Our Trip

We finally made it to Pennsylvania to visit Suzette and her family. We had a blast spending time together and watching conference. I got to go to a band concert for Courtney and a Choir concert for Hannah. I also got to see Jake in a school play and Jaque's makeup skills in the play. We got to celebrate Joy and Bryce's Birthdays too. It's like we got to celebrate tons of stuff we have missed in the five years since they have moved all one one weekend. I loved Suzette's cooking and watching her bake non stop. They have a beautiful property, and a Snow White cottage. I felt like I was camping. It was wonderful and we can't wait to go back. Playing American Girl DollWatching High School Musical 3 for the first timeSarah on the massive swing that Dad built

Nathan and Bryce Mara and Spencer Joy and Peyton Bailey The cool swing tree has a little seat

Peyton walking down the lane to the cottage

The cottage

Suzette and her mad baking skills she was serving the caramel brownies for Joy's Birthday We got to eat dinner at their 16foot Amish table. There were 22 people seated and we probably could have had moreWe were almost about to leave when Nathan fell and sprained his wrist

Rain

"Rain Rain Go Away, Come Again Another Day". Most of us as kids used to song that song whenever it rained. Now that I am an adult I have learned to love the rain. I welcome it. Living in AZ we did not get to enjoy the rain very often. But when it did rain we would open the doors and windows or go onto the porch and enjoy the wet and cool water falling from the sky. I like to sing the song "Rain Rain Come and Stay , We're so glad Your Here Today". Living in Maryland I now get to enjoy the rain every two or three days. Here are the kids in summer 2007 enjoying the rain. They love to play in the rain and get all wet. We haven't done so here yet it's still a little cold for that. I tell them they will have plenty of opportunities in the near future.

What's Becca Happy About

So I’ve seen this done on a lot of Blogs lately and so I decided to try it. These things make me happy this week and not in any particular order.

1. My new Twilight DVD.

I am not going to admit how many times I’ve watched this since I got it at the midnight release party at Borders(Ryan surprised me on our date Friday night). I felt really old going to a party where there were mostly 15 year old screaming fans. But I at least got to read the Directors Notebook without having to buy it.

2. Easter Peanut M&M’s

Technically I am not supposed to eat nuts with my braces but I just can’t resist. The best part is the kids don’t like them because of the nuts. Yea! More for me.

3. Flower cup

I love my new flower cup from target

4. Chore charts

Yesterday I made new charts for the kids and they are a lifesaver. Since moving we have had a hard time getting on a normal schedule. I was tired of hounding them to get everything done.

5. Buttons, buttons, whose got the buttons

We have also started something new with buttons. I got this idea from someone in my old ward. It is more for the little ones but everyone loves it. Each time the kids listen, give service, do something without being asked, be kind, etc. they get to put a button in the jar I have. If they are rude or don’t listen they have to take a button out of the jar. When the jar is filled they get to go to the store and pick out a new toy. It has worked wonders. We have a much more positive home.

6. Tax Refund soon

I thought this was funny. Tax season is the best when you get a refund.

7. Baths and Freedom

I love clean dogs. They are much more pleasant to be around. I have been really nervous to let the dogs roam free in the house. I have been working with them and they are doing really well. I think they are much more difficult to capture pictures of than the kids.

8. Quiet time interrupted

So Sunday after church I tried to find a quiet spot to read. We have a strange shaped living room and the only place for the gigantic bean bag is behind the couch. A perfect place or so I thought. After about five minutes I had all the kids jumping on me. Sarah wanted to take a picture.

9. Coupons

I have been learning the art of couponing. I have been wanting to do this for a long time and since moving I have been more motivated. Especially since the groceries are much more expensive here. I don’t really know what I’m doing. But I love to see the savings I have made so far.

10. The Laundromat

Now doing laundry doesn’t really make me happy, but in this case when our dryer broke last week and our landlord couldn’t get it fixed right away, I had to go to the Laundromat and I tried to be happy about it(which I wasn’t). It was an interesting experience. I had to try and keep my mind off of the fact that other peoples unmentionables were in the washers and dryers, before mine were. I succeeded by bringing my Twilight book. That book tends to keep my mind off of a lot of things. The happy part was that I got all of the laundry done in two and a half hours.

So Cute!!

Washington DC Temple

What a beautiful temple. The most amazing scene is when you come around the beltway and see the temple on the hill it looks like it is sitting on top of the trees.

Star struck

So Ryan likes to play jokes on me all the time. I used to be really gullible. But being around him so much I am learning to second guess the outrageous things he says. Like the time he called me right before we were set to move and told me he had been layed off because they had to make unexpected cut backs and since he was the most recently hired he was the first to go. Ha Ha, very funny I told him. 5 or 6 years ago I would probably have been freaking out. There was the time when we were in high school and he told me we had to break up and was playing an April Fools joke on me (I'm still trying to come up with a good come back for that one). So when Ryan called yesterday and told me your never going to guess who I met and says Brad Pitt I did not believe him at first. He was working in DC yesterday and while riding in an elevator to one of the law offices he is remodeling he turns to see none other Brad Pitt standing right next to him. When Brad realizes Ryan recognizes him he gets that grin on his face you know the one that melts millions of girls hearts(not that I am claiming to be one or anything, OK so I am). They talk for a minute, shake hands and exit the elevator . Ryan said he was very nice. Apparently Brad is in DC to talk to congress about all of the work he is doing in New Orleans. So needless to say I was not the one who got to meet him or shake his hand, but I think I was more awe struck than Ryan was.

Beautiful Snow

So even though I have been complaining about the cold weather and it took me 30 min. just to clean the snow off of my suburban. I cannot deny how beautiful it looks outside. The kids have loved playing outside and building their snow forts for the ultimate snowball fight.

I didn't have any pictures of Sarah. I did get her name in the snow though, and yes that is Spencer without a coat. He is a brave one.

My snow covered suburban. This was when I was only about half way done cleaning the snow off. I even broke the snow scraper and I had to use a shovel to get all of it off. I had never experienced that before. I will definately have to get better tools for next time.