Party time!

Griffin and his friends finally got a chance to all hang out together again. It had been a while. Their wild night included dinner, sprinkler fun, bubbles, and lots of toy sharing/non sharing; which led to some crying, fighting, and temper tantrums. It's so much fun to see them all together. Especially now that they are all mobile (Charlotte is not far from walking). Love these kids. 

Griffin and Chase sized up the sprinkler before entering

Claire decided to just watch

Ella loves bubbles and modeling swimsuits

Charlotte kept up with everyone no problem

the battery operated 4 wheeler helped us work on sharing

Griffin loved when his turn came around

Maybe we'll be able to re-create one of these pics in 18 years. 

Team Roping Benefit

Griffin, Briley, and I spent some time together yesterday afternoon watching a bunch of guys raise money for a good cause. Several friends got together and put on a jackpot team roping for a local woman who is undergoing treatment for leukemia. 

After moving home and getting married, I decided to buy some horses of my own and get back into riding. The first one I bought was a gelding named Petey and although he was a sweet and gentle horse that I loved very much.....his tendency to do a little bucking now and then led me to sell him. Thankfully, a friend of a friend was looking for a nice horse and they turned out to be the perfect match. 

This was the first time that I saw Petey (outside of pictures) since selling him several years ago. His new owner has turned him into quite a roping horse. I could have gotten teary eyed but I did my best to keep it together! Proud moment! 

Briley always mentions Petey when we talk about horses, so I was really glad it worked out for him to go with us. I think both boys had a pretty good time. 

soda/cheeto break in the shade

there's Petey boy! he's now known as Bronc

 

another one of him standing in the group

here's my friend Ken, he facilitated the Petey transaction

that's a good lookin' cowboy

new owner Chris in action

here's a video of a successful run by Ken and another friend Jason:

34 Months Old

Remember when we thought Griffin wasn't talking enough? I laugh when I think back to that time. These days, he barely gets a breath in between sentences. He's also very repetitive, and a question master. Why? Why? Why mommy? 

Occasionally, I feel like we are playing the game Mad Gab with him......it should be in everyone's game collection. You read the card with words that make no sense to your teammates. If they listen close enough, a real sentence/phrase you are trying to guess will become obvious. 

Example: the card will say "Ice Mail Ask Hunk", and the answer is......."I smell a skunk"
          "Sand Tack Laws" = Santa Clause
          "Thigh Sing Gone Thick Ache" = the icing on the cake

Griffin will be so persistent with us and repeat what we don't understand over and over and over, we take a guess, and he says "no, then immediately repeats it". Poor guy. Just when I start to feel bad, it will hit me! Good times.

I know from another croup visit to the doctor that he currently weighs about 31 lbs. Woowee! I can tell too. Between a very large baby bump and trying to haul him on my hip at times, it's a wonder I don't lose my balance and fall on my face constantly. 

Griffin also has developed an obsession with his clothes......certain shirts in particular. The few that we have with either Batman, Spiderman, Superman, or Thomas the train are in constant rotation. The only way to get him in anything else is to lie and say they are all dirty.

We are making huge progress in potty training. Stay tuned for how that turns out, I don't want to jinx it but we are almost there. 

You'll see he's also really into reading books himself lately to who/whatever will listen. Here are pictures of the hunk for your enjoyment:

tonight, Bobby was learning about everything
in the latest Ranger Rick, Jr. magazine

removing Bobby from the chair = scary pouty face

Yay for the weekend!

We had a very good weekend. No major events, but a lot of progress in many areas of our life that we have work to do. 

• Drew moved all 7 of his deer mounts OUT of what will become the new baby's bedroom - this is huge......now to just get rid of the gun safe, turkey/grouse/bass mounts, other hunting accessories, desk, printer, office junk, etc. If you can't tell, this is going to be a major project. We are losing our multi-purpse office/laundry room/man cave.   

• Summer/maternity/winter clothing all sorted and packed away in preparation for Drew and I sharing a closet again - say a prayer for us......

• Griffin attended a wedding with us and behaved like a perfect gentleman (for the most part)

• Swing set purchased last summer as a birthday present was FINALLY brought home and assembled!!

• and one of my favorite things all weekend......I got to spend time with each of my horses, give them some exercise, and watch the little boys enjoy riding them. Griffin has already ridden them several times, but it was a first (and hopefully not last) time for Briley.

in all it's glory......

throw in a little choke

these two are quite a pair

here we go!

if you didn't notice, this is his current "smile"

don't mind the stirrups, he rode them too short for a while before finally letting me adjust

Griffin liked the trot

2 man, assisted trail ride back to the house

Mother's Day Weekend

I had a very nice last Mother's Day as a mother to only 1 little boy. It was the first weekend in quite some time that we didn't have somewhere to go and everyone was home. Saturday was a very muggy day, so Griffin and I enjoyed Farm Fest in Cabool for a bit before heading to the local greenhouse. I picked up several hanging baskets and just a few pretty things to plant for the porch. That afternoon we enjoyed attending our first wedding of the year, then came home to a few projects around the house before going to dinner. 

On Sunday, we didn't make it to church as planned but enjoyed a nice lunch with Drew's family post-church. Afterward, we headed to Springfield to meet some of my family. We missed lunch with them but were able to join in on a trip to Lowe's and some visiting at my Grandma's house. We ended the day by Shiloh and I getting pedicures while Chris, Drew, and Griffin went shopping for "man things" and then dinner at an Italian place I love but can rarely get Drew to take me to. Sadly, I didn't get any photos of any of that. 

What I did get photos of, was a little father-son bonding time over a turkey call from Sunday morning...............

a little modeling from Duke........

 more cheesiness from Griffin........

and finally..........one photo of he and I during my pedicure on Sunday afternoon in Springfield. 

I had a very nice weekend. Next year can only be better!