This is How We Roll.

To celebrate the first full day of Summer Vacation and Daddy coming home from Montreal, we spent the afternoon at the Udvar-Hazy Museum.
It was great, as usual.
Instead of going early, we headed out about 11.
An excellent decision on our part.  The museum cleared out after lunch.  I don't think there were more than 200 people in the whole place.
We're changing our schedule to do most of our exploring in the afternoons.
Because of the limited crowd, we thought we might do a guided tour of the museum.  It's difficult to try to navigate with a group when it's packed.  We were reluctant after finding out the tour was 90 minutes, but figured we could duck out if needed - and we went for it. 
Another good decision.
The tour was fantastic.  There were a few other kids in the group, older than ours, and the docent did a great job keeping them involved.  It was a hoot to watch.
Mr Eric, the docent, found us after the tour and complimented us on the kid's behavior, remarking on their interest in aviation.  Turns out he is a retired air force pilot and entertained and educated us for almost an hour showing the kids pictures and telling stories. 
Both Sam and Caroline were excited to have someone to talk about Robert S Johnson and Jackie Cochran with.  Mr Eric was amazed that a 7 and 9 year old could tell him about the WASPs, WWII flying aces and Allison Engines. 
Frankly, listening to them all talk, I was pretty impressed, too.
During the whole time that Sam, Caroline, Jim, Nate & Mr Eric were talking, Benjamin was standing at the window watching planes land at Dulles.  He would yell when he saw the lights of an incoming plane and clap and cheer when each plane would land.
There was a bus load of older folks in the area that Ben kept well entertained.  His joy was contagious.  To be able to make others smile is a gift. 

Here is the fist installment of summer pictures.
Introducing..."Flat Freddie" - the mascot at the Older's school.  One of their summer assignments is to take Freddie with them and journal about his adventures.
Well...Freddie got to see some of their very favorite things today!

Nate was upset that he didn't get a Freddie. He made his own this morning.  Here are Nate, Sam and the Freddies standing in front of the Space Shuttle Discovery. 

Freddie enjoyed seeing "Flak Bait" in the Restoration Hangar. 

Freddie learned the SR-71 leaked gas when it was parked because it was built to allow it to expand when it flew.  He thought it was a wicked sexy airplane.  ;)

Mama and Daddy got to pose with Freddie, too.  In the spirit with the bomber airplanes we were admiring, Benjamin acted as an excellent photo-bomber. 

Oh - and lest I forget...
This morning, on the 1st Day of Summer Vacation, Sam and Caroline got up, made their beds, dressed, picked up their rooms and brushed their teeth without prompting.  After that, with some cues, they vacuumed their rooms and worked together to clean the orange bathroom.
It was like living in a parallel universe.
As great as the museum was, seeing the kids clean a bathroom was FLIPPING AWESOME!!!
We are working to get the kids to do more around the house.  We're noticing their behavior and attitude improves with them being more involved.
We need to have the strategies in place to encourage them.
Not only will being able to cook and clean impress the boy's wives when they come of age, we're really noticing differences in behaviors with kids that do chores at home vs the kids that don't.
There are simply too many people living in this house to have it run efficiently without everyone pitching in.
I'm sure they'll be updates on this as the summer goes on...