Independence Square

This past Saturday we drove to Philadelphia to see historical sites downtown.  We went to Independence square and saw the Liberty Bell and went on a tour of Independence Hall.  It was amazing to stand in the exact building where our founding fathers gathered together.  For some reason it seemed smaller than I was expecting.  Funny how we build things up and picture them in our minds.  Emma was especially excited to see the Liberty Bell since she recently read a magic treehouse book that involved it.  I personally enjoyed driving there and seeing signs for all the places my parents talked about from their time as missionaries there.  We even missed a freeway entrance and ended up in New Jersey just like my mom and one of her companions.  The bridges over the Delaware and Susquehanna river were amazing.  Becca would scream a bridge a bridge and then ask Where is the water since it was hard for her to see it out the window.  It was a long day but we had fun and can say we've been there!
Everyone is doing well and getting excited for summer to come.  Emma is asking for a new workbook (2nd grade now) to do during the summer and today on the way home told me a schedule she came up with for summer days. It included lots of computer, movies and reading time. 
Leah has had the week off of school so we started teaching her to read from the same book we used to help Emma.  She gets excited to do her homework and is eager to learn more sounds and words.
Becca is glad to have Leah home to play with.  Her new favorite word this week is actually.  If you ask her do you want to read this book she will immediately say no and then go "actually, yes." She pauses for effect and says actually really slow.  Super funny!  She has decided in addition to cucumbers she likes celery too but she calls it green grass and shreds the meat off and then kindly hands me the stringy part to throw away.
Alicia had her 4 month check up on monday. She weighs 13 lbs 5 oz and is 23 inches long. For translation she is average weight on the charts and 75th percentile for height.  She was very mad about her shots but recovered quickly and didn't seem bothered by it at all the rest of the day.  She loves to sit in the high chair or bumbo we borrowed and blow rasperries and screech at us.  Leah always asks is she upset or happy when she is "talking". 
Grant continues to search for jobs.  A postdoc at the University of Utah Brain institute requested some more information and a company across the river in Virginia asked for some letters of recommendation in response to his applications.  So we just keep waiting and wondering where we may be by the end of summer.  Here are some pictures from our advetures!