Our Week in Photos

The boys took their 1st ride together this week in the wagon!

Jaxon discovered a "Mama Bird" in our tree in the front yard!

Here she is!

Max has finally started sitting up all on his own!

Here he is doing the army crawl!

And here he is getting really frustrated that I'm not picking him up!

We've been busy!

Rodeo

Guess what time it is?!

That's right... it's almost fair time!

Jaxon's got his calf picked out and has started working with her. Her name is Rodeo and so far it hasn't been a Rodeo at our house, let's just hope it keeps going as smoothly as it did the first day!

Max picked out a baby calf to take to the fair the other night too but Grandpa wouldn't let us bring that one home! Oh well, Max's time is coming in a few more years. Then it will be a Rodeo around here for sure!

June Is Dairy Month - Very Dairy

Some of my favorite writing material over the past couple years was inspired by our 4-legged friends, the cows. In honor of June being Dairy Month, here's a list of my top 5 favorite "very dairy" blogs!

1. Storytime w/ the Calves

http://jaxonsstory.blogspot.com/2009/09/storytime-w-calves.html

2. Pet Projects

http://jaxonsstory.blogspot.com/2009/09/pet-projects.html

3. Gone But Not Forgotten

http://jaxonsstory.blogspot.com/2009/10/gone-but-not-forgotten.html

4. Our Favorite Side of Beef (This is one of my favorite posts to my blog, ever!)

http://jaxonsstory.blogspot.com/2010/09/our-favorite-side-of-beef.html

5. Smell That Dairy Air

http://jaxonsstory.blogspot.com/2010/09/smell-that-dairy-air.html

Weather Man Jaxon's Tornado Watch

Since Daddy never reads Mommy's blog, she can get away w/ this!

Daddy is deathly afraid of storms! He turns into a maniac at the slightest risk of severe weather. He watches more Weather Channel than the average Joe and is constantly tracking some sort of radar even on sunny days.

Jaxon started learning about weather in PreSchool this year and has made weather signs to hang on the patio door so we know what type of weather to look forward to each day. Most days he doesn't post the forecast but yesterday it was stormy and he felt it was necessary to warn the dogs of the possible chance of tornadoes.

If Daddy is at work when it storms the boys and I like to sit out on the porch and watch the clouds... it's our little secret since Daddy would flip if he knew we were outside! Here's weather man Jaxon posting a tornado watch for the dogs!

Giddy Up Partner

Jaxon & his partner in crime, Joe, were busy lil' Cowboys this weekend... here they are gett'in ready to go out and round up a few lightn'n bugs!

Catch'n lightn'n bugs is a summer tradition we have w/ my best Cowgirl Lisa

& her two lil' bukaroos.

Jaxon was one happy cowpoke in his John Deere chaps & inside out flannel shirt!

What fun summer traditions do you have w/ your friends & family?

Dear Max - 8 months

Dear Max,

I wish 8 months ago I'd thought of this but I was pretty busy and my head wasn't always working quite right. A lot has changed since the day you were born. You are into everything now! It won't be long and you'll be crawling! We keep trying everyday, Jaxon can't wait for you to chase him around! Deep down as much as we'd all love to see it happen I'm grateful you haven't started yet... our house isn't quite ready for that!

Your good friend Alyssa asked me the other day what you really like doing these days and the first thing that came to mind was eating paper! If I let you, you'd be completely content to eat the mail and nothing else! As you can see Jaxon's having to hold the "month" signs these days during our photo shoots!

You & I went for our first "alone stroll" the other night. Jaxon decided to stay home with Daddy. On our stroll we saw a coyote... that was pretty exciting and boy was Brother jealous when we came home and told him about it! The next night he insisted that he go too and that we all bring a pair of binoculars... you just chewed on yours!

We've been playing in the water a lot lately to stay cool. We even went through the sprinkler the other day... you sure liked that! You & Jaxon have a new game you like to play together. Jaxon chases you (and vice versa) around the kitchen in your TotRider. It sure is fun for Mommy to hear you both giggle together!

Just like your Big Brother (when he was your age) you enjoy getting in the trash... you'd think you two were part raccoon! I'm pretty much convinced you are going to be either a trash man or a dentist when you grow up... when your not trying to get in the trash can you're digging in some one's mouth!

Well, you just peed on me again! You've got a diaper rash and Mommy's been lett'in you go bottomless a little here and there to heal it up. Guess I'll end on that note!

Until next month... love MOMMY

Funny Quote of the Week

Jaxon: "Mom, you're the best cook ever!"

Me: "Thanks! Maybe we can have hot wings at your birthday party this year since you like 'em so good!"

Jaxon: "Yeah!"

