Sam's 8th Birthday Party

Sam chose this picture to add to our blog. This is Sam with his cousin Jacob, and his best friend Daniel.

Hoping and Wishing and Pretending it's SPRING!!!

Even though there is still snow on the ground, the kids wanted to have a picinic. It is so much fun just soaking in the sunshine. Just what I needed for the winter blahs that always happen in the middle of February. I had to get the Spring decorations out and the Shamrock for the door. I just hope the sunshine lasts for awhile.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I have the Greatest Husband in The WORLD!!!!
What a romantic! It was one of those evenings that every girl hates me for after hearing because they are green with jealosy. But I'll tell you all anyway! Chris got a hotel room for us for the evening with a kitchenette. He cooked an amazing dinner-- with just a single burner and a microwave and sink. He thought of everything from the spatula to the fancy goblets and table cloth. We had seared Mahi Mahi with teriaki and grilled pinapple slices. An amazing spinach salad with candied pecans, blue cheese, and poppyseed dressing, a rice pilaf, and bread with orange butter. For dessert- mint chocolate chip ice cream cake! And if making dinner wasn't enough, he serenaded me to a few of my favorite love songs. He brought his guitar. Wow, what a singer. He doesn't share his talent very often. I need to ask for that more. Then it was to the hotel's outdoor hut tub. We checked out of the hotel that night to relieve the babysitter. I'll remember this Valentine's Day Forever!!

Becoming a blogger

I consider this a monumental day. The day I take the initiative to really blog. I was inspired by Megan Dorny and Amanda Neff. So I'll blame or give all the credit to them, depending on how this turns out. The motivation behind my blogging is to force me to take more pictures and to treasure those moments in life that usually just pass me by. Blogging seems the perfect way of creating a virtual 'scrapbook' to remember these precious times. Also, with so many sets of grandparents (and grandparents love pictures, right???) then it would be worth the effort. So here is my initial attempt on my own. We'll see where this takes me.