Easter

We had a great Easter this year.  We celebrated the holiday by attending the morning church service and then having lunch at Granny Buie's house. 

Olivia and Owen have reached the age where they can now dye the eggs by themselves.  They did a pretty good job, I think.

 On Easter morning, the kids got up to find lots of goodies from the Easter Bunny.

 Granny Buie's birthday was during the week of Easter, so we celebrated that while we were at her house for lunch. 

After lunch, we had our family egg hunt. This was Maren's first year of hunting, and it was neat to watch her get into it.  The older kids are about to be too old to hunt, so they were trying to make the most out of their remaining time of eligibility. The weather was perfect for an egg hunt and for being outside in general.  It was a great Easter Sunday!

Church Easter Activities

This Easter season was special for us.  This is Owen's last year in our church's children's ministry.  We have participated in the children's Easter program and egg hunt for so many years that it will feel funny to not have a kid involved next year. 

 The children's program was amazing (as always).  At one point the kids acted out the story of Easter and they all did so well. Owen played the role of Jesus and did a good job. 

 After the Easter performance, it was time for the egg hunt.  The speed with which the kids can find and collect the eggs always amazes me. 

 A big deal at our church is the greening of the cross on Easter Sunday.  People bring flowers to decorate the cross before the morning service.  The roses in my front yard were blooming, so I cut some to bring so that the kids in my Sunday School class could put them on the cross.  I also took this time to snap a few pictures of these sweet kids who are so dear to my heart.

I also got a picture of Olivia with her Sunday School class.  This is a sweet bunch of girls.

Gettysburg

On our last full day at Poppy and Nana's we took a day trip to Gettysburg.  There was a lot to see here.  We hired a licensed battlefield guide gave us a tour while driving our own vehicle.  We were all impressed by the knowledge of our guide. We learned so much about the battle.  The tour was very interesting.  After our tour, we spent a little time in the visitor's center and then drove to one spot that we had seen on the tour and wanted a closer look at.  I have always wanted to visit Gettysburg, and I'm glad that I had a chance to do so this year.

Bombay Hook

The weather was nice one afternoon while in Delaware, so the kids and I decided to go hiking.  We ended up at Bombay Hook NWR, and it was amazing.  There were several short trails, and we hiked them all.  The sheer number and variety of birds that we saw definitely made this trip worth-while.  We saw swans, geese, ducks, hawks, and all other types of birds that I couldn't identify.  We also saw a mama fox and her kits.  This place was so beautiful, and the weather was just perfect.  We will definitely be back.

Cherry Blossoms (Part Deux)

A couple of years ago, we were lucky enough to visit D.C. during the peak bloom for the cherry blossoms.  Seeing those trees in full bloom was amazing.  I loved every minute of it.  This year, our visit coincided once again with the blossom's peak, so we decided to go.  The trees were just as beautiful this year as before, but the crowds were so much worse.  It was shoulder-to-shoulder around the tidal basin.  We didn't stay in this area long. Instead, we walked over to the not-as-busy West Potomac Park and found some less crowded areas. 

We enjoyed seeing the beautiful trees, but the crowds and the cold weather soon forced us inside.  We decided to dip into one of the Smithsonians, and since Brian wasn't there to veto my choice- I picked the Smithsonian Art Museum.  This was my first time in this particular museum, and I really enjoyed it.  The kids were not too happy with my choice initially, but in the end they thought it was pretty cool.  We got through over half of the museum before they started complaining.

After our Smithsonian visit, we left D.C. and went to Arlington National Cemetery where we watched the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We also looked around the visitor's center and visited JFK's grave.  I am so glad that the kids got to experience this.  It led to a wonderful discussion about the sacrifices that the men and women of the armed forces make for our country.  Overall, we had an excellent day in D.C.

Spring Break in Delaware

The kids and I went to Delaware over Spring Break to visit with the Sanders bunch.  Brian was unable to go this year due to work, and he hated missing out on that.  Still, the kids and I were so thrilled to spend the week with Poppy and Nana.  We also got to see Uncle Brandon (who spoils my kids rotten).  He came for the weekend with all sorts of rockets for the kids to launch.  Olivia was a little leery of getting too close during the launch, but Owen loved it.  Brandon also gifted some rocket kits to the kids, so I'm sure there will be more rocket launches during the summer.

 The kids always look forward to going to see their grandparents.  They are excited to hang out around the house, to walk the dogs, and to help Poppy feed the geese in the pond behind the house. 

While in Delaware, we were also able to go see Uncle Mike and Aunt Connie (and make a trip to Byler's!).  It was a great week!