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| "THE DETAILS ARE NOT THE DETAILS. THEY MAKE THE DESIGN." — CHARLES EAMES |
Let's jump straight to the delightful deetz, shall we?!
- Flying to DC with Max was an absolute delight. Flying back to Texas? Well, that's another story I'll share another day. Today's post is meant to be all sequin embellished cardigans and carousel rides. And from the looks of the photos, that's exactly what life felt like for TEN whole days. Since I can't hit rewind, I have to live vicariously through the blog.
- My parents, Max, and I had four days together before my grandparents arrived from Arizona. We kept the first part of our trip low-key with visits to a toy store, blue ice cream, the zoo, and frequent scooter rides around the neighborhood. And yes, my mom bought my dad a scooter of his own so he could putt around alongside Max. It was a riot and definitely ranks up there as one of my favorite memories from our trip. Isn't synchronized scooters a thing?? It should be.
- As promised, my mom and I left the boys behind for an afternoon or two of shopping and manicures. Can you spell BLISS?! We typically like to make an appearance at every J.Crew in the Beltway to ensure we don't miss a thing. Ha! It's evident that we like to keep our goals attainable. Who doesn't?? While we didn't have much luck in the dressing room at Madewell, I'd give the two of us an A+ in the accessory department and for also finding the perfect orangey-red polish.
- A month before our trip, my mom and I made hair appointments at the Ian McCabe Salon, which specializes in corrective color services. With clientele like Mandy Moore and Tracy Anderson, I had Pinterest-like dreams about what my hair might look like when it was done. Squee! After SIX hours of work (consultation, hair color, etc.), my guru was able to return my hair to a more natural color in an attempt to correct the dark bands and patches I acquired via the unfortunate talent pool in Swell Rio. Yikes! My hair might not look that different to most, but it's certainly healthier and should allow me the opportunity to change it up in the not-so-distant future. Hooray! Oh, I should also note that explaining life in this tiny West Texas town to a bunch of hipster stylists was super embarrassing. I'm pretty sure they thought I was just being dramatic, but then they kept asking follow-up questions and were puzzled by my answers and our lack of options down here. Concerned about the upkeep of my hair color, I told them what I was working with and they looked so confused. Sigh. On the bright side, I overheard a conversation between the stylist next to me and her customer, and it turns out the colorist is like BFFs with THE Donald Robertson. Say what?! She owns several pieces of his work and texts him regularly.
- It was my grandparents first time in Washington D.C. so we did ALL the touristy things, which I couldn't help but adore. And since Max is transportation OBSESSED (welcome to the world of BOYS!), it was really sweet to watch him devour everything from a bus to a boat and the occasional train. Traveling with him at this age is so much easier (in most ways) because we don't necessarily need to pack all of the gear like we used to. One day we left the jogging stroller behind, and you could tell he felt so special sitting in a seat on the Metro by himself. He just takes it all in and I love it so much.
- My grandma and grandpa are pretty easy going, so we spent a lot of time relaxing at the house, watching Max fire up my dad's leaf blower, throwing balls, listening to tales about garbage trucks, playing cards, imbibing, and eating way too many snacks. In the mornings, my mom and I would take our time getting ready—something I ALWAYS look forward to whenever we're together. At times it felt surreal listening to Max giggle with my grandpa as my dad talked to my grandma. Something about going "home" makes you feel like a kid again, and I had to pinch myself that we got this opportunity to bring three generations together. I still think one of life's greatest joys is getting to share your very own child with the people that mean the most to you. It doesn't feel like it was that long ago when I was a kid hunting for Easter eggs with my grandparents and now I'm the one filling eggs and hiding them for Max. Where's the pause button?!
- Because my grandpa loves to walk and is game for just about anything, my mom and I took him downtown on Saturday morning so we could do some sightseeing. While my dad, Max, and grandma stayed home to play and prep our Easter meal, the three of us logged in over ten miles. We made sure my grandpa saw all the monuments and we even dragged him to his first art museum. I can't decide if I was more tickled by the look on his face when he first saw a Motherwell or his earnest gratitude as he thanked a handful of veterans at the WWII memorial. It was definitely a day for the books!
- I know I discuss my parents and what they mean to me Ad nauseam, but every time we get to be together I find I treasure the mundane stuff the most. Those are the moments that I hold on to until we reunite next. They're the little details that remind me why I not only love and respect them, but they make me proud to call them my own. My mom and dad talk a lot about how they'd like to move back to the Midwest and a slower pace of life, but I'm beyond grateful for the opportunities we've had to visit them while they've made Washington D.C. their home. I know it may not be ideal for retirement or their forever plans, but my heart bursts every time I meet a parent or student my mom has helped, or I see an employee from Trader Joe's or Starbucks ask where my dad is at because they love him so much. These two people I get to call my parents are so much of who I am and who I want to be, and seeing them in their element is a gift and a reminder that you get in life what you give. I pray that Max sees those traits in his parents one day as well.
Alright, enough with the sappy ending already.
(But you totally knew it was coming, didn't you?!)