This was Wednesday night during supper.On Thursday afternoon Jaxon comes to the back door and rings the doorbell. I go to the door and he has handfuls of mulberries from the tree in the backyard. I let him in and tell him that he'll have to check his berries at the door, I didn't want them brought in to stain everything in sight.

Jaxon (in his whiny voice): "But Mom, I need you to make me a pie for my party."

Me: "Jaxon, your birthday isn't until October and besides who do you think I am, Little Bear's Mom?!

Jaxon: "Huh? Mom, you're not all furry... just your legs are!"

Guess it's time to shave!

The Pioneer Woman, Children's Author

Ree Drummond is my blogger Goddess! If someone were to ask me as an adult, "What do you want to be when you grow up?", my answer would be, "Not what, but "who" and that "who" is Ree Drummond!" Ree's blog www.thepioneerwoman.com is full of delicious recipes, amazing photography and stories of her hilarious transition from "city life to ranch wife".

Ree is the best selling author of two books, "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" & "The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels". She lives on a working cattle ranch in Oklahoma w/ husband Ladd (who she affectionately refers to as "the Marlboro Man"), their 4 children and her beloved basset hound, Charlie.

Recently, Ree released a children's book all about Charlie and his life as a Ranch Dog. I was so excited to find it at the library yesterday and bring it home to read w/ Jaxon. We sat down last night to read it together and both had a good laugh about Charlie and his love of bacon.

We highly recommend adding "Charlie the Ranch Dog" to your Summer Reading List! You might also add Ree's blog to your list as well, it won't disappoint!

Fun In the Sun

I'm not one of those Mom's who can throw on a swimming suit and feel good about walking past a mirror. That's one of the many reasons I'm glad we live in the country! So the other day when Jaxon started in w/ his whining about going to the pool, again, I decided to distract him w/ some good old fun in the sun, sprinkler style!

This worked for about 30 minutes before he began whining that he needed a snack! At least I got a few cute pictures out of the deal!

June is Dairy Month

June is Dairy Month... have you hugged a heifer today? Being the daughter of a dairy farmer has it's perks... for one, there's always a petting farm down the road or in our case, the backyard! Jaxon has always loved going over to "the cow house" (aka the home of the baby calves) to help feed.

It'd been awhile since we'd gone over to see the nursery full of bawling babes so yesterday afternoon the boys & I went over to lend a helping hand. Jaxon asked me to take this picture of him with the newest baby.

And of course I couldn't pass up a picture perfect moment such as this! Here's Max letting a baby suck on his tiny hand... PRICELESS!

Take some time this month to explain to you kids where their cup of chocolate milk came from or better yet, take them on a tour of a local dairy farm and show them!

Thank God for Spare Sheets

Jaxon is on day 7 of sleeping through the night in his own room... can I get a hallelujah?! And now that I've bragged about it, I'm sure that'll end his stretch of visits from the Bedtime Fairy!

So we get up this morning, it's Daddy's turn to play the role of the Bedtime Fairy, Max is up early as usual and Jaxon is still sleeping soundly. Daddy & I are in the middle of a less than appropriate, adult conversation when out comes our big boy stumbling around as though he's just pulled an all-nighter. Suddenly I notice an all too familiar sight on his right shoulder... a PUKE STAIN!

Why is it that every time I wash bedding someone ends up throwing up on it, peeing on it or even blowing out a diaper all over it?! I mean really, could I just once make it through the week w/out having to wash bedding 2 days in a row?! Thank God for spare sheets!

Twitter Hype

In an attempt to gain a few more "fellow Adventurers", I have decided to give into the Twitter hype. To see what all the hype's about check out my Twitter page by clicking on the link to the right! Happy Tweeting!

Funny Quote of the Week

I feel it's necessary to post at least one blog entirely devoted to a "Funny Quote of the Week". I know it's early but here's this week's had me rolling on the floor, laughing out loud "Funny Quote" brought to you by non other than Eldest (only one talking for the time being son), Jaxon!

Jaxon to Maddox: "I'm not your Mom, I don't have a boob!"

I found this to be hilarious because of the fact that he actually says "boob"! Normally he refers to "them" as elbows, this was the first time I've ever heard him use the correct terminology! Maddox was being rather squirmy and apparently was trying to latch on to his brother, which I didn't even notice because at the time I was too busy reading "Diary of a Spider". Needless to say the bedtime story was rudely interrupted by Mommy's laugh out loud outburst!

What "Funny Quotes" have you heard this week?

Bedtime Fairy

I don't know about you, but I am constantly bribing my child! I bribe when we grocery shop, I bribe during church, I bribe while doing something as simple as using the toilet! But by far the most bribed time of day is at bedtime!

Jaxon's never been a good sleeper and if you follow my blog you probably already knew that. Max is following in his Big Brother's footsteps rather nicely so in order for Daddy & I to get any sleep at night, Mommy created the Bedtime Fairy!

