The Romero Family!: October Thus Far

Catching Up!
With our move behind us and Brayden giving me a few moments free time now and again, it's about time I catch up on our blog. So much has happened since Brayden was born, yet I've documented so little. So much detail is lost when you blog just the highlights, but better than nothing. And I'm so happy to finally have gotten around to it.

The White House & Natural History Museum
Kari arranged a tour of the White House for us all through her congressman. Over two years of living here and we're finally starting to explore the area. Thanks for helping us explore D.C., Kari! We weren't allowed to bring cameras on the tour, but we were able to capture these pictures on Kari's camera phone. Our original appointment at 10:30am was rescheduled to 12:30pm due to a press conference in one of the rooms on the tour by Obama announcing the departure of Ron Emanuel.

Outside the White House. The girls private bedrooms are just above us.

Kari taking care of business in the Oval Office.

(She took this picture at a wax museum she visited with some friends. Still, it's pretty funny!)

After the White House tour we spent the rest of the Afternoon at the Museum of Natural History. Annika loved the aquarium with the "Nemo" fish.

Dory & Nemo.

Some very strange animals!

Prehistoric elephant!

A giant squid caught off the coast of the Falkland Islands.
It measures 8.62m, see Kari way down at the end of it's tentacles,
but is far smaller than the largest squid ever caught that was 18.5m.

Wouldn't want to come across one of these in the wild.

Overlooking the famous elephant in the museum's lobby.

Shakespeare & Jackson

They may look innocent, but oh how I have a love hate relationship with these dogs.
They're like having 2 more kids on my hands that will never grow up.

Caught in the act!

Annika helping herself to a mid-afternoon snack.

Caught in the act.

Ohio Trip!
For Columbus Day weekend we took a trip to Ohio to visit Austin.

Our first night out we woke up to this sight.
Apparently Brayden can pull him up on furniture now.

"Get me out of here!"

The kids did well on the long ride.

Annika was content to watch movies on her DVD player,
and Brayden was happy to be along for the ride.

Happy baby boy! He did so good on the long drive.

We stopped at the Bob Evan's Festival in Rio Grande, Ohio along the way to Dayton. It was so much fun. Wish we would have had more time to enjoy the event, but happy we made the stop.

Brayden sporting his team.

"How does this look work for me?" He's adorable in anything!

To get to the festival you had to take a tunnel under the road that
looked like a huge cement drain pipe.

Tight squeeze! I was worried we'd encounter another
stroller going the opposite direction.

Annika washing laundry by hand.

Joe and Annika on a tractor ride.

Bob Evans Festival.

Three week old calf. You have no idea how excited Annika was or how much she loves animals.

Hay maze. It was so long and just watching people go through it was making me dizzy.

Brayden enjoying the outdoors. It was perfect weather.

Leaving the festival. It would be nice to go again next year.

This was our stomping grounds when we lived in Ohio. We sure do miss "The Greene."

So happy!

Austin and Annika exchanging flowers.

Annika sporting a flower behind her ear.

Children's Discovery Gardens at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark. More things about Ohio we miss.

Annika in the "fairy" house.

We have a picture almost exactly like this from when we took Annika as a baby.

Running through the "sensory" garden where every plant you can either smell, touch, or taste.

Smelling the basil.

Garden cottage.

Watering the plants.

Brayden and Dad enjoying a moment together.

How can one boy have so many looks?

I love those delicious chocolate eyes!

He's such an intense baby.

I love when he makes this look with his eyes.

We also took a trip to the Air Force Museum.

Annika as a fighter pilot.

Daddy as Annika's co-pilot.

Such a team!

Joe took Annika on a flight simulator. He'd been on it before and thought it would be too boring, but for a three year old it was intense. She had a lot to say about it when she was done. She really thought she went on a plane ride.

First toddler in Space.

Annika chasing the aircraft as it's landing on the carrier and Brayden looking on.

The grounds outside the museum.

Our kidos. I hope they always love each other like they do now.

Enjoying a belated birthday treat with big brother Austin!
Words can't express how much Annika adores Austin.

All the kids together! Of course Brayden has to be putting something in his mouth.

Father and son. Hard to believe Austin is 18 years old now.

Cute how the Cheesecake Factory embellished Austin's birthday cake.

Annika insisted we sing Happy Birthday to Austin. Got to do things properly.

The Birthday boy...a month later. Better late then never!

WPAFB...such a lovely Fall day!

Enjoying one last moment outside before our long ride home.

Dinner with Sister Crites

On the 15th we had Sister Crites over for dinner. Annika and I made a yummy spiderweb cake. She was so proud of our finished product!

We love Sister Crites. Annika can't have a cake without first singing "Happy Birthday" to everyone and blowing out a candle. It will be sad when she no longer needs this tradition to enjoy cake.

Annika and Linda.

Naval Accademy
On Saturday, the 16th we took a tour of the Naval Academy. Here's the pool area and diving boards. You can't graduate unless you can swim in your uniform something like 38 laps.

Indoor Olympic-sized pool.

Each cadet must take a marshal arts course for self defense. They must do 3 hours of physical activity each day.

Wrestling mats.

Navy had a football game that day. It is a requirement that each cadet attend home games.

Team spirit.

The entire campus is inspired by French architecture. Doesn't his home look like a French chateau?

The Admiral's home.

The chapel. Each stain glass window depicts a water scene from the Bible.

Jesus walking on water.

The ship hanging in the back of the chapel.
The pew with the candle and yellow flowers has been left empty since the
Vietnam war and represents those who are not with them.

Front of the chapel.

Chapel ceiling.

Crypt of John Paul Jones underneath the chapel.

His bust. There was one at Mt. Vernon too. Our tour guide said he was always giving his bust away.

A lovely day on the Naval Academy grounds.

At the end of the year Freshman climb this monument fully greased with lard to see who can make it to the top first and hang their hat.

Herndon Monument.

The Chapel.

Zwieback toast. Perfect for keeping Brayden quiet during the tour.

Pretty colors. 1/2 green 1/2 red & orange.

Indian counting down the days until Spring Break!

Yes, Kari is thrilled to see this Indian monument.

The largest college dormitory in the world.
It looks like a palace.

Inside the dorm.

Ballroom in the dorm. A ceremony was earlier that day, hence all the chairs.

The stairs leading out of the ballroom and to the doors outside.

Annika can make Brayden laugh like no other.

Annika looks too grown up to me from this angle
I can hardly stand it. It must be her walk.

Daddy and the two kiddos.

Here comes trouble...Torpedo Brayden.

Such a mischievous little face.

You know I'm funny!

Inside the old armory.

Brayden!

Getting ready for bed!

On our way to church. Doesn't Brayden look cute in his little train suit?

Can we say adorable? This little boy has stolen all our hearts!

FHE Dinner.

For FHE Kari & I made this yummy fish. Our lesson was "Fishers of Men."
For drinks we had blue cool-aid, "water," and for dessert we had swedish fish.

Kiddo's

Annika catching up on her reading (a Halloween cooking book). Joe noticed her grabbing it off the shelf on her way to the potty.

A moment of peace! I love these two together! I hope they always stay this close!

Pirate Annika!

Funny story. Annika put this can on her arm and said "Look mama, I'm a pirate." Aunt Kari has been teaching her all about pirates. Funny how she remembers the peg hand.