Fun at the Ranch

Wow, I really need to get back to blogging. I know I say that every time I post something, but I mean it this time... really, I do.

Here are a few pictures from this past weekend at Daybreak Ranch. the weather was great for a quick day trip to see Granny and Granddad.

Just a little Daddy cuddle time on the playground or as Drew and Cooper call it, the Treetops

Cooper decided to climb up to the monkey bars.

He was really brave until he decided he wanted down, then Daddy had to help.

Of course Drew had to try it too... he got across a few of the bars before he decided to drop down.

Looks like we need to practice the monkey bars a little more.

Sweet Brothers! I didn't really intend to dress them alike, but it sure made this picture cute.

Drew is Six

I haven't been able to post blogs in a while, so this one has been sitting there waiting to be posted since June.

I know I am a little late in posting this but, last month Drew turned 6, and finished kindergarten!! That is a pretty big month in the life of a little boy. We just had his 6 year checkup with Dr. Fikkert today and got conformation that is his very tall and skinny. I think the term "bean pole" was actually used, which may or may not have brought back some memories for me. He is 4'1" and weighs 49.6 lbs (no wonder I can barely carry him upstairs when he falls asleep on the couch!!)

Here are a few pictures taken by my very talented friend, Melanie Timmons @ www.melaniemtimmonsphotography.com.

He had a great year at school this year, and is looking forward to 1st grade (although he thinks he should skip 1st and go straight to 2nd grade). This should be a fun filled Summer for him with VBS, Camp Thurman (this is his first year), family vacation, and another day camp I signed him up for. Hopefully that will keep me from having to hear "I'm bored" all Summer.

My New Toy

Last week I got an email from my father-in-law Mike, saying that he had bought me something. Unexpected gifts are always awesome. He is a very good photographer and is always getting new toys for his camera. He found a new accessory for this pop up flash that he really liked so he bought one for me and my-sister-in law too. It is called a Gary Fong Pop Up Flash Diffuser, and it works great. Whenever I have used my pop up flash inside, to take pictures of the boys they are always washed out, but this worked like a charm to fix that. It will be great to use when I don't want to mess with my external flash for quick shots.

Before and after shots. These have not been edited at all. Not bad for a $20.00 accessory! Thanks Mike!

Taken on full auto mode with pop up flash only.

Taken on full auto with the pop up flash defuser. Big difference!

This was taken in lower light and without something for the light to bounce off of,
but still much better than it would have been with the flash alone.

Teamwork and Child Labor

One of the jobs I don't like to do is putting the waters away in the fridge. So we decided about a year ago to let Drew have the job (for a quarter per case). Today Cooper decided to help out, but, he might have caused more work for Drew, so I think at this point Drew may still get all the quarters. So when can they start doing the dishes and laundry? Too young?

PJ Day #2 - Drew

Drew is loving having a few days off from school. But I am confused as to how event will be shuffled when they go back. Thursday was suppose to be the 100th day of school, Willie Brown students have a big celebration every year for the 100th day of school. Drew was suppose to bring 100 of something (of course he chose candy) that day to share with the other students. So I am not sure if he needs to bring them, or if the 100th day will now be pushed back 2 days because of the time missed. But, just to be prepared, we decided to get his candy ready. We laid out the candy in a grid, so that he could make sure he had 100 pieces. Then put them in a plastic bag so it will be all ready when he goes back to school.

Drew working on his candy grid. He loves counting by 10.

I think Drew is getting a little tired of his PJs. He decided to make them look like old man PJs, then decided it was time to take a shower. I really think the shower was just a ploy to delay taking a nap (I decided naps are mandatory on snow days!) But I wasn't going to talk a little boy out of taking a shower.

Drew and his old man PJ's

The snow days haven't really been as bad as I thought they would be. Drew does keep telling me "Mom, I have a job for you... you need to entertain me." Ummmmm, NO! Here is praying for school to be back in session tomorrow.

PJ day #2 - Cooper

Cooper is loving the snow days too. I think he is a little confused by having Daddy home. This morning when I got him up, he looked at me and said "go church?" I guess he thought yesterday must have been Saturday since Daddy was home, so we must be going to church today.

He kept going to the window to see the bird.

He was fascinated with it, but it let me get some cute pictures of him so I didn't mind.

More random cuteness

Peek a Boo

One Trying to get into the Coocoo's Nest

Here in North Texas we have ice on the roads and temperatures in the teens, with wind chills in the very low single digits. Not much is going on around here, so when we heard something crash into our back window we all ran to see what it was. Well, it was a bird... a fairly large bird. I wish I could say that my windows were so clean that it is no wonder the bird thought it could get inside, but if you know me, you would know what a joke what would be. Poor guy has to be so cold, I am sure the inside of the house looked very inviting.

The poor guy left a few feathers behind. Drew thought it was bird poop at first.

I thought the poor guy was hurt, because he stayed just like this for about 20 minutes. But finally flew away.

The boys were glued to "Bird TV" until it was time to take their mandatory snow day naps. Cooper even said "night night, bird."

So that was our excitement for today. We are thinking about venturing out the afternoon. I am not sure how much more family time in the house we can take.