Cheese Flowers

It has been several years since we have taken bluebonnet pictures of the children. I always plan to but life gets in the way and by the time I think of it again they are no longer pretty.  This is a Texas tradition that children must experience.  It isn't necessarily fun but it is just part of being a kid in Texas.  In fact, at our house they are also known as "cheese flowers:  because every time Rehm saw them, I was asking him to say cheese and snapping his picture. 

This year we found a decent patch close by.  For a twenty minute photo shoot at bed time I thought the pictures turned out pretty good.  I confess I took over 150 pictures.  Here are some of my favorites.

So which ones are your favorites?
Jenn

The Making and Racing of the Master Bolt

Pinewood Derby time! Every year Rehm comes up with a design idea and Michael and I do our best to help in turn the idea into an actual Pinewood Derby car. This year Rehm was inspired by Greek mythology and Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

When he first described his idea for the car, I did not thing it was going to be possible to implement. After a few minutes of drawing it out we figured out a way to make it happen. I think it turned out wonderfully. It raced well and he was the second fastest in his den and middle of the pack in, well, his pack.

His birthday and the Derby were the same day. The cub master had the pack sing to him.

I wonder what next year's design will be.

Jenn

The Part of the Year where I Like Texas Weather

Yes, my children were in the pool on March 30 of this year! The neighbors have a pool and the water temperature has finally gotten a balmy 68 degrees. We were invited to swim with them and my kids were chomping at the bit to go. I did not swim. They did not swim long - maybe 30-40 minutes and not all of that time did they stay in the pool. After swimming we had to come home and take a nice bath
to warm everyone up.

Observations of Six Year Old Softball

Coach Lisa giving Charlotte a few pointers

Contact!

Go ball, go!

Facing the outfield!

Playing in the dirt

Are we done yet?

Really, are we done?

Yum.  This glove is tasty.  Think I want a steak when the game is over

Pretending to look for a fly ball.

Pretending to catch

Running for the ball.  It had been thrown to her but it was overthrown and she missed it

Still running.

Trying to tag the runner out

Doesn't she look scary?  The runner seems to think so.

So how you doing? 

Charlotte is really enjoying this softball season.  She does great for the first half of the game and then she is done!  Especially with the 7:15 games.

Did you know that if you go to Target and spend $20 on sand toys your three year olds become the most popular kids to play with at the ball field and they don't bother you for an entire game?

Overall it is a good season so far.
Jenn

Chicken Graffiti

A couple of weeks ago on the way to school the kids saw graffiti on one of the portable buildings at their school.  Rehm, being Rehm, took it upon himself to loudly tell the principal, and from what I can gather any other student or teacher that would listen throughout the entire day, all about the "chicken with the word cock painted under it!" 

When I met the kids after school he was still talking loudly about it.  After hearing him say the word "cock" for the third time I thought it my motherly duty to inform him of some of the other uses of the word.  His eyes got big, he uttered a quick "oh!" and I haven't heard any more about the chicken graffiti since.

Some of the teachers were chuckling about it the next morning and enjoying his innocence.

And if you haven't figured it out yet, the picture was not a chicken...
Jenn

The Essence of Ruby

What is She Doing?

If you figure it out please let me know. Maybe trying to get her hair out of her face? Maybe annoyed I'm taking her picture? I really don't have a clue. But the pictures made me laugh and I'm hoping they made you laugh, too.

Sweet Sisters

It is a shame that Ruby has pizza or something on her face in this picture.  It is such an adorable shot of them both.