April 2009

The month of April last year was pretty quiet in comparison to some of the other months of the year! LOL We spent much of the month just hanging out at parks, shopping, doing laundry, and enjoying having Cherstin and Abby and Emmett with us - the time for them to head home was fast approaching and we wanted to savor this time before it slipped into the past. Cherstin worked really hard to provide the children with learning opportunities and time out of the tiny apartment...her stoplight cookies (the kids made them) are an example of her creativity.

Abby and Emmett loved getting out of the apartment and going to the laundry room. They were always wanting to help put the coins in the machines and it certainly was a way to occupy some very active and curious little ones LOL.

Cherstin's birthday came this month and so did Easter. Abby and Emmett loved hunting for the eggs and baskets! Rich and I had a blast watching them hunt. Abby really got it - Emmett not so much - but he had fun anyway!

As the month started to come to an end and we knew that I would be heading back to Oklahoma with Cherstin to be with Dan Rich and I thought it would be nice to head down to South Carolina for a memory trip. It ended up being our memories more than Cherstin's - although there were some things she had recall of. We dropped down into Charleston and went to Boone Hall Plantation where they were having a Strawberry Festival. The kids went on some rides and we went on a wagon ride around the plantation and then picked some awfully yummy strawberries. We also thought the kids would enjoy the trip out to Fort Sumter - especially the boat ride. I think they did enjoy it - but I think they enjoyed going to the beach more! LOL

We drove into Sumter, had dinner at a new Outback there. Tried to go to church - but they were having Stake Conference somewhere - who knows where? And we finally came home - knowing that our time with them was coming to an end.

At the end of the month I drove out to Oklahoma with Cherstin and the kids. They travelled so well - but why wouldn't they at this point? They had literally been from one end of the country to the other both directions! LOL They were so glad to be home. I knew they would be even more excited in a few days to have Daddy home. Cherstin and I found a hair salon and got our hair cut, she had another OB appointment, and then it was time for me to fly home. You don't always have an opportunity like this one - so you grab it when you can!