Papa and Granny come to Visit!

"Hey, Granny, we're getting ready for your visit to my house!"

"I'm getting all cleaned up and trying to get my hair to lay down!"

"Here you are in front of my house."

"I love my Aunt Hannah!"
"Papa, I loved to listen to you play the guitar and to make you laugh when I dance!"

"Granny, you give the best lovin' in the whole world!"

"I think we all favor a little, too."

"We had fun eating together!"
"Chuck E Cheese was very new to me, but I had fun!"

"You and Granny helped me discover that I like black olives even though my mommy hates them and would never give them to me."


"We are two cool dudes!"

As you can see we had a very good and relaxing week. While Mom and Dad were here Russ and I went to see "The Music Man" at the Civic Theatre. It was sooo good and we had a good time. I'm excited about the summer to just unwind and spend lots of time with family. My parents left this morning (Rusty has been looking for them, too) and Russ' brother Clay and his family is on their way today. Good times. If I can just hold on to my diet...

Mother's Day Love

Happy Mother's Day!!!!
I have several pictures that I want to share, but not many words are coming to mind tonight. We've all been a little under the weather this week, but it's just a mix of allergies and exhaustion. We are looking forward to seeing all of our family soon. Rusty has lots of tricks to show off!

This was last Sunday. There was no hope of that shirt staying tucked in.



Tying his tie :o)

A little puppeteer

The outside of the house is really starting to look nice. We are going to paint it this summer. Every time we go down the road I'm scouting houses to see what color we should paint it.
This is the front of the house now.


Russ in the process of moving the stepping stones. Isn't he amazing?

This is the best before picture I had. Russ dug out all of those thick shrubs and dug up the stepping stones. Looks better don't you think?

Our first sign of home-grown vegetation!!!

These are some shots from the Spring Play--which was a blast as always!
I wish the curtain was open so you could see the set. Russ made an incredible steering wheel for the steamboat. (The name of the play was "Showtime On The Showboat") He used a wagon wheel and screwed in table legs for handles. Patch the Pirate would have been envious!

Working on Captain Lucy.

Samir was a ventriloquist.

Rufus Bilge - the villian!

Backstage--the girls are watching the people come in.

I love this picture because this sums up what the last few minutes before a production are like. Some students have a MILLION last minute questions, (the girls standing up--the Flower Sisters) some are looking over their lines, and some just don't care -- those usually do surprisingly well.

Hi there! I don't have long to post (I'm actually finishing this in the morning before we go to school.) I wanted to share the clip of Rusty swinging and I had a few other shots I thought ya'll might enjoy. The Spring Play is tonight and I'm excited but running down a mental list constantly to make sure that everything is done. Hope everyone has a happy weekend!

Still enjoying the bunny, but after this time it was laid to rest.

Rusty sportin his new hair cut. Dad, I think he looks just like you here.

(Mom, this is the dress I bought with that gift card.) Notice the rabbit ears--we still haven't had the cable hooked up. We actually do just fine with 3 channels--especially this busy part of the year plus it saves us money. I also can't decide where to put that shelf that is next to the fireplace. In fact, I still haven't hung my pictures and things on the walls. When is summer coming?

Rusty loves his new yard swing!

Rusty says for everyone to come and play with him. He will let you push him until your arms fall off!

Lots of Chocolate!

So Rusty grows a little more every day and is turning into quite the little boy. He LOVES to sing, dance, talk, play outside, get dirty and EAT! He is so sweet--he will give kisses, and he is trying to blow kisses. Yesterday, Russ cut up some banana and put it on his plate. Rusty looked at it, bowed his head, and jabbered very softly, then he raised his head and immediately started eating. Russ goes, "He just prayed!" We were so shocked, but it was absolutely precious. It amazes me what they pick up on, and it also challenges me to make sure we are teaching him the right things.

On the same hand, his mischievous side is coming alive. (Even as I type this, he just picked up Daddy's cup and spilled it all over him while thinking he could drink it. Russ is letting him play with the ice, too.) He likes to get into the toilet paper and rip it into itty bitty pieces. And whatever you do, don't leave anything containing cookies anywhere near him!

He is fun and an absolute joy. I wouldn't trade him for anything.

On the school side of things we are getting closer to the end. Our piano competition was last week and our recital was last night. Those are two big checkmarks on the calendar. Next is my Spring Play next Friday. The week of that play my stress level rises to the very top (!), but it is one of my favorite nights. At the end we all go out and bow and the students are so proud and happy and it is just one of the neatest things to see all of our work come to fruition. I say that to help remind myself, too.

Can't you see how Rusty has grown?...

The bunny is about to meet his doom...

I let him play with it awhile, then he got a taste and it was all over...

I believe this was after an Oreo. He eats his veggies real well, too--chocolate just makes better pictures!