A Bittersweet Anniversary

I know, I know, I haven't posted in a long time! Consider that a good thing, I suppose, that life right now is busy but fairly uneventful at the moment. I will take it for as long as it wants to stay! February was the worst month of my life and it was high time for things to calm down a bit. Sadie started softball and Zack started t-ball, so soon enough there will be lots of posts from their games. Tony and I leave on our 10 year anniversary cruise to Mexico in less than two weeks, so you have those pictures it look forward to as well!!!

April 15 was my parents' anniversary, it would have been their 38th. The days leading up to the 15th were strange, like a black cloud hung over me, and I know it was even worse for my mom. I had flowers sent to Mom's office at World Vision that morning of the 15th, a big surprise for her. I knew it would make her cry and that I definitely wouldn't get a call from her. We both would have been way too emotional. But I got an email after she had calmed herself, and she said she just loved them. Here is a picture of them.
I think that day was a BIG hurdle that was really, really hard getting over, but now that we are over it, things feel a bit lighter. I have been told by others who have lost someone close that the first of everything without that person makes you take a few steps backward in the grief process. I know that every April 15 will be hard, but this first one will probably go down as the hardest by far. One step at a time, right?

Our Easter Best

Easter is always a good time for me to try and get some good pictures of the kids. I have been successful at getting at least one each year that is worthy of being printed and hung up. Yay! Here are my faves from this year.

And the whole fam in front of the beautiful cross!

Snowy Eggs?

Every Easter, the Johnson family from our church hosts an Easter Egg hunt at their property up on Skyline in the foothills near us. (The same place where Sadie took horse riding lessons.) Saturday we headed out in the disgusting weather for the annual event. When we got up there, we discovered snow on the ground, freezing temperatures, and it even snowed a bit! We have braved the weather for this event many times, but it has NEVER been this bad! After a record 20 minute hunt, everyone packed up and headed out! It took awhile to thaw out, but we all still had a great time and can't wait for next year! We just hope it's a tad bit warmer!

Not sure why this photo is on its side and I can't seem to get it turned the right way. Huh.

Brrrrrrrr!!

Mr. Johnson setting down the rules

Ready....Set....

Go!!!

Boeing Museum of Flight

Friday Mom took part of the day off of work and we headed to the Boeing Museum of Flight. The Museum of Flight is pretty special to my family, because my dad worked for Boeing as an engineer for many years. He and my brother Tim loved to go to the Museum. We have taken the kids once, when Drew was still a baby. It is amazing place filled with tons and tons of airplanes, flight machines and more history than you could imagine. Zack was absolutely giddy with excitement the whole time we were there, and the rest of us enjoyed it probably just as much!

Warning, I took a TON of photos!

Going somewhere?

Me and my helicopter pilot

Sadie tried out a hang-gliding simulator. She crashed.

In the cockpit!

Zack with one of his faves, the SR-71 Blackbird

This is the Air Force One plane that carried Eisenhower and JFK and we got to go inside!

This was the president's special room where he could do any communication necessary while he was in the air.

This is inside the Concorde. It was crazy, all the seats were covered with plastic pieces. Sadie felt a bit claustrophobic and I don't blame her!

Us underneath the Concorde

Zack's very favorite airplane has always been the P-38 Lightning. There is one actually hanging above his head, but it was dark and my pics didn't turn out.

Two really cool WWI airplanes (and a really cute kid!)

So awesome. Can't wait to go back!

Point Defiance Zoo

Wednesday we spent with Jenn and her boys again! It was another beautiful day, so we headed to Tacoma's Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. It is smaller than our Oregon Zoo, but still very nice and it has a ton of great animals. (Even though they no longer have the beluga whales, my faves, wah.)

My three sweeties

Sadie, Tyler, Blake, Drew and Zack

Scary!

This monkey was totally showing off for us!

Once again, Tyler, Drew, Sadie, Blake and Zack

Drew checking out the fish

The kids loved the sharks!

Sadie :)

Zack found his happy place!

Roller Fun!

Tuesday we were supposed to go visit another friend, but her family was sick with the stomach bug. So I gave Jenn and call and she said, "Hey, let's go roller skating!" So we did! The skating rink was the typical old rink, but the coolest thing about it is that a bunch of older (and I mean like in their 60's and maybe 70's!) folks own and run it! They were even on skates! It was pretty cute. This place (unlike our rink back home) will tighten your wheels, so that made skating much more enjoyable for the boys.

The weather was still cold but gorgeous, so we ate a quick lunch and headed to a really cool park in Federal Way.

Spring Break - Morris' and Changs

Monday we headed up North to visit Sarah, Emma and Luke. It was quite chilly, but it did dry up and the kids weer able to play in Emma and Luke's bouncy house. They had a blast!

Waiting to inflate.....

Drew and Luke, two peas in a pod!

Emma and Sadie

Zack and Drew

On our way back to Federal Way that evening, we met Chrissie and Aaron for dinner. Aaron's birthday was the day before, so I had the peeps at Red Robin sing to him.

"Thanks a LOT, Elissa!"
"You are very welcome, Aaron!" ;)