Trip to Ohio

The week after Easter break and having Augie and Heather visit, our family headed to Akron, OH. At the Pastors' College Eric was given two preaching assignments. The first was over Thanksgiving weekend in Brooklyn, NY and the second was at our dear friends' church in Akron. Eric and I have known Jason and Laurie for years. We knew each other before we were all married and we follow a similar time line in marriage, babies and Eric and Jason becoming pastors. 

Visiting the Reyes' family and being with their church was a highlight of our year. We were so blessed by the kindness and generousity we received. Laurie is a great host being very hospitable in her home and also took us girls out to a tea room and a local candle/gift shop (can't remember the name of it). Jason and Eric took all the boys to the Football Hall of Fame and need I say more - my guys were in heaven. After church on Sunday we headed about an hour away from their home to a hotel that has a really fun pool. Our kids had such a great time playing with the Reyes' twin boys, Joshua and Caleb, Izzy and Maggie. 

DC with the Cousins

Our family was thrilled to have Augie, Heather and the kids come visit us over Easter weekend. Augie was very generous and used Hilton points to get both families a room right in the center of DC. The last time they had come up was when we moved up to Maryland and we went into DC then too. Both trips were pretty funny. Last August it was so incredibly hot and we were dying of thirst. The kids were so tired from walking, blisters on feet, etc. It was so crazy you just had to laugh. Well this visit was pretty funny too. Instead of it being hot it we had cold rain. Cold rain, a least an hour wait outside to get into the American History Museum, only two umbrellas between eleven of us and not nearly enough warm clothes. This is definitely something I love about Eric and Augie and their brothers is that nothing keeps them from experiencing all that they can out of life!! My camera battery died that morning so I don't have any pictures of that day but I do from the day before which was beautiful and we were very grateful to still be able to see the Cherry Blossoms.

We taught Augie and Heather to play Settlers of Catan - Augie won

Easter Morning

Elise and ....yes, that's Sarah

Cherry blossom at the Jefferson Memorial

Boys are so easily pleased

Sarah and Elise....they spent two days walking around DC like this

Getaway in Williamsburg and Washington DC

Back in April, Eric and I were able to go to DC for a couple of days. We had a whole list of things we wanted to see and do without the kids so as a "thank you" to me for our move Eric planned a trip. We went to Ford's Theatre and the Peterson House where Lincoln died. We went to the Portrait Gallery, Art Museum and the Holocaust Museum and interspersed was a  lot of walking from the Capital to the Washington Monument - from the White House to the Jefferson Memorial. 

Room and bed where Lincoln died

Peterson House directly across the street from Ford's Theater

Ford's Theater

Portrait Gallery

Balcony where Lincoln was shot

In March we celebrated our fourteenth anniversary by spending a couple of days in Williamsburg. We've done this for most of our anniversaries but the past couple of years we've gotten a great package deal for the Williamsburg Lodge plus tickets to the colonial stuff and a gift certificate to any of the Colonial Williamsburg restaraunts or shops. Obviously, this was a great deal for our tight budget.

Williamsburg Inn -never stayed there but we did have dinner there when we got engaged

I wonder if all guys want their picture taken at the Magazine(armory)

Williamsburg Lodge directly across the street from the colonial area

Zoe Joy Courtney

On February 13th Zoe Joy, my sweet little niece, was born. Here she is at one month.