April...

Every couple of months I try to get some just plain, clean, head shots of the boys.  Since we just got haircuts I thought it was the perfect time to set them down and snap a few...

I also have been trying to go fully manual with the camera, and I have to say I think these turned out alright.  The last couple of posts- the pics have been taken in Manual mode.  There are definitely times when it is easier to shoot in Auto or even in a priority setting, but manual is definitely more satisfying knowing that you manhandled that camera and pushed it to do what you wanted it to do.

 

I am the luckiest girl...

...to be living with TWO Batmans.  We have big batman and little batman around here, they fight crime, save mommy from the bad guys... and live in a teepee.

Loving the last photo... I am thinking I am going to get it blown up and put it in the boys' playroom.

Apparently Batman lives in a Teepee around here - guess there are no caves to be found.

hanging with Papa...

 

 

Mr. Hutson

He has turned into such a little man.  On Monday I went to his Spring Showcase at school.  His class did a whole 30 minute program of singing and dancing and story telling.  He had a little stage fright at first and then about half way through eased into it and went full force.  Afterwards they had a little art show- I love the art projects his school does.  He has two canvases that he painted and a pot that he painted and planted lima beans in and has been watering them and helping them grow at school.

Now just to find some wall space at home.  I am thinking the upstairs hallway is soon to be the kids art gallery....

Hutson and his amazing teacher....

 kid can finger paint...

 flowers are stamped and the grass and stems are finger painted...

 we have a slight obsession with Crocodiles around here...

 Hutson and his best buddy at school... these two are glued at the hip at school

Mr. Blue Eyes himself...

Warrior Dash

I'm starting to regret that I signed Alex and I up for the Warrior Dash today.  I have to leave in 45 minutes and I am a bit nervous.  The Warrior Dash is a 5k.  Not just any 5k though- it is an obstacle course 5k.  There are mud pits, rope climbing, hay bale climbing and fire jumping along with 8 other obstacles just to get past the finish line.  I figure Alex is the best person to do it with for two reasons- 1. he has no fear and doesn't mind getting a bit muddy and 2. Being that he is a paramedic and has all sorts of emergency medical training I figure if I get hurt the response time is however long it takes him to catch up with me....  :)

Wish us luck!


Click on the LINK to see what we are up to- It should give you a list of the obstacles over 3.2 miles.

30 before thirty...

I thought it might be time to update my list... I have some new things to cross off and I need to be reminded of what was on my list in the first place so I can figure out the next 3 months....

30 before Thirty

1.  Hang the framed photos/art that is sitting around the house (over 20 pieces)
2. Finish the playroom (paint & decorate)
3. Finish the guestroom (paint & decorate)
4. Make a headboard for the guest bed
5. Finish the office (organize and hang pictures)
6. Refinish bedroom dresser (paint & hardware)
7. Reupholster craigslist chairs
8. Read thirty new books- not sure where I am, need to compile a list of the books I've read.
9. Take one class to support one of my many hobbies- found a couple of classes just need to register.
10. Go on a long weekend with just the Jerbear -planned!
11. Take a family road trip (3 hours or more)
12. Take the kids to the DMA
13. Take the kids to the Children's Science Museum
14. Take the kids to the Heard Museum
15. Lose 20lbs
16. Run another Half Marathon  
    
17. Sew at least one dress for a little girl -birthdays coming up- need to start this one!
18. Both boys potty trained -almost there!
19. Be caught up on photo books of the boys (4 for Hutson & 2 for Wheeler)
20. Take a girls weekend
21. Drink no soda for one year
22. Eat no candy for one year
23. Blog redesign
24. Sell something I make
25. Volunteer
26. Kids Volunteer
27. Contribute some kind of income to our family
28. Cook one new meal/dish a month
29. Learn some HTML code
30. Ride a mechanical bull

Some new things that have been crossed off...

#6.  Done.  whew.  I had that darn dresser sitting in my garage for months, and months.  Now it has a new home in our bedroom.  Thank goodness, my clothes were needing to get out of the laundry baskets in the closet.

#7.  Not exactly done.  but gone.  The arm was broken on one of them, the legs were all scratched.  We just decided to get rid of them and work on finding new ones to replace them.

#14.  Take the kids to the Heard Museum.  We went the week after Christmas, the boys loved it and it will bill in our regular rotation of activities now.  You can read about our trip in this post.

#16. Half Marathon.  Check out this post.

#18.  Hutson is 100% potty trained, even through the night.  We haven't had but one accident at night, whooohooo!  Wheeler is in the process- he loves 'potty' treats so he is pretty good.  When he gets distracted we have accidents but we are still in pull ups so its all good.  I think another month or so and we will be golden!

#20 Whoohoo... I had a nice little girls weekend cruise in Feb.  It was fun.  It was relaxing.  It was just what the DR. ordered.  Went with my mom, sister-in-laws, aunt and cuz. 


#21 No soda, no problem.  
#22 No candy, major problem.  I totally fell off the wagon on that one.  Candy is my weakness.  I love it... it is so delicious. But I am being better about it.


#25 I did some volunteer work over the holidays.  I am hoping to do some more, maybe the local food bank.  I have been volunteering in the nursery at church on Sundays, I also organized the father/daughter tea party and took photos at church.


#27 Contributing income.  In October I started a little part time job working for my mom as her assistant.  I get some nice extra income to add to our family and she gets some stuff taken off her plate.  It works out well.  It kept me busy.  However, it was keeping me a little too busy, so I have cut it back some and picked up some small photography shoots.


#28 I haven't been a very good cook either. I'd say I've gotten half the months done.  I just don't really like cooking.  But baking- baking I love.  Made a Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread last weekend- delicious!

random friday

I have been trying to clean up my desk and my computer, and well my life in general... while sorting and backing up pictures this morning I came across a few that hadn't been edited or trashed yet... btw- I deleted over 250 photos this morning alone and still have several months worth to go through.  These are all from over the winter....

Happy Friday!

Josephine

the hunt...

All the cousins (and Lochlain, a hononary cousin) before the hunt...

 

   a good time was had by all.  Lots of candy was consumed.  We did manage to find all 110 eggs the Easter Bunny hid along the 'cotton trail'.  

We had a great weekend in all, Jerbear didn't work on Friday so we loaded the kids up and went to the Dallas Zoo, along with everyone else in DFW, and had fun with the animals.  Did a little shopping, what Jerry and I do best, and spent Saturday at the Ranch.  Sunday was a nice relaxing day for us, church, lunch and naps to make up for the previous two days.

Some big changes are happening on the outside of our house that we are SUPER excited about.  When it is all finished I will post- hopefully this week sometime since it started about 5 weeks ago...