Easter Egg Hunt 2009

We spent Easter Saturday at my sister's house with her family. The weather was not condusive to have the egg hunt outside so we had it in the house. The kids were very excited to start the hunt.

Steve had to 'talk' to Abbey and explain to her that since she was the biggest kid, that she would need to help Daniel and Rachel find eggs. She was REALLY good about helping them. I was very proud of her for being such a big girl.

She would help Daniel by telling him where the eggs were!

Rachel Marie and Daniel counting their eggs with their dad.

Christopher kept crawling around to everyone's baskets and trying to steal their eggs.

After the egg hunt, we dyed eggs. The kids enjoyed putting the stickers on them. We didn't have any major spills or accidents. No eggs were hurt in the process.
Abbey with her smiley face egg.

The Margands (my sister's family)

Overall, it was a great day spent with family. On Easter Sunday, we went to church and had a great musical sacrament meeting. We didn't have Easter dinner this year since Steve's parents are now in NY. I was bummed that we didn't get to have the traditional Ham, rolls, scalloped potatoes, and deviled eggs...maybe next year! It was still a great day to celebrate the Savior's resurrection. I enjoyed teaching my Primary class about the purpose of Easter.

Cherry Blossoms

We made it to D.C. during the Cherry Blossoms peak and parade weekend. After rain all week, the weather cleared up and it was a beautiful sunny, WINDY, day. There were tons and tons of people down town. We packed our lunches and enjoyed sitting down by the tidal basin and 'people watched.' That didn't last very long as Steve doesn't like crowds very much so we decided to see if we could go to the Smithsonian Museums.

We ended up going to the American History Museum. That too was extremely crowded. We were only able to see a few things and then it was time to leave. We'll have to take a weekday off and head down town when it's not so busy. It was nice to get a glimpse of some of the displays:

The original Ruby Slippers from the Wizard of Oz.

Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves.

Steve in front of a HUGE Bison. His dream is to raise buffalo on his farm.

Although we only got to see a small part of the museum, my favorite part was the orignal American Flag. This flag was the inspiration for Francis Scott Key's 'Star Spangled Banner' during the war of 1812. The flag was kept in an enclosed glass room with special lighting. No pictures were allowed, but I found this picture on the internet. It was really a wonderful experience to see it on display.

After our D.C. excursion, we went to Mike's American Grill for dinner. Mike's is part of the Great American Restaurants that we love to dine at. Our all time favorite that they have at all the restaurants are the Aussie Rolls! And Steve loves Sweet Water Tavern because they brew their own root beer. It was a great way to end the day.

Why girls are so much more fun to shop for.

I saw these in a store and thought they were the cutest things ever! How much more fashionable can a baby girl get?! I wish they made them in adult sizes. I love buying baby girl clothes. I remember when my sister in law was pregnant with Abbey...everywhere I went and saw something cute, I would buy it for Abbey. She had tons of clothes before she was even born! Now that she's older (and much more pickier), it's harder to find her cute stuff without having to take out a second mortgage.

Birthday Month

It was around this time last year that I declared to Steve that I was going to have a Birthday MONTH (actual bday is the 15th)! I use to have a bday week, but since I was turning 30 last year, I wanted to have a whole month. Not only was I turning 30, I was going to be 30 and childless! I thought for sure that it would be a sad bday, but Steve threw me a SURPRISE bday party and I had a SUPER 30th bday! It turned out to be the best bday ever!

A few weeks after that wonderful bday, I found out I was pregnant. But that didn't last very long because I miscarried at the end of May. Suprisingly, I handled that second miscarriage much better than the first one. I was overcome with peace and comfort and I know that Heavenly Father was behind those feelings.

So, here we are one year later....except this year, I will be 31 and still childless. But that's okay, I continue to have faith and believe that those BabieS will be sent to us in due time.

What does a birthday month entail??

I get to use the excuse 'But it's my bday month' to get out of doing some of the housework.

I try to get Steve to take me out to dinner on Fridays (although this year, he has said we need to REALLY watch our budget. I suggested we push the budget to next month). I think he'll end up making me dinners instead of taking me out (which is even nicer since it'll be made with love).

Steve is more inclined to do things that I want to do that he wouldn't normally like to do. Like going shopping, watching chick flicks or going to see the Cherry Blossoms.

Basically, I just try to squeeze as much out of him as I can for the whole month. (He's such a trooper).

Look what I got for my bday so far:

Stampin Up! Markers...I had one of the color sets, so I needed the other three sets. This will be put to good use when I'm making cards!

Steve's Dream...On Hold, for now.

Steve has decided that he wants to be a FARMER! Yep, you heard it right....the guy wants to me a farmer! He wants to raise Buffalo and cows and grow lots of fruits and vegetables.

Do I LOOK like a FARMER'S WIFE??

I told him he married the wrong woman for that!

He hasn't stopped talking about it. He even has a notebook with plans and costs, etc. I'm not one to crush anyone's dreams, so I told him that I would CONSIDER it in 15 - 20 years. Just not now, or anytime in the immediate future! The thought of owning a lot of land and the ability to create my own pumpkin patch/orchards is enticing, however, I just can't imagine it at this point in our lives.

The icing on the cake is that he wants to be a farmer in upstate NY! I don't think I can move that far away from my family, especially my Abigail! I don't know what he is thinking...mid life crisis maybe?? I know he is tired of Corporate America and Office Politics, unfortunately, we need Corporate America right now to live so the dream will have to be put on hold (unless we win the lottery or something).

Cherry Blossoms in peak!

One of my favorite signs of Spring....the Cherry Blossoms!

They are scheduled to peak this week so we are going to take Abbey down to see them. It's been a few years since we've been down there and I am excited to see how beautiful they will be. Steve REALLY, REALLY hates crowds, so he is not too thrilled about going, but he knows how much I enjoy it. He doesn't understand what the big deal is about a much of cherry trees. I am hoping for good weather. We will pack a picnic and enjoy the beauty that will surround us (and the thousands of other tourists).

CA Trip

La and myself....two faces in braces.

Noelle (La's sister) and myself

I was able to spend a long weekend in sunny California visiting my friend La. I always love visiting with her because she is such a great cook. We had a great time just hanging out and having fun. La is such a wonderful friend and so much fun to have around. I'm glad I was able to take some time off to visit with her and the rest of her family.

While in CA, I was able to visit with the Yeates. They are serving a mission in Stockton, CA (serving in the SE Asian branch). Kathryn was my mia maid advisor when I was in YW. She is one of the women that I admire who has truly been influential in my life. I had a great time catching up with them. It was such a delight to see them while they were on their mission. They are coming toward the end of their mission and will be returning to VA in a few weeks. I can't believe how fast time flies.