this actual now-ness

so leaf subsides to leaf

2009-10-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

balm

2009-10-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

some happy faces of summer and fall.

Friendly Faces Galore!

2009-05-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted any pictures. Here are some highlights from the past few months. Lots of friends and fun! Come visit anytime! D.C. is a fun place to hang out :)

Myndi and Greg came to D.C. in February.

Beth and I enjoyed free admission to
Mt. Vernon on President's Day!

In March, we went to Philadelphia
for part of our Spring Break.

Independence Hall in Philly.
Important things were signed here!

I spent the second half of Spring Break with
the Boyds in Chicago. We love The Bean!

I also got to see Dustin for a brief moment :)

Tim and Amy came to D.C. last weekend!

And Jeff was here a few days ago!

Now spring is here and winter is over :)

I can't wait to see more wonderful friends this summer!

"We Are One" - Inaugural Concert

2009-01-19T16:29:00.001-08:00

This experience is one that I will never forget. It was AMAZING; the positive energy was almost palatable. It was thrilling to be one of the hundreds of thousands cheering and singing together. The performers were energetic and passionate. When Beyonce sang "America The Beautiful" and everyone was singing along - it gave me chills! I saw more celebrities than I will probably ever see in the rest of my lifetime :) It's my little piece of history now :)

Dustin and I - waiting for the concert to start.
We got there 5 hours early! But we got a pretty good spot :)

Some people climbed a tree and hoisted up an Obama cut-out.

Elmo talking to the Number One - "We Are One!"

The Obamas and Bidens arriving at the Concert.
(see them teeny-tiny down on the lefthand side?)

The Massive Crowd

Tom Hanks

U2!!

Obama Gives His Speech

Blurry Close-up

Beyonce Sings "America The Beautiful"The Totally Crowded Metro Station

Obama Arrives At The Concert from kaylaj on Vimeo.

Garth Brooks Gets The Crowd Going! from kaylaj on Vimeo.

Unfortunately, I can't add the video of Obama's speech because it is too large a file to upload to any video share sites. It was a good speech. Oh, and I didn't take these videos, Dustin did, but he shared them with me. I was too short to see over most of the people! A lot of the pictures I took were from holding the camera up in the air and pushing the button :)

Christmas 2008

2009-01-10T11:02:00.000-08:00

Christmas in Branson, MO.
The family at Silver Dollar City.

Bundled up with the bros - next to the Giant Christmas Tree.

ND had FEET of snow!

And more came down every other day!

Yay! I got to see Lynette!

The Nutcracker Ballet

2008-12-12T10:56:00.000-08:00

For my birthday this year, Beth, Celeste, Julia and I went to the Nutcracker Ballet at the Kennedy Center. It was beautiful and lovely. It was everything I had always hoped it would be :) Finally, I can cross one more thing off my "Things To Do In My Lifetime" list! Yay!

Waiting for the show to start

The Museum of American History

2008-11-23T18:21:00.000-08:00

The Museum of American history has been closed since I moved out here, because it has been undergoing renovations. Finally, after 2 years, the museum re-opened this weekend. Today a couple of friends and I went down to check out the Grand Re-Opening Weekend.

Made by Betsy Ross.
The Flag that flew over Fort McHenry in the War of 1812.
Inspired Francis Scott Key to write our National Anthem.

Kermit!
"There's no place like home..."
Me With Dorothy!
Oscar The Grouch and Seinfeld's Puffy Shirt!

"Hello, R2D2!"

George Washington

Presidential Streets

Me as the President! You can't really see because of the
glare, but the podium has a Presidential Seal and behind
me are some famous politicians of long-ago days.

Scenic Sabbath Drive

2008-11-09T09:36:00.001-08:00

More Fall Beauty

2008-10-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

I was hoping to go up to the Northeast this year and see the famous leaves in the fall. However, it's not going to work out right now. Maybe next year :) Anyway, fall around these parts is still very brilliant and beautiful.

Trees right outside my apartment

Pumpkins Aplenty! - at our field trip to the farm

A Fall Day Downtown

2008-10-12T17:39:00.000-07:00

I thought I would take advantage of the gorgeous weather and wander around downtown :) I went to the top of the Washington Monument and visited the American Indian Museum.

