Spring Piano Recital

These two handsome boys played in a combined studio recital with another teacher and her students.  They did a great job!

Bracken: Train's A-Comin' & Ode to Joy

Nathan: Silver Moon Boat & Pandas on Parade

Bling from Tia Marci

We got a fun package in the mail this week from Tia Marci.  She sent the boys a bunch of fun bling from a few gigs she has worked lately.  

It made their day!

Park Day

Friends + Park = A Great Day

This was our last time playing with Matthew and Daniel.  Their family has moved far away to Seattle and we'll miss them tons and tons.

Last Day of School Water Fight

This years traditional celebratory water fight, almost wasn't.  Someone broke our water pump last summer and didn't tell me so I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was.  But Papi kept his cool and  rigged a nozzle on the hose so all was well the end.  Bracken was really looking forward to being ambushed as he got off the bus.  It was his first year being on the receiving end of the attack and he loved every moment of it.

I love these next pictures because if you look at them really fast, they're almost like a comic strip!

Marco favors the Mega Blaster for obvious reasons.

Happy summer break to us!

Kindergarten Graduation

May 18th, Bracken graduated from Kindergarten!

They had a short and sweet program with 2 little songs that Bracken sang with gusto.

They were lined up by height, so Bracken was at the end of the line because he's the biggest.

Receiving his certificate from his teacher Mr. Stolz.

Randomness

Jaxon invited Nathan to join him on a fun excursion to see a Diamond Backs game.  They had a grand time being boys and soaking in all the athletic karma.  

Several weeks ago I strained my back and spent a good week getting it straitened out.  This particular evening I needed to lay on the ground and decided to watch some episodes of Fixer Upper to help pass the time.  When someone is watching a show it doesn't take long for my boys to find their way to the screen and join in. 

After a long afternoon and evening enjoying the great outdoors, Marco was so wiped out he was sleeping upside down!

Sunset from Mingus Mountain during our Sunday drive.

Fathers and Sons Campout

Dewey Ward camped on Mingus Mountain, Mother's Day Weekend and it snowed on them.  It started snowing Friday evening causing everyone to disperse to their tents.  Papi and the boys were snugly and warm all night long, they huddled close in their sleeping bags.  Marco slept in the crack between 2 air mattresses pushed together and he slept great! Other than the unexpected snow, they had a really fun time.

Tiger Tongue

We have a little critter that lives in our front yard.  Last week Bracken finally caught him and lovingly named him Tiger Tongue.  We created a little habitat for our slithery friend in a deep bucket.  Bracken put rocks of all sizes, leaves and grass in the bottom of the bucket to give Tiger Tongue a cozy and temporary home.

For 3 days Bracken and Marco lived outside while they played with, held and took care of Tiger Tongue.  Bracken was even bold enough to bring him into our home.  Bracken sat on the rug near our front door and argued that he was "barely" in the house, so "Mom, it's fine".  Well, he was barely in the house long enough for that little critter to leave behind a special treat for me to clean up.  I can now check off "clean up snake poop" from my bucket list.  

Bracken and Marco were sad to let Tiger Tongue go, but when it really came down to it they loved him enough to let him go.  Now when they are out front playing, they keep a close eye on Tiger Tongue's usual haunts in hopes that they will someday be able to reunite with their critter friend once again.

Happy Mothers Day

And it was a happy Mothers Day.

They boys were so sweet and thoughtful, giving me hugs and kisses, little notes, cards and school crafts.  I love those darling treasures!  Curtis didn't have a single meeting, zip, zero, zilch! He made breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen and got the boys dressed and ready.  I think he had forgotten just how difficult Sundays with the kids were.  Before Curtis headed out the door for church he popped a few aspirin.  I asked him if he was alright and his reply was "I'm fine. I figure since I have a headache I must have done everything right!"

Goofy Marco

Marco was helping Papi with something in the garage, when he came across our beach bag with all the pool toys in it.  He was so inspired by this face mask that he even took a bath in the middle of the day to "pretend swim".  I love how the mask band makes his cute ears fold down a little!

Eatin' Corn

I had forgotten to serve the corn for dinner the night before. Bracken and Marco insisted on eating some with their peanut butter and honey sandwiches.  I thought it was an interesting pairing, but they loved it.

Taking pictures of Bracken these days is almost impossible.  He is so wiggly!  Bracken has energy bursting and exploding out of his little body all day long.

April 2016