Most importantly, my oldest brother, Chris, and his family - also known as the Barlows-Wisconsin - came to visit! I love having my siblings visit, and I love living in a place where they visit often because of work and such. So I love when I hear from one of them saying they're going to be in town for work and we need to hang out. In fact, I'm very much looking forward to that with another sibling in a few weeks (!!!).
But this was an extra special visit because Chris and his family visited - of their own volition. Nothing brought them here but themselves. Spring break brought them here. Can I emphasize how cool this is?! My brother and his family chose, as their spring break trip, a trip to visit super fun Aunt Kate. ?!?!!!? I'm so flattered by it, I could punch someone. Out of pure joy.
I should have some friends and roommates jump on here as testimonials for my excitement about their impending visit, before they came:
"I hung out with Kate Friday night, and all she could talk about was how she couldn't wait until her family came the next night. She literally did not talk about anything else."
"The last two weeks of living with Kate have been filled with one thing - discussion about her family, what to do with her family, and how cool her family is. That's all. It's getting a bit redundant at this point."
"I didn't even know Kate before Saturday, but by the end of the day, I knew everything about her family. Though I still don't know anything about her...it's kind of weird, actually."
Anyway. We basically did all we could while the 7 of them were here. Trying to cater to the interests of adults, teenagers, pre-teens, and youngsters is kind of a difficult task, but I think everyone enjoyed at least 30 minutes of the trip at some point, so I'm considering this a success. I was a little bummed because the weather was putrid while they were here - 50s at best, and rainy one day, yuck - but Chris and Co. were happy to take the blame for that, as it's just their luck to have terrible Spring Break weather. It was beautiful about a week later, so I really believe it was them. But I won't hold it against them. And the cherry blossoms didn't come out until two weeks after they left, if that makes everyone feel better - they didn't just miss them at all; on the contrary, the blossoms were super late.
I took a day off work to tour the city with them, and I basically took another unofficial day off, since trying to show 7 people, 2 of which never stop moving and running away, the Capitol building ends up taking roughly 3 hours (who knew?), even with skipping a whole section. But I like to think they got one or two facts to spout off to friends, and a number of other "maybe-truths" to confuse people with as well. As I constantly reminded them. I like to give unique, "Two Truths and a Lie" tours, to see if anyone's really paying attention. Is that statue really made out of gold? Is that chandelier really from the Titanic? Is there really a ghost cat walking around the Capitol? The world may never know.
But what am I doing still blabbing on? There are pictures to be had! You ready for this?
A young Cleopatra? The girl knows how to look regal.
Chris, Jodi, and the comedian/gangsta-wannabe. And the sitting area in my bedroom! Cute, oui?
"Daddy, your cheeks are sooo cute I just want to pinch them all day long!!!" she said as she downed her IHOP pancakes and macaroni & cheese. I went all out for this family, we hit all the local hotspot eateries (not).
#omgoodnessiamsoinlovewiththispictureitmakesmesmilealmostasmuchaswhenithinkaboutdoggles
Maddie and her mini-me. Amiright? Part of the tour where I tell the truth is when we get to this spot - the mark they're standing on is considered the most powerful place in the world - it is the exact center of the most powerful building in the most powerful city in the world. A person is said to receive extra power just by standing there. Neato! Next...
Telestrations, the new Barlow family game. Along with Sequence, Pound, and Crazy 8s. This may be one of my best drawings. #i'mnotanartist #hashtagsdontworkinblogs
The three older kids at the Lincoln Memorial, with the Washington Monument and the reflecting pool behind them. Beautiful day, right? Aside from the chilly wind...which was never not blowing. Boo. But darling pictures of darling family. So, worth it.
It's a family picture! Thank you Lincoln memorial pillars.
Siblings! With metro cards! Riding the metro! Everyone was great at picking up the metro etiquette right away. And Chris's hair was exciting!! (Thanks to Abby for saying that on one of Chris's old instagram pictures - it was referenced all week long. Sometimes I still mumble it to myself when I think of Chris and family being here...and then I smile.)
I call this Where's Waldo: Chloe edition. Still one of my favorite pictures of the trip. Also, I am so impressed that they left DC with all the kids they brought. I thought for sure they'd lose one by the time they left...
Oh hey, this stud of a 13-year-old and I are just hanging out on the train. NBD.
Little Libster knows the sweet spots of the boys in her life - tickle Caleb's earlobes and he'll do anything for you. Caress dad's hair, and his heart is in your hand. It's exciting!
This guy is a stud. Not many guys can pull off pink aviators and that pose - but Max is more than the average guy. He's a stud. And Libby is a photo bomber. Oh well.
Yeah, we had fun.
Highlights of the trip:
Meeting everyone at the hotel when they pulled up (finally!!!) at 11:30pm Saturday night...
Seeing Max chase after Libby at the Arlington National Cemetery, then take her hand and walk down the sidewalk with her (so cute!!!).
Talking fashion and other cool stuff with the older kids. I loved talking with the older kids. LOVED.
Not losing Chloe or Libby permanently
That one time when Libby yelled my name for me to hold her. I take what I can get.
Cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake - this is mostly a highlight because I think it was the only tine the Barlows-WI experienced special, local eats in DC. I did not do a good job getting them to cool, fun places...#fail. Though we did get frozen yogurt! It's no midwestern frozen custard, but Chloe enjoyed the free candy buffet that was actually the not-free toppings selection...luckily the workers there are really cool and just laughed and shrugged off the snagged gummy worm.
Target. Always Target.
My darling easter basket that Jodi built me, which I, um, of course, uh, didn't open until Easter. Ahem.
Swimming at the hotel pool - I didn't actually swim, but from what I heard all week, that was a major highlight for Max, Chloe, and Libby. Monuments and history just can't compete, I know. I get it.
The 5-minute walk from the hotel to my house, when Chris and I got some very quick one-on-one chats in. Loved all of them.
Chris's parking jobs at the tiny hotel parking lot. He managed to fit Noah's ark in a sardine can.
My sass-off with Chloe at 10:30pm on their last night, after most of the other kids went to bed. "And then I was all, "OH NO YOU DI'NT! He is MY MAN. You go take your polyester hair extensions and your prado backpack and walk away. JUST WALK AWAY. That's right, the door is over there. Don't let it hit you on the way out." I think it actually started as a valley girl conversation circa 1985, but eventually went super urban. Chloe already had great sass in her, but I think I gave her some more depth to her catalogue by teaching her some extra phrases, like "step off" and "tubular."
Basically, it was a blast, and I'm so glad I could be chosen as a Spring Break destination! And I can't wait for them to come back in the Fall, when it's slightly less crowded (Spring Break is the worst time to live in DC...) and they can go see more stuff in hopefully better weather! I'm also quite pleased to know that Maddie, Caleb, and Max will be pushing for this Fall trip as much as I am. LOVE IT! Thanks for visiting! DC's great, especially with Kate! Tell all your friends!
