the cow eats sausage

June 2012- 

This is the cow.

Her name is Wendy.

She doesn't really eat sausage.

But Brazos says that she does.

And this is why.

He thinks range cubes are sausage for cows.

Wendy doesn't really care what he calls them.  

As long as she gets them.

So that's what he does.

Every day.

He would feed her 10 times a day if we let him.

Does she look like she needs any more cubes?

I think not.

 But she gets them anyway.

these boots were made for brazos

June 2012- Brazos got his first pair of handmade boots for his 2nd birthday.  Pecos got his first pair from the same boot maker for his 2nd birthday.  And in trying to be fair and equal we felt it was the perfect time for Brazos to get his first pair too.  

Although we didn't custom order them we feel they were made just for him.  

When Casey went to the boot maker in Lubbock he didn't know what they would have in stock and we didn't have time to custom order a pair.  The store has odd hours and he had tried to stop in a few times prior to this visit but they were never open or in typical Casey travel mode he passed through in the wee hours of the morning.  Back in April he was making his last trip through that area before Brazos' birthday.  He called to check their hours to be sure someone would be there.  He explained his situation and they even offered for him to call on their cell phone and they'd come up to the store for him.  

When he arrived they didn't have very many pairs that passed Casey's approval.  {Think Spider Man webbed stitching.}

Casey called me from the store and the conversation went something like this:

Casey: Did you get the picture I texted you?

Me: No. What do they have?

Casey: Well, there is really only two pair here that are his size that I'm okay with getting.

Me: Okay, what do they look like?

Casey: Look at the picture.

Me: I didn't get the picture!

Casey: Well, both have brown smooth leather bottoms with square toes and the stitching that I like.  One has light colored tops with a longhorn cutout, just like Pecos' pair.  Do you think we should get those so they kind of both have the same thing?

Me: Well, what is the other option?

Casey: They are kind of wild.  Bright orange and red with green cactus inlays.

Me: (As I'm thinking of neon colors). Hmmm, do they look girly since they are bright colored?

Casey: No, of course not.  Do you really think I'd let our boys wear boots that might look girly?

Me: (Duh, of course not, what was I thinking?) Okay, I guess those would be fine.

Casey: Good, because I really think his first pair of handmade boots should match his personality, and these are kind of wild, just like him.  

And that my friends is how Brazos ended up with this wild pair of boots.

photo by Signature Kaptures

photo by Signature Kaptures

photo by Signature Kaptures

They fit him just fine!

paddle boatin'

June 9, 2012- New fishing tank at Oma & Opa's + three grandkids = a paddle boat must be next.  It will no doubt provide countless childhood memories for our boys and their cousin Jarrett.  

The maiden voyage is shown here.

First we had to haul it down to the tank on the trailer.

Brazos provided abundant instruction.

Casey and his first mate.

Set sail for the maiden voyage!

We went down to the tank with not one, but two vehicles and the trailer. The green one ran out of gas.  Hooking it to the trailer with a rope was not my solution to the situation.  But to complete our red neck hillbilly scene we did just that.  Then proceeded to head back ON THE HIGHWAY to the house.  I'm so glad no one was on the road to see us.

I've never questioned my decision to marry into this family but on this day I might have- just for a second.

2040 no more

June 2012- My mom called to tell me they've disconnected their home phone and for now she and my dad are going to be using only their cell phones.  My jaw hit the floor when she told me this.  My parents have had the same phone number 824-2040 for 36 years- longer than I've been alive!  They've never had an answering machine but they've always had the same number.  They one time they moved I was eighteen months old and that was just from the rent house to the home they built and they didn't have to change numbers.  They've been there ever since.  The area code did change once and that took some adjusting but nothing like this.  I'm still having trouble processing it.

