Jeff and Cindy

Cindy's sister Jackie, Larry, and Grandson Chris came to celebrate the 4th of July

2009-07-21T08:38:00.054-04:00

Jackie, Larry and Chris arrived June 27th after visiting with our brother Bruce in St. Louis and their son, Corey and family in Georgia. Jeff and I took it easy on them that evening. We started off Sunday morning on the metro into DC. We toured the whole mall area which includes, World War II National Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, White House, and then to the Old Post Office Tower to see the city.

On Monday we decided to take it easy for a day and headed to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Rehoboth Beach is a one square mile seaside town with a fun beach and a lot of fun shops. It was Chris's first time in the ocean and he had a blast.

Tuesday we went to Arlington Cemetery, Arlington House and the Marine Memorial.

Wednesday we went to the top of the Washington Monument for a wonderful view of the city and surrounding area. Then we walked to Senator Tim Johnson's office in the Hart Building to meet our tour guide for a great tour of the Capitol. We met Jeff at Chadwick's for a beer/pop and a bit to eat. It was time to relax.

Thursday we visited the Air and Space, Natural History, and American History Smithsonians. We spent about 6 hours touring around the museums.

On Friday we went to the Awakening, Franklin D. Roosevelt memorial and the Pentagon.

On Saturday the 4th of July I took Jackie and Larry into the Tea Party at the Capitol and Jeff and Chris took in minature golf. In the evening we went back into the city for the concert and fireworks. Once again both were spectacular.

Sunday was a relaxing day to pack, go to a movie and order pizza.

On Monday we were sad to see Jackie, Larry, and Chris take off but a good time was had by all.

Dustin, Christianne and Preston came for a visit

2009-06-23T19:25:00.035-04:00

Preston happy as usual.

Preston

Grandpa Beringer and Preston laughing.
Grandma and Preston

He is getting so sleepy!
Three pretty handsome Beringer boys.

Grandpa Beringer and Preston enjoying the pool.
We are all loving the day at the pool.
Grandma Beringer and Preston getting ready to go swimming.

A day at the zoo.
Grandma Beringer and Preston at the zoo.
Preston kicking back and relaxing.
Trying the Fish Market on King Street. It turned out to be a good choice for supper.

Grandpa Beringer and Preston down by the river at Kings Street.

Dustin and Christianne at the Awakening at the National Harbor.

A little play time.

Grandma Beringer and Preston enjoying a quiet time alone in the morning.

In this picture Dustin and Preston showing Preston in the sleeper that Dustin wore when he was Preston's age. It was one of my favorite cuddly soft sleepers.
Sad day - getting ready for the shuttle to the metro. We will metro to the airport to say goodbye.

Grandpa and Preston waiting for Joe the shuttle driver.

Grandpa and Preston saying goodbye.
Grandma and Preston saying goodbye.

Rick Pier and Bill Payton

2009-05-30T12:36:00.020-04:00

We took our buds to O'Connell's. This is an Irish Bar we are fond of.

Rick and Jeff having a little fun at O'Connell's.
We took the Old Towne Trolley back to the metro, then the metro to the shuttle and then finally home for the day.
Rick and Jeff at the Nationals game
Rick, Bill, and Cindy trying to stay out of the wind at the game.
Just a little chilly for Cindy, Rick, and Jeff at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Bill is the only one to test the waters. Brrrrrrrr!!! That is it Bill is coming in the summer next time.

The Awakening at the National Harbor
The Awakening
Bill at the National Harbor.
Bill Payton, Rick Pier, Cindy and Jeff at Mt. Vernon

Mt. Vernon
(Laurie and Amie see what you did to Jeff. You taught him how to pose for pictures. )

Rick, Cindy, Jeff and Bill at Mt. Vernon
We went to Gettysburg to the battle field.

Jeff's folks visit us during the Cherry Blossom Festival

2009-05-30T12:07:00.024-04:00

Dad and Mom at the Tidal Basin in DC. The cherry blossoms were beautiful.

Dad and Todd Tiahrt

Todd Tiahrt is the US Representative from the 4th Congressional District of Kansas

Cindy, Jeff, Todd Tiahrt, JoAnne and Ken in Todd's office

Mom and Dad at Mt. Vernon

Mom and Dad at Mt. Vernon with the Potomac River in the background

We went to the Grotto of Lourdes in Maryland. It is near the seminary where Fr. John Fischer was at.

The artwork and statues were beautiful as were Mom and Dad!

The natural spring has healing powers so we drank up. So far we are still alive so it must work.

Mom and Cindy at the Washington Wizards - Detroit Pistons basketball game. We had fabulous tickets thanks to George who is a friend of Jeff's.