Fall in D.C. - lots of other people out enjoying the nice day

The Sculpture Garden next to the National Gallery of Art

I went to the top!

The Lincoln Memorial, Reflecting Pool, and WW II Memorial:
the view from the top

The White House

The National Mall - what a view!

Inside the National Museum of the American Indian

Outside the American Indian Museum

Class of 99 Reunited!

2008-10-08T18:55:00.001-07:00

Pics from my 10 year Alumni Reunion at DAA! Good times!

Lynette and I - 15 years of friendship...and counting!

Sabbath

Class of 99!

We Three Girls!

4/5 Thoms :)LaLa and LiLi in Lincoln

Following Myndi around her zoo - her wallaby Phenny

It's Been Awhile

2008-09-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

I know, it's been a long time. But really, you can see most of these same pics on Myspace or Facebook. Here are a few of my favorites from my summer trip to the Midwest!!

Happy Prairie Dog

American Bison

The Famous Faces
Crazy Horse Memorial, SD
Feeding A Prairie Dog

The Wonderful Prairie

Badlands National Park, SD

DeSmet, SD - Ingalls Homestead
My Favorite State! I HEART ND!!
Fort Mandan of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, ND

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND

Red Sox vs. Orioles

2008-06-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not really a baseball fan, but I AM a fan of celebrating the beginning of my summer break! Beth, Julia, and I celebrated by going to a baseball game in Baltimore. It was a gorgeous, sunny day! The Sox won. And I had cotton candy :)

I Saw It!

2008-05-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

My whole life I have wanted to see the Weinermobile. Today I did! (I know, I'm strange).

Joy

2008-05-02T16:21:00.001-07:00

Letters to God from my Preschoolers:

Dear God, I won't be afraid because you are with me. - Love, Nicholas

Dear God, Thank you for the whole world. - Love, Kristin

Dear God, Be my friend. - Love, Richard

Dear Jesus, Please keep my teddy bear safe. - Love, Valerie

Dear God, Thank you for this beauty most day. - Love, Alyssa

Dear Jesus, You are strongest in the whole world. - Love, Benjamin

Dear Jesus, I am bubbling over. - Love, Chijioke

Dear God, Help us to do what is right. - Love, Arwyn

Cherry Blossom Time!

2008-03-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! Beth and I went downtown today for a quick look-see. It was cold!! And windy! It was beautiful, though. We rented a paddle-boat and paddled around in the Tidal Basin looking at all the pretty flowers. It was fun! We didn't have to dodge people, dogs, children, or cameras - just other paddle-boats! Spring Break is officially over. :( Back to work!

The Jefferson Memorial

Pretty

Some views from our little boat

Spring Break

2008-03-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

Beth and I played a lot of Scrabble.

tasty spring seeds

my Easter basket - it oinks!

an afternoon at the Inner Harbor, Baltimore

"Chessie" the Dragon - paddleboats in the Inner Harbor

it was a highly dangerous adventure on the high seas.....

we lived to tell the tale :)

The Star Spangled Banner Museum

I bought this awesome poster.

Only 2 more months until summer!!! The Midwest, here I come!

Harrisburg, PA

2008-01-14T20:35:00.000-08:00

A weekend away in Harrisburg! We were sooo lazy and had a great time talking and relaxing.

Governor's Row - old buildings preserved

Good Friends

Beautiful Bridges

A COW in the City!

Christmas Fun

2007-12-26T15:54:00.000-08:00

Sibling Love

New House

Farm Cat

Winter Wonderland

Snowmobiling Adventures

Fambly

Birthday Goodness

2007-12-16T15:59:00.001-08:00

Saw a Silly Movie
Ate some dairy-free deliciousness (chili and cornbread!)
i have some good pals :)

The Trees in D.C.

2007-12-16T05:03:00.001-08:00

The Christmas Tree in front of the Capitol Building

Julia and I in front of the Capitol Christmas TreeThe National Christmas Tree
Pretty, Pretty Tree!
Around the National Tree they have a tree for each state.
This is the best tree!Yep, it's the NORTH DAKOTA tree!! Yee-haw!
(I did not have to wait in a line of people for this picture..haha!)

