Marvelous March

March began with a surprise freeze and ended with . . . a surprise freeze.  March brought Nate's birthday, Spring Break, a trip to Washington D.C., Another calling for me (Stake Primary Music Leader. surprise, surprise) A backyard garden, and the beginning of baseball season.  Here's a look at our marvelous month of March!

The day before March looked like this: Warm and sunny. Leaf buds just popping open on every branch, and birds singing.  Spring was in the air.

  We woke up the next day to this: A winter wonderland of ice.  Here's our poor tree with it's frozen (killed) leaf buds.

Every tree was covered in ice droplets.  It was a sight to behold. Sad and beautiful.

On that same icy day, Eliza wrote this note to the world: "I like Green".

Don't we all. . .

Thankfully the weather warmed up enough by the end of the week for Field Day and the Family Picnic at the school.

Isaac's Black History Month painting was on display at City Hall during March.  He was also interviewed by a local news station.

His nerves got to him at first but he eventually warmed up to the camera and enjoyed being a celebrity for a day.

Spring Break brought more beautiful weather and we spent most of our days at the park.

I keep wanting to say something about these pictures at the park, but then I see this one of Lydia and all I can think of is, "Who dressed this girl?"

While Clayton and Isaac were in D.C. with Nate (pictures coming soon), I took the other kids to Brigham's favorite place on earth, the Aquarium. It was a whole new world for me to be stroller-less with only three to keep track of.  And it turns out, Brigham is a fantastic big brother - always looking out for Lydia and including Eliza.  He was a great tour guide.

They fed the sting rays,

Brigham thinks sting rays are "cute".

I think they look alien.

He also decided on a new pet. . .

I still don't understand why there is a white tiger at the Houston Aquarium.  But there it is.

Eliza got up close and personal.

We saw seahorses - Eliza's favorite.

And we took a train ride through a shark tank - Lydia's favorite.

My favorite was, of course, lunch at the Aquarium restaurant.

Back home, we planted a garden - tomatoes, carrots, peppers, sugar snap peas, cilantro, and basil.

The kids like checking for ripe strawberries, and in Lydia's case, eating them right off the plant without even plucking the stem.  I keep finding half-eaten strawberries still on the plant.  I thought animals were getting to them until I caught Lydia in action.

No tomatoes, peppers, peas, or carrots yet, but I am enjoying my basil which is growing like crazy.

Now I can have my favorite appetizer (or in this case, lunch) whenever I want!

Toasted baguette slices with Swiss cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil. Mmmmm.

The kids were happy to spend most of March outside.  And I was happy to send them there.

We did lots of biking. . .

yard work. . .

and pouting when it was time to come in.

Isaac learned to roller-blade and didn't have a single fall.  Just minutes after taking his blades off though, he bloodied up both legs when he tripped carrying a bag of mulch for me.  We still tease him about it.

Lots of backyard sports.

with a few casualties.

And face painting.

The big news of the month is that Lydia is potty-trained!  Our family is diaper-free!!!  Eliza also finished her reading and violin chart.  That's 50 days of underwear and violin practicing right there. Whew - I deserve my own pat on the back.  We went to Build-A-Bear to celebrate.

Here are the girls in their new purple dresses, ready for church with their "church bags".  They don't understand why I get to load up my church bag with musical instruments, shakers, popsicle sticks, costumes, scissors, tape, chalk, plastic food, and permanent markers and they can only take books and a notebook.  Life is so unfair. When they teach primary instead of attending, they'll understand.

After visiting the United States Patent and Trademark Office in D.C. Isaac decided to send in some of his own patents.

A patent for a laser gatling gun and another for a plasma rifle.

Clayton and a friend at school have become business partners of a Weasley-style "Joke Shop".  Here's one of Clayton's joke-inventions: Marshmallow erasers.  He actually replaced all our mechanical pencil erasers with these.  It's nearly impossible to tell it's not a real eraser. So far I have accidentally smeared marshmallow goo all over my wall calendar, Brigham's school reading chart, and my grocery list.  Grrrr. And don't even get me started on the ant infestation we've had in our pencil bin!

And it's not even April Fools yet!

 This month the girls really got into "Frozen".  They convinced me to buy the soundtrack and it's all we hear these days. (including solo renditions of "Let it Go" belted from the center pew at church,  and "For the First Time in Forever" droning on and on from an upstairs bedroom at 6 a.m.)  Here are my scraggly-haired starlets in action.  Watch out Broadway!

Finally the marvelous month of March ended with Little League Baseball opening ceremonies.  It was FREEZING cold! I couldn't feel my legs. We came home and had hot chocolate all around.

Despite the unusual cold, Brigham is thrilled to be on a baseball team again this year.

Let the good times roll!