Easter 2009

We headed home this Easter. Since my spring break started on Good Friday, we were able to leave after school on Thursday. It took about 11 hours, give or take. The time there was well spent-we saw lots of family and a few friends. However, we definitely missed the beautiful warm sunrise service that has become our Easter tradition at Alleluia in Tempe. The service there is held outside at Papago park. It was pretty chilly in Indiana.

Brian made some cute eggs. I think he would try to make anything I asked. I went with stripes.

I took a few pictures of my adorable second cousins hunting for eggs:

We headed back on Monday morning, stopping at, "one of the greatest places ever," according to Brian. Grandpa's Cheese Barn was a nice little shop with many, many free samples, as well as a little deli. We bought cheese curds, sage cheese, some mustard, and relish, as well as grabbing subs for lunch. Their black cherry soda was also good! Next time we go we will have to try the ice cream.

Day Trip: Cherry Blossom Festival Part 2

I dragged Brian out of bed early Saturday for the second trip to DC in as many weekends. We had some unfinished business from last weekend. With the promise of Cinna-bun at a rest stop along the way, he was out of the house a little earlier. We went through Baltimore this time, rather than going 896 through Annapolis, and ended up facing an awful lot of traffic due to construction, congestion, and rubber necking.

We parked at a different park and ride this time (Greenbelt-no pay for parking on Sat/Sun), and it was absolutely packed. Luckily we already had our metro cards. We took the green line into L'Enfant Station and started our day at the Air and Space Museum. We picked a few exhibits to view-my favorite was the planets exhibit. I actually know a lot about them through the Mars Educator trainings I attended in Arizona, and could converse pretty well with Brian. I can't really compete with his knowledge, considering he was able to see Saturn through a telescope at one of his own trainings. A very powerful telescope. Could see the rings and everything, said it looked just like the pictures.

We then looked for lunch-an almost impossible task. The plan was to eat at that museum b/c they boasted of having a Boston Market, that was actually only two different meals beside the entire McDonald's menu. Brian didn't want this, and we finally decided to go to the cafeteria in the American History museum. We rested a bit on the lawn while deciding this, and Brian made fun of my Arizona weakness for cold as I huddled in three layers and a hood in while other mall walkers past us in shorts. It wasn't so much cold as windy.

The cafeteria in the American History museum was really quite good, though of course overpriced. We took in a few exhibits there. I really liked the kitchen of Julia Child's. In the bon appetit exhibit they have all of her actual kitchen, with all the gadgets on display. In the Science in American lives, Brian noticed a few scientists he has heard speak. Many of the most popular exhibits were packed, and we were pretty exhausted, so we stopped at the Stars and Stripes cafe for some ice cream. Overlooking a fountain and some beautiful architecture, I loved my butter pecan while Brian enjoyed a root beer float. I was really impressed by the ice cream.

We then made our way back to the cherry trees to see how they had survived the big storm and the windy days. The sun was going down behind the Washington Monument. They were on their last day of peak bloom. Still beautiful.

Bake

I have a new favorite website.

A few weeks ago I got a recipe for supposedly perfect brownies. Not too fudgy (like Brian likes) and not to cakey (more like I like). However it called for "cake flour" and I couldn't find any in the grocery stores around here (don't get me started on how much I don't like the grocery stores here). So, I looked for some online. I found some at the King Arthur website, as well as a few other goodies I just had to have. After getting my first shipment of two huge boxes, I've put the rest of my desires on to a wish list to get at a later date.

And Brian really liked the brownies-my first time not using a box mix. Not sure the cake flour really made the difference though.

MY WISH LIST:

• Cute Shirt

• I need four of these... cake flour, bread flour, wheat flour, all purpose flour. My cannister has too small of a lid to really be able to measure out of.

• Black decorating sugar: I need these for some "pool" cupcakes I am making-for the 8 ball.

For the rest of the pool balls I'm making.

Again for the pool balls, I need the black food coloring.

• Scoop for my new flour container

Brian's Aquarium

Brian has been setting up a salt-water aquarium for a few weeks now. He started with the live rocks, and then added some snails and crabs. Things are really starting to come alive. Here's a preview:

Day Trip: Cherry Blossom Festival

On the 28th we headed to D.C. for a look at the famed Cherry Blossoms. The trees were just starting to bloom, and it was pretty rainy and foggy all day, but we didn't mind. We may head back again next week.

Getting There: It took us about an hour and a half to get to the subway station, and less than $13 between parking and subway fees. We haven't tried the park and ride before-but it was very easy and we stumbled onto the metro within seconds of its departures both ways. It worked out well.

While in Town: We spent a few hours at the Smithsonian Museums. We are still not able to equitably determin which museums and exhibits to visit; it is hard since our interests are so different. We took in a few exhibits at the Museum of Natural History, including the orchid exhibit and the marine life exhibit.

