We were lucky enough to get away to Mexico for a vacation. Jack and I met my parents and my sister and her boyfriend at a beautiful resort in the Riviera Maya area. Lots of fruity drinks, guacamole, snorkeling, spa time, rest and relaxation was had by all. We had such a great time, we can't wait to get back again. It was really nice to get away for a short time but we missed the kids so much by the end of the trip and couldn't wait to get home!
We had a great Easter weekend and enjoyed some beautiful weather. The kids had a blast on Saturday at an egg hunt and carnival. Face painting was definitely a highlight for Stella. Our day began very early when Stella woke up excited to look for her basket. After church we headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house for yet another egg hunt and some great food. 
Last week we had a family appointment at the Dentist. Stella was great and stayed very still the whole time. Charlie loved riding in the chair but is not ready for any dental cleaning quite yet. Luckily we know the Dentist, so it's always a fun and very special time!
What happened to the month of March? Life is crazy and busy as usual. We made yet another trip to the Mall of America today. The kids love the rides so much, especially Stella. She wants to ride on all of the big roller coasters and tall drop rides- it's crazy but she just can't get enough. We made a quick visit to sit on the Easter Bunny's lap on our way through the mall. Stella was especially excited this month about St Patrick's Day and leprechauns. She came home from school every day with a new leprechaun story and so we all joined in the spirit and built a leprechaun trap. Charlie loves playing in the trap and is the one who keeps getting stuck. And as you can see, we think big produce is funny for some reason. When we came across this gigantic banana in the store- we just couldn't pass it up. I'm glad my kids share my odd sense of humor sometimes. 
Last weekend we had visitors! My parents, sister and her boyfriend, and my brother drove up here to spend Saturday with us. We had a fun adventure at the bowling alley. This was the first time our kids had ever been bowling. It was actually a lot of fun and surprisingly injury free. After an afternoon at the Children's Theatre, we went out to dinner at Stella's favorite restaurant, the Spaghetti Factory. The rest of the night was spent playing games, eating cheese and laughing. I absolutely love it when my family visits! I wish we lived closer.
This past weekend, some of my family came to visit. The girls (my mom, sister, Stella and I) went out to lunch and to a play called the Gruffalo at the Children's Theatre. It was really great to have this special afternoon together. 
A week after the big inauguration, I traveled to DC for work. My friend Missy, flew in from Chicago to meet me for a day. It was so cool standing in front of the Capitol, picturing the millions of people standing there a week earlier. We ran through the American History Smithsonian museum and of course needed to pause to take a picture with the tatonka for my Dad. We attempted to stop in and say hello to Barack, but unfortunately weren't able to get very close to the White House. I can't wait to go back someday with more time to visit the many museums and monuments.
