Sweet Springtime

Iris

It's spring and I absolutely Love it! I'm glad Illinois got returned from Antarctica in time for spring (or what's left of it anyway). I was just telling Derek how this is the first year that I've truly been aware of plants and their regeneration. I feel like everyday I check our landscaping to see how much our irises have grown  and just today I realized that the peony bush is starting to grow. I am no flower/plant expert, but I am learning a lot and totally enjoy them. My mom has quite a few plants at her house now, but when we were little she didn't. I have this image of a rose bush she had that was new and pretty small. My siblings and I plucked all the roses off of it and tramped around it, enamored by the thorns. Yes and perhaps this is why my mother gave up on plants until we were older. We also are getting ready to till our garden....whenever it stops raining long enough for us to do it that is. So in short...I'm really glad that a new season is upon us:)

Easter 2014

For me Easter brings up memories of new bright colored Easter dresses that undoubtedly matched my sisters and white shiny shoes....or possibly not so shiny depending on if they were handy-me-downs;) I remember how we would wait our turn for my mother to curl our hair and then I would lavishly apply chapstick as if it was Mary Kay lipstick. Only now do I wonder how my mother ever got herself ready for church when she had 6 girls.....yes you moms are amazing! Then it was off to church we went and I loved and still love singing He Arose. Oh what a special day to stop and really soak in the fact that Christ died for us, conquered the grave and lives! I know that my Redeemer lives.....it is undeniable...from the way his handy work shows up in the everyday to the way that lives are transformed by His saving grace. Yes He Lives.
Easter this year was spent at church and then with Derek's family for lunch and then with the Roth side of my family for the evening. We were at Goodfield fellowship hall when we realized there was someone outside "slack lining"...which is basically a tight rope, but thicker. Well we couldn't believe our good luck....here we were having great food and now we would have a "show" too! The owner of the tight rope graciously let us give it a try. Needless to say it is just as hard as it appears even when you're only 3 feet off the ground. It was fun though:)

My cousin Kayla giving it a try!

Yum lots of food!

 And that's how we spent Easter 2014:)

Arizona Sun

Towards the end of March some of my family and I took off for AZ for a little vacation and family time with our aunt, uncle and cousins. Derek stayed here since it's tax season and not the finest time for a finance guy to be going anywhere (but to work that this). I on the other hand am a nurse sooo with a little trading around I was good to go ;) I tell Derek all the time "wouldn't it be fun if we were nurses together?!".....his response is less than enthusiastic. Anywho we took off from Peoria airport for some 85* and sunny weather on a Friday afternoon. And yes....my skepticism concerning airplanes still remains, but the 2.5 hour flight verses driving a ton of hours gets me on the airplane no problem;) And for the record if you're flying Allegiant, ice in a cup is about the only free thing you can get....so pack some snacks.

Also for a checked bag the limit is 40lbs.....I love the scale they had there..and it obviously loved me back;)

Welcome to Mesa airport

The house we rented out for the week....would it look too weird if I built this house in Illinios?

 

 

visiting Uncle Keith's store!

Four wheeling in the dessert!

Playing "Scotland Yard" with cousins

Fro-yo is good no matter what state you're in:)

My parents went out one night so my siblings and I had a pizza and game night. Reminds me of when we were little kids....loved just playing board games together all day.

spent some quality time driving up to Prescott to see Jake Rokey one day

Pool time at my aunt and uncles!

And I'll never get over the pretty mountain/dessert landscape.

It was a really fun time and I am so blessed with the family I have:)