Easter 2011

We had a great Easter weekend starting with Friday afternoon. The guys took a break from studying for finals to spend a little festive family time. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. One of those days I will always remember. Rare and valuable.

They hold hands everywhere lately. Look how Jaxon takes on that manly role!

Maren caught on pretty quick at her first Easter egg hunt.

That patch of weeds was really fun to run around. The things that amuse children.

Fun with daddy!

 

Saturday evening we went to an orchestra concert at Pacific to support a student in our ward. We had a little fun outside before it started. Again we were blessed with a beautiful day.

Easter Sunday got cold again but we had a nice day at church and a few friends over for dinner. It was a nice time. Maren in her not so "Eastery" dress but looking cute none-the-less. It was nap time after church and this was the best I could get out of her. All she wanted was her "passy." 

This was before the passy.

This was after the passy. It amazes me how quickly she can go from hysterical to ecstatic.

She was done with pictures and ready to sleep.

All in all we had a great weekend. I thought I would throw in an artistic view of the festivities we enjoyed this Easter. Hope you had a great one too!

Welcome to my table. Wont you have some tea?

Tea time comes everyday with Maren.

Thanks for coming!

Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival In Woodburn, Oregon

We had a great day today at the Woodburn Tulip Fest

They had quite a variety in full bloom

Maren loved this horse swing made out of tires.

And she loved the wooden shoes. I couldn't get her to be brave enough to look up at me.

Maren and I were standing on top of a view point overlooking the tulip fields.

Proud of their Dutch heritage

A worker gave Maren a couple tulips. She was in heaven.

My first fondant cake!

My first fondant cake! We learned how at a Relief Society activity.

Spencer was quite impressed with my skills and thought it would be fun to reenact cutting the cake at our wedding.

We had fun acting it out for the camera!

Going for a dip in the mud!

Last week we went to a birthday party at a park that has dirt hills for bike riders near by. As you know Oregon is a bit of a wet place to say the least and so what do water and dirt make...MUD! Maren decided she was big like the other kids and ran to join them. Spencer and I both thought the other was watching her and with in seconds she face planted it into a mud pool. Some lady found her trying to pry herself out! Poor girl. She came back to us pretty devastated. I am proud to say that every bit of that mud came off her clothes. A classic picture and memory.

California Visit

 Maren was loving Grandma's pearl jewelry. I love this group of pictures capturing the many reactions she gave to her new look. Lets just say she is all girl and has a hard time leaving my jewelry box alone!

 We had a great day at the Sacramento zoo with Grandma, Aunt Amber and the cousins!

I forgot how nice the weather is in California in March. We had time outside every day basking in the sunshine. Nothing beats California weather. Nothing.

On the Silver Falls trail we saw 6 out of the 9 waterfalls

 The last day of Spring Break we went to Oswald West Beach

 It was clear at the beach and cloudy at home!

 The little walk in to the beach is really beautiful.

Pittock Mansion

The grounds behind the mansion

In front of the Pittock Mansion March 21, 2011

Spring Break

We started off a much needed Spring Break at the Portland Farmer's Market-there opening day of the year. It's always great fun to peruse and buy fabulous produce and goods. The spring blossoms were for sale and made me want spring to come so badly. It was a bit chilly (and still is-April 7, come on!). We stocked up on fresh herbs and vegetables and of course the best bread from the Pearl Bakery. We enjoyed a delicious pastry on the park bench as you can see from the picture above.

I think I just about have it figured out. It's not how I would love for it to be but it is definitely a number of steps up from what it was. I am talking about the blog. From now on the pictures will be displayed within the post and will no longer continue adding to the massive column currently snaking down my blog page. In the near future (not tonight because I have already spent way too much time on this today), I will be adding pictures from two great weeks of fun with both grandmas and grandpas. As for now here she is decked out in all-girl pearls. Stay tuned for more fun.