Brandon and Michal: Spring 2022

For General Conference, we worked on this puzzle. It was a challenge! The kids did a great job listening and accumulating snacks. Especially loved Pres. Nelson's talk "Spiritual Momentum" and hearing about the new temples.

Carter made this beehive painting with a kit Mama Judy sent.

Peep houses and Easter cookies!

The day after our Lego trip was Easter, and the missionaries didn't have a dinner appointment so I said they could eat with us. Turns out one of them can't have dairy or sugar so I had to make some last minute changes to the menu and just skip dessert all together. It worked out though!

Before our friends the Greens moved away we had a going away picnic for them

We'll miss them so much!

For Mother's day I was spoiled with a delicious breakfast of stuffed french toast, a heart shaped cake with delicious frosting, beautiful new hanging baskets, and a yard sign!

Lily's class learned about chick development. When their eggs hatched Brielle's class got to come visit! Lily loved holding the little fluffy chicks. It reminded me of when we went to a Cherry Crest Farm when she was little (maybe 2?) and she didn't like holding the chicks because their feet were "too poky"

Brielle's science fair project....learning which type of cup keeps a drink hot the longest

Carter's school parade celebrating achieving their reading goal

Each class dressed as a sea creature...he was a turtle

Brielle's ice skating class

Another successful soccer shots season!

Our strawberry patch had its best year! I had enough to make freezer jam. This photo is from one day's harvest!

At the end of May both Grandma and Mama Judy came to visit!

We went on the Pride of the Susquehanna boat ride and had delicious ice cream afterwards

One reason they came when they did was to tour the Washington DC temple during the open house. The temple was so beautiful! We went on memorial day, so it was very crowded and hot while we waited our turn. We spent a lot of time in a tent pavilion where the line wound all around. Luckily there were fans and we survived. We all enjoyed the beautiful temple and grounds and being together in the celestial room.

afterwards we went to Shake Shack for lunch and then went to the Museum of the Bible

There were were some really neat exhibits there! We did a scavenger hunt in the village of Nazareth, toppled pillars with Sampson, and experienced the Old Testament stories as if we were there.

The kids had school and Brandon had work the next few days, but I took Mama Judy and Grandma to visit the Pennsylvania state capitol building, the Indian Echo Caverns, and the Hershey historical museum.

The capitol was so beautiful and we had an excellent tour guide

The statue on top represents the commonwealth, they had a life size Lego version too!

Cool albino peacock!

Beautiful cave formations!

We also went to a giant farmers market that had lots of Amish/Mennonite merchandise. We picked up a peanut butter cream pie to celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary! It was super yummy!

We loved having Grandma here! Originally the girls' dance recital was going to be during this time but it got rescheduled for a week later. They did have a little "preview" performance of some of the dances, so Mama Judy and Grandma got to see their tap number. I'll put a video below. Our neighborhood had a yard sale day so we put a few things out and one of the neighbor friends brought her bake sale items to our driveway too.

The next week I took Susan and Jenea down to the temple open house. It was such a treat to go again, especially since Jenea grew up going to this temple so she was able to spot differences due to the renovation, AND I got to see my cousin Amy and her kids as they were helping with the open house! I loved running into her!

We stood in the same tent line but it was empty and we breezed through it! Thank goodness for a non-holiday weekday, Susan wouldn't have survived otherwise!