Caught in the Line of Fire

One of this morning's outside activities was playing with sidewalk chalk. A favorite choice for the boys.

The rule was they could only draw on the patio. Sometimes they tend to forget and move off onto other things. While it always washes off, I just prefer they stay on the ground.

All was going well, and happy, and quiet. It was the quiet that tipped me off. That's never good.

This is what I found.


Poor white dog. Does it count that he was laying on the patio at the time of incident? Technically they colored only on the patio, I didn't say they couldn't color the objects on the patio.

Good thing blue is a nice color on Shtiya.

Just One

I went to a workshop this weekend with my favorite photographer from Colorado. She's amazing. Last year she joked that she can take pictures of any one's kids.... but not her own. She has 4 and this year, nothings changed. That made me feel a lot better about my ability to take pictures of my kids. This morning we hit the park and I wanted a few shots of them first before they went and played. 122 pictures later this is the only one I got with all of them looking at the camera... not smiling, but looking.
Actually they all look good, Austin is just confused as to what in the world is going on, but he'll learn. Good thing I am good at photo shop and can swap heads.Next time I'll have to bust out the candy for bribes.

Little Wonderful Ball of Cuteness

Austin has had a huge week, but that's a long post and I only have 2 min. So here is a video of him last night. He can scoot backwards all over the place, but he is learning how to go forward, he's just not very good yet. And he is sitting for a little bit, I love it when they are just learning to sit and they are all hunched over like a monkey trying so hard to stay up. We love our little Austin.

Loverly Ladybug

Our new friend.

Did you know that you can buy ladybugs online? I think one day this spring I will buy a bag for my garden and a bag for my boys. They love little ladybugs.

Spring Fever

It's 11am and a beautiful 48 degrees, sunny spring morning. I had planned on taking the boys to the park today but because of my silly, non-working car, we aren't going any where. So around 10 I sent the boys out to play and told them we would water our garden in a little bit.


Well apparently they missed the "in a little bit" part and when I came out from putting laundry away this is what I found.






This only went on for about 10 min. until Ty started crying for me to bring him in as he was shaking because he was too cold. Besides the aftermath and realization that maybe it's not time to play in the water just yet they had a great time.

Guess What Great-Grandma!!

Hey G.G, guess what. Your third little great-grand-baby is going to start crawling soon. He hasn't mastered sitting yet, but for crawling he's getting his back legs under him and trying to push off. Eric and I have always said we can't compare the next baby to the previous one in terms of achievements and milestones, but it looks like Austin is right on track to match or beat his brothers. Of course by the time I get the camera, it's over or he's into something else, but this is an idea of what's happening. The stuff I didn't get is much more impressive though. Here's yesterday.



And this was this morning.



Oh, and I got a smile on film:)

Click, click, click

I have a little lesson to teach my newest addition. He is the happiest, cutest, most smiliest baby you know. (Yes I am biased, I know) Anyway, when I get the camera out, which happens a lot, the smile turns into a look of confusion and annoyance. And as soon as I put it down he'll smile and giggle, so I pull the camera back up again this happens.


What the heck baby. I am a photographer my dear, get use to it and smile. I took about 30+ shots today as he laid by me while I got some work done, and this is the best I got.


This kid has my mouth, so if you know how big that is you will know that this smile is only about as half as big as it could be. But did you see the dimples? Too cute.

On the other hand, Ty is my little protege. He loves taking my little consumer camera and taking pictures of anything he can until I take the camera away. Right now he is going threw an abstract period.






Maybe I'll have Ty try to get Austin to smile.

Side note, mainly for me. My two oldest have done a 180, well maybe a 140, but regardless, they are doing wonderfully with their attitudes and their choices in regards to their actions/reactions. I am so glad I have a husband like Eric who also cares so much about their behavior and we can work together as a team to reconstruct ourselves and have a direct positive effect on our children. Yea for partners in parenting and yea for kids who show huge potential to come out of this silly phase they have been in. My kids rock!

Rainy Day Clean Up?

It's raining... again. Doesn't the weather understand that my boys NEED to be outside. No more yucky rain. Or rain, just not in my backyard please. Today is another wet one, and Tuesdays always seem to be the longest day of the week. Ty doesn't have school, I have a meeting at 7am each week, it's the day after Monday, so everything that got pushed off from yesterday is now super due today. So around 10:30, they began bouncing off the walls, and I thought, 'oh on, not again'. I actually had made a list on Sunday of fun things to do this week as it rain, and I was suppose to prep all the activities last night so I was ready for today. Well, that was one of the things that didn't happen. I became frantic know the day was about to be doomed with high energy boys that had nothing to do until I remembered a friend mentioned shaving cream was a great thing to use while cleaning windows. A light bulb flashed on. My sliding glass door was a
mess, my boys love to do things where they get messy, a+b=a happy day!


My little buddy stayed inside where it was safe with me. He loves hanging out in his bumbo on the table or the counter while I get things done.

After the mess was complete and it started turning into a shaving cream throwing game, which was not the original plan, we came inside and showered off. Lunch was ready to go and the boys were shaving cream free. Isn't grilled cheese and tomato soup perfect on rainy days? And notice the completed art work on the door behind them.

The best part was Tanner's face when I put the soup in a glass and told him he could dunk his sando, and then drink the soup! He thought that was the coolest thing ever. Now they are napping and I think this rainy day might turn out okay. Fingers crossed.