Airborne

Jeff has always been interested in flying. He has been really into radio controlled airplanes basically since we moved back in 2007. If you know Jeff, then you know he is quite skilled at building things and I believe he has definitely found a place in radio controlled airplane building. (If we could only make some money at it-but then it wouldn't be as fun right??) Jeff has built-basically from scratch around 5 or 6 planes now. He could go much more in depth in telling you how it is done, but the short version is (forgive me Jeff for the inaccuracies): he picks a real airplane he wants to build a model of. Somehow he gets dimensions and drawings from the internet I believe. He cuts and shapes the body and wings, etc. from foam. Adds the mechanical and engine parts. Does a super nice paint job on it. MONTHS LATER. . .Flies it. Sometimes crashes it. Fixes it. Flies it alot more. Starts thinking about the next one to build.


Jeff strapped our camera to the belly of one of the first planes that he built and took an aerial video of our property-I found that video before he had told me that he did it. Jeff has also strapped roman candles and sparklers to his planes around the fourth of July, lit them, and flew the plane at dusk. That was enjoyed by all! Seems like the best time to fly is in the evenings (as the wind calms down). I'm constantly amazed at Jeff's varied abilities and creativeness. It definitely fits with my "frugality" that he can build all these himself instead of buying them! And as he says, the construction phase is as much or more fun for him as the actual flying! So my husband is a dork, but we love him to pieces!!! Here are some photos of Jeff and his most recent plane.

Enjoying our Pond/Lake!

We are enjoying our pond/lake immensely this summer! I'm not sure if it is quite big enough to constitute as a lake. . . .but anyway we love it. We go on little paddle boat rides when it is not too hot-very enjoyable. It is so nice on a hot day to walk across the back yard to the sand, play there, wade in the water, or even swim a little. The sand has made it out in a small area of the water so that it is not muddy. Jeff wants to haul more sand in to beef up the sand pile again and push more out into the water to have a bigger "non-muddy" swimming area. The first picture above is just the kids playing. The sand pile is used often for general digging, building, burying, and driving of small vehicles. Second is Journey checking out a baby toad. We watched the toads around our pond grow from egg stage-to tadpole-to "froglets" for lack of a better word-to these tiny toads-Journey was quite the tadpole catcher and now no toad or frog is safe!! The last picture is my nephew, Lane, and a bass he caught out of the pond. We can cast a line in and catch a small bass VERY regularly, but every once in a while someone catches a nice one like this too! We always throw them back so come for a visit and fish with us!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One Cute Cut!

Journey is in a hair phase of "no clips, no ponytails, no braids, no brushing!" She wanted a haircut and that sounded good as summer is upon us! Here are before and after pics. Of course I'm partial, but I think she's as cute as ever:)

BEFORE

AFTER

LOVE

I'm learning as a parent that it is a special kind of heartwarming to watch your children play together and interact (not fight). I'm glad to have caught a couple moments on film to prove to our teenagers down the road that they did get along ONCE UPON A TIME!

A Boy's First Love

Wright LOVES tractors! He gets up in the morning with his "motor" running, says "tatuh" for EVERY motorized vehicle he sees, and pushes his toy tractors, cars, and trucks around most of the day. Wright also loves to ride in real tractors as well as on four wheelers and in big trucks. Books with pictures of vehicles are favorites too. Here are some pics of Wright and Poppy Eugene's tractor. Last is a video of Wright saying "tractor"-it's amazing how he can even make that CUTE!!

WELCOME SPRING!!!!!!!!!

We are so HAPPY to have spring here. Lots of playing in the sand, swinging, and walks! All that fresh air makes for some exhausted kids by bed time. (parents sometimes too) Here are some pics from a little hike into the woods at Jeff's parents' house. Two streams coming together with waterfalls-PRETTY and FUN.

Shower Buddy

Wright has already had more showers in his little life than Journey I think! If he hears the shower go on in our bathroom from any part of the house-he heads that way. Well before he turned one, Jeff was in the shower and Wright was knocking at the outside of the bathroom door saying "DADA, DADA" then pushed it open and headed right in! Yesterday he climbed in the shower with Jeff fully clothed and pushing a tractor! He just sat there and played!! Most of the time he likes to snuggle with Jeff in the shower. With me, he'll want me to hold him some of the time, but most of the time he sits right at my feet and plays with random objects-the ENTIRE shower and I can take a PRETTY LONG SHOWER. If I move a little this way, he moves with me-doesn't ask to be held-just wants his back against me or wants to sit between my feet. Sometimes Journey gets in too and then they play by each other. I actually enjoy those showers greatly!

Before Wright's first birthday when he was feeling absolutely horrible, he couldn't go to sleep due to ear pain. We'd tried all the usual tricks to give him comfort, but at midnight he was still up crying. Finally, (out of desperation), I remembered how Wright liked to snuggle in the shower sometimes. I got him in the shower with me and held him, letting the warm water just pour over him, and he was asleep within a minute. That was a really powerful "Wow I did it!" moment of parenting and soothing my child. I love the shower stall Jeff built in our bathroom if for no other reason than THAT moment!

Little Man

Jeff cut Wright's hair a couple weeks ago. I noticed it immediately after coming home from work-like the split second a walked into Wright's nap darkened room and spotted his outline sitting in his bed! I really like it and I'm glad Jeff took the lead because I would have NEVER tried it myself. Usually I think a first haircut makes a baby boy look more grown up, but for some reason in Wright's case-he seemed smaller to me! Just when I didn't think he could get any cuter! Here you see a before shot and a couple after the fact. . .

WINTER WORKOUT

I am probably in some of the worst shape of my life- just NOT FIT period. I got the bug to start working out again late last October, but started having a lot of hip and pelvic pain (I've self diagnosed this as having something "out of whack") so I saw a chiropractor a couple times and I've been laying off "hard workouts" for a while. The harsh winter hasn't helped me do low impact work-outs like just walking though either. One day in late January I took Wright out walking in the snow in the backpack carrier just for 20 minutes or so. He still wasn't feeling the best and wasn't easy to please in the house. He really enjoys being outside in the backpack so this kept him happy until he got too cold. AND with him on my back and me tromping through the deep snow I got some very enjoyable exercise-crisp fresh air, beautiful evening sky, and Wright babbling in my ear. That's a workout to look forward to in any season!

ART

I LOVE KIDS' DRAWINGS!!!!!!!!!! Journey has been expanding her abilities lately beyond plain "people". Here she was drawing on a card for a friend and started with Winnie the Pooh . She then decided to add Rabbit, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, a honey pot, the sun, and a smiling face!
If you look closely, I was impressed with some of the details. Pooh is on the far left and she put a red shirt on him. Rabbit is to his right, then Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore. All the characters are the same color as you see on the show and Tigger even has stripes and Eeyore even has a bow in his tail!!! I'm pretty sure she has already passed up my drawing abilities. Way to go Journey!