Summer Review

(Random picture, but I like it :) It is totally the same idea as the picture from this post from my old blog :)

This summer was A-MA-ZING - totally the best summer of my life :)  Instead of trying to give a description of every trip we took, I'm just going to give y'all the highs and lows of each one :)

Washington D.C. for National Day of Prayer

High: as always, the midnight tour of the capitol with a Christian congressman was amazing! Since we go after the Capitol is closed to the public, we can go onto the floor of the House and the Senate since we are with a congressman :)

Low: Awkward dinners/events when we didn't know anyone in the entire room 

Philadelphia

High: Hanging out at the National Constitutional Center and convincing my mom to let us have ice cream every day on the walk home since she decided to save money and make us walk instead of taking a cab

Low: some cemetery we went to....I mean, seeing where Benjamin Franklin is buried was kinda cool, but beyond that, I really didn't care about all the rocks sticking out of the ground

yup...be jealous...

New York (our day trip from Philadelphia)

High: shopping at American Eagle for dry clothes/NYC shirts after the rain cleared up (turning point of the trip - see the low of the trip to understand) and just walking around the city

Low: THE RAIN!!!!! NYC isn't as cool when can't see it cuz you're just trying to stay dry under your umbrella... Have you ever gone into an Olive Garden, taken off your shoes because they and your skinny jeans are soaking wet, and wrapped your feet in napkins because they were so wet and cold? Or taken off your shoes and put them under the hand dryers in a bathroom? Cuz I have....here's the proof

(Although after the rain went away, we had a lot of fun walking around the city and just being there - I totally don't regret a second of it :)

Colorado with friends for the 4th of July

High: playing four square and pool, and just hanging out with our friends - it's totally a family

Low: the air show on the 4th was really underwhelming

Alaskan Cruise with family

High: wow...so many highs :) Around the World (rotational ping pong), nighttime pizza and ice cream with the older cousins, pizza flying across the deck because it was so windy, ziplining, grabbing a couple rolls and a glass of lemonade and finding a seat to read alone, SUNSHINE! (Anne Marie, that's for you :), and just hanging out with my awesome family :)

Low: to quote the Thinker from Night at the Museum 2, "I'm thinking......I'm thinking...." Seriously, it was the most amazing trip I have ever been on - I can't come up with a low!

Haha this picture totally describes us - crazy, fun, and loud :) (You might have to enlarge the picture to see all the crazy kids in the back :)

Haha this was just sitting in a chair in one of the Alaskan towns outside some shops - "it's so fluffy I could die!"

The whole crew - 23 total :)

I am so thankful to have had such a wonderful summer and be able to go on so many wonderful trips with so many wonderful people...so blessed...