I took the children, and went to the beach...

...And this is what I saw

Shades of blue.

The very edge.

Time together.

A blue house.

My boys in the water.

My boys out of the water.

My girls.

Lots of the indoor pool.  It had a hot tub.

Ruby, devine.

Their joy.

His hand...

...In all things.



I seem to have forgotten why we came home.

I went to BYU

My parents have been sending kids to BYU since 1994.  With Christine's graduation last Friday, it represents the end of an era.  This branch of the Zackrison family closes out it's representation at BYU, for now.  We take a little reprieve, and hope to be sending the next generation in a frightening seven years from now!

My mom really wanted us all to put on hats and take this picture.  Here we are pictured making her dreams come true.  

Here was the whole crew, minus my family.  They kindly let me come and have this fun without them. Graduations aren't particularly entertaining for the 11 and under crowd.   

Love any chance I get to spend a few days with my sisters.  It always goes by too fast. 

P.S.  These outfits will be seared in our memories forever.  This was the longest day of my life, and by the end of it, I was ready to burn my black blazer, or at least throw it out the car window.  The day started at the Marriott center at 8am, and ended at the Wileys house somewhere around midnight.

My brother Zack.  He showed up from Boston just three days after running the Boston marathon!  He will also be our next graduate in five weeks, with his MBA from Harvard.  

The Accountants.  Christine's reward for graduating with her master's in accounting is that she gets to join her sibs who work in the Tysons Corner office of Price, Waterhouse, Cooper.  I guess that sounds like a dream come true if you are the geeky accountant type.  

Of course, the best parts of any trip like this are those spend around a dining room table.  Love you guys!

Yep, we made our parents put on the graduation caps and stand with us too.  After all, they were the original BYU grads.  

Just proof that I wore more than one outfit on this trip, and spent more than one day at the Marriott Center.  

And least you think I only had one graduate to congratulate on this trip, I didn't.  I had two.  My newest brother-in-law Ken graduated from BYU Law School as well.  Way to go bro!  Obviously, in light of the jumping picture, I hope you know he's married to Rachel.  I'm not sure if she was more proud of him graduating, or of this most awesome jumping picture ?!

True story.

In my photo library, it tells me that we have only 59 pictures from the entire month of March.  In April (which feels almost over), we are at 44.  25 of those I just imported from Easter.  So, we haven't been commemorating our lives very well or often over the past couple of months.  I guess we're just quietly living it.

Back in early March, a little piece of George's art work was selected to hang in one of our local restaurants.  That required a family field trip to honor his achievement:

Also I guess we're not really carrying our camera around with us that much.  In a pinch the iPhones will do.  But I should remember to bring the real camera along more often.

I thought to bring it when I was lucky enough to chaperon the kindergarten field trip.  There were so many parent volunteers, that I was only assigned two girls to hang out with the whole day:

There were lots of animals, and lots of kindergarten friends to keep us entertained.  But I was mostly distracted by watching my two beauties to care very much about the animals.  When did they get so grown up?!

I did not think to carry my camera with me to the starting line of the Wachovia Tar Heel 10 miler which is an annual running event in Chapel Hill.  It was such a great race to inaugurate my running chapter here in NC with.  It ran us through all of the old downtown neighborhoods.  As a consequence, it was full of hills.  Lame that this is the only photographic evidence that I participated:

Next year I will require more family participation which will surely result in more photos taken.  Next year.  I will also try to run it faster.  I ran under 8 minute miles the whole hilly race, which wasn't bad.  But wouldn't it have been more awesome if those had all been 7:30 minute miles?  Yes, it would have been.  Next year.

Intermixed with the "big" events, we have our weekly baseball schedule.  Our daily crafting...

Ruby's instructions to me one night that she left out on the table for me to finish after she went to bed...

Jane's original design scripture tote bag.  

And of course, I'm frequently found over at my sewing blog MOM.

 Henry zooming through book series, after book series.  I just keep hoping he won't ever tier of reading.   You cannot read as much as he does, and not have it benefit you in some way, shape or form.  Keep it up Henry!!

Of course, a comprehensive March and April update certainly wouldn't be complete without at least a passing mention of the basketball that was consumed by the boys at this house.  These shirts seemed the only suitable option when I was just perusing the BYU bookstore last week.

And so it goes, and so it goes.  It never feels like much, but it's always something.  I'll be back soon with our weekly sister update.  I think it's at my blog again (though it seems unlikely, sisters, that an update will happen this week, seeing how you are all still together in Provo right now)?  A brief summary of my "momcation" to BYU graduation.  And of course, who can resist posting some of the Easter photos?!  Here's a little peek...

Could not resist the squinting at the sun commemorative Easter picture.  Too cute!!