Jeff, JoAnne and Kenny at the Wizards game. This is the Verizon Center where we also watch Georgetown play.

Ken and Senator Tim Johnson

We visited with Tim in his office. It was really nice.

Our tour guide that took us through the Capitol

Weller's come to DC

2009-05-30T12:00:00.006-04:00

Sean Weller came to visit us in Alexandria. Jeff and I picked him up at the airport and he stayed with us for a night. On Saturday March 21, 2009, we took Sean to the Sheraton in Alexandria for a Leadership Conference. Erin and Ryan arrived in Alexandria on March 25, 2009, to sight see while Sean was finishing his conference. After the conference was over they all three took off to New York to brother Mac's house.

Erin, Ryan, and Cindy at the Crystal City Sports Bar and Resturant

Sean Weller, Cindy and Jeff

Cindy's Mom visted us for a month in February/March

2009-05-30T08:53:00.020-04:00

Mom (Donna) and I at the Georgetown/Villinova Girls Basketball game. I thought we had to get there early to get a good seat.

Mom and I having a little fun taking pictures while sight seeing one day. Mom is showing you how tall the Statue of Freedom is. But actually it stands 19 feet 6 inches tall.

Waiting in line to tour the Washington Monument. We took an elevator ride to the top of the Washington Monument for a bird’s-eye view of the city. Standing 555 feet and 5 1/8 inches tall, the monument is one of the best-known landmarks on the National Mall. (As you can see by the flags we just about got blown away)

Mom with one of the reenactors at Mt. Vernon
Mom at Mt. Vernon

Baltimore's Inner Harbor is one of the most photographed and visited areas of the city.

We went to Baltimore to tour the National Aquarium.

A day out of the city. We went for a nice relaxing day at Lake Brittle. Jeff fished while Mom and I read and did puzzle books.

Leesa and Laurie Johnson were in town visiting friends and spent a couple of nights at our house. Jeff, Leesa, and Laurie at Chadwick's. We went to Chadwick's for Mom's birthday.

Mom and I at Chadwick's celebrating Mom's birthday.

Mom's birthday surprise at Chadwick's.

Laurie and Kim arrive to DC - February 6, 2009

2009-03-11T12:54:00.007-04:00

If you follow our blog at all I am sure you have seen Laurie Johnson appear in many episodes of our lives on the east coast. We have been very luck to have her stationed near us on her traveling nurse assignments. This time she brought Kim along and as usual we had a great time. With each new friend Laurie brings there are always the trips to the National Mall. And Cindy really enjoys shopping with the girls which is something she does not get with me all the time. The following are just some more random pictures of Laurie's (and Kim's) visit.

As always we had a great time with Laurie and Kim. What you want to watch for at our blog is a return visit with Laurie and joining her will be her sister Leesa. Leesa has yet to make an appearance to our place so we are really getting excited for that. And anyone who knows these two, knows there is never a dull moment when they get together.

Ken and Nancy LaBrie arrive - Jan. 28, 2009

2009-03-11T12:16:00.011-04:00

A while back I got a call from Ken and he asked me where I thought the next Goodyear National Convention was taking place. I asked him if it was Alexandria, VA and he said no. He did say they would be meeting at the National Harbor which for any of you who have looked out our window towards the Potomac River - well, the National Harbor is just across the river and we see it very clearly. Well arrangements were made and we picked them up on our way home from work at Reagan airport - rode the metro to the Huntington station - then boarded our shuttle bus to our apartment. The next five days were a blurr on many levels as we packed in all the sight seeing you could imagine and indulged on a variety of fine foods and drinks.

We introduced them to President Obama.

Made it to the Hard rock Cafe.

Of course we took them to all the sights on the National Mall.

Found a nice spot to replenish our dehydrated bodies.

Took Ken and Nancy to the fish market.

Ken and I relaxing at the pub table in our apartment.

Cruising around in DC near the FBI building.

Relaxing back at the apartment.

By Sunday Feb. 1 (Superbowl Sunday), Cindy and I needed our rest so we took them over to the National Harbor so they could begin their convention. Did I mention that Ken and Nancy took off for Florida after the convention? Oh how it would be nice to be young again. We had a great time with our good friends and certainly hope they visit us again before we move back to South Dakota.

