The Rest of March

Saint Patrick's day was on a Sunday this year, so here's a picture of Kent and me decked out in our St. Patrick's day garb. 

The evening before we had our annual Green Party. We had a fun time, as usual.

Earlier in the month I attended a water color painting class. Below is the cardinal I painted. I was pleased with how it turned out. I didn't draw the cardinal, I just painted it, so I can't take credit for that.

At the end of March I did something I've done almost every year since we've lived in Virginia. I volunteered to work at the annual needlework exhibit held in Woodlawn Plantation. Woodlawn was originally part of the property of Mount Vernon, but the home was given to Martha Washington's granddaughter, Nellie.

This was the first year that photographs were allowed inside the home, so I took advantage of the opportunity.

                                                         You can see how the needlework on display is spread throughout the home.

I always enjoy looking at the variations on the piano found in historic homes.

This year there was a cushion stitched by Martha Washington on display.

They displayed it so that people could see the information written on the bottom of the cushion.

Needlework is displayed on the walls of the entryway.

Here's one of the bedrooms upstairs.

A different view of the same room.

The other bedroom. This may have been the master bedroom since it seems fancier.

My job as a volunteer is just to make sure visitors don't disturb the needlework, and to answer any questions. There's a book in each room with interesting information about some of the needlework. Each piece is judged within several different categories, which is why there are ribbons on some of the needlework.

Grandkids Visit Stafford Part 2

Other than the picture at the Zoo sign, this was our only group photo of everyone together.

After we got home from the zoo we had family home evening.

 Granddad gave the lesson.

Here's the rest of the family.

 The next morning we went to the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

 The kids had fun getting their pictures taken with the uniforms through the years.

                         

 There are a few sections that have activities for children, so we spent most of our time there.

  
 Adam and Matthew don't seem to be in many pictures--Adam because he doesn't like his picture taken and Matthew because he was mostly being held by Mommy or Daddy.

                   

 This was a mock helicopter that the kids could pretend to fly.

 There were also some dress-up costumes and hats.

Alexa may be a child of the 2010's, but she knew what to do with an old-fashioned phone when she saw it!

 Still on that phone........

One of the days I had a tea party for all the girls.

 We had pretty pink plates and pink lemonade in glass punch cups.

 I''d made mini blueberry muffins, mini cherry chip cup cakes and strawberry yogurt with chocolate chips in little cups.

 It was fun to be girly and fancy!

 Alexa liked the little spoon to eat her yogurt.

The next evening we had a Saint Patrick's day green party.

I had some green hats, necklaces, glasses, ties and head bands for everyone to wear.

 Everyone got into the spirit of wearing o' the green!

 The menu included green finger jello, which was a hit, and green eggs and ham, which wasn't much of a hit with the kids.

 The green frosting on the cinnamon rolls didn't turn the kids off of eating them, I'm happy to report!

 Below are some pictures of Kent's work crew as he had the grandkids help him in the yard.

 Even little Matthew came out to enjoy the fresh air.

 Kent had lots of colorful buckets for his crew to use.

 The obligatory photo of the baby with his food smeared all over his face:

 Another fun group photo of the grandkids.

 The grandsons and Adri having fun with the wooden swords that Granddad made.

 Carson and Alexa having a cousin hug!

It was a busy, chaotic and noisy week, but sooo much fun to have the Lees and Kansas Carsons here together to enjoy cousin time at Grandma and Granddad's house!