I remember growing up when everyone in town had the same prefix of 824 so if you needed to give someone your phone number you just said the last four digits.  We were 'twenty forty'.  So easy to remember, right?  I don't even know my mom's cell phone number.  It is programmed into my phone so if I ever had to dial it without using her name from my contact list it would be impossible.  Or if her number were to come up on my phone without her name I wouldn't even know it was her.  That is how much modern technology has made me oblivious to phone numbers.  But 2040 is forever engrained in my memory.  I wish the cell phone provider could have given her that number.  But wait, I don't even really need her number because now I can just "dial" her e-mail address and talk via FaceTime on her iPhone.  This will take some getting used to.

a bushel of brazos

June 2012- If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that Brazos loves to sit in boxes.  Any type and size of boxes.  I guess a milk crate is sort of like a box for him.  

After visiting the tractor show we had lunch with Tori and her boys at Hondo's.  

When I came back from ordering our food I found him in this crate.

And he wanted me to pick him up and walk around with him.  

So I did.  

And Tori snapped these pics for me.  

Isn't she great?!

the tractor show

June 2012- We made it out to the Tractor Show in Fredericksburg.  My sweet friend Tori was taking her boys and asked if we'd like to come along.  If there is any boy that loves tractors more than Brazos Worrell it is Tori's boy, Steele. 

Brazos found one that was just his size!

 

This boy was in heaven!

He was so excited he did a little hop, skip, happy dance.

These three had fun exploring the blacksmith shop.  While they were doing this Brazos had made his way back to the other side of the fence and was on the run to see more tractors.  He didn't have much interest in the blacksmith trade.

Here's a tid bit of historical trivia for you: John Deere was a blacksmith.

Some of the tools in the blacksmith shed.

These two wouldn't look at the camera because they were too busy watching the vintage WWII aircraft that were taking off from the airport just behind this fence!  It was a neat little mini show complete with smoke blowing from the wingtips as they did a few aerobatics. 

Most of the tractors at the show were restored or for sale but in need of restoration.  But we didn't and couldn't sit on most of them.  But these are owned by a tractor club in Fredericksburg and they are kept at the fairgrounds.  I'm not really sure if you are supposed to climb and sit on them but there was no one there to tell us not to!

This one was a bit too much for Brazos to manage.

Brazos had a great time climbing on this piece of equipment.  You can see more of those pics on a different blog post.

it tastes like throw-up

June 8, 2012- Those are the words Pecos used to tell me what he thought of the dinner I cooked tonight.  Kids can be so brutal with their honesty.  I made Chicken Parmesan from Pioneer Woman's cookbook.  I thought it was great.  Casey seemed to like it.  Brazos ate most of his but Pecos thought it tasted like throw-up.  So now my ego is badly bruised as I try to make a menu for the weekend.  I can assure you I'll never make Chicken Parmesan again and I hope I never ever told my mom something like that when I was a kid.

d.c. tourists {part 3- monster jam?!}

June 2012- Monster Jam in D.C.  Who would have thought?  Okay, it wasn't really in D.C. it was in Baltimore, but still I just didn't think this sort of thing happened in a non southern locale.  In fact, I found out I really didn't know a darn thing about Monster Jam.

Here's what I did know:
It was big trucks trucks with big tires.
There's a truck named Big Foot and another named Grave Digger.

Here's just a small portion of what I did not know:
There is a cult fan following for each truck which rivals that of wrestling fans.
Those trucks are SO LOUD even in an outdoor football arena.
They can really get some air over the jumps.
When they crash their tires can pop off and bounce all over the place.
The cars and other vehicles they crush are replenished throughout the event.
This is an organized sport which culminates in a championship event.
My child who normally does not like loud things enjoyed it.
I kind of enjoyed it.

This is El Toro Loco.  It was my favorite.  

So why in the world did we attend a Monster Jam event in the midst of an otherwise normal touristy visit to our nation's capitol?  Julie is employed by the company that produces Monster Jam and she got us great (and free!) tickets.  We had so much fun and Julie scored major brownie points with Pecos!