Inauguration - January 6, 2009

2009-03-11T11:32:00.004-04:00

If you follow our blog at all you know by now 2 things are pretty constant. One - we are late at getting information put in our blog, AND two, we seem to attract lots of company while we are living on the east coast. Our latest guests we did not really know. Cindy knew of one of them and I had never had the pleasure until now. Jody Ringling and her daughter Katy from Platte SD, were lucky enough to get tickets to the inauguration of President Obama. Of course getting tickets was one thing, getting a hotel was another story. Through a mutual friend, Jolene Nelson of Pierre, we were asked if we had room for a couple of South Dakotans and of course we said yes. They arrived on Sunday and we picked them up at the Reagan airport. Cindy took them into DC on Monday where they spent time sightseeing and getting acclamated to the area before the big event took place. Tuesday morning they ventured into the city around 5 AM and didn't return until late afternoon. Although they arrived back at our apartment cold, tired, and hungry, you could tell they enjoyed their experience. Jody said it best: "Getting a chance to go to DC is one thing, but having the opportunity to go there and be a part of history, especially with your child, life doesn't get any better than that."

As always with company, we had a great time. And meeting two wonderful people like Jody and Katy made it even more special.

Back Home for the Holidays

2009-01-25T17:14:00.019-05:00

The following is just a bunch of random pictures from our trip back to South Dakota. It is so nice being able to spend some time with family. Here you have Dustin and Preston - two handsome young men!

Looks like it is nap time for Preston and Uncle Bryan.

All I get to eat is formula - I am hungry - when do I get meat?

The following 3 pictures are arrests that Bryan made over the Holidays. They sure look like hardened criminals to me!

Christi is busy opening her presents while checking out what everyone else is getting.

Bryan playing Santa Claus handing out presents in Vermillion.

Dustin and Preston with the Godparents Bryan and Jessica looking on.

Grandma and Grandpa Beringer and Jessica opening presents.

Cindy and her two men.

Jeff and his boys.

Uncle Bryan and Preston

Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Jeff and Preston

Grandma Cindy and Preston

After our time in Vermillion, Cindy and I made it to Winner to celebrate Christmas with Donna, Jackie, and Larry. We hadn't been to Winner in a while so it was good to get back. Jackie was making sure the beer and champaign was fit to drink.

Don't even ask!

Jackie and Donna opening presents.

Cindy having a great time opening her presents!

As our trip came to the conclusion we had one more adventure left in us. We got bumped on our way home - had to spend about 6 hours in the Omaha airport before going to Milwaukee for the evening. Cindy caught a few winks before we left Nebraska.

Of course, a Bloody Mary can make the day go by better.

We had an excellent trip back to South Dakota. We didn't get to see as many friends as we would have liked on this trip. We did manage to get to see our good friends Rick, Todd and Connie as we made our way from Vermillion to Winner.

PRESTON'S BAPTISM - DEC. 21, 2008

2009-01-25T16:48:00.007-05:00

Here is Preston all dressed up for the big Baptism. Preston's outfit and quilt is made out of Christi's wedding dress and it was beautiful. The temps were cold and we had the church pretty much to ourselves.

Here is Preston, Dustin, and Christi along with Pastor Overbo. Godparents are Bryan and Jessica Beringer and Randy and Nicole Hofer.

The church had a nice banner and quilt made for Preston. Also a wooden chest will be coming soon.

Finally Preston can kick back in some comfy clothes and relax in his recliner.

After the Baptism we went to Russ and Mary Bjerky's for an excellent lunch and gift opening session.

October/November Trip to South Dakota

2008-12-01T19:06:00.027-05:00

Our precious Preston James Beringer

Bryan on duty checking up on us at 24 Walker
Bryan and Jessica after graduation!!

Chislic party at Dusty and Christi's Look at these kids.

It does not get any better than this.

Bryan was part of the Color Guard at his Law Enforcement graduation. Graduation in Pierre
Bryan and Jeff night before the graduation

Bryan receiving his signed diploma from Attorney General Larry Long. We are proud of you Bryan for all the hard work you put into this training.

I can garantee you these two ladies will not let Cindy be in charge of another party on election night. Celebrate??

Two fine young men.

Preston is a cutie!!! So are Dusty and Christi.

Great Aunt Jackie and Uncle Larry Ertz What a wonderful family.
Jeff talked Dustin into putting the Christmas lights up on this beautiful November day.
4 generations

Great Grandma Donna Trego, Grandma Cindy,Daddy Dustin and Preston

4 generations

Great Grandma JoAnne Beringer, Grandpa Jeff Daddy Dustin and Preston

4 generations of Beringer Boys

Great Grandpa Kenny Beringer, Grandpa Jeff, Daddy Dustin and Preston

Grandpa Beringer with Preston

Grandma Beringer with Preston

Once again we had a wonderful time back home in South Dakota. We got to meet our grandson, Preston James Beringer, which was unbelieveably wonderful. He is a true blessing. Dustin and Christianne make such wonderful parents. We are happy we could spend time with our kids, parents, siblings, friends and thank them all for making it happen. While in Pierre for Bryan's graduation from the Law Enforcement Academy we also got to meet up with our old and dear friends at the VFW. We also got to visit our friends in Avon and Kingsburg. You are all truly missed. We want to thank you all for such a great trip.

