In March . . .

OK, back to catching up.

So, in March I turned 33 years old. No biggie-- just another year. We celebrated by spending the day as a family doing one of our favorite things-- hanging out at a museum!  After a day at the NC Museum of Natural Science, we ate scrumptious hamburgers at Red Robin and Mommy delighted in some chocolate chip cookie dough (with mint and Oreos) concrete at Good Berry's (my favorite frozen Custard dive).  My family gave me a wonderful rice cooker (which I use at the very least weekly), my very own sushi roller and paddle (I've tried to steel my mom's from our years in Japan), and a wonderful red and black Asian inspired bowl. 

While at the NC Museum of Natural Science, Madeline and I recreated a picture we took four years ago when she was about 6 months old.

In March we began spending more afternoons outside, taking walks and riding bikes, and even enjoying some school lessons or classwork on a blanket in the backyard.  I went crazy cleaning out closets and organizing clothing tubs in the attic.  And, our church held our second (all in the name of fun) "Dessert Competition."  I entered a spring cookie bouquet, and my big girls made whoopie pies.  Emerson spent the entire night following me around crying.  Her fussing was only abated by feeding her constant stream of cookies-- she's a clever girl . . . she knew we had gathered in the name of all things sugary and sweet (and fellowship too).

Somewhere in the middle of March I was able to meet my dear friend Kerry Drummond, her Mom, and the kiddos for lunch.  They had traveled our way because her Dad was here on business.  It was so much fun to see her and catch up for a couple of hours.  We also enjoyed a visit from my Mom and my sister's family.  This was the first time our sweet niece Jovie had been to our house (and only the second time we had seen her).  Needless to say we were very excited to have everyone here. Unfortunately, it rained the entire weekend they were here.  So, our entire visit was spent inside-- not much fun for little kiddos who had grown accustomed to lovely Spring weather and the great outdoors.  We somehow managed to have fun . . . you know eating, and talking, and eating; and, when we got really restless we ate some more!