Thanksgiving In NYC

2007-12-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving in NYC! An exciting adventure :)

Up EARLY to get a good spot in Times Square for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
We grabbed our spot around 6:15 am :) It was a good spot!

Times Square at Sunrise

The crowds at the parade - we never got on TV because we were in the spot where all the camera people also wanted to be. Oh, well, we had the best view!

My favorite show as a kid - there were several of the
classic Sesame Street characters on this float!

It was fun watching the balloon handlers - they all have matching outfits and vests. In between floats and balloons, clowns came over to the crowds. They told us jokes, threw confetti, and wished us a Happy Thanksgiving. We were right in the front, so we got a lot of clown-fives :)

SANTA!!!! Forget all the famous people we saw - here he is!!!

We walked through Central Park. It was a lovely, warm day!

5th Avenue - we looked at all the fancy, Christmas window displays.

The Tree in Rockefeller Center. We didn't get to see the lighting ceremony because it was scheduled for a later date, but we plan to see the one here in D.C. next week :)

In Rockefeller Center

Steven Curtis Chapman Concert

2007-10-21T20:14:00.000-07:00

A few of us went to a Steven Curtis Chapman Concert in Virginia on Saturday night. Bethany Dillon and Sanctus Real were also there.

Before we got there, we stopped for food. The man behind the counter almost didn't sell me this kids' meal. Seriously. It was one of the only things on the menu that was dairy free. Silly man.

The concert was great! I was especially blessed by the Chapman family's focus on adoption and desire to help orphans.

Sanctus Real - The Face of Love from kaylaj on Vimeo.

Steven Curtis Chapman and his daughters from kaylaj on Vimeo.

Steven Curtis Chapman - Miracle of the Moment from kaylaj on Vimeo.

Renaissance Festival

2007-10-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

Here I am preparing myself for the merriment...

Here is Julia preparing herself (hehe!).

We watched the jousting, which was fun.

There was a lot of really weird food....

Too bad I didn't have some of my naughty students with me -
I could have left them unattended....(just kidding!)

Julia and I enjoying the show...

Macbeth, A Parody, in 20 minutes or less...

BODIES: The Exhibition

2007-09-23T19:05:00.000-07:00

Today Beth and I went to BODIES. It was extremely interesting and informative! Real human bodies have been specially preserved in order that we might see the actual bones, muscles, organs, and nerves that make our bodies so wonderful.

Though this experience, I was once again reminded of my belief in Creation. Our bodies could not have just "happened" to be made so amazingly! Anyway, though some parts were slightly creepy (like a human skin all laid out in a display case) it was tastefully done and presented in an educational and informative manner. It was a unique experience!

Labor Day Weekend

2007-09-04T18:54:00.001-07:00

A visit from Mom and Dad and time to relax!! Just what I needed!

Dad and I at the Aquarium in Baltimore.

Dancing Dolphins from kaylaj and Vimeo.

Julia and I at the National Zoo

By the bamboo...at the zoo :)

Snacktime for Panda Bears from kaylaj and Vimeo.

Firsts

2007-08-16T17:10:00.001-07:00

First days. First names. First experiences.

Here are my first "I made these for you, teacher," creations.

They make all the hard times worth it.

Before and After

2007-08-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, this was one of my classrooms.
The other one was so full of stuff, I could barely walk in it.

As of today...........Room A - Activity Area

And Room B - Academic Area

Follow the paw prints to my class!!

I'm so tired! And in a month, when my permanent classroom (building) is moved onto the premises, I get to do this all over again :) Someone have mercy!

Only 1 more day until school! Wish me luck!

Howard County Fair

2007-08-12T18:39:00.000-07:00

What a great way to break up the monotony of pre-school week!

We had funnel cake. (and lemonade and french fries!)

We petted FARM ANIMALS!!! Yes, it's true! :)
It was AWESOME! *Sigh* I miss the Midwest!

Baby chicks!!

The view from the ferris wheel.....

But most awesome of all - we watched the PIG RACES!! Yee-haw!
Evidently, the pigs run so fast because they are given Oreos
at the end of the race. Who knew?

Pig Races! from kaylaj and Vimeo.