Preston James Beringer

2008-10-22T21:14:00.007-04:00

Our Grandson Preston James Beringer was born on October 15, 2008 at 3:52 AM at the Brookings Hospital.

He weighed 7 lbs. 4 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches tall. He has blue eyes and blonde hair.

Here are Dustin and Christianne holding Preston. This is one of their first family pictures! We can't wait to get back and see them! We did buy a webcam and talk to Preston daily - now we are anxious to hold him.

Great Grandma JoAnne and Great Grandpa Kenny were there to hold Preston James on the day he was born. What a treat for them!

Grandma Cindy, Grandpa Jeff, and Great Grandma Donna will be there soon!

UNC at Chapel Hill

2008-10-22T20:32:00.007-04:00

Here we are at Chapel Hill, NC. Who is that stranger sitting with us? No, not Amie - the other strange one - ok - not me - the other guy?!?! Could that be Laurie's main squeeze? You got - it is Thomas!

When you go to UNC you are going to do one of two things - football or basketball. Well - maybe Franklin Street too but that is for another time! Since it was early October we went to the UNC vs UCONN game. UCONN WAS rated in the top 25 until UNC had their way with them.

UNC took an early lead and never looked back. The stadium was awesome - the fans were awesome - and our tickets were awesome - thanks again Laurie!

4 of UNC's finest!

Don't ever let Laurie tell you she can't cook! Not once but twice she made us a terrific meal. I think this Thomas guy brings out the best in her!

And of course if you are at UNC you can't pass up a trip to the Dean Smith Center!

Thanks again Laurie and Amie - we had a great time and we will be back during basketball season.

Fire - Fire - Fire

2008-10-22T20:03:00.008-04:00

One thing we forgot to show you was a fire that occurred just south of our apartment complex. It was a Marriott being built about 1/4 mile down the road.

Cindy heard the firetrucks and looked out the window to this huge blaze taking place. We quickly ran out to our grilling area to watch the blaze. The flames were a good 5 stories up in the air. The sky was filled with burning embers which looked like fireflies scooting across the sky towards the apartments buildings south of our complex. Of course, like lemons, when life throws you a curve - throw a fire party. The hotel was only about 2/3 of the way towards completion and no one got hurt. This fire took place in August and still they have not started rebuilding. Never heard if it was arson; careless homeless people; or anything else.

Enjoy the movie!

New York, New York - Sept. 19, 2008

2008-10-02T20:19:00.013-04:00

Richie was spending time with his brother Mac and his family - Marya, Anna, Jordan, and Kirsten (Pookie). We drove down from Alexandria to meet up with them and spend an evening in the big Apple.

Here you see Richie with two of his favorite girls - Anna and Pookie.

Richie took us all to London Lennies for supper - if you want seafood in NYC this is the place to go! Thanks again Richie!

Back in the DC area we took a trip to the newly opened Pentagon Memorial. This is a must see! Here is the first stone for the Pentagon Memorial. Just being there brought back the tragic memories of 9-11.

If you look closely you can see some of the memorials facing towards the pentagon and some away. Those facing towards represent the people who were killed on the plane. Those facing away represent those killed in the Pentagon.

Richie and I in front of the Pentagon.

Of course we had to see the Nationals one more time. It was Ricks first time at the stadium which is really beautiful - too bad the Nationals did not play well this year. Oh well - there is always next year.

Richie at the Iwo Jima Memorial - he would have made a great Marine!

Cindy and Rick at the Potomac enjoying a great afternoon.

Richie goes to Washington - taking a gander at the Capitol Building.

Richie pondering whether he could have played at Georgetown University. He still has some eligibility left you know.

As always we had a great time! The next time we see Rick we will be staying with him in Avon in November and also seeing our good friends Todd and Connie Meyer. Of course by then we hope to be Grandparents!

The Outer Banks of North Carolina - Sept. 12, 2008

2008-09-15T21:22:00.013-04:00

This was our first trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It is about a 6 hr. drive and a 45 minute ferry ride to get to our destination.

Here comes the vessel to take us to Ocracoke Island, NC.

The ferry boats run every 1/2 hr during the main part of the day. We were lucky to catch the boat we did as we were the last vehicle on this vessel.

