Catching Up

Its been a day or two since I last wrote.  My apologies.  It's been busy here, just like with everyone else.  Let's do a little recap, shall we?  

We purchased a swing set for the boys with my credit card rewards points, making it *nearly* free for us.  My favorite four letter F word.  But... we still have to put it together...

Drinking or sober, it won't matter.  There is no way to make building this swing set look appealing.  Or possible.  I wish I could go to the factory where they pack these kits together.  I imagine some college age kiddo taping together every box to send out the door and giggling uncontrollably while muttering under his breath, "Those poor idiots.  They won't stand a chance."
Please pray for us.

On to happier things.

I highly recommend this craft for any toddler.  I 'painted' a tree with a sharpee marker.  And I have not a talented bone in my body, so when I say 'painted' I mean that I drew one tall line with several lines offshooting in an attempt to mimic branches.  That's really all it takes, folks.

I then took a bunch of Q-tips (approximately 20) and bundled them together with a rubber band.  This became Kenyon's paintbrush for our craft.

On one paper plate I squirted out three dollops of paint.  Red, orange and a deep red.  He would dib-dab his Q-tip paint brush in each dollop of paint and then dab it onto the tree branches of the canvas.  (You can purchase a 3 pack of canvases at Wal-Mart for just a few dollars.)

Kenyon demonstrated his superior art skills to his grandma and grandad yesterday.  He had a captive audience and put on quite the show.

Viola!  A masterpiece.  There is really no way for a child to mess anything up, destruct anything or cut themselves during this process.  It could quite possibly be my favorite craft we have ever done together.  Scratch that.  It is my favorite craft with him, ever.  Now I'm trying to imagine ways we can tweak this craft for different times of year by using different colors.  For example, we could use red and blue paint and make a firecracker canvas for the summer, pastels and paint flowers in the spring, etc.  Watch out, Martha Stewart.  I'm coming for you. 

This weekend we celebrated many of the fall birthdays in our family during a ranch rodeo.  While it rained INCHES outside on the men that were competing, we sat under a covered pavillion and exchanged presents.  When the ranch rodeo was over, everyone came over to join us and everyone celebrated both birthdays and Uncle Mitch's team winning with celebratory cupcakes and beer.  (Like one man chuckled, "Wow, cupcakes and beer.  Feel's like college all over again!")

Kenyon and cousin Kade played HARD during the hours they were together.  Seeing Kade guarantees a good night sleep for Kenyon.  Or perhaps it is more of a mild coma.  I really don't know, and frankly, I really don't care. 

In other news... 

While the weather has been so pleasant lately, we've been trying to go for jaunts every day.  Sometimes we go check cattle, sometimes we just walk down to the creek and throw rocks into the water.  Regardless, we have a great time. 

John is pulling himself up anywhere and everywhere and loves to walk (with assistance).  He is getting more impatient with his assistants and I feel that walking unassisted is going to begin just any day now. 

My porch is covered with these delicate, purple blossoms these days.  It is a transplant from my aunt.  She calls it a Hyacinth bean.  Calling it an aggressive vine is an understatement.  I have to spend a few minutes every day or two with the vines and help them climb my makeshift trellis I've tied together from jute.  Otherwise they will overtake anything near them.  I had to cut out a patio chair that the vines overtook one weekend while we were gone.  It is that crazy.