Carson's Last Day of Preschool...

...was my last day of freedom before the summer starts.

But here is something to keep in mind...

Of all you learn here, remember this the best,
Don't hurt each other and clean up your mess.
Take a nap every day, wash before you eat,
Hold hands, stick together, look before you cross the street.
And remember the seed in the little paper cup,
First the roots grow down and then the plant grows up!
~Robert Fulgham

I have to remember this summer, when I think I've had enough,  I am helping my children establish their "roots" before they "grow up" and don't need their mommy anymore. 

Pittsburgh Half Marathon

Back in January my friend, Liz asked me to run the half marathon with her in May.  Up until that day, I was pretty sure that Marathons and the like were ridiculous!  What kind of person in their right mind would ever want to run 13 or 26 miles?  Well, with a little persuasion, I agreed.  Two weeks before the race, I sprained my ankle training.  I was in a boot and then an ankle brace for 2 weeks.  I finally ran 2 miles 3 days before the race just to see how it felt.  I was surprised that it didn't hurt at all.  Needless to say, I decided to run the race!  Liz and I finished in exactly the time we thought we would, 2hr 20min.  (Scary to think that just 20 or 30 more min and Tyson would have finished a full marathon!)  Anyway, I was pretty proud of my accomplishment!  Tired, but proud! (and walking a little funny today!)

 Me with my fan club!  It was fun to see them along the route!

 We are way over on the right.

Still smiling after 13 miles!

Pittsburgh Internation Children's Festival

Camryn with one of her best "boy" friends, Jack!  At one point they were holding hands while riding!  So cute!

White House Easter Egg Roll

On Monday morning, we headed to the Easter Egg Roll!!!  It was so hot and humid while we waited in line for 30 minutes to get in.  We were all drenched in sweat, but it was so worth it!

Camryn and Carson had fun getting their faces painted, doing obstacle courses, posing for pictures with favorite cartoon characters, hula hooping to Greyson Chance's singing on stage, and meeting the president!!

 Al Roker happened to walk right beside me at one point!  He's so short!

Washington, DC

Uncle Nick, Aunt Anna and our family headed to Washington, DC to spend Spring Break and Easter with Aunt Sue.  We had such a great time.  Friday night we enjoyed a delicious dinner of Gumbo!!  Saturday, Aunt Sue took us around to ALL of the monuments where we got our Passports stamped.  Camryn really likes doing this, but not the walking so much.  We then headed out for blue crabs for dinner!  They cover your table in butcher paper and dump a pound of crab right in front of you.  Then they hand you a mallet and you get "cracking"!  The kids even enjoyed it this time around!  On Sunday, Nick, Anna, Jerrod and I headed to the Lincoln Memorial for the Easter sunrise service.  It was a gorgeous view, and we couldn't have asked for better weather.  Sunday I somehow ended up in charge of dinner!  I made my first leg of lamb with a garlic wine sauce, roasted green beans, potatoes and asparagus, roasted carrots and sundried tomato and black olive scones.  I was pretty proud that I pulled it off!!  (Nevermind the fact that it took 4 hours to make and we ate 2 hours behind schedule!) We then spent the rest of the afternoon at Sue's beach.  Cooper and Carson were in heaven!

 FDR and his dog

 It was a bummer that the reflecting pool was under construction.

Cooper swam out to the boat to meet Camryn