We took the white pickup on this trip because of all the gear we took with us.

And yes Mom - they did have life jackets. All stored away and locked in the cabin.

The sign says it all.

Here we are getting ready to hit the night life in Ocracoke. The village is small and we were able to walk everywhere. The population is just over 700.

Here we are at Howards Pub with our good friends Jack and Lana Nesbit. We were so happy they invited us to come with them on this trip.

The waves are one of our favorite things about the ocean. We had a blast swimming and body surfing in the Atlantic.

Of course there are other sights on the island as well. Here we are at the Ocracoke Lighthouse just a few blocks from our hotel. It is the second oldest lighthouse in North America (1823).

All good things must come to an end as the sun begins to set. We had a great trip and plan on returning real soon.

Hurricane Hanna hits DC - Sept. 6, 2008

2008-09-15T20:57:00.012-04:00

Hurricane Hanna started up the east coast and made her way to DC. This was our first Hurricane!

The clouds started arriving around 6 AM

As you can see they are getting worse!

The rains begin and instantly flood the golf course near our home.

In Old Town Alexandria the sand bagging begins at the lower end of King Street near the Potomac.

Supplies are running low as the town prepares for the worse.

The Potomac River is now even with the sidewalk as it inches it way towards Old Town.

The creeks are swollen and the rains continue. It is now time to make it back home before it is too late!

As it turned out our area was not hit with the high winds but we did get the rains. Damage closer to the coast was more extensive.

Laurie and Leah Come to DC - August 28

2008-09-15T20:37:00.002-04:00

Laurie Johnson makes it back for another visit. We are so happy she came back to see us!

This time she brought another friend who teaches in Omaha - Leah LaFerrier. She is originally from Elk Point, SD

Of course they saw all the sights DC has to offer - well a lot of them anyway!

And of course they had to see Chadwick's. Laurie is becoming a seasoned professional there and Leah could make rookie of the year.

And then its back to the ball park - everyone was feeling chipper at this game!

All good things have to come to an end - one last outing before the girls left.

Aug 26 - Dodgers vs Nationals = Screech

2008-09-15T20:24:00.007-04:00

Nothing like a night at the park. You get to watch the Dodgers get swept by the worse team in the major leagues. Fortunately they are now in 1st place heading for the playoffs.

Nothing could be better than being at the game with the one you love......or could it get any better???

How about when Screech comes and gives you pizza! Now that is pretty good too!

Captain Toby Takes Me Fishing - August 23, 2008

2008-08-25T20:56:00.004-04:00

In my years of experiences, I have found when you draw someones arm behind their back and bring it up so high they can scratch their neck - well they tend to invite you out fishing. Just kidding! Captain Toby Lloyd once again took me fishing and this time we tried our hands at catching "blues". Toby did inform me that these fish are pretty much on the bottom of the food chain as far as eating goes, but they are a hoot to catch. I won't tell you how many we did catch and release, but I will tell you I did catch twice as many as Toby did. He says he was just being a gracious host - which of course he is!

Toby at Thomas Point Lighthouse

Couldn't let Toby be in every picture.

A picture at Blood Point - this lighthouse was for sale but not sure if anyone purchased it.

I had a great time with Toby - the only thing is we forgot to take a picture of one of the "many" blues we caught. Guess you will have to wait until the next time Toby takes me out - which I hope happens real soon!!

South Dakotans Gathering at Meidingers - August 22, 2008

2008-08-25T20:47:00.003-04:00

Cindy, Lorrie, Jim, Lana and Jack Nesbit, and Vicki Larson.

Jim and Lorrie Meidinger invited the South Dakota Mafia over for supper, drinks, and a whole lot of fun. We all happen to work in the Department of Ag building - well, except Jack. Jack is married to Lana and he is a born and raised east coaster. We plan on making this a monthly event and we will be hosting the next gathering.

Laurie Johnson and Amie Horvath come to DC - August 10, 2008

2008-08-25T20:01:00.001-04:00

Our newest guests currently reside in Chapel Hills, NC. Laurie Johnson and Amie Horvath are both "Traveling Nurses" that came to spend a few days with us seeing the sights in the greater DC area.

They fought the tough traffic from Richmond to Alexandria so we knew they would be hungry when they arrived. After a few beverages of our choice we fed them Steaks, King Crab, and Shrimp.

First night at Alexandria

Steaks - King Crab - Shrimp Anyone?

With the Bartender at O'Donnels

We had to show them a little of the night life and of course we took them to a couple of our favorite spots. Chadwicks and O'Donnels are two of those that we tend to show up at.