Rehobeth Beach, Deleware

2007-07-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

Girls' Day at the beach! Beth and Lilly are ready for some sun!

We saw dolphins!! You can see their fins under the bird's wing.

It was a PERFECT day for the beach! Sunny and hot!

Nothing like ocean front advertising!

We were on Cloud 9 all day! (even though we didn't eat there)

I wanted to eat here (hehe!)....but we ate pizza instead :)

Rosy cheeks from an afternoon in the sun :)

After lunch, we went swimming! I love the ocean!On our way home - a beautiful sunset.It was a wonderful day with great friends!Too bad we won't get another chance to go until next summer!

The 4th of July!

2007-07-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

The 4th downtown was crazy! There were thousands of people! Also, given the recent terrorism overseas, there were police officers and security people everywhere. We went through several security checks. It rained on us and we had to wait in long lines. By the end of the day, we were tired and hot. But it was worth it!! Happy Birthday America!

There was a Folk Festival on the Mall on the 4th also.
Here is a special "carpet" as they make in Guatemala
for their Easter and Lent celebrations.

The National Archives all decked out!

The Declaration of Independence :)
Me in my rain poncho - good thing I came prepared!

The Concert at the Capitol - We were sitting on the far left in front. The concert was hosted by Tony Danza. We heard the following artists: Elliot Yamin, Yolanda Adams, Bebe Neuwirth, Dierks Bentley, Hayden Panettiere, Little Richard, and the National Symphony Orchestra. At the end of the concert - the fireworks began. We watched from our seats on the Capitol steps.

The best part!!! Fireworks around the Washington Monument!

4th of July Fireworks in DC! from kaylaj and Vimeo.

The Phantom of the Opera

2007-06-29T06:48:00.000-07:00

My friend Julia and I went to see The Phantom of the Opera at the Kennedy Center here in D.C.

Oh, fabulous time! I had never experienced the whole story all the way through. It was colorful, romantic, deliciously creepy, heart-wrenching, and suspenseful. Our seats, though they were the furthest from the stage, still gave us a great view. *Sigh* We're going back this Christmas for the Nutcracker Ballet :)

Mount Vernon

2007-06-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

Mom, Carol and I spent the day Mount Vernon, home of George Washington. It's one of the most interesting and enjoyable places I've visited since moving here. If you're ever here in the area - go see it!

Mom and Carol at the entrance.

Mom and I with the Washingtons.
The Washingtons' Mansion
Mom and I with the Potomac River behind us.
George & Martha Washington are buried here.
A replica of the farm George Washington had on his estate.
"Hello, little sheep!"

AND....

Though we could not photograph them, we did see George Washington's famous teeth. They are not wooden as I had always thought. They are made of ivory, metals and a combination of animal and human teeth (ew!).

A Day With Mom

2007-06-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

A very exciting last-minute visit :) Yay!

We visited the National Postal Museum.

Stamps from our homelands.

Owney! Official Mascot of the US Postal Service.

The National Gallery of Art
Some of our favorite works - the sculptures.

Six Flags

2007-06-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

Look who we met!

We went on this ride :)
But this was the BEST ride in the whole park! The rotating cows!
Big, scary ride!
But oh, so fun!

Camping on Assateague Island

2007-06-05T05:55:00.000-07:00

Crossing the Bay Bridge into Eastern Maryland

Wild Horse on Assateague Island

Wild ponies just wander around wherever they want!

Wild Ponies! from kaylaj on Vimeo

Our Pretty Campfire

We hunted for crabs by the light of the full moon!

Hunting for Crabs on the Seashore from kaylaj on Vimeo

At the end of a long, sunny day by the ocean!

We drove back through Ocean City....

And then through Delaware.
Delaware has lots of gorgeous farms!

Memorial Day

2007-05-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

Incorporated in 1995, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. is a non-profit organization with over 80 chartered chapters throughout the United States and members abroad. Membership is comprised of men and women with 40-45% being non-veterans with the balance being veterans from all wars and peace-time. Although many of its members ride motorcycles, a person does not have to own or ride a motorcycle to be a member, just the time and willingness to be an advocate for troops, veterans, and POW/MIA’s. - information taken from official Rolling Thunder Website

Bikes, Bikes, everywhere!

