In the pretty garden...

We've decided to start a garden this year so...that meant taking out some of our beautiful grass. Thus our Saturday was spent transforming the little corner of our yard. This is the before picture...

...and after. Take note that Darran is sitting. Not only were we exhausted after working outside most of the day but we found that there were muscles aching in our bodies at church the next day that we didn't even know existed! Also, Darran is very proud of what he's sitting on. He made a box to cover our irrigation spout so there wouldn't be any balls or feet hitting it in the future. To add to his prideful feeling, an irrigation guy came in the back yard just minutes after he had finished it looking for a broken main (not in our yard) and told Darran quote "you should sell those! Do you know how many people end up breaking those things?" Needless to say Darran came in the house beaming! Next step...plants!

And this is what Eliza thought of the whole thing! Good job mom and dad! I took good naps today so you could get it done!

More piano practice!

Eliza was "helping" me practice the piano again...she's improving! (If you focus on her cuteness hopefully you'll ignore my playing.) This is also an example of one type or her growling/breathing! Although, usually it lasts much longer. We're not sure where the growling came from but Darran is pretty proud of the animal like "boy noises" that she is already capable of making!

A "Wicked" weekend!

We escaped to Portland this weekend for 2 reasons...to see Wicked and visit with my cousin Darcee and her family. What a great weekend! It was the second time that Darran and I have seen Wicked and I think it was even better this time! Mom and Dad came with us and really liked it too! Thank you Darcee for watching Eliza! It was wonderful to have a few hours with Darran and to leave her in such good care!

The highlight of Eliza's weekend was sitting in Keith and Cole's animal chairs. She had no problem making herself comfortable!

Keith and Cole welcomed us wholeheartedly...and even put mom and dad to work! They're such good grandparents!

When there's still a spot on a mom's lap it should be filled! What sweethearts!

Trip to Baltimore...Day #6

Last but not least, we spent Sunday going to church, eating dinner, and then attending a fireside at the Washington D.C. Visitor's Center. The Moodys spoke along with recent converts from the Washington D.C. mission.
We even had the pleasure of running into Darran's cousin, Elder Bishop, who is serving there.

The temple really is a sight to see during the day and at night.

Again we had a wonderful trip! What amazing missionaries Papa and Nana are...and what a blessing to see them in action! Keep working hard! We love you!

Trip to Baltimore...Day #5

Saturday was preparation day for the hard working Moodys so we spent the day with them in Annapolis and Baltimore.
In Annapolis, a friend of the Moody's took us on a tour of the Naval Academy.

Then we went to the Capitol building...

...and saw where George Washington made his famous speech of resignation.

In Baltimore, we went to Fort McHenry where the battle took place that inspired the writing of the Star Spangled Banner.

Probably not Dad's ideal vacation spot!

What a trooper!

Trip to Baltimore...Day #4

On Friday we drove out to Gettysburg. They have a very impressive (and long) museum with a movie/cyclorama to see.
I'm pretty sure that any vacation we have taken where there has been a big gun or cannon Darran is sure to get his picture taken with it...boys!

We drove around and did the self-guided tour of the battle grounds. The grounds are huge!

We went to Little Round Top where much of the battle took place. All of a sudden it changes from rolling farm fields to HUGE boulders all around. It was like Heavenly Father decided to just dump a LOT of big rocks right there...just for good measure.

That night Greg, Kelly, and Ryan made there way into town and we spent the evening visiting with them. Eliza seemed pretty intrigued by her little cousin Ryan! Thanks for coming Greg and Kelly...it was good to see you even though our time was short!

Trip to Baltimore...Day #3

Day #3 was a busy one...we spent the entire day in Washington D.C. Thanks to my wonderful cousin Chelsea, we had a tour of the White House (East Wing). This is a picture that Darran took from the top of the Washington Monument of the White House. He loves it because if you look really close you can see secret service agents on the roof and people walking on the lawn.

Next we hit a Smithsonian...the Natural History Museum. Eliza slept through most of it otherwise we're pretty sure she would have been making her growling sound at all the animals!

Dad felt like something was missing...he didn't have to buy any sort of memorabilia for his children! So he treated himself to a triceratops sugar cookie...yummy!

Then we got to go up the Washington Monument...what a great view! Luckily at that point in the day it was pretty clear so we could see a ton! We even saw the temple shooting out of a bunch of trees in the far distance.

Eliza says, "Yeah, for vacation!"

Stylin' in her sunglasses!

Chelsea joined us afterwards to go to the Jefferson Memorial and then she took us into Alexandria to eat at a very yummy Italian Restaurant! Thanks Chels! It was so good to see you...we love you!!!

Trip to Baltimore...Day #1 & #2

We made a goal when Darran's parents left to be mission presidents for the Maryland Baltimore Mission to visit them each year they were serving. Since this was trip #3 that means we did it...and they come home this summer! Time sure does fly by. The best part about this trip, besides having Eliza with us this time, was that my parents came out with us!

We arrived on Tuesday and spent that evening with the new missionaries...in fact, we were on the same flight as they were. We joined them for dinner and their testimony meeting. Very exciting to see missionaries so enthusiastic about the adventure they are to embark upon!

After transfer meeting on Wednesday we accompanied the missionaries that were going home to the temple. Mom stayed back at the house with Eliza so the rest of us could enjoy a session. The DC temple is beautiful and it was so nice to be in the there again. We even had the pleasure of having the temple president, Elder Earl C. Tingey and his wife, speak to us for a few minutes.

Then the night was made complete with a trip to Rita's. We LOVE their gelatis and we were sure to take advantage of them...visiting each night we could! Nothing like eating ice cream when it's freezing cold outside...so worth it!

Tired...yet very happy, hard-working missionaries!

Cute friends...

Eliza's buddy Mason came over to play. It's so funny listening to them "talk" to each other in their baby babble. Don't you wonder if they can understand each other? And we swear that Mason said Eliza's name loud and clear!

A little piano practice...

Eliza likes to help me practice the hymns for Relief Society during the week. Although, she really prefers that I don't play much so she can have it all to herself. We needed a picture and little video of this to prove to her in the future that at one point she did WANT to "practice" and actually seemed to enjoy it!

Yucky!

We decided to let Eliza try some carrots yesterday...
She wasn't sure about that taste at first!

But then she made up her mind...

...hey, that's the same look daddy gets when he eats broccoli!

New pictures!

Eliza had her pictures taken yesterday. And even though we couldn't get her to do her big, sweet smile we were still pretty happy with how these ones turned out!