With the Bartender at Chadwicks

At the Iwo Jima Memorial

The girls spent their days seeing all the usual sights around the National Mall. We never tire of showing people around - you would think one could only see the Washington Monument 10 or 15 times, but, the sights are so amazing we never tire of them.

3 Hotties at the Theodore Roosevelt Island

The Roosevelt Island is one we have never been to - it is a short hike but well worth it.

Checking out the Fish Market

The Fish Market is always a fun stop for newbies. The trouble is - we still can't get anyone to order the baby octupus???

Aren't they just cute!

Laurie and Amie at the King St. Waterfront

Eating at Pines of Florence

We have heard from other "Traveling Nurses" that the Pines of Florence is a great place to eat so the girls took us out on our Anniversary. We must say the food was excellent and the company even better. If you are ever feeling ill - my recommendation is to call these two!

On the Metro

Gretchen Wilson - August 9, 2008

2008-08-10T12:39:00.010-04:00

After the Brandts left on Friday we were feeling a little bored so we decided to head to Wolf Trap which is America's National Park for the Performing Arts. It is a beautiful outdoor theater area which hosts a wide variety of concerts and performances. Check out Wolftrap.com to see what all they have. We happen to arrive on the night Gretchen Wilson was performing. This is one of Cindy's favorite country singers and I must admit this girl can perform! She comes from Pocahontas, IL and sings songs like Red Neck Woman, Here for the Party, Pocahontas, and Homewrecker. We took about a 40 min. Metro ride and then bused for another 15 minutes. It is first come - first serve for finding your place on the "lawn". They do have reserved seating but we heard sitting on the ground and bringing your own lunch and beverage is the way to go. So we picked our spot on the lawn, sat back and enjoyed the evening. The warm up band was a guy by the name of Randy Houser. He is an up and comer in the country music world after only 18 short years writing and performing and currently has a hit single called "Anything Goes"

Just waiting for the fun to begin.

Cindys just "Here for the Party"

Picture of the stage area.

Another pic of the stage

Gretchen Wilson doing her thing.

Another song to enjoy.

Gretchen can really sing!

Randy Houser - the new man on the scene.

Brandt's Take on DC - 2008

2008-08-10T11:35:00.008-04:00

The Brandt family (Kelly, Lisa, Courtney, Carissa, Paige, and Jayden)were the next group to visit us on the East coast. They arrived in DC on July 30, and departed August 8. They began their journey staying at the KeyBridge Marriotte in Arlington and stayed there 3 nights. Finally they came to our place on Saturday and we found that 8 people can live in a 2 bedroom apartment and everyone keep their sanity. Of course they did all the main sight seeing adventures like most of our guests - touring the Capitol, the monuments, some Smithsonians and more. They also spent a couple of days in Hershey PA loading up on chocolate. We had an great time with them and really enjoyed their visit. The kids were absolutely amazing - they were so well behaved which certainly means they have been brought up properly by 2 great parents.

Here we are practicing being Grandparents. We figure we could handle around 10 Grandchildren - hint hint Dustin/Christi/Bryan/Jessica. This picture was taken near the Tidal Basin in DC

Here is the Brandt family at the F.D. Roosevelt Memorial.

4 Good looking girls at the Jefferson Memorial.

Here Paige is doing tricks in the pool!

Here Carissa stopped swimming just long enough for us to get a picture.

More fun in our pool.

Some of those statues look so life like!

Eagles Concert

2008-08-01T20:01:00.002-04:00

July 26th - As if the Redskins scrimmage was not enough excitement for one day, we got home, showered, and headed - without tickets - to the Verizon center to see if we could catch the Eagles concert. We tried buying tickets online but the cheapest we could find were $195 a piece. After more than a few scalpers we finally found a guy who sold us 2 tickets for only $150. We were more than satisfied as they played hit after hit beginning at 8:30 and ending at Midnight - three encores total. They did take a quick break which allowed us time to grab a beverage of our choice. If you ever get the chance we really recommend you see the Eagles in concert. They know how to put on a show!

Just press play - sorry about the quality as this was taken with our digital camera. The concert, however, was awesome.

Washington Redskins Scrimmage

2008-08-01T19:26:00.010-04:00

On July 26th we decided to go see the Washington Redskins scrimmage. It was a warm day so only 28,000+ Redskin fans showed up. Later we found out from some FSA co-workers that Cindy and I were on TV during a sports broadcast of the scrimmage.

Do these dresses make us look fat?

It was great to see the legendary "hogs" making their way through the crowd.

QB Jason Campbell

Leading the skins will be Jason Campbell who looked awfully sharp during the scrimmage.

