Waiting for the Perfect Day

The perfect day has been a long time in the waiting. Like all the crazy heat/cold/tornados/rain that have been around the country, we've all but skipped any perfect days. Today was well worth the wait. :) We were finally able to work in the yard without breaking a sweat (by just stepping out the door) and hike a bit at Woodland Mound.

Our first choice was the Nature Center, since we don't go very often. However, upon arrival, we learned that Modays are not longer free (an obvious result of not going very often). I wouldn't pay the fee. Not really sure what my moral delimma was...but I wouldn't pay it. I probably spent the same amount in gas driving to Woodland Mound!

These pictures are from a different hike, early in May, but along the same Seasongood Trail. Today Scot ran the trails, meeting us at different spots, Maggie was the "leader" (her own designation and not received well by anyone else), and the rest of us ran in spurts. It was definitely completed in record time, but the cool, calm beautiful just kind of lifted us over the hills and through the prairie.

We also explored the Seasongood nature center a little more. They have some fun (and educational) things. And, of course, we finished up with the playground.

So excited for this perfect day. I'm going to use the rest of it baking bread and making cookies.

Primary Talk by Amy

Today Amy gave a very special talk in Primary. I, of course, had it going a whole different direction, but she was insistent in what she wanted to say. As I wrote what she said, I knew that her version was much better. :)

"Jesus is our Savior.
He died for us.
I love him.
In this picture, He is holding a lamb.
He is taking care of it and making sure it is safe.
We are like His lamb.
When we follow His commandments and do what He asks, He takes care of us.
In the picture, it looks like He really loves the lamb.
I know that He love me, too. He loves all of us.
Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Hope you have a wonderful Sabbath Day!

Cherry Blossom Festival

~Spring Break in D.C.~

 

The Lincoln Memorial

 

Down the steps of the Jefferson Memorial

 

The amazing cherry blossoms. Who wouldn't want to hug a cherry tree?

 Joggers are too cool.

Movie star? Celebrity?

Late nights talking and drawing crazy pictures--cheese cake anyone? never mind, just dead panning. Lots of good-night hugs. Cousins finally getting to hang out and just play--mushroom soup & hot chocolate are on the menu.. Shopping--thanks Grandma & Lauren! Was Lincoln's coat really that big? Silk screening really cool District Clothing t-shirts. Carl's, of course.

What if...?

What if it snowed and snowed until our house floated up and started flying away?

These are the types of questions that Paul has been asking. It did snow a whole lot this last week. The kids and Brian got a short reprieve from school and work. And, thanks to our snow day, Maggie got to start on her sewing projects she got for Christmas. She may not have to wait too long for another snow day to keep working. We're scheduled for more snow this week. I'm sure we're also scheduled for more "what if" questions. They just don't seem to end, and neither does their creativity.

International Week

Unintentionally, this week turned into a festival of Greek and Russian food. Thanks to Andrea who brought a fabulous Greek chicken recipe to try at Christmas time, we had the base for another round of salad and chicken wrapped in pitas with two incredible sauces.

And so I started the week by making this recipe for a friend and using the left-overs for two other events later in the week. Here's a shot of the tzatziki sauce w/ vegetables and pita bread.

Russia came along at the end of the week with a celebration of Russian Christmas. We had a lot of fun with another family making lots of Russian foods like borcht, russian black bread, peroski, beet salad, and blini. It was a pretty amazing feast.

So we had a great week of cooking (and I usually don't say that!).

Happy New Year!

I love fresh pages, clean slates, the feeling that anything is possible

. And while the past can still affect what might happen, the future may just write itself a whole different way.

To start the year off, I wanted to share something from Paul. I knew we'd played just a few too many iphone/computer/wii games over the Christmas break when I was reading a story with Paul this week. Reading a lift-the-flap book, he made it clear that I was interfering. "Mom, this is a one-player book."

 Hope you all have a wonderful New Year!

Closing out 2010 :)

A short recap of the past few months:

•   Maggie's 2nd grade performed "Bugz!". She's in the middle, buzzing around

• James celebrates a birthday and becomes and 11-year-old scout.

 

• Halloween fun at Cub World's Spook-o-ree.

 

• A most delicious Thanksgiving with the Hunters and Nelsons.

• Whirlwind of Christmas concerts and activities by Scot and James.

• An incredibly fun week celebrating Maggie's birthday and baptism and Christmas.

  

• James trying out his new Christmas knitting needles and yarn. We now have lots of very large and very colorful balls of yarn.

• New Christmas clothes!

• I came home from errands and found everyone in hoodies. Uncle David would be so proud.

•  Besides playing, the boys spent some serious time finishing their Historic 2010 merit badges.

We were blessed to be able to do so much in 2010. Hopefully we will learn from our mistakes and only make new ones. :)