We also enjoyed the American Art and Portrait Museum, and relaxed at the indoor courtyard.
After getting popcorn at one of the little red wagons, we made our way over to the trees and spent the rest of our time there strolling around the trees. It was quite a romantic little getaway.

Mini Quilt: St. Patrick's Day

I haven't done any quilting in a while, so I did a small project to get myself back in the hang of things. I made this little ditty for St. Patrick's day, and it can be used in the kitchen as a hot pad or in some kind of centerpiece.

It was my first time working with setting triangles, and I learned a lot. I did a little better getting all of my square blocks to line up. I still need help with my binding, especially the corners. I am always so anxious to be done by that point that I don't put a lot of time into it, but I really need to get better before I try my next wall quilt. I'm planning one with a star design, that uses golds, blues, and red fabrics. It may end up being my July quilt-if the motif ends up looking too patriotic.

Genealogy Find

Every winter it seems, I go back and work on one of my hobbies: genealogy. Going through old census records, finding marriage certificates and old family photos is very interesting to me. It brings out the side of me that got a minor in anthropology in college.

Now that I am living on the East Coast, it is pretty exciting to be finding records so close to home. Many of my ancestors came through either Pennsylvania or Maryland. We recently went up to Wilmington (originally known as New Sweden) and found the area where my Poulson ancestors first lived in America (not the best area to live now). Pal Jonsson Mullica arrived on a ship called the Eagle in 1654. More information about him can be found in The Swedish Colonial Society, specifically in this article.  

With the great computer crash of 08, I lost a lot of my information (I'm still hoping someone can retrieve some of it from my hard drive). Now, I'm more dedicated about having paper trails for everything I find now. I also invested in Family Tree Maker 2009, and have had a lot of fun entering information on there.

This week I found a yahoo group dedicated to one of my ancestors, and was able to join. I was very excited to find information on the family pictured below. Pictured are some of the children of Jeremiah Roser (front row center), who would be my GGGG Grandfather, including the woman to the right of Jeremiah, Mary Jane, who would be my GGG Grandmother. He was born near Harrisburg, PA in 1826, lived in Ohio, Alabama, and Indiana, and was graced with 91 years on earth.

Appoquinimink

An article covering my school district.

Not in Arizona Anymore: Snow Days

One benefit of moving to Delaware was the hope and anticipation of eventually getting a snow day or two. However, it hasn't worked out as nicely as I liked. A few weeks ago, we had a snow day, and I was sick the whole day. Yesterday we also had a snow day, and it was the same situation. I was sick 5 times, and couldn't eat a thing. They called another snow day today. It was called at about 9 last night, and would never have been a snow day in Indiana, but I'll take it.  Though still weak, I feel mostly better, and was able to enjoy the day. Apparently this was the biggest Nor'Easter in a few years.

Visit from the Alaskans

My older sister and our nephew flew down from Alaska in February. We haven't seen them in over a year, so it was awesome getting to spend some time with them!

She started her trip at her father's house a couple hours from here in Maryland. Brian and I headed down there and spend a very relaxing weekend with them, enjoying playing the WII with the 2-year old (he beat us in bowling), exploring the outdoors with the 2-year old, having a cookout, and shopping. It was a beautiful weekend, and was more like early fall than late winter.

Then, the next weekend, our grandparents, mom, and the rest of our siblings came to Delaware and we got to enjoy a carriage ride around old Philadelphia, taking the nephew to his very first zoo (The Smithsonian), showing both my younger sisters and Matthew D.C. for the very first time, and enjoying time together.

This was the first time we were all together since my wedding over 2 1/2 years ago.

At the Smithsonian Zoo.

Aydan loved playing "The Baseball", and always required anyone playing to put on a Diamondbacks helmet.

Uncle Brian was his favorite. Again.


Grandma got us these awesome sweatshirts.

Aydan's Second Favorite Game.... Locking Brian in the room, and then throwing the ball at Brian and making him fall. He got to the point where he didn't allow us to catch the ball, we had to let it hit us. He is going to be shocked in dodge ball once people dock out of the way, or don't automatically fall over.

Winter Movies

The hubby and I have always liked going out to the movies... there is just something nice about seeing the movies on the big screen. January and February didn't yield very good movies, but it was still something to do on chilly weekend nights. Ranked from best to worst are the movies we have saw in the past couple months: (Brian gave the star ratings.)

****Gran Torino-Clint Eastwood, reminded me somewhat of No Country For Old Men... not sure why.
***The Curious Case of Benjamin Button-A long, "Forest Gump" like movie, but very entertaining.
**.5 Frost/Nixon- Not bad... this one was ok, we saw it too late at night though, and I had a hard time staying awake.
*.5 The Reader-I don't read the preview summaries, so I don't know what I was expecting from this movie, but it wasn't this. Very sad movie.
*Revolutionary Road-Really wanted to like Leo and Kate in this, but it was just an annoying movie.