Moss Getting a Drink

Santana stopped by for a drink after making some pretty nice catches.

Taylor To The Rescue

Injuries brought Jason Taylor (#55) from Miami and this guy is really put together.

The Cheerleaders

And what would a team be without its Cheerleaders.

Superbowl Trophies on Display

Three Superbowls trophies - hey - its only 2 more then the Jets have! How many does your team have?

Fishing the Chesapeake

2008-08-01T18:41:00.008-04:00

Captain Toby Lloyd and Jeff

On July 12 we finally had the opportunity to do some fishing on the east coast. A fellow FSA employee offered to take us out on the Chesapeake Bay near the Bay Bridge. Captain Toby has been fishing the bay his entire life and he showed us a great time. We were fishing for stripers but we were early as they really start to show up in this area in August.

Bay Bridge

Cindy catching the bait
The first thing we had to do was catch the bait. Here is Cindy holding what is considered a trophy bait fish called a spot. To catch spot we used blood worms which look like a regular worm but we came to find out that these critters bite. Yes they have mouths and teeth but they do work to catch spot.

Listening to the croaker
Along with the spots we also caught croakers which look pretty similar. To keep croakers they have to be a certain size and that would be too big to fish with. They do make a croaking sound when they are out of the water.

Toby's Boat

Although we had a riot we were unsuccessful in catching stripers. Toby said he would be happy to take us out again and I am sure we will take him up on his offer.

AT & T Golf Tournament

2008-08-01T18:25:00.004-04:00

On July 5th we had the opportunity to see the AT & T National Golf Tournament at the Congressional Country Club. As luck would have it, Tiger Woods just had knee surgery so he was unable to attend. Also to our dismay, you can't bring cameras in so this is the only picture we could show you. On the upside we did get to see Rocco Mediate who took Tiger to a playoff in the Open; Camilo Villegas - a favorite of Cindy's who is a pretty flashy dresser from Colombia; as well as Choi, Couples, Furyk, Allenby, Hamilton, and eventual winner Anthony Kim. We had a great time hanging around 9, 10, 15, and 18th holes. We are thinking of getting tickets for the entire event next year.

4th of July in Washington DC

2008-07-06T18:35:00.019-04:00

Washington DC is a spectacular place to celebrate July 4th! The 4th of July celebrations are among the most attended events of the year and many people arrive early to stake out a seat on the lawn (even in the rain). This year the Air Force Band played with Special Guest Artist(s) Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers. The fireworks were launched from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and light up the sky over the Washington Monument. We are so glad we stuck it out as the rain stopped in time for the fireworks.

The crowd on the National Mall was hugeWe got poured on several times but stuck it out (Jeff's decision)

Air Force Band and the Gatlin Brothers

The fireworks were absolutely fabulous

Push play to view fireworks

We decided to take in most events this weekend. So we experienced the 4th of July Amercian National Independence Day Parade, which featured marching bands, military and specialty bands

We started out the 4th of July festivities at the rehearsal of the 28th Capitol Fourth Concert on the evening of July 3, 2008. This concert was broadcasted live July 4th from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. It was wonderful and we will be there again next only this time we know to bring a picnic supper.

Hosted by Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jimmy Smits

Rock legend Jerry Lee Lewis

Huey Lewis

Jeff enjoying the Capitol Fourth Rehearsal

The west lawn of the Capitol at the rehearsal July 3rd

To Friends!!

2008-06-02T20:41:00.021-04:00

During the last week in May we were fortunate to have our great friends for a visit. Roger and Peg Johnson and Darryl and Marla Walz joined us on the east coast for a week of rest and relaxation - ha ha. Most days started with us leaving the apartment around 8 AM and returning after 8 PM.

The picture above was taken at Chadwicks, which is one of our favorite places in Old Towne Alexandria. Here you can get great food and the beverage of your choice at a reasonable price.

On this visit it was our first time at the National Mall in the evening. We were really impressed with how the Jefferson and Roosevelt Memorials looked at night. Here Darryl and Marla are with the Washington Monument and Tidal Basin in the background.

Here are Roger and Peg standing in front of the Marine Corps War Memorial - Iwo Jima. This is located next to the Arlington Cemetery.

Here we find Darryl trying to escape the waves of a chilly Atlantic Ocean.

Here is Peg at Rehoboth Beach Delaware getting ready to find sea shells and catch some sun.

For those of you who have been in our apartment you can see Marla is enjoying one of our favorite spots at the "Pub Table" reading the paper and enjoying the view.

And here is Roger enjoying life on the beach. Life doesn't get much better than this. Well maybe???

