Howe Family: February 2009

I wanted to show you all what we have been doing, but I don’t know the best way – so here goes my first attempt to do a walk about and show you some of our everyday sights.

The boys attends St. Peter's school. Harrison and Quin started Tuesday Feb. 17th, (the day after we arrived - nothing like jumping in). Hollis was ill.

Harrison and Quin had PE their first day – yeah, sweats to school, what a treat!

Harrison and Quin on their fist day in PE uniform

Hollis joins his brothers for his first day

Hollis was sick on the first day, and instead of going to school (because he threw up all night), he helped me paint their new bedroom… bright yellow, with a big GO KU!

Hollis worked so hard. He kept moving the drop cloth and rolling his heart out. He kept saying, “Mom, I am

working the sick out”.

The boys room is in the basement. It is a semi finished basement, and I only feel semi bad about dumping them down there. We blocked off the furnace with furniture, and we are using a portable clothes rack for clothes. They are living in a sleeping dorm! I love it - they are such sweet boys, they haven't complained yet. I am not sure how long it will last though. : )

One of the things I like about DC is that everything is in walking distance. We get to walk to school!!!

Here is our morning walk:

Boys in front of Fragers

Fragers is our local hardware store. It reminds me of Strassers. It just keeps going, and going, there is always friendly help, you can apply for an account and get a 10% discount, and it is about 3 blocks from our house. It takes up 3 store fronts. A must see for Matt when he visits.

This is at 11^th and Penn. On our way to school if we take the busy street.

Pennsylvania Ave

You can’t see it well in this Pennsylvania Ave pic, because it is too tiny, but in the background, the top of the Library of Congress is visible.

Here is St. Peter’s at the 6^th and E corner.

St. Peter's school

On the opposite side of the street is Folger Park. Once again, if you look off in the distance, you can see the top of the Library of Congress building. This park is across the street from school, and the sidewalk leads to St. Peter’s church, which is on 2^nd and D.

Boys in Folger park

I don’t know the history behind this building, but it says Folger on it, and the park is called Folger park. It is also just a super cool building. This is across the park from the kids school, toward the Capitol.

Folger Building

Here is St. Peter’s. It is quite lovely outside. It is 2 blocks from the Library of Congress, and 3 from the Capitol building. The street it faces is 2^nd street.

St. Peter's Catholic Church

Across from St. Peter's church are some of the loveliest little row houses, and right near the corner of 2nd and Capitol is a fun looking diner called Pete's Diner that I want to try, but have not had the occasion yet...maybe when we get a visitor. (Hint, Hint).

This picture is 2^nd and Capitol. Cool! It really is a great city. My friends who live here say they have not lost that feeling of awe that you get when you walk around and look at all these magnificent buildings full of history.

Library of Congress

From the Library of Congress I turned right and walked down Pennsylvania (or up – numbers getting bigger) to 6^th, and turned toward school again. I walked past school and down the street toward the highway – 395. This street is full of new construction. Did pretty well, didn’t they. All these houses are pretty darn cute. They are at I and 6^th.

I kept walking down 6^th, under the 395 underpass, and now you can see the retirement home where Jeni and I went with the kids on Thursday to pass out cookies to the residents.

Retirement home

If you look in the distance you can see downtown (I think).

Off to the right, is a lot of new construction. This retirement home backs up to the Naval academy (or some army school).

While we were passing out cookies to the residents, Harrison said “Mom, I noticed something. None of the people living here have any teeth.” This was a very timely observation, seeing as Quin Howe hasn’t brushed his teeth in almost 7 days (I discovered as we were walking to this very place) and his teeth look like they have sweaters on them. When Harrison said that, I looked at Quin and just smiled and said “see your future”. Little shit.

I walked back up 6^th to G, and turned toward home. This house is on G street b/w 7^th and 8^th. It is dreamy. I bet it costs about 2 mill. It is right next to John Phillip Seusa’s house.

Drool, drool

Seusa House

On the way, we pass this funky green house with a spider on it. Incidently, this house is across the street from our new piano teacher’s house. It is also down the street from the naval barracks.