Another one bites the dust.

If we ever feel like we've seen enough of DC we might branch out to New York, Boston, or Philly. Until then, here's another week in our Nation's capital.

Jazz concert in the National Sculpture Garden.

The National Zoo. Two Saturdays ago we walked to the Farmers Market, realized we were halfway to the Zoo, bought a few ears of corn and kept on walking. Again, forgot to take any quality pictures.

Bens Chili Bowl. Looks like cat food, tastes like Heaven. Free meals for the Obamas and Bill Cosby only.

The Washington, DC temple. If we ever re-did our wedding, we'd do it here.

Our Saturday Mall Marathon. Part way through we met up with Matt Masters (in yellow and one of AJ's closest friends) and his friend Nate. Both are here for internships through the Air Force Academy. This summer has been fun because we get to see Matt so often - every Sunday at church, sometimes for FHE and occasionally on our Saturday outings. That's more than we've ever seen him in Utah!

This family may have been Amish. We'd never seen anyone react to an escalator in that way. We're not rude, just curious.

Me, AJ, Nate, Matt.

FDR Memorial.

Today we're going on a competitive scavenger hunt with the interns at AJ's work. We're supposed to run all over DC while it's 104 degrees outside. Despite the heat, we're actually pretty pumped. Im excited to meet the interns, have some competition, and see more of DC. And did I mention the free BBQ? Yeah, we'll be there.

I think we're going to like it here.

Last week was a good one. We're getting settled in, our suitcase finally came in the mail just in time for what would have been our fourth week of living out of carry-ons, and a man asked us for directions to the nearest Metro to which our response was lengthy, accurate, and full of actual street names. Here's the rest of our week in pictures.

Pirates of the Caribbean on Capitol Hill.

Ultramarathoner Scott Jurek in VA.

My new job. Don't ask me or anyone I work with how it's pronounced.
But it's M-F and just two blocks from AJ's office so I'm happy!

AJ and the Capitol Building, both looking fine.

Five minutes too late. AJ's obviously pretty put-out about it.

Our camera phones can't possibly do this city justice. But we love it here and think the city gets better everyday. We invite any and all visitors, just so long as you don't mind the couch.

Virginia is for Lovers.

Did we mention that after vacationing in Jamaica we would be vacationing in Virginia? 

We had a few days until our lease started and found out it's cheaper to stay in a skyrise, beachfront hotel on Virginia Beach than to stay at a motel in DC. We have such a hard life.

Warning: We are wearing something BYU in every picture. Not intentional.

AJ didn't realize that a hundred other people on the beach were watching his muscle show or that I was taking pictures, which means I have alot more where this came from.  Let me know if you're interested. 

 

The Blue Angels must have been practicing for an air show because they passed by about every five minutes. It was loud, but way awesome. It was barrel roll after barrel roll at what was sometimes only yards in front of us. On a side note: AJ and I will own one of these beach houses someday. We've talked about it and it's in the plan. If you want to contribute to the fund we'll let you visit.

This is from our bedroom balcony. However, I probably could have taken this same picture from my pillow. The view was incredible.
See the pack of Blue Angels in the distance?

I had to include this picture despite it's poor quality. This is a picture from our room of the channel AJ dug on the beach. He thought it'd be fun to drain a tide pool back into the ocean. I don't know how to explain it but just know it turned out better than expected and we had people from all across the beach coming to see it. We could have charged a fee. AJ was very proud, as am I.

Triton on the boardwalk.

Sunrise

Our two-in-one vacation ended way too soon and we found ourselves packed up and on the journey to DC - our home for the next few months - to start real life again. We rented a car and stopped at several sights along the way. For some reason we didn't think to take any pictures at UVA, in Richmond, or at my first visit to Trader Joe's. However, I must have thought this highway was especially neat seeing as it's the only picture we have of the drive.Weird.

Finally home. :) Here's the Washington Monument to prove it.

This was our first real glimpse of the apartment building!
We've seen those red awnings through Google Maps more times than we can count.

We're standing at the window of our studio apartment. You're seeing it all, people.
AJ's head is covering the bathroom and there's a couch and a mattress behind his body but this is it. We can reach into the kitchen, the closet, and our living room right from our bed. How convenient.

So after two weeks of vacation, we're finally here. AJ had his first day on the job yesterday and think he's really going to love working there. He came home with all sorts of free stuff and tales of unlimited access to free food, extravagant lunches, his personal office, a no-tie dress code, and cool coworkers. Between job applications I get to explore the city on foot or on metro. It's kind of fun to play the part of a city girl. 

Anyway, I think that brings us up to date. We already love it here and our studio is starting to feel like home.