The Hunt

I am finally getting around to retrieving photos off my camera! These are a few photos from Gavin's Easter Egg Hunt at our house on Easter morning. The Easter Bunny hid Gavin's basket on the top deck of his fort and about two dozen cascarones in the backyard. We found eggs in the BBQ pit, the vegetable garden, and the chicken coop! That Bunny had some great hiding spots.

Conversations With My son

Some of Gavin's and mine best conversations are had while driving home from work and school. He tells me about his day or looks out the window and tells me what he sees. This was the conversation we had earlier this week while driving home during a thunderstorm.

Mom: "Gavin, what do you think about all this rain?"

Gavin: "Elephants need rain, mama."

Mom: "Why is that?"

Gavin: "So they have water to drink, and so the grass will grow, then they will have something to eat. Mama, did you see that lightning?"

Mom: "Yes, I did."

Gavin: "Did you know lightning is scary?"

Mom: "Why is it scary?"

Gavin: "Because it comes down from the sky. And if the electricity touches the children on the head it will make them cry or they will die."

Mom: "Yes, I knew that. It is called being electrocuted or electrocution."

Gavin: "Elecshricooshon? Electrickooted?"

Mom: "Uh huh."

Easter in San Antonio

Easter week was actually mostly relaxing. Our holiday started Thursday afternoon when I picked G up early from school for his 4-year well-child visit. It took a turn for the dramatic when he got three shots at the doctor's office. Not fun, but my little guy is a trooper. After the doctor's office we visited one of our favorite playgrounds before heading home to spend quality time with our better 1/3 and our dogs. Friday G and I stayed home from work and school. We ventured into the city for play and fun at Town Lake and then back home for relaxation. On Saturday we woke up early, but on our own without alarms! What a treat. I went for a morning run around the neighborhood, prepped some food for our feast, and then waited on our special guest Cousin M - a recent Austin transplant. After we all piled into the truck we headed down south to San Antonio for a day of family and Easter fun. We colored eggs, ate too much, rode motorcycles, initiated Cousin M into our family with the traditional smashing of cascarones onto one's head, and then headed back north for an evening of vegging out in anticipation of the Easter Bunny's visit. 

Egg dying

Cousins, just before the big hunt 

Cascarones!! 

Sisters

Cousins 

My dad has recently taken his love Harley Davidson motorcycles to a new level. He now owns THREE. 

Springtime in TX

We've had amazing weather these past few weeks. The wildflowers are blooming, the trees are filling out with leaves. It's a beautiful time of year.

I've registered for the Bluebonnet Trail Run, a 15K in a small town just west of us. I am looking forward to seeing miles of bluebonnets and running a pretty gnarly trail.

Five Years

Gavin's birthday and our anniversary are forever intertwined. He was unexpectedly born two days before our first anniversary, which we celebrated in the hospital. Inevitably his birthday celebration overshadows our anniversary. This year our anniversary fell on a Friday/Saturday - the weekend following Gavin's birthday party. This meant we actually had a chance to celebrate. Casey's mom was still in town and generously watched Gavin so that Casey and I could spend a few hours out on the town. We exchanged gifts, although we said we wouldn't. I gave Casey a couple of pieces of gear for our upcoming real anniversary celebration - an actual vacation together, something we have only ever done on our honeymoon way back in 2008.

And like our honeymoon, we have postponed our next wilderness adventure for later in the year when the weather and temperatures are more agreeable for backcountry exploring. Our tickets are booked and the planning has begun. We are very excited.

I was surprised when Casey gifted me with cowgirl boots - something I have been wanting to replace since way back in 2007 when I got rid of the ones I had, they just weren't very comfortable. But now I have the most comfortable boots ever and they fit me as well my beloved does.

We got all dolled up and headed out to Alamo Drafthouse for dinner and a movie. I wore my new boots. We watched Silver Linings Playbook, it was great and a lovely evening was enjoyed by all.