P.S.  I almost forgot, the tornadoes hit about 25 miles away.  For us it was rather a non-event.  But, when driving to the airport I passed the Lowe's home improvement store that was leveled by the force in just moments!  To them, it was rather a huge event:

On the Sidelines...

A shot from the sidelines at baseball game number 2 of 3 for the Chatham County Braves this week:

Our Sportsman

His Cheering Section

At least we cannot complain about the weather this week.

Also, over at MOM I'm dreaming about the next quilt...

I know, update the blog already!

Darin asks me frequently, when he sees me sitting at the computer, "are you updating our blog?"

No, no I haven't been.  I don't know why.  But I have been participating in the weekly sister update, and that's been a hoot and a half.  I love my sisters with a passion.  But we are different and distant, and yet we are so much the same sometimes.  It's so fun to feel us all together in one place, even if only for a moment, even if only once a week, even if only in cyber space.  I dream that someday we will all be in one place frequently, and with ease.  I have no idea if that will ever happen.  If it doesn't, we'll always have the web.

Sarah and Christine do headstands together at yoga class.  Can you say the same thing about your sisters?!

The sister update.  It happens weekly.  It rotates around the blogs, it's at Rachel's this week.  I valiantly contribute.  Check it out every week, around Monday night-ish.  Lots of time, not till Tuesday, but we start emailing requesting updates around Saturday.  That's why my sisters are awesome.

I also contribute on a semi regular basis to the sewing blog Made on Maple, or MOM for short.  I had been entirely too busy and lost to contribute for almost the entire month of March.  But April is like the spring of my sewing seasons.  I feel fresh and new again.  I started substitute teaching my way to a new Bernina sewing machine.  I spoke about that HERE.  I finally bought it last week and that was big news.  I have been sewing ever since, thank goodness.  Most recently with my ladies, and that's a blog post all in and of itself!

The children still haven't had spring break yet!  I guess we haven't had Easter yet either, and our school is really being a tough-guy about linking those two events together.  It means we'll have spring break until May1st, but doesn't it feel like the school year is almost over when it's May1st?!  And indeed it is almost over.  And we've been here in NC for ten months now.  And I really can't explain how it's all gone so fast.  One year ago I was on the trip of a lifetime to China with a group of ladies from Osan.  It almost feels like a lifetime ago.

(Photo of the Great Wall on the day we were there.  Taken by my friend Kathee)

Darin is about to finish the first of three years of his PhD program.  If that doesn't freak him out at all, it kind of scares me!  It seems like we still have such a long way to go, but time doesn't let up.  

Henry is about two months away from graduating from elementary school.  I really can't think about that too much either.  The girls are 6, but it's almost like we all forget that they aren't 5.  The boys are always saying things about how they are 5, and the girls have to correct them that they are 6.  And George is being a valiant Spring baseball player.  Darin takes him to practice twice a week for a couple of hours.  This week he'll have three games!

What's a blog post without a picture?!  I leave you with Ruby helping me with my latest quilting project:

Ruby at home with mom, on her sick day.

The Party's at My House!

Youngest to oldest to shake things up...I'm really excited to be hosting this week's sister update.

Here we go:

Christine

 Last week: 
- Made it to yoga twice, once even at 6am with Sarah!  (I kind of wished there was a photographer there to capture a shot of Sarah and me doing headstands next to each other, not something you see us doing everyday.)
- Finally made it riding again!  (I was pretty sore throughout the week after all my returns to exercise!  Maybe I'll learn my lesson and not go quite so long next time...)
- Had a relaxing weekend studying and getting work done.  Overall it wasn't a very exciting week, things are pretty nonstop from now until the end of the semester, so I've gotta focus a lot on school.  Sadly I didn't check off anything from the Utah Bucket List.

This week - 
- Go riding twice.
- Make it to yoga twice again.
- Study for two tests and work on a lot of group projects and final assignments.
- Index 1,000 names. 

Rachel

Last week:
--I felt pretty sick this weekend, not sure what it is.  That's the best "I feel blah" photo I could muster.
--I settled on PB Heath Bar Blondies to bring to work.  They were ok although a little overdone I think.  I have to adjust to all the dark metal pans I have now.  They really absorb heat differently.
--I was asked to act as Amy B. Lyman, 16th president of the RS from the 1940s, at a RS activity on Thursday.  Costume and all.  I should have taken a photo of this!
--We went to the temple on Saturday.  I'm still totally a beginner. 
--We substituted for the 9 year old primary class.  They reminded me so much of George.
--I was assigned Italian Chicken and Porcupine Meatballs for the crock pot challenge.  Ken ended up having to cook one of them because the night I planned to make it work blew up and I had to stay til 2am.  My game summary is posted here: <http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/2011/03/game-summary-porcupine-meatballs-vs.html> .

