So now it finally feels like Spring. The cherry blossoms in DC are two weeks behind their peak bloom as calculated ahead of time by the National Park Service. So the Cherry Blossom festival came and went without cherry blossoms. We have still been too busy to go into DC to enjoy it all. The kids were off of school on Spring Break all week, but Tom and I were back to work. I even went in for a half day on Saturday to help out(I need all the brownie points I can get).

Tom did take an extra day off on Tuesday to work with Scott on his Science Fair project which is fast approaching. Scott designed a bridge out of foam to pass a weight test(similar to Allison's toothpick bridge project in physics). Allison was happy not to have homework since she just finished a semester. SCott just started a new semester. I still can't figure out how Allison is supposed to squeeze in any significant learning/testing in two months time. But that is how it is for Seniors. I wish she could have worked more on her GS project. She needs to mark the placement for her birds on the nature trail, but we could use a few more leaves on the trees. They are just starting to peak out with the flowers. Mainly Allison spent the week working at the roller rink, almost every day. They open up when the kids are off school. She did take Scott to the Y to work out after a make up piano lesson on her one day off.  And SCott wants to repaint his room so he has been busy picking out paint with Tom and now needs to strip his old wallpaper.  He also studied some math and social studies because it is going to be a very busy two months until school gets out.

I took Scott to his Boy Scout meeting on WEds night since Tom was busy working on a presentation for his trip out west today. Tom got up early and headed out to the airport for a trip to LA. for the week. He almost didn't get to the airport when a large herd of deer ran across the freeway. Good thing he took the new car(better brakes!).

Scott is going on a Bike/Hike trip this coming weekend with the troop and Tom in tow. So we had a lecture about bike care at his meeting. They will be riding along the C and O canal. Scott however has outgrown his bike. We picked up a used mountain bike from our neighbor, but it needs some work. If Tom doesn't have time to mess with it, SCott may be riding my bike this weekend. He may even be cooking for his patrol since he needs to work on his cooking merit badge. It is going to be an Eagle scout required badge next year. Fortunately Tom is supposed to get back on Thursday, so they can spend Friday getting ready for the trip. Scott and I wrote up the last of his Communications badge so he can review it with the badge counselor(another eagle scout required badge).

We also had a busy week celebrating Tom's 50th Birthday! We all went out to dinner on Thursday night at Don Pablos Mexican restaurant. Tom wouldn't wear the sombrero or let them sing Happy Birthday/Felize Cumpleanos, but he did take the free dessert! And he enjoyed his gifts(all of them a surprise). One of the gifts included tickets to a Hershey Bear Hockey Game on Saturday night. Tom has been going through hockey withdrawal since the NHL started out the season on strike, and then all the local Hershey Bear's games were sold out. I managed to get 5 tickets on Scout Night and we took along our friend John Dutton. Of course we had to stop into the Hershey store to pick up chocolate on sale after EAster. The kids(and Tom) enjoyed finding their baskets in the hotel room(not too difficult) on Easter Sunday. But they did not get a whole lot of candy. Scott enjoyed his Lego kit(even assembled it in the hotel room before we left). Allison liked her new shirts and Thin Mint GS Bear from Build A Bear. Although she was most happy with her gasoline gift card. 

So the Bears lost and played terrible, but it was fun watching them fight and we had center ice seats to see it all. The place is not huge, but it holds 11,000 and it was sold out(as usual). I am also taking Tom on a Charm City Food Tour through Little Italy in a few weeks with several couples to celebrate his big day. I had to wait until my neighbor's wife returned home for a visit from her traveling nursing job in Oklahoma. Should be fun and a great way to learn more about the history and restaurants of downtown Baltimore. The tour takes us to  visit several restaurants and sample different dishes and wines, including tiramisu for dessert which is supposed to be its birthplace here in Baltimore.

The kids also had fun shopping(mostly Allison) since we found her dresses. But she also picked up a few books from Barnes and Noble with previous gift cards and spent part of her week just reading for fun.  We also picked up some new tennis shoes for Scott(he won't stop growing!). And Tom needed a whole new wardrobe last weekend since he managed to pack his suitcase and leave it in the bedroom! Fortunately he doesn't require much.

And his sister Susan and John very nicely sent a gift package full of different types of meats from Omaha Steaks which made cooking dinner last week a breeze! Thanks so much you two! We especially enjoyed the little cheesecakes since Lent is over!  Even Tom's fellow employees baked him a low carb cheesecake(since he is back on that diet). Right after they reminded him it was time for a colonoscopy. What fun it is getting older!

Now I am going through withdrawal since no more Walking Dead on Sunday night until October. I will just have to enjoy The Apprentice.

Have a great week! Here is our visit to Hershey Park on Saturday night for the hockey game.