Spring has finally come...

The trees are finally blooming

 flowers are starting to pop up

the ice cream parlors are busy

skies are blue instead of gray

and I have even gotten out my flip flops

(all of these photos were taken on my i-phone and if you would like to follow me on Instagram, I am VIENNAHUNTERS)

Spring Break...

Our Spring Break didn't feel much like "Spring"-in fact, we had a few days of snow, but that didn't stop us from bringing some spring into the house... tulips from Hofer bring me much joy ;)

Our Maundy Thursday service was a lovely evening of prayer and reflection...

and our Easter service was a true celebration of the Risen Christ!  I am so thankful for the people He has brought to NCW...

Our days over break were pretty low key- usually spent with friends...

playing in the park

having fun at Bogi park

playing competitive games of Monopoly City

and trying out some new recipes... these are Chocolate chocolate chip cookies with chopped up Reese's peanut butter cups.  I found the recipe HERE and I just chopped up about 1 cup of the peanut butter cups and I added about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the dough

Bieber Fever...

We got a phone call from a friend last Friday evening saying that she had a friend, that had FREE Justin Bieber tickets!  Did you catch that...a friend of a friend...FREE Justin Bieber tickets...would we like to go?  FREE tickets...who wouldn't want to go for FREE! (Thanks Julie and Kim!)

Abby and I only know a handful of his songs, so the day of the concert we just might have turned our Pandora station to Justin Bieber, so we could prep for the night...

there was also primping with friends :)

And speaking of friends, one of Abby's friends is a HUGE fan and she already had tickets for the concert- so we got to meet up with them, eat dinner before the show and take in all of the "Bieber Fever" together!  It was so fun!

Bethany(the future wife of JB), Danique and Abby

the crowds beginning to form

"the moms"...you are never too old to be a "Belieber" right?

This shot was taken before the concert started-and as you can see, the crowds on the bottom floor were standing room only, and as they packed more and more girls in, you saw more and more paramedics running back and forth taking girls on stretchers who felt like they were going to pass out, or actually did.  One report that I read from the local paper the next day, stated that 178 people were treated by the paramedics!  This was BEFORE the concert even started!  I had never seen anything like it.  I felt sorry for the girls and the paramedics.
But back to the concert...

The concert finally started after we waited for a least an hour after his opening act had finished... You should have heard the SCREAMS of all of those girls!  I have never experienced screeching like that :)
See those wings?  That is Justin flying into the arena, and once he landed, there were all sorts of fireworks...

Our pictures do not do our seats justice, as we really could see him pretty well...and ol' Justin is a pretty good performer, if I do say so myself ;)  It certainly was one of those experiences that I will never forget having with my daughter, and I look forward to one day telling her kiddos that I took their mama to a Justin Bieber concert!

Team March celebrations...

Wow... March is already gone! How is that possible?

My mom arrived in Vienna the first week of March to help us celebrate "Team March's" birthdays.
"Team March" is Brad, Abby and my mom- who all have birthdays just one day apart from each another.

She graciously offered to watch our kiddos, so Brad and I could have a few days away to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary and both of us turning the big 4 0 this year! 

We decided on a quick trip to Venice!

Venice was absolutely fantastic!  We loved the architecture, the food, the people, the gondola ride, the ability to have no agenda and just enjoy the city and one another.  Our hotel room had a view of a canal, and was located between Piazza San Marco and the Rialto bridge.  They also provide a free water taxi ride for you to visit the glass factories in Murano. Two of our favorite restaurants were Algiubagio and Cantina do Mori.  And of course don't forget the gelato...yum!

Then it was back to Vienna for more celebrating!  On Brad's actual birthday, we went to one of our favorite restaurants in Bratislava called, El Gaucho, for a special birthday dinner for everyone...

then on Abby's birthday, we went to an indoor water park with a few of her friends.  So fun and chill!

And then on Sunday, a good friend of ours made a HUGE Sachertorte to share at NCW!

We had so much fun celebrating! :)