Some Highlights from March

March was a wonderful and busy month for our family. As you can tell from my lack of blogging...I was busy in other ways! But that doesn't mean I didn't capture some great photos to give a little photo-journal of our month. I also have a lot of great/funny photos of the kids, but I decided I would add them separately. So, the photos below are in random order...but I'm sure you'll enjoy them regardless of the chronology!

I received this African Violet plant from my mother-in-law back in March 2007. It's a very special plant for me (especially because somehow I've managed to keep it alive). My violet only blooms about once each year and this year it started blooming on March 15th. Thank you Jesus for this special gift and your continual reminder of new life.

Here's what our African Violet looks like today (March 31st). It's blooming like crazy and the petals have this amazing sparkling/iridescent shimmer to them. So pretty. Also forgot to mention above that I think it's also cool that this AFRICAN violet finally bloomed the same week we had African guests staying here in our home!

Madelyn got her FIRST HAIR CUT this month. She begged and begged for it. And as we were driving there she suddenly got scared and thought it was going to hurt her. I explained that even tho they are "cutting" her hair, she wouldn't feel a thing. Well, I don't think she believed me, but she decided to be brave. Right when this sweet lady announced that she was about to make the first cut, Maddy reached out from under her cape and grabbed onto my hand. It was so precious that it made me start crying and I had to turn away so that no one would see me. She squeezed my hand for the remainder of the hair cut...and was so brave. I was very proud of her.

Here she is after the cut. So pretty.

My birthday celebration at the always wonderful Red Lobster (family tradition!)

We were so blessed to have Jonathan back for my birthday weekend. THANKS JONATHAN! Connor and Madelyn absolutely loved having time to love on their uncle!

Maddy eagerly helped me make my first smoothie with my new blender. THANKS GARY!

Hilarious photo moment on my birthday evening. Classic.

Here I am on my birthday morning...Thursday, March 4th. The day started out well with sunshine and a free Starbucks birthday latte. Yum!

Hands down, the biggest highlight of the whole month was getting the privilege and honor of hosting one of the touring Invisible Children teams. We had a group of 6 of them here from Mon. March 15 - Thursday March 18th...and savored every moment.

What an amazing opportunity to meet Boni (below) and Leo from Uganda. It was a treasure to hear their stories and see how God has such big plans for their futures.

Here's Boni being funny with his ex-3D glasses!

As you can clearly see, my kids quickly fell in love with the whole IC team.

Back Row: Ivory, Tyler, Madelyn, Meredith, Connor & Leo. Front: Boni & Tessa

We miss them already and pray for our paths to cross again on this side of eternity!

Buckeye Gymnastics

Madelyn has been taking gymnastics classes for about 1 year now...and a few months ago we started at Buckeye Gymnastics (yes, the same place I used to coach preschool gymnastics many years ago.) Well, she just loves it. She's in the "Wee Bears" class, and Sunday night was her graduation from this class up to the "Gym Bears" class which she will start next Sunday evening. Here's a little photo journal of her class with Miss Kristen.

Attentive listening during warm-ups. I'm such a proud mama.

"Mom, check out this V-sit!"
Miss Kristen asked Madelyn to come and help demonstrate how to do this backwards roll over the mat. She was super cooperative (not always the case) and I was super proud mama once again!

Check her out!

Who doesn't like bouncing on a mini-tramp?

Mid-jump off the "vault"

A dive into the cheese pit!

Madelyn has been working on doing backwards rolls all by herself.

Maneuvering around the bar stations is one of her favorite parts of gymnastics class.

At the very end of class, all the kids sit to get their special stamps and get a high-five from Miss Kristen. (Maddy is holding onto the medal she got at the end of this class). Way to go Madelyn! We are SO proud of you!

