Yesterday's Ties, Today's Eggs

After the success of last year's Easter eggs, we decided to dye more eggs in old neckties. Cyn collected various ties from DI & Goodwill throughout the year in anticipation. Here are our best.

Paisley - ugly on a tie, great on an egg.

This was from a floral tie that we thought would be really pretty on an egg. Unfortunately, most of the colors didn't transfer over to the egg.

This is a repeat tie from last year.

The year's best Easter eggs. Purple for the win! Let's examine them individually...

This turned out far better than expected. The muted square in the background is actually the main feature on the tie - kinda strange that it didn't bleed onto the egg better. I guess you never know how these will turn out.

This egg is the first time we made an egg out of one of my old ties. Strange part is, it wasn't a purple tie; it was red. Weird. Power tie = power egg.

There's always next sitting

Well, I'm done taking my exam. Time to sit back, relax, and start planning out studying for the SAME exam 6 months from now.

I can't vent too much here, but I haven't been getting much exam support the past year. So, it's back to the drawing board and hoping that I can plan my time wisely enough that I won't need much external support.

I took my first actuarial exam in November of 2004. I can't believe I've poured 7 years into this process and I'm still not done. Sigh. I need a gold star or something.

Tulips, Tulips, Tulips

I can't be the only person to have noticed...when is Spring going to get here? We're tired of all the rain, thankyouverymuch. To alleviate our spring fever, we went to the Tulip Festival yesterday in Woodburn. Brilliant idea, I know...except that it was raining all last week so the farm was like a giant mud wrestling arena. Still, we managed to have plenty of fun.

Happy Happy Shoe Makers

Dan & Andrea were sporting enough to drive along with us despite our rowdy boys. The least we could do is give them a nice souvenir photo.

Pretty, no?

I'm so glad I found this tulip! These are the kinds of streaky tulips that started Tulipmania (history lesson here) back in 1637. I've never seen one of these bulbs before and I may not ever again; once-in-a-lifetime find.

Love this one. Looks like the boys belong on the farm. "What do you want to do today, Hans?" "Let's fertilize the tulips, Franz!"

We took several of these pictures and Carter pulled a different face in each one. Like father, like son.

"Okee-dokie, Hans,...I get zee wooden shoes on Tuesday und weekends, you get zee rest of der days". "Zis eez all too confusing, Franz, let's share das shoes!"

Bump! TLC at 30 weeks and 2 days. (gulp)

Georgina crosses the Delaware?

The boys (Hans und Franz) used their own allowance to pay for this fun trampoline ride. Jordan scratched an item off his bucket list by doing a flip.

Long Distance Relationship

Carter has been carrying on a long distance relationship via email with a good friend in Wisconsin, Katie. Letters from 4-5 year olds are just too cute not to share...


Nov 2010
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Carter,
I made a zebra hat.  It is cute.  I drew black stripes and white stuff.  I really love you.  Sometimes, I like to wear bows and play and jump and pick up--which I should do.  I just love to do what is right--when I dance, when I play, when I pick up. 
Your baby is in your Mommy's belly.  Sometimes they eat breakfast and we go to bed.  Sometimes, I like to dance and play with you and dance with you. 
love, Katie
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Katie,

I want to make a zebra hat. I want to give you an alligator hat.  I'll send you an alligator hat in the mail. I like to play with you and I like to do fun stuff with you.I like to be good too and do what is right.


These stickers are for your Birthday.

We made rice crispy treats today, and banana bread. I painted two pictures today. I missed you when I moved. We got a new game from somebody.We are going to get a baby in a long week. But our baby is going to come. I'll give you a baby card soon to tell you that our baby is already here.

Love,
Carter

Dec 2010
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Carter,

I like the stickers you sent.  The princess one is my favorite.  This one is for you.  I'm going to get presents for Christmas.  I want to give you a heart .  I like playing with my little sister.  I like to play with my Mom.  I like to play with my Dad.  I like to play with my brother.  I like to play with my friends.
I think you're going to be a big brother.    There's going to be 2 big brothers.  The first one is Jordan, the other one is you.  If someone goes in a baby room, they will wake up the baby. 
Those are pink lips.  I like pink lips.  I have a "k" in my name.  Your house is far away.  And wrestling.
love,
Katie
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Katie,

These pictures are for you to put on your alligator hat.
We just got a real Christmas tree already. I go to school now. There is a lot of fun at my school. We get to feed ducks at our house because we have a pond at our house, cause it's all day raining. It doesn't snow at Portland. I got shoes that are polished and I can zip them by myself, cause there's a button that is from the strings and you pull the string and it ties. We're making the alligator hat already for you. We use to have a little TV and now we have a big TV. I'm going to get presents from Christmas too. My birthday is coming up in a long week. I would like it if you were here. I hope you have fun wrapping presents for Christmas.



Love,
Carter

Apr 2011
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Carter,
I had a dance recital.  I did tap and I did a teddy bear dance.  I don't know what else I did:  star jump & jumping, & bouncing.  I got to dress up.  I wore a pink skirt and a tiara for my teddy bear dance.  At the tap, I wore a yellow dress and a yellow wreath on my head.  That's all.  I want to put stickers on now.    
love, Katie
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Katie,

What do you have in your dance recital do you have a trampoline??
Do you know that I always can go to school, but I really like going to school. So I just wanted you to know that I like going to school, and I really do want to move again because that's so fun. And do you know that we have the Wii. Do you know we went to the Zoo and I buyed a Zoo Key and whatever you put it in it makes the noise that tells you a lot about the animals, and there's also a jeep that you put it in and it makes the noise.  And did you know it was hot at the Zoo, and I really wanted some water. Now I want to put stickers on!



Love,
Carter