April continued

Okay, so a lot happened in April and I snapped all of it.  Here's what I missed in my last post via crappy cell phone pictures.

 

Joshua in his new car.  (side story: Our cars are now named Sarah (my red Matrix) and Duck (Joshua's silver Corolla) from the BBC radio program of the same name.  Although in googling it, I just found out that it is a British TV show.  Oh man crazy because we have always only listened to it online.)

 Making mud pies for Aunt Emily.  Why for Aunt Emily?  No clue but there was a song that went along with the process, which lasted over an hour on the first day of not-brutally cold weather.

 We finally grew a the plant Kate gave me when James was born so that it had flowers.  Usually it is just two green ... things (I'm not a hornaculturalist!) and has earned the nickname of "Bunny Ears."

 I made Alma a dress in an EcoMoms sewing class.  Alma refused to let me make the bow a normal size.  It reminds Joshua and I of Queen Amidala.

 We went to see The Wizard of Oz at DeSales University with cousins, which was awesome as usual.

 James had an Easter egg hunt at school.  The face paint was too cute ... and eventually permanently on his shirt sleeves (*grumble*).

 We went to a DeSales University baseball game with Nana and Grandpa in weather far too cold to actually watch the game. 

 James purchased his first toy with Easter money: Gordon the Train.  Not sure if he loves the train or the pamphlet which includes the pictures and names of all of the Thomas the Tank Engine Trains.  He easily knows 48 out of the 50 trains pictured.

Aunt Emily

Joshua's sister is at it again with another amazing show in Seattle. Bummed we cannot see it in person. (If you watch the video closely, you may see a familiar 4 year-old's face in a picture. It was Alma's stage debut. She is making her start as a prop before working up to actually acting.)

I'm also bummed that I never wrote about Emily's stay in NYC for a month this winter when she came to visit us a few times.  To say that the kiddos, Joshua and I adore "Aunt Emily" is an understatement.  She is always fun, the easiest guest, and so darn smart to boot.  She is so brave and admirable in so many ways.  I'm blessed to have such terrific sisters-in-law.

And, just for kicks, here's Emily in another recent performance:

April 2014

According to this blog, March of 2014 never happened.   We will get to it some day ... but for now: April!

 

April = 40th Anniversary for my wonderful parents celebrated with a ruby anniversary party, birthday doughnuts to celebrate my 35 years, Alma attending a candy-laden party with good friends (Maeve and Madeline) and a unicorn (*whine* "but I wanted to ride a horse!"), egg coloring, dancing (now with more singing, mostly to Frozen's Let It Go), Easter family photo and enjoy the first warm days after a long winter. 

 

Ode to Pucker (Joshua's car)

A chapter in the Chisholm Family life was closed today so I wanted to share with all of you some highlights of what this little car meant to us. 

Before I get to the reminiscing let me first say that Pucker will be retiring in style, she is on her way (after a supposed paint job and some much needed mechanical work) to Costa Rica.  I love that she will be zipping around in a tropical environment. 

Here are some highlights of my time with this car.  Following that are some fun photos of our time (in no certain order).

• The name "Pucker" was from Emily, she helped me name it back in Bend, OR right after I graduated from the University of Portland in 2000
• States she lived in: Oregon, California, Arizona, Washington, Pennsylvania
• Big Moves: Oregon to California; California to Arizona; Arizona to Washington; and US tour from Washington to Pennsylvania.
• What she has weathered: Sand storms of Coachella; Snow storms in Pennsylvania; Scorching heat of Phoenix; Rain of Seattle

On the way to climb in Leavenworth, WA

Outside of Bryce Canyon on way cross-country

On the way to Emily's show

After Emily's show that same night

On our honeymoon, in Duck, NC

Celebrating our first anniversary of marriage; eating PB sandwiches between paintball games in Jim Thorpe, PA

Joshua's first day of work in Philadelphia

Joshua asleep in his car outside my house (aka The Pink Palace) in Seattle when we were dating

Along Alki Beach in Seattle, after our second date

Joshua's daily commute to Camden, NJ over the Ben Franklin Bridge

While playing for the Media, PA rugby team, waiting out of the rain before a match

Driving cross country before our wedding/while moving to the East Coast

On the way to Las Vegas

Happy Birthday Laura

Happy Birthday Laura!

This was the first photo Laura gave me when we started dating.  It will always be one of my favorites.  Laura is a wonderful wife, mother, and friend.  Our family couldn't be more blessed. She means the world to us and we are thrilled to celebrate her today!

April Fools Success

Things I got people to sincerely believe today:
* That instead of purchasing a family vehicle to replace Joshua's Echo (yeah, it died), that we got a motorcycle.
* That instead of purchasing a family vehicle to replace Joshua's Echo, that we got a convertible.
* That we are moving to Kentucky.

As someone who has never tried participating in any April Fools pranks, I'm pretty proud of this list.  Although I just immediately felt guilty for lying even though I barely let the untruth stand before correcting it.  The funniest part was the faces of the people who believed that I got a motorcycle trying to be kind and supportive but still thinking I was an idiot.