Disney on Ice - Dreamy, Magical Memories

What a special time we had on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 28th) at Madelyn's first big Disney adventure. Gary bought tickets for the special event and we invited Maci, Jon and Janie to join us...knowing that Madelyn and Maci would think it was the coolest thing ever to dress up like little princesses, put on makeup (thanks Aunt Janie!) hold sparkly, flashing butterfly wands and bask in the glory of watching all the Disney characters dancing and singing on the ice right before their very eyes. And as for us parents...the best was looking over and seeing M & M sitting there with wonderment in their eyes and their jaws were literally hanging open. It was precious. Madelyn hasn't been exposed to many of the Disney movies yet...but believe me, now she wants to see them all! Today we checked out The Little Mermaid and Mulan from the library and Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast are on reserve. Disney overload, here we come!

Maci (Princess Belle) and Madelyn (Princess Snow White) before the show.

We were so excited to see Madelyn's best friend from school, Ava. She was showing off her Ariel shirt. The Little Mermaid is her favorite!

Check out these psychedelic butterflies mom!

Mickey, Minnie & Goofy taking center stage.

It's hard to see that Snow White was in the center of this circle. Madelyn mostly asked "Where's Snow White" when she wasn't on the stage. And when she was out there, Maddy just sat spellbound in her seat. It was absolutely adorable!

Walking back to our car in the Arena District. (We were standing here waiting for a train that was passing us by...hence the distracted face by Madelyn!)

Moving Right Along...

We drove by the house this past weekend and saw that the windows and doors have been installed. Now it's really starting to feel "real"!

Then I drove by the house today with the kids and saw them installing the wood trim all around the house. Wow! The kids loved seeing the ladders set up all over the place and watching the guys maneuver around the house. I think the most significant difference visually is in the bay window on the front of the house.

View of our house from across the park. By then, all the guys were huddled inside the blue truck eating their lunch and trying to stay warm. It was another 30 degree day with snow flurries. What a winter for us Ohioans!

LadyBug Delight

Here's a quick sample of what Madelyn's new bedroom decor will look like in our new house!

Broccoli Dessert

As I was preparing dinner the other evening and cutting up the fresh broccoli, my kids were begging for "more broccoli, more broccoli mommy!" Well, okay then! What mommy says "No" to that plea. Then as I started cooking the broccoli they were still begging for "more, more MORE!" Well, all I had left were the giant stems. Two of them. So, jokingly I handed these stems to my kids and surprisingly, they eagerly started eating them. Ha! So, I just had to get out my camera as proof to the world that somehow, my kids just really love broccoli...so much that they consider the stems to be a SPECIAL TREAT. =) Move over candy and ice-cream. Here comes the new broccoli dessert!

Snowshoe Skiing with The Bennetts

We went on amazing skiing adventure with Kori & Todd in the beginning of February (4th-8th) and met up down in Snowshoe, West Virginia. While we were there, we were hit with "Snomageddon 2010". But how could we complain? We were living in the lap of luxury in a fancy condo, with time away from all the kids, hot-tubs, great skiing, and great company. We got about 20" of snow on Friday and Saturday. And on Sunday, the storm had passed and the sun finally came out and smiled down on us. It was an amazing getaway weekend for all of us...and some of the best skiing I've experienced. Yes, it even rivaled Colorado!

Here we are in the lobby of our "Soaring Eagle Lodge" after our first day of skiing (Friday, Feb. 4) We were trying to build up the nerve to head outside and face the gale-force winds and blizzard like conditions that was whipping snow and ice in our face. Yikes!

Here are Kori & Todd at the italian restaurant we picked for that Friday evening. We literally got BEAT UP by the snow as we tried to find our way from the shuttle bus to the entrance of Mountain Lodge (where this little restaurant, Aunti Pasta's, was located). It was about the worst and most hilarious experience I've had in a long time...all combined together. We all were trying to decide if we should laugh or cry as the wind and snow were smacking us around. It was nice to sit, relax and eat a long meal before fearfully facing the outside conditions again when we had to leave. Wish we would have brought our ski goggles to dinner. Nevermind trying to look cute!

Hello Sunshine. This is the view overlooking the "bunny hill". Gary and I had fun watching the little kids in ski school and can't wait to get Madelyn on some skiis next year hopefully!

Me and my best friend (and if you look close you will see Gary and Todd sitting inside the restaurant behind us!)

What a joy to finally experience the sun in our eyes. A welcome change!

It was such an amazing weekend and we already can't wait to go back.