 He might not look too happy, but Hunter LOVED being outside, especially since he could watch his sis, his cousins, and Diesel (my sister's Great Dane). 

 If we had let him, he probably would have tried EVERYONE'S lunch. He certainly tried wearing it all.

Kenzie's intense focus on the box of animal crackers made me laugh.