I'm BAAAACCCCKKKKK

Well, I hope you aren't scared, but I'm back to the wonderful world of blogging, or as I will now call it:WWB. Okay, maybe that won't stick, but it's worth a shot! And since it has been quite a while, I warn you: This Will Be LONG!!! Especially since I slept all day (I think it was just a sty on my eye!!). So consider yourself warned. ;-)

So, I have been busier than I would have thought this winter: in order to keep the winter blues away, I have saved painting, sewing, and other little projects for these past few months! It worked!! I love winters here!!! They are very mild to my way of thinking and we were never snowed in for long. I mean, our biggest amount of snow was to my estimation 10", though possibly more! And that's just the right amount to play in and make snow men in....or dress up snow men and women!!! Plus, we have been hiking and enjoying the beauty of snow.  We have really had so much fun:

Arabesque, it's one of her dance poses for her recital

Andy doing Hannah's dance pose!!

We (rather Andy) had to try out a
new place in town that had a gigantic burger!

Unfortunately, the burger conquered him

 One Saturday, we took off in the van to conquer the woods....

 

 

Kim ended up conquering the icicles!!
They are bigger than they appear...and so much fun to karate kick!!! ;-)

Another time, my one of my best friends came to visit and we headed out to Rock Creek Park:

My kids during their "quiet times", 

this time they were actually in their own rooms and being quite and quite silly!!

 

This boy loves his dog.

My other project:
making a divider between the kitchen and laundry,
I mean, it is loads of fun after all!!

And did I say sewing?? I think I have sewed more in the past 6 months than ever in my life! But I love to create things and see how cute material can turn into something cute AND useful! Well, having more than one pillow on the bed may not be useful...but who's counting!

Pillows a friend "ordered"!!!

The back of Noah's pillow, my first Nolan Owl Pillow!!

Hannah's Owl Pillow: Lola!!

And of course I had to make a matching pillowcase for her small pillow!!

And this is my latest sewing project!!
Hannah asked for a butterfly and Ariel pillow...
so this is how far we have come!
And you can see her recital dress in the upper right hand corner...
but that is all you get to see until the big day!

Now that Spring is in full glory, we have been out driving, hiking, biking and walking in wonderment of it all!!! I have never seen so many flowering trees, bushes and such bright colors! I thought Autumn was a beautiful time of year, but Spring has surpassed by far! There are trees that start out white and are slowly turning green from the top, there are tulip trees, bright yellow bushes blooming next to "Support Our Troops" ribbons of the same color, pale pink, lavender, light creams and red blossoms! Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but I think God has made everything around here beautiful. (That didn't really make any sense...::shrugs::...it's pretty late!!) I think that Autumn is the sunset as we prepare for winter and Spring is the Sunrise after the long, cold nights. Although, to my estimation Winter is just as beautiful, it's just not as colorful!

Andy, Kim and the kids took a drive last Friday night 

in search of a waterfall, couldn't get too close to see the fall, 

but we caught a beautiful sunset going down behind the mountains!! 

Then just today, Noah and I went in search of 

pretty flowering trees, shrubs and plants to showcase 

our beautiful spring season, here in the "Valley Beautiful"

Beautiful Jane Magnolia tree blossoms ~ from pink to white

beautiful pear trees

Pink Dogwood tree

Might be a White Weeping Cherry tree

Well, with the arrival of spring, comes Hannah's 5th Birthday, Yes, I said she will be 5. AHHGG. I don't know what to do with a 5 year old! This means she will be starting kindergarten, which thus means she will be entering into school which also means the time will really fly!!!! So basically on her first day, I will be saying "goodbye, dear one, you are going to be graduating from college and moving away". That is how I feel and I can't seem to slow time down. Not that I know what we are going to do with her...are we going to Homeschool or send her to Public School?? My sister-in-law and one of my closest friends in FL home school their children and I have seen the positive aspects of homeschooling. But am I cut out for it? If I start this next year, will I continue or will I mess up my kids lives?? Yes, these are all the thoughts flowing through my mind!! However, for her birthday, we are going to take her and her bff for a girls private tea party!! Also, going to have lunch with the family and of course, cake and ice cream!! She is super excited!! Pictures of the birthday bash to come.