I love it when...

...people share things that touch them and move them to become a better person or just give you that extra lift you need. My darling, sweet Aussie friend, Marelle shared this amazing video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7HFk6flUOQ
(Not sure why all of a sudden the embeded codes aren't working)

It just makes you think about your life and how you are really living it. Especially when you celebrate a wedding anniversary. Rob and I were talking last night and can't believe it's been 23 years since this:

We've now "officially" been married half our life! Oops! Now you know how old we are! :D


Being together for 23 years SOUNDS like a long time but it hasn't FELT like a long time. That's good!! Life together has been good!

Isn't this supposed to be SPRING?

Seriously!! I was worried about snow for Tabitha & Josh's wedding on March 1st. But this I have to say is NUTS!!! We had everything here yesterday. Rain, SNOW, sunshine, thunder, hail! We didn't have much stick around. But our friends, Kim & Mark about 1 1/2 hours south of us had a different story. Yes Kim! I stole your picture :D

US

THEM

That's what you get when you live in the convergent zone! Ready to move back to Lynden Kim?!

And look what my hubby brought home for me yesterday! It's our anniversary on Sunday. What a keeper :D

This didn't get much press...

...unless you're a CNN news junkie you probably didn't even see it. I know I didn't see this on the evening news. I happened to hear a snipet of this on the radio and just HAD to hear the entire song. I've never heard this song sung so beautifully and so moving.

The US Army Chorus and Band performing The Battle Hymn of the Republic at the welcoming ceremony for Pope Benedict XVI.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irZmknvOB4I

Frustrated I can't get the embedded video code to transfer over here but please take the under 5 minutes out of your schedule to watch the video.

Back to the routine

Blah! Spring break is over!! Booo! We had such a nice break that I wish we could have had a few more days. So do the kids since they are hit with taking the WASL (another boooooo) test/ Amber started today, David starts tomorrow and it goes for a few days. YUK! Don't get me started on the WASL.

So! Do you know what you get when to cross a beautiful, almost 70 degree, sunshiny day with 2 sisters with a camera? Well, take a look!





Tabitha came over to spend a little "sister time" with Amber. They went on a walk and baked cookies. Do you think they had fun? :D

Amber's room is almost done. At least all the painting is finished. Well, except for the bookcase that she just told me she wanted to paint. Sheesh! Still on the hunt for the bed. We'll take pictures once it's together.

I even had a bit of fun this weekend too. You can read about that over here.

Enjoy the sunshine!!! It sure lightens the spirit.

Why can't it be easy?

So you'd think we could just go out and buy a twin bed headboard & frame? NOT!!! I can't even remember how many stores we have been to. Do they have these in stock? Not many of them. The ones that do are just plain ugly. So to order would be 6 - 8 weeks out. How strange is that? So we're now looking on-line at Target and some of those other stores. At least we have the paint color picked out.

But for some good news! I just talked with our photographer from the wedding, CLG Photography and we should have our proof book in our hot little hands Friday or Saturday at the latest! Woohoo! The happy couple are now on her website under both Weddings and Relationships.

And more good news ~ I do NOT have jury duty tomorrow. This is my 3rd time since living here I've been summoned. Only in a small town do you have to call in the night before to see if there are any court cases. So spring break continues on! Tomorrow is a sleep over for David and his 2 buddies.

Quote to Think about!

I so totally LOVE Rebecca Sowers! Her style of scrapbooking and crafting is very vintage. I'm not that creative. Yesterday on her blog she posted this quote. It's a great thought:

"Before you speak, ask yourself...
is it kind?
is it necessary?
is it true?
does it improve on the silence?" (sai baba)

So on that note, here's some eye candy to make you smile!

Christie, you're ALMOST there!!!! Wish we could come with you!

PAAAARRRRRTTYYYY!!!

Only a few more hours and we are on spring break!! Doin' a happy dance here. Well, not as good as Tabitha's happy dance! Baaahhhaaa!! You'll have to ask her to show you sometime. You'd think we have BIG plans over spring break. Well that's the glory of it all. We aren't going ANYWHERE!!! We can sleep in and just do whatever we want. So Amber wants to re-do her bedroom and totally make it her own now that Tabitha's outta there. THAT will be our project this week. Complete with tearing down wallpaper. I'm hoping it will come down easy (unlike the bathroom wallpaper).

I also have to do a BIG brag on Miss Amber. She got accepted to one of the BEST honor bands in NW Washington. MUSIC IN MAY down in Forest Grove, OR at Pacific University (Good old PU)! This is the 60th year and they have brought in the BEST guest directors for all 3 groups. The orchestra director is from Julliard, the band director is from George Mason University (Tabitha had him a few years ago and he was fabulous!) and they even got newly retired director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Craig Jessop to come. It's the weekend of Memorial Day so we're hoping to find a hotel down by the coast that's not a fortune or we just may be exploring Portland while Amber is playing away and learning LOTS. Let's hope the chair doesn't break on Rob again and get recorded for ALL to hear. Ask him about it ~ it's a crack up!!

And of course, I couldn't close without a little bit of Lizzie eye candy. Jessica took these pictures of Lizzie eating cereal and carrotts. She's getting this eating solids down pretty good.

Yeah Lizzie!!!

The Weekend!

So while Alicia is basking in her heatwave we were looking at this!

Yes! SNOW!!! And it's sticking too!


My poor Rhody's are so confused. To bloom or not to bloom.


These flakes are HUGE!

And look who got her hair cut!

We didn't get to see it until Sunday. Tabitha had 10" cut off and donated it to Locks of Love. This was her 2nd time to make this wonderful donation.

Our Honest Boy!

I just have to share a moment that makes any parent proud. Yesterday David & I were at a store in Lynden. While browsing in the store, a customer was paying for her purchases and then left the store. As we were being waited upon David noticed something on the floor right in front of the cash register. It was a $20 bill!! Promptly he said "Mom, we need to see if that lady is still outside"! At first we couldn't find her and was looking in the cars. The store owner was helping us look for her too. She suggested we check the bakery. Lo and behold, there she was standing in line. I was able to return the money to her. She was rather stunned! $20 to any of us means a lot of money but this sweet lady looked like she was in her 70's so I'm sure it meant a lot more to her than we know.

We're so proud of David for his wonderful choice he made! So I took him to Starbucks for his favorite ~ A Vanilla Bean Frapachinno and a cinnamon roll.

A Few Easter Photos

Thought I'd finally getting around to showing our "table" Easter shot. We were blessed to have the newlywed couple visit with us. It was their 2nd dinner that night.

This always used to be the trick egg that never could be found. no worries, their plastic with candy inside.

But this year David remembered to ask Rob to get it down. The one egg that couldn't be found was really right in the open. In the living room, on the floor next to the computer desk and stereo speaker. It took them forever to find it!!