This week:
--I'll watch another BYU Basketball game this Thursday.  Their success is so exciting.  "Jimmer is the missionary who converted me to BYU Basketball."  Good one right?
--Stretch my winter clothes one more week before swapping in the spring/summer clothes.  I'm totally sick of everything but need to make them last as long as possible, b/c I'll feel the same way at the end of the summer.
--I'm scheduled to work 90 hours this week.  How's that going to happen?!
--My new calling is ward missionary.  So I should probably invite someone to watch conference next weekend... maybe?
--Looking forward to a new episode of Secrets from a Stylist <http://www.stylebyemilyhenderson.com/>  and Parenthood. 
--I will take some better pictures for next week.  Committing now!  

Ie Li

Last week, I

-took the kids to one day of preschool and one day of swimming
-did three P90X workouts
-cared for my sick Mei Li from Wednesday (It's still going on!  It's a monster virus!)
-wore my pajamas a lot and didn't leave the house for several days
-did so much laundry and disinfecting
-finished Mei Li's Easter dress
-made my first Walton feed order
-painted Mei's fingernails for girls' night in (before I could get to her toes, she told me she wanted to go to sleep)
-had an at-home date night with Steve watching BYU basketball and eating Buffalo Wild Wings

This week, I hope to

-get Mei Li healthy
-do P90X in the morning before kids wake up
-organize one room
-complete Stephen's baby quilt top
-get to bed early
-paint my toes!

Annee

Last Week:


-Got all crazy and sewed myself a new shirt.  You can read more about it HERE.  
-Ran 36 cumulative miles!!  That's the highest mileage week I've had in months.  
-Finally purchased a new mattress for me and Darin.  It's only taken about 13 years for that purchase to find itself at the top of the priority list.  Now the agony of waiting for delivery on Thursday seems longer than the 13 years we've been sleeping in that bed!  We're at the breaking point.  Too many morning of stiff necks and sore backs.  It had to go!  But could they make shopping for a mattress any more annoying?  Seriously. 


This week:


-Should I even try to top last weeks mileage?  Or just hope to keep it at that level?  I got registered for the race.  Maybe the focus this week will be on a few quality tempo runs.  I commit to at least one day of speed training.  That's my official goal.  
- Stay within my household budget for the week.  That's so boring, I can barely bring myself to type it.  But I should really try to do it.  It would be really exceptional of me.  
-Plan our primary activity.  (Or should I cancel it?  It's one or the other!  Time to decide)

Sarah

 last week:
* made it to yoga twice! Even got to go with CZ one day (she said she could go at 6am since she didn't have class until noon and could go back home and sleep. ha!)
* lots of Rooftop Concert Series planning meetings - finally got the contract confirming that The Neon Trees will come!
* went skiing with Scott and the boys on Friday

this week:
* June's birthday party today! Make all her 4-year-old dreams come true.
* plan east coast trip (do you think it could really happen this week?)
* put up an online store to sell Lower Lights t-shirts





That's a wrap sisters!  Another successful week of keeping in touch!  It remains a highlight, so despite the effort, and the regrets over lame pictures, I think it's still totally worth it!!  Love to you all.  

We visited Spring.

I think I've mentioned that we got to host Ie Li and her three little ones last week.  It was adorable.  She is up to her ears in a nursing baby, a three-year old boy (!), and her very own nearly 5 year-old drama queen.  I love watching her in the middle of that three ring circus.  It reminds me of my days gone by.  They are some of my happiest memories to-date.  But maybe mostly in retrospect :)

While they were here, we ventured over to see what Spring had done at Duke Gardens.  When we were pulling up, Jane said, "Dad, are we going to destroy this place, because it's Duke?".  The rivalry around here is pretty serious.  So much for not taking sides!

No, we did not destroy that place, instead we were blown away by it's beauty.  We are very sorry that our Tar Heels had to lose to the Blue Devils while our company was in town, but we are not sorry that Duke has such a lovely garden so close to our home!

 

 

Jane wore a new spring skirt to the gardens.  For more details, read HERE.

It was a lovely afternoon.  We followed it up by stopping at our favorite frozen yogurt spot, which is run by a group of Korean business men.  We love telling them about how we just moved here from Korea.  It's fun every time.  

We'll have to go back to the gardens again soon.  The tulips were all sprouted, but not in bloom.  It will be spectacular when they are.  Wanna come with us?!  

Also, don't forget to check out this weeks sister update over at my sister Sarah's blog.  Someone went ice fishing last week...that fact alone is worth a CLICK.