I just had Monday to get my act together. I went to tennis clinic then spent the day doing laundry and packing. The girls had dance so we walked in the park. I figured out a schedule and put it on the fridge. Carolyn picked Ellie and I up at 4:50am on Tuesday. We were bussed up to DC with 90 8th graders, 4 teachers, 2 bus drivers, 3 tour guides and 11 chaperones. We stopped at McDonalds for lunch and Chipotle for dinner and arrived at our Westin in Old Town Alexandria by 9pm that night. A whole day of driving! Ellie sat with me for the first half then Renee for the second. On Wednesday we were up early touring the Arlington National Cemetery, Holocaust Museum, Air & Space Museum, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial then dinner at Chuck E. Cheese. The next day we drove the Philadelphia. I finally finished Circe. Ugh. We ran up the "Rocky steps" at the Art Museum, had lunch at the Reading Terminal market (Philly cheese steaks!), saw the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, Washington Square, Ben Franklin's home and grave. Last, dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. We drove back to Alexandria. Friday morning we went to the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon, Vietnam Veterans Memorial and walked along Constitution Gardens and saw the WWII Memorial. We toured Howard University then passed by the White House. We went to the African American History Museum then Outback for steak dinner. We saw the capitol building then the MLK Memorial. Whew! What a busy 3 days! We had an amazing group of teachers who told jokes, danced, sang and made the trip SO MUCH FUN! I also had a great time with the other chaperones, laughing so much my stomach hurt. Sometimes I felt like I was having more fun than Ellie! I do think she had a great time and it was neat to see her in her element with all her friends. Making new ones and flowing through groups....oh middle school! A great team of people helped out at home so I could be away. Lots of help with transportation. Marly made breakfast each morning and stepped it up being the oldest child. Phil was ready for us to be home, but did great on the homefront. He picked us up around 10pm last night. We all got up for 8:30 mass this morning. The Birthday girl, Abby got to stand up at mass. We did a bday family breakfast at TCC. She opened her gifts. Ellie and I unpacked. We played family soccer with the Nixons, Hogans and Strassers along with a few other ringers at the park. Abby got to enjoy a cookie skillet at Lillians afterwards. Her special day ended in tears unfortunately...with a message from her math teacher saying she had 3 lessons due by midnight. Work still needs to be done, even on your Birthday was Abby's lesson today. Here are the photos of the week.