Life is great when you can spend it with good friends over a nice lunch in Annapolis MD.

During the week we did see the Nationals beat the Brewers, the National Mall, Arlington Cemetery, Mt. Vernon, the Holocaust Museum, the US Capitol, Chadwicks, US Naval Academy, Rohoboth Beach DE, and the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Across the River???

2008-05-22T20:35:00.009-04:00

Anyone visiting us wonders what is that across the river? Well we have done some investigating and it is wonderful. The National Harbor at Oxon Hill, Maryland is what is across the river. Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center the largest combined hotel and convention center on the Eastern Seaboard.

"The Awakening – Buried Giant" was dug up from Hains Point, its home for the past 27 years, then barged and trucked to an undisclosed location where it will be cleaned and restored." Well guess what is across the river. The first resident of National Harbor moved in on February 20, 2008 along the city’s new waterfront is the “The Awakening”.

The colors!!!

2008-05-18T20:09:00.011-04:00

One of my favorite things is all of this color. The trees, shrubs, and flowers are absolutely beautiful.

More on our visitors

2008-05-18T18:47:00.034-04:00

Jeff's folks came out to visit for a few days over Thanksgiving. It was early in our new apartment and we did not know our surroundings but we did manage to see some of the main sites like the National Mall area and the Quantico Marine Museum. The weather was in the high 70's while they were here. We celebrated a traditional Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time. Their favorite spot in the apartment was the pub table in front of the window watching all the traffic and the planes flying into Regan National.

Our great friends Rick Pier and Bill Payton were the next to arrive mid February. Cindy pick them up at Regan and met Jeff at Chadwick's, which is our favorite pub in Old Towne Alexandria. By this time we have purchased a Garmin named Carmin and we are able to adventure out without worrying how to get home. We saw the traditional sights of DC and also took in Antietam National Battlefield which is a very famous historical Civil War battle field located near Sharpsburg, MD. By now we have located a fresh fish/seafood market and enjoy getting our catch of the day right off the boats. We also enjoyed our apartment surroundings hitting the hot tub, pool, sauna, steam room and grilling area.

Cindy's Mom came by way of Texas after spending time with Jim, Tammy, Bayley Anne, and Tyler over the winter. Donna arrived in March and spent the entire month with us. Again we did the traditional sights and no we are not tired of them...YET. Cindy and Donna had a tour of the Capitol Building with Laura Thomas,(Jessica Beringer's cousin). We also went to Delaware and saw the Atlantic Ocean - it was a little chilly in March. We had a surprise visit from Jim Trego as the Baylor Bears made the NCAA Tournament and played in DC. Donna did get to see the Cherry Blossoms in full bloom before leaving in early April.

Jeff's Brother and Sister-in-Law, Jon and Deb, arrived next in early April. We mentioned their visit earlier in the blog and in case you didn't notice - we did see the traditional sites of DC and no, we are still not tired of it!

Dustin and Christi arrived later in April and along with the usual sights which we are not tired of yet, we also took in the Holocaust. It was great having them here and in case you don't know - they will be having our first Grandchild in mid October. Thanks to Christi we learned how to blog - and thanks to Dustin for setting up our big screen TV.

We are anxiously awaiting our next great friends to arrive from Pierre, Darryl and Marla Walz, and Roger and Peg Johnson. We will report on their visit some time in June.

Visitors

2008-05-13T19:45:00.005-04:00

Deb and Jon Beringer were here to visit us from April 11th to April 15th. We had a wonderful time. We toured Mt. Vernon which is a very interesting place. I guess we forgot how much George Washington was into farming and gardening. The place has a beautiful view of the Potomac River and grounds. We walked around the mall area. As you can see they did get to see some of the cherry blossoms. This was getting toward the end of the season. They went to the Supreme Court to listen to a couple of cases. We also saw the Nationals play and toured a couple of the Smithsonians.

Thank you Dustin and Christi

2008-04-28T08:29:00.001-04:00

We had a wonderful time with our kids here and just wanted to thank Christi for setting up this blog for us to share with family and friends AND thanks to Dustin who set up our entertainment center the way we wanted it.

Visit from Dustin and Christi

2008-04-27T21:34:00.002-04:00

Dustin and Christi came to visit us for a few days (here's a picture at the WWII Memorial). It was a little bit nicer than back in South Dakota ... we had 80 degree temperatures, while SD had 10+ inches of snow. We have tons of pictures from their visit (they head home tomorrow). We had a great time while they were here and can't wait to share more pictures with you.

Getting Started

2008-04-27T20:58:00.001-04:00

Just got this set up ... working on posting!
Check back for updates ...