I'm not above using mythical creatures to keep my kid in his own bed. I figure if the Tooth Fairy can get away w/ it why couldn't the Bedtime Fairy?! So for every night that Jaxon stays in his bed ALL night, he receives a coin whether it be a penny or a quarter, he is rewarded. We also plan to use this stash as a college fund... it may only amount to enough to pay for his 1st day in college at the rate he's going, but hey, it's better than nothing!

This morning Jaxon comes out to the kitchen and says to me, "Mom, look... the Bedtime Fairy left me 2 coins!" I reply that he must have been a really good sleeper last night and continue on w/ my dish washing. He asks then if I'd come to his room and show him where to stick his sticker on his calendar, (also a bribe as well as a reminder that if he stays in his bed all month he gets a special treat). I go in and sit next to him on his bed where he proudly starts showing me his coins.

"Look Mom, this one has a picture of my school on it..."

"...and on the front is a picture of our Pastor!"

Trying not to laugh I say... "Wow, that's a special coin! Wonder why our Pastor's picture is on there?"

Jaxon: "Because he's old and the Bedtime Fairy only puts pictures of old people on her coins!"

Me: "So why's your school on the back?"

Jaxon: "Because it's old too!"

I didn't have the heart to correct him. If he believes that Pastor looks like Thomas Jefferson and that the Monticello resembles his school, and it gets him to stay in his bed as well as into a good college, who am I to suggest otherwise?!

Lil' Swimmers

Jaxon had been begging to go to the pool since the day our last snowfall melted! I finally gave in last week when the thermostat read 84 degrees in our house and I was feeling too cheap to turn on the air! I thought just maybe if we spent enough time away, the house would cool down... yeah right!

This was Max's 1st trip to the pool. I had the baby sunscreen packed, the Lil' Swimmers ready to go, his ultra violet sun rays protecting swimsuit set w/ matching sun bonnet, pool toys, towels... you get the picture, pretty much half the house! And in the fashion of my bad luck, after I'd hauled everything but the kitchen sink in w/ us, the water was too cold for him to get in!

AND since Big Brother was too excited to eat lunch he of course was starving after 2 laps across the baby pool which turned into an early snack of a giant Pixie Stick which he dumped 1/2 of on the concrete and got the rest wet so it wouldn't come out the plastic tube! Needless to say, we stayed for about an hour and a half before he was ready to get home and eat!

Can't wait to go back!!!

It's A Bird, It's A Plane... It's Actually a Turkey Buzzard

Jaxon is obsessed w/ eagles! He thinks anything w/ a set of wings (other than an airplane), is an eagle. For some reason that is entirely unknown to me, our community has an over population of turkey buzzards! Jaxon started spotting them some time ago and points them out every time he sees one which ends up being at least a half a dozen times a day.

At first I tried explaining to him that these creatures of the air were in fact turkey buzzards, not eagles, but after the first handful of arguments I decided that battle was best left as a victory to him. Besides if he thinks those winged carnivores are in fact majestic birds, why not let him be in awe for the time being!

Above our small town the turkey buzzards are constantly circling. Since Daddy's work is in town he sees the "eagles" all of the time. Jaxon was thrilled when Daddy brought home an "eagle" feather for him from work the other day.

Two weeks ago on "Library Wednesday", Jaxon picked out a book called "Running Owl the Hunter", (he picked the book because there was an eagle on the cover). In the story Running Owl goes hunting for an eagle so he can collect a feather to wear in his hair so that he will look more like his father who is a hunter.

Jaxon has been trying to come up w/ a way to get that "eagle" feather that Daddy brought home from work, in his hair. If he ever figures it out I'll be sure to post a picture of Running Jaxon the "turkey buzzard" hunter!

Summer Reading Challenge

One of my fave Mommy blogs is http://www.notimeforflashcards.com/! The reasons it's one of my faves is because of her amazing book reviews!

Last year she started a tradition of Summer Reading w/ her family. This year she is challenging her followers to join them. She is posting reminders to fill in tally sheets & at the end of the summer (August 26th), you will be automatically be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card from amazon.com.

You may enter 1 tally sheet per week, per household... read more books, get more chances to win! Entering is simple... I encourage everyone to check out this challenge!

Jaxon & Maddox were able to enter 19 books this week. We are beginning a new chapter in our reading Adventures this summer by diving into "chapter books"! We highly recommend the MAGIC TREE HOUSE books by Mary Pope Osborne. After picking up "Dinosaurs Before Dark" on Wednesday, (the 1st in her series), we have now read it 3 times!

Join us this summer in this fun reading challenge... and as always, we'd love to hear what you are all reading!