Local news stations estimated 300,000 Rolling Thunder
participants this year!

Bikers buying pins

Every year, on Memorial Day weekend, the Rolling Thunder participants ride from the Pentagon to the Vietnam War Memorial. We happened to be there right during that time. There were SO MANY bikes! It was a lot of fun to watch, even though it was noisy!

Rolling Thunder from kaylaj on Vimeo

Support for Troops

Patriotic Musician

Concert at the Capitol

Unfortunately, a storm blew in a couple hours before the concert at the Capitol was scheduled. We had just gotten through security and were sitting on the lawn, waiting. However, the Capitol police ended up evacuating the area just before the rain hit. We waited for a bit under the shelter of a nearby building, but eventually just went on home. The concert did go on, however, as the storm was short lived. We just ended up watching it from our comfortable couch and not sitting on the wet grass!

Shall We Go For A Walk Today?

2007-05-26T15:14:00.000-07:00

Sabbath afternoon in the park...a family of geese!

Geese In The Park from kaylaj on Vimeo

Graduation Weekend!!

2007-05-16T16:23:00.000-07:00

May 9-14.

I had a GREAT time seeing family and friends.

I FINALLY got my diploma! Yipee!! (It's about time!)

The family - aren't we cute?! Thanks for coming!

With Grandpa and Grandma at Sabbath lunch :)

My marching buddy and awesome pal, Lisa. We did it!

Little "bro" and fellow North Dakotan, Jeremy.

My 4 best sisters - reunion!

Yee-haw!

The National Zoo

2007-05-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

Ice cream, anyone?!

Thank goodness! I don't like salamanders!

This emu was slightly hostile...

We were really lucky and were able to see the Pandas in action that day. This panda was happily eating bamboo :) It was exciting (and very cute) to watch!
Picnic Time for Panda Bears from kaylaj on Vimeo

My favorite zoo animals! The Timons! (meerkats)
Meerkat Manners from kaylaj on Vimeo

The prairie dog exhibit was fun to watch! They are so cute!
This prairie dog found a snack it shouldn't have been eating!
Don't Eat That! from kaylaj on Vimeo

I was TOO TALL!! SO THERE!

The lions were also out and roaming about.
This one was relaxing in the afternoon.
Julia, myself, and Beth at the small mammal house.

Cherry Blossom Festival

2007-04-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

The National Cherry Blossom Festival annually commemorates the gift of cherry trees from the country of Japan. In 1912, Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo gave the USA 3,000 of the trees to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan. By 1915, the United States government had responded with a gift of flowering dogwood trees to the people of Japan. The trees surround the Tidal Basin of the Potomac River. In 1981, the cycle of giving came full circle. Japanese horticulturalists came to take cuttings from the D.C. trees to replace Yoshino cherry trees in Japan which had been destroyed in a flood. With this return gift, the trees again fulfilled their roles as a symbol and agent of friendship. - information taken from the official website

Gorgeous Blossoms!

Around the Tidal Basin

The Jefferson Memorial

From the steps of the Jefferson Memorial

FDR Memorial

Me with "Fala" Roosevelt

At the FDR Memorial

Korean War Memorial

Reflecting Pool at the Korean War Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial

From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial

Looking back at the Lincoln Memorial

Remembering Nurses

The Washington Monument

The Vietnam Memorial

Vietnam Memorial - Fallen Soldiers

All 50 States surround the central pavilion

Look which two states are right next to each other!

People enjoying the blossoms along the Potomac River.

President's Day

2007-02-20T13:20:00.000-08:00

Walking down the National Mall

The Museum of Natural History

My friends, Beth & Julia, by the Easter Island Statue

Constitution Avenue

The Holocaust Memorial Museum

The Washington Monument

The Lasses Unite

2007-02-12T15:11:00.000-08:00

February 7-11
Larissa, Lilly, and Kristina came to visit! I would never have made it through student teaching without them!! Thanks, girls!

New Friends & Brookside Gardens

2007-01-29T15:05:00.000-08:00

New Friends: Beth, Maie, & Julia

Cool pine cones!
Under A Tree