Is she back?

maybe.
If nothing else I'll be posting pictures. I have a nice new camera and even though I'm just a MWAC (mom with a camera) I'm working on really understanding photography and taking better photographs.
The kids are well and so are Christopher and I.

Katie finished her sophomore year at UD and her Rome semester. She had an amazing time.
Jack has graduated from high school and will be headed to Texas A&M in the Corps of Cadets on an Army ROTC scholarship. Ian is doing well and working at the Texas Transportation Museum. Grace is still riding. Emma is only about 9-12 months from her blackbelt. All the littler kids are busy and happy. We added to our family in March 2012 with the birth of Leo Martin.


Brand new Leo with Max.

Leo this spring

My household summed up in one picture.

In the Distance

i heart faces photo challenge

Click on the photo for full size

I like to read over at iheartfaces.com to learn more about photography. I'd never think of entering a contest but this month's theme of "In the Distance" immediately made me think of this shot I took a few years ago in Corpus Christi. We were at the beach around sunset and had watched this sailboat make slow progress across the harbor for quite a while. I don't know what Grace was doing but it made a pretty photo :D

MOM...BLOG MORE.

If it has come to the point where I am hacking your account and blogging for you then something is wrong. BLOG MORE! PLEASE! Cause I have nothing more important to do then read about stuff that I see happen every day. Yeah.

-Tristan

Call Sign Funny

Ian just got back from Aviation Challenge at Space Camp in Huntsville, AL. The kids pick call signs the first day. Ian was telling me about all the different ones in his group and I asked him what he picked.

"Asp..."
"What?! Your call sign was ASPIE!!??"
insert Ian rolling his eyes
"No, Mom. ASPEN"
"Why? Because you are tall, white and skinny?" I smiled.
"Exactly." Ian smiles.

That just cracked me up. First, because he thought of it and second, because he is ok with such self-deprecating humor.

{pretty,happy,funny,real} 4th of July edition

We went to Randolph AFB to celebrate the 4th of July this year (sans Jack who was recovering from encampment and was sick). No fireworks (which equaled no crowds \o/) due to the dangerously dry conditions but lots of free activities for the littles. Lucy met Christopher at the door early Monday afternoon and let fly with something that sounded like: " We'regoingtothebouncycastleDaddy!!Thebouncycastle!Nowwe'regoingnowrightgoingtothebouncycastle
andI'mgoingtobounceandmeetmyfriendsatthebouncycastlerightDaddyrightnowwearegoingtothebouncy
castlenownownowrightnowrightrightright"

{pretty}


The perfect 4th of July dress. Yes, she had shorts on under it. Her mouth is open here, she is probably giving directions to her new friend there on the right. Lucy calls any child she meets, anywhere, her friend :D

{happy}







I joke around that about the time my babies wean they discover Daddy and my superstar status is reduced to just about zero. Max has reached that milestone. He LOVES his Daddy. He immediately goes to Christopher as soon as Chris gets home from work and woe to us all if Max isn't picked up right away. If it's up to Max, he'll follow Daddy around 24/7.
Below is the look I got when I said "Max, look at Mommy!" if that isn't the "What do you want, lady?" look, I don't know what is.

{funny}

The Marines were at the 4th celebration and giving away water bottles to kids who did pull-ups. Most of the kids tried and did well, with the exception of Katie..a jock she is not :D. As you can see Ben got it....




and Tristan did not :D


{real}

Tristan plays hard.....that is one sweaty kid.

and sleeps hard. He made it just inside the front door and collapsed on the nearest chair with all his loveys...3 Smiths and Blue Blankie.

CAP Summer Part 3

Power Flight Academy and Encampment are done. Encampment was a big success for both boys. Ian graduated from ATS (Advanced Training School) and is now qualified to be an instructor at encampment. Jack's 68th Squadron did very well and finished encampment with quite a few awards over the three flights. Saturday Jack leaves for his third, and final, CAP activity of the summer. Cadet Officer School. COS is considered by many to be the most rewarding and valuable activity a cadet can take part in. About 110 cadets, the top 1% nationally, are accepted to attend each year, usually 2 per Wing (state) with the exception of Texas and a couple other large Wings who are allowed to send a few more. There will be 4 cadets from TX this year.

{pretty,happy,funny,real}

I've been neglecting the blog again.
It is a quiet week around here as the boys are at Civil Air Patrol, Texas Wing Encampment. I'm looking forward to attending the Pass-in-Review on Saturday and hearing all about their week.

Ok on to {phfr}

Pretty.....I have to reach into the archives for this one:


{pretty}

Our street.

{happy}

A very sweet Max on his first birthday. got cake?



{funny}

Tristan has turned into my little optimist. Whenever he is denied something like ice cream or even a bath he gives you this face:



and cheerfully says, "Maybe tomorrow!"

{real}




Grace riding. Pardon the hokey music. It's better than listening to my mom and I talk about the weather and hearing the dogs playing.

Sometimes I think I am crazy to let Grace do what she does. She is a 100lbs soaking wet and 12 years old. Every other week she gets in close proximity to a very large animal that could throw her off if the horse wanted too. Grace saddles the horse, leads her to the ring, rides in the small and/or big ring under Scott's instruction and then takes the horse for a trail ride around a 10 acre perimeter by herself, out of sight for a good 10-15 minutes. Equine pursuits are inherently dangerous, even for experienced adults. So why do I let my precious girl do this? She loves it. It is her passion. She studies it, she works at it, and she is pretty good for a child her age who doesn't own a horse. We have to let our kids try, try things that are hard and sometimes they may get hurt. The important part is that they get back up and try again.