New Pix

I haven't put anything on the blog in quite some time. So, I thought I'd throw up (not in the vomit sense, but in the sense of "in a hasty manner") some recent photos of kiddos, etc. If you notice the glaring lack of photos of IP, chalk it up to the age in which one doesn't like holding still and posing for Mom (or anybody else with a camera for that matter.) I'll endeavor to put them with the newest stuff first.
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AM has the unique and limber ability to yank her little legs up and put her feet over her ears. As an aging late-30something brittle boned adult, I find that very interesting. So, I took a picture of it. Ouch.

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Here is our family trip to Arbuckle Wilderness, which apparently enjoys the distinction of being Oklahoma's #1 tourist attraction. (yawn) But, it was fun, and the children enjoyed themselves.

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AM was the recent recipient of a bubble machine. All the kids and the dog were equally intrigued by this $8 wonder from Target. And all the kids and the dog were equally committed to trying to catch bubbles in their mouths. Eew.

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Wichita Mountains, Oklahoma

JM atop Mount Scott in the Wichita Mountains, Okla. (Please understand the term "mountains" is applied generously here. "Rocky big hill-type things in the middle of an otherwise flat landscape" would be more accurate, albeit more wordy and less brochure-ready. But they are visually interesting.) Oh, and JM's shirt (for all you chocolate fans out there) doesn't really mean he's a chocoholic----it has to do with his math program that has colored blocks to manipulate and the "8" block is brown and thus, called, "Chocol-EIGHT." He received this shirt from the MathUSee guy, "Mr. Steve." JM's very proud of it. Freaky dead tree. I liked. I photographed it.

Los Tres Amigos. Sunset on Mt. Scott.

This is little Miss AM in the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma---back in Feb.08.

It's an itty-bitty flower she found that she wanted me to photograph for her.

Our trip to the GA mountains and IP's 4H victory on 01 Nov

This first picture is of JM strolling down the walkway to the waterfall we went to in North GA the week before we left. Not really a good picture of him per se, just thought it was an interesting shot.

Mom, this pic above is mostly for your benefit (or maybe not) of a view of the mountains to churn up memories of the "Grans' Mountain Trip" as the kids refer to it. The leaves were not in full color yet, but I'd bet they're just glorious now. (Cue gnashing of teeth.)

Timmy (IP's buddy who came along for the ride----was great for IPS to have a buddy along), IP and JM at the railing of the big waterfall we all hiked down to.

I love this picture of AM and her daddy admiring the waterfall. Isn't she great?

"Cowboy Jack" posing for a moment before he had to dash down the walkway.

Now to pix of the 4H Food Show:

These are pictures from IP's Food Show this week. In order, the top on is right after he'd talked to the judges. Then 2nd is Miss Priss biding her time while we waited for the Awards Show. She was wearing a Xmas dress accented by JM's cowboy boots (3 1/2 sizes too large, but she couldn't be bothered about that); she looked simply stunning. Third is a close up of the "delicious 100% Whole Wheat Bread" as the recipe was so named. 4th is when IP won his blue ribbon.

Lady AM

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AM is old enough to go to a local VBS this year and she wanted to wear this dress tonight and that particular hairbow, as well. After I got her dressed, we even fixed her hair a little as well; she was soooo pleased with the way she looked. And I also thought that she looked so much the lady that I took her outside and had to take a few quick pix of her. The pictures of her hands I cannot quite explain----she was moving them around a lot and I was just fascinated with the way she was moving them. She looked so much older in that dress, but her hands still looked like the little girl hands I know, so maybe I just wanted to take lots of pictures of her hands to remind me that she's still a little girl even though she looked a lot older in that dress! You be the judge.

The Volcano Cake

You know about JM's recent fascination with Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii (and the 79A.D. eruption of said volcano burying said Roman city). Actually, if you are unaware or at a minimum, sketchy on your details of this monumental event in history, prepare to get a [unsolicited] education on the subject from JM.

So, in view of such a compelling historical event (not to mention JM's interest in the subject), I made a "volcano cake" for the kids last week from a recipe I found several years ago in Taste of Home. No lava inside, just chocolate cake with loads of orange and red frosting. (We had also made the cake during the boys' respective years of kindergarten in our science unit, but this time, it had newfound purpose for JM.) So, here are the pictures from the lighting (i.e. faux eruption----or as JM sometimes calls it "interruption") of our Mt. Vesuvius.

Photos as of late...........

These are just some recent photos of the kids. Top one is when we came out in April and stopped at the Texas Welcome Center. Next is IP at the Dinosaur Valley State Park in April (Mom, AM and JM in the background). Next picture is the boys watching a 3D movie with the glasses on at Daddy's house. Then the last two are from our vacation in May. These last two pictures were taken at the Castillo de San Marcos, in St. Augustine, Florida.

AM's New Haircut

A little trim for AM turned into more than I bargained for. But I think the results are still quite cute.

AM's Christmas Dress

IP Pix

You surely must know the cajoling and no-holds-barred antics I had to pursue to get all of this pix of IP. I can feel your cyber-admiration for my skills.

These are all down here in town at a park and a churchyard not far from the townsquare.