Our Summer Vacation to Virginia over July 4th
We had such a blast seeing our family and friends in Virginia over the summer.
I love that Zander and Zoey are still able to enjoy their great-grandparents, who are both in the 90's and still going strong.
My parents, the epitome of what a strong marriage looks like. This is exactly how I want Chris and I to look at their age. Full of joy and contentment.
It never fails. My parents always ask me to take family photos when I visit. This is one of my favorites.
Of course, we played games. Pieface showdown is so fun to play, especially when you coax your parents into playing. #PLAYmore
As you can see, the kids thoroughly enjoyed cousin-time. I love seeing what they come up with when they're not distracted by devices. #DisconnectToReconnect
In an effort to see everyone during our short trip back to my hometown, I always arrange a potluck to hang out with my cousins and close friends. Instead of the ordinary potluck I typically arrange, I decided to add a twist. I turned it into a "Potluck with a Purpose" event for us to hang out AND help out our community - all at once. Check out all the non-perishables we donated to Food for the People!
To learn how to plan your own gatherings that give back, head to my blog post with the details on past events we hosted: to raise awareness about human trafficking, make blessing socks for the homeless and clean up our beaches.
We love playing tourist around Washington D.C. whenever we're in town. These are some of the highlights of our time in D.C.
One of the best days of our trip was spent at the District Wharf. This is newly renovated from the old fisherman's wharf that was old and smelly. The boardwalk is lined with piers, giant board games, splash pad, restaurants and these awesome swings!
The weather was beautiful as we explored around the National Mall.
The kids earned more junior ranger badges to add to their collection.
We visited the National Harbor.
While at the National Harbor, we saw Universoul Circus. It was a fun, upbeat take on a traditional circus. We loved seeing the diverse and extremely talented acts from across the world gather to perform here. It was an unexpected surprise to see such an entertaining, international show. Such a fun, first circus experience for the kids!
One of my personal favorite parts of traveling back home is the plethora of babysitters to watch our kids so Chris and I can have some time together, sans kids.
We took full advantage by taking an extra long date night. Here's how we spent our time...
We saw Backtrack Vocals, a super talented a capella band, at a free concert series in the park in McLean, VA. Coincidentally, they sang some of my favorite oldies like "Stand By Me" and "Stayin Alive" as well as cover songs and original songs.
Afterward, we hung out at Mosaic District.
Had fun with the murals.
Stopped by to see one of my favorite companies I worked for, CustomInk.
I can't stop by a good quote without taking a photo. Here are two along our walk.
Stopped to admire the creative, interactive displays on the way out of the parking garage.
Had a delicious dinner at True Foods Kitchen.
We ended the night by grabbing ice cream from the local Target (our budget alternative to the pricey local ice cream shop). We sat with our ice cream, people watched as families played on the grass together and talked about our dream of becoming financially independent so we can travel the world with the kids. I love it when we make time for date night.
Lastly, our 4th of July trip would not be complete without fireworks.
There you have it. Our world-wind trip back to see my family. If you're planning a trip yourself, see my blog post on fun places to travel with kids in Washington D.C.
I hope this inspires to live with intention and spend time with people that matter.
Be sure to leave our thoughts, questions and feedback in the comments section below!
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