Sister's Trip to Chicago

My sisters and I were able to spend four days in Chicago. We had so much fun shopping, eating, talking, walking and seeing lots of fun things. We saw Phantom of the Opera and afterwards stopped at Macy's and ate at the Walnut room. Here we are by the big tree in the Walnut room. Martha Stewart designed the tree this year and was there the day before us to light it!

Josie and me with the Chicago Theatre, Macy's clock and one of the "corn cob" buildings behind us.This was our amazing view as we ate lunch at the top of the Hancock Tower.

My great sister's Josie, Julie, and Jill--thanks for a great trip!

Here is a link for more and better pictures that my sister's took!
http://www.shutterfly.com/view/pictures.jsp

If it doesn't work, sorry, it is shutterfly's fault.

Dallas for two

Dan and I were able to go on a fun trip to Dallas all by ourselves (no kids). We felt like such grown-ups getting to make decisions all by ourselves about where we wanted to eat and what we wanted to do. First off we headed to the Utah (go Utes) VS. TCU football game.

We stayed at the same hotel as the team and were able to see lots of players and lots of coaching staff. We also bummed a ride on the faculty bus over to the game and sat right by Coach Whittingham's wife. The bus even got a police escort to the game! We had great seats right by all the parents of players and after the game they were nice enough to introduce us to lots of the team and even give us a ride back to our hotel. We love the Utes!

Janie, Jamie Whittingham, Dan

Dan, Louis Sakoda (the Utah kicker), Janie

Janie, Brian Johnson (Utah Quarterback), Dan

After the fun game, which the Utes won, we headed into downtown Dallas. We saw Texas School Book Depository where JFK was shot.

Whoa! I'm in the car with JFK and Jackie!

Here is Dan in front of the Grassy Knoll.

We also had tons and tons of yummy Tex-Mex. We really miss yummy Mexican food and it was so great to eat real Tex-Mex almost every meal while we were there.

A BIG thanks to Mandy and Eddie for watching our kids for four days while we were gone! We owe you big time thank you so much we had so much fun and our kids had so much fun with you.

Halloween!

Jake was a mummy

Abby was an 80's girl

Estee was a U of M football player

Andy decided last minute to dress up as a crazy Michigan fan. Dude, you don't look so good.

Abby and Jake at the school party. Lots of fun on Halloween!

After working hard all night to get gobs and gobs of candy we were very lucky today to be visited by the Happy Halloween Witch. She comes and takes all your candy for needy boys and girls. And in exchange she leaves you books and pencils and all sorts of non-candy items. We are so glad she came and visited us this year!

Chicago Marathon

Many of you probably know that we were planning on going to Chicago last weekend so Dan could run the Chicago marathon again. He caught a cold the week before and felt bad that he had to miss the race; however, he didn't feel so bad when we heard that the race was cancelled 3.5 hours after starting due to record high temperatures. A large number of people were hospitalized and we heard reports from people who were there that the entire city's emergency response personnel were overwhelmed due to the number of runners who were having problems. Many people were hospitalized and one man died. I guess this might be the only trip to Chicago that we are glad we didn't take.

Washington DC

We had a fun week long trip to Washington DC! It was the perfect time of year to go. There were no crowds anywhere. The kids had to miss a week of school right after it started, but it was worth it. Here are a bunch of pictures from the trip. Enjoy!Here is the crew outside the White house the night we got to town, Dan had a dinner and I went exploring with the kids. Our hotel was so close to everything it was perfect. This is the beginning of a long week in the stroller for Estee--she was so good.

We toured the Bureau of Printing and Engraving money, it was really cool to see all that money. The kids loved it.

This is Abby and Jake at the World War II Memorial with the Washington Monument behind them. The weather was perfect all week about 75 degrees.

Jake enjoying his freedom.

Where's the Ward children? They are all in this picture. They wanted to play Where's Waldo with me and the camera. We are at the National Botanical Gardens which we decided just to hurry and see as we were walking by. This ended up being one of our favorite things of the whole trip!

We also visited the Smithsonian National Zoo where they have these Giant Panda's which never come out of there cages. Well, I guess they liked the weather too because they were out and giving us a good show the day we went. Dan's aunt who has lived in DC for many years has never seen them! We felt lucky to have gotten such a cute shot here of him eating his toenails. Who doesn't love a Giant Panda eating his toenails?

This is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. Jake loved watching the changing of the guard, his favorite part was when they yelled out "Orders Ac-knowledged, forward-march".

Close-up of Jake and Abby sharing a seat of honor...

And far-away. That is them--the little dots in the middle of the picture.

The boys at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum which is the most visited museum in the world! It was a hit for the Ward family.

This is really freaky, it's a model of a bat eating, well I guess sucking the blood a human foot. Ahhh, who makes a model of that?? I was a little freaked out by it. Oh, it was at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, which was probably our favorite Museum.

Andy and Abby looking like they are little angels at the Capital. Who could ever guess these two fight, there so sweet.

More sweetness.

This is at the Korean War Memorial.

I just had to include a picture of Jake's favorite part of all the Memorials, climbing all over them. He climbs the walls at home I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he wants to climb the Memorials in Washington DC. If something is climb-able Jake will find it.


After all that walking and sightseeing the kids needed a break from their vacation. So, we stopped at the carousel that is in the center of the National Mall and they happily took a ride, Estee's first carousel ride.

Taking a break in front of the first Smithsonian Building "The Castle".

The boys climbed on a big marble thing and I got a shot of them with the Iwo Jima Statue behind them. In the distance you can see the Washington Monument.

Oh, yeah Dan was on this trip too. Did I mention I did all this (4 kids for a week in DC) by myself. Dan was at a Conference and we met him for dinner our last night there. We ate at a fun restaurant that overlooked the White house and Washington Monument. After dinner we walked around the White house and got this picture. Here's my cute crew!

If this wasn't enough and you want to see even more of our Washington DC trip pictures click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/janieward1313/WashingtonDCSept07

We Love Russell Crowe!

Sweet video of Russell Crowe after the Notre Dame game.

William Tell Overture for Moms

This is hilarious! She pretty much pegged it, I think she might have had a hidden microphone at my house.

Great Kids, Messy Rooms

One morning a few weeks ago, Andy and Jake got up really early. They got dressed and "cleaned their room" . They also got Estee from her bed so I could sleep in, what wonderful children they are. When I woke up I found Andy playing his guitar to Estee and she was dancing, it was so dang cute I had to take a picture.

I like how "clean and organized" all the toys under their beds are. Although I hate to point out any shortcomings in their work and efforts to clean their room (for fear of them not making this non-forced effort again) I must ask "who could possibly think this room is clean?"

Funniest Ebay post ever!

My friend Tiffany sent me this and I was laughing so hard. Hilarious!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130144061675

Some of these grocery store experiences I have actually had. So Funny!

Back to School

It's the most wonderful time of the year, OK the second most wonderful time.

This year I have 1,2,3 kids back to school all day long. Estee and I have been enjoying down time in the mid-day. Although, as soon as they walk through the door after school the clean and peaceful quiet house is immediately gone and, in fact, it is hard to believe it was ever clean, quiet or peaceful.

Abby is "dumping all the naughties out" of Estee before she heads off for her first day of school.

That was thoughtful of her to help me out with Estee.

Abby informed me this color blue of her shirt here is the most popular color this year. EVERYBODY had this color on. Now you know the 5th grade fashion alert.

First day of first grade for this guy, he was sooooo tired after. I thought he would collapse on the way home--this picture was taken before school, when he seems to have more energy.

We made Andy stop for a picture on his way off for the bus--and he missed it! Oops.