Kentucky Vacation

After Easter and the Spring Pastors' Conference, our family hit the road and drove 8.5 hours to Kentucky.  Why Kentucky?  I found a great deal on a cabin and it looked like a fun place to explore.  We prepared ourselves by learning about caves and horse racing.  We really needed a break, this trip was perfect.

The weather was very nice.  We enjoyed sunny, spring days with temperatures in the 60s. The wild flowers were just starting to bloom.  The foliage was all unfurled, everything was green and fresh and new.  There were horses (and cows!) everywhere we looked, fenced in beautiful white or black fences. Our cabin was tucked in a 200 acre holler in the Appalachian foothills.  There was a mountain creek, no more than 4 inches deep weaving through the property.  It was idyllic.

The cabin itself was very clean and nicely appointed.  The proprietors were exceedingly kind and went out of their way to make our stay comfortable.

Bloginess

I made my blog private for a while.  Many of you complained that you couldn't read, sorry.  I was receiving creepster emails from people I don't know.  I will try having an "open" blog again and see how it goes.

Easter and Confirmation

 

Claire was confirmed at the Easter Vigil this year.  We are so proud of all her hard work memorizing the entire Catechism (word for word--no mistakes!).  As I tucked the kids into bed on Easter night, I asked them what their favorite part of the day was.  I fully expected an exuberant EASTER BASKETS! as a unanimous answer, but instead they all talked about how special it was watching Claire take the Eucharist for the first time.  I completely agree.  Chris started the waterworks at the altar, I followed suit.

Grammy and Grandpa

Chris' parents were able to come for the weekend to see Claire's confirmation and celebrate Easter with us.  It was so nice to have four extra hands to help in the pew during all the church services!

April Sunshine

Izzy's Birthday

She's five.  I can hardly believe it.  All she wanted was to go out for lunch at McDonald's with her dad.  A sweet request that we could handle, even during Holy Week.  Chris stopped at a floral shop on the way home and bought her a helium "My Little Pony" birthday balloon.  It was her best friend that ate, played and slept at her side for 48 hours before she stabbed it with a pen (trying to write on it).  That girl makes me laugh!  Happy Birthday Izzy!

March Recap

March is always a bit crazy around here with Lent and the restlessness that arrives at the end of winter and the end of textbooks. We survived.  The weather was unusually nice.  The kids (and I) appreciated being able to play outside.  I remember one afternoon they set up the sprinkler and sun umbrella and were all running around in swim suits.

  

We all went to my 20 week ultrasound on March 13.  Its a boy!  Everyone is excited about another little brother.  We haven't picked a name yet.  Boy names are hard!

 

We had dental cleaning appointments.  We see the dentist that my family also saw while I was growing up.  My grandma was also getting her teeth cleaned at the same time.  Family reunion at the dental office!  Dr. Thomas knows my entire family.  Remarkably we are not the only 4 generation family that he takes care of!

 

We celebrated St. Patrick's Day with the usual corned beef feast.  My parents were able to join us.  Black and tan anyone?

 

We bought a new rug for the study.  We love it, but it didn't match the blue paint.  Off to the paint store!

  

Chris and I liked the blue walls, but we LOVE the gray.  Complete serenity to relax in the study at the end of the day now.

Getting bigger!  I'm currently measuring about month bigger than normal.  I'm feeling all the horrible pregnancy symptoms.  I love the babies, but pregnancy?  Awful.  I'm not looking forward to being 40 weeks pregnant again.

My sister and I threw a diaper shower for our sister-in-law Grace who plans to cloth diaper.  I decorated diaper cookies to send with the invitation.  I have a new admiration for cookie decorators.  Painting with frosting is terribly hard.  Royal icing is the stuff nightmares are made of.

 Chris says that they looked like basketballs.  Ha!

 We sent the cookies and invitation in little boxes.  The packages turned out pretty cute!

 

Chris turned 36 at the end of the month.  Cake and presents.  It was a fun evening.