Birthday Fun

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, March is a very busy month for us, which ultimately means less blogging. March kicks off with Gavin's birthday, which is always a special occasion. This year Gavin's birthday was extra special because it coincided with his first soccer game. We had lots of extended family come to town for his game and birthday party.

Dear Gavin,

You are FOUR YEARS OLD now. In the grand scheme of things, four years is a blink of an eye, a nanosecond in what I hope is a long and happy life for you - full of adventures, love, and extraordinary experiences, and plenty of ordinary everyday experiences, what we call the "little things."

The Director of your preschool calls you "a force of nature." She is right, you are a force, full of energy. Making you laugh and smile is still one of your parents' favorite past times.

There's no denying that you are an athlete. You have always been and continue to be a natural. These days we are working on your sportsmanship. You are very competitive and perhaps slightly spoiled. Spoilage is no doubt the burden you bear from being an only child and the center of our world. Daddy is your coach and maybe that's not the best thing for you right now, but we are going to stick out this first season and maybe change things up next season. In the three weeks you have been practicing and playing we have seen a great improvement and we are proud to watch you grow into this thing that you love so dearly.

You are the youngest on your team, but hold your own. You scored several goals and at one point celebrated with a mid-field cartwheel.

You are loved and bring much joy to your father and I. We hope your fourth year around the sun is as special to you as it is to us. I love you, Mom.

After your soccer game we celebrated your birthday at a nearby trampoline gym. This is one of your favorite places to spend time on a rainy day. This was also the first year we invited friends from school.

The Birthday Boy

My sister and I were having our portrait made when Papa Don photo bombed us. I am glad he did, it made for a great photo of dad with his two girls.

Your big gifts this year were your first bicycle, from mom and dad, 

and new Puma kicks from Nana and Papa in San Antonio. 

A new backyard playscape from Nana and Papa in TN. They supplied the lumber and slide and Casey built it with his dad and brother. Since these photos were taken Casey has also added a rock climbing wall, holds made by Uncle Kelly in Georgia. I plan on adding a steering wheel, telescope and periscope, and a few handles.

And something that you don't know about yet, a 4-week kids' camp at our local climbing gym from Nana and Papa in San Antonio. What made the weekend most special were all the special guests, not all our guests are pictured, but it doesn't mean we don't appreciate their time or love them any less.

Cousins Bristol and Colton. 

Colton is showing off his new braces, he will be 13 years old this year. Where is time going?

Aunt Courtney and cousin Bristol.

A walk to our neighborhood playground with Aunt Shannon and Nana.

Playing hide-in-seek with Aunt Shannon. 

Playing with the t-ball set from Uncle Tyler. 

Happy Birthday Lil' Mann! xoxo

Conversations With My Son

While watching Andy's Airplanes on You Tube.

Gavin: "Mama! Come here and look!"

Tiff: "What is it Gavin?"

Gavin: "Look mom, fighter jets."

Tiff: "That's right, those are the Blue Angels."

Gavin: "Mom, they aren't angels. Those are fighter jets."

Conversations With My Son

Until the chicken coop is complete with a fenced-in run and ramp, chicken wrangling is a nightly occurrence. This is when Casey and Gavin watch me chase the chickens around the yard, until I catch them and put them in their coop for the night. Often times I may hit my head on something I am crawling under while the elusive adolescent hens escape my grasp yet again. Some times I am running around the yard with my back hunched, knees bent, and arms open wide for what seems like an eternity. The funny thing is that this activity doesn't really bother me. It's fun, makes me laugh, and I get a huge sense of accomplishment when I catch them, sometimes several birds in one swoop.

Tiff: "Gavin, it's your turn to wrangle the chickens."

Gavin: "No, you have to wrangle the chickens. I have full hands, " says Gavin with two arms full of baseballs and golf balls.

Casey: "There's nothing more entertaining than watching mommy wrangle her chickens."