Where did July go?

 We have been sneaking in some super fun times around here.  Daddy took the boys on their first ever boys only camping trip.  I wasn't sure if my heart was broken or if I just couldn't stop dancing from joy.

Ahh, a mother's angst!  :)

I did calm down pretty quickly though when the thunder and lighting started and I had to go round them up and bring them back inside.

 Jack has still been having a hard time with the trains.

We can hear them pretty well from our house, but for some reason, that scares the bejesus out of him.

He will come running from any part of the yard to find me at that first train whistle.

So I got little crafty on the little guy and used Dinasour Train to my advantage.

We started talking about Tiny Pteranadon, and Laura the Giganotosauras and

Mr. The Conductor and Buddy the T-Rex, and just who all might be on that train, and just where might they be headed and what noises might they be making?

Then, when I was putting Jack to bed on night, I reminded him that the window was open and he might hear the Dinasour Train go by.  It would be okay though.  Tiny was probably on the train.

Then I made my pteranadon noise, just for effect.

About 20 minutes later, sure enough, a train came blasting through.

And I heard a little, timid "braaack!" out of Jack's bedroom.

And then he fell asleep.

SCORE ONE FOR MOMMY!

 Auntie Danielle and I got to take Brayden to a horse show.

And by horse show, I mean the Parelli Horse and Soul Tour.

 The last time I was at a Parelli show, we lived in MT and I was about 

6 weeks pregnant with this guy.

It was really, really fun for me to bring him to the show.

Especially, since he got to meet Pat Parelli himself!

Pat is pretty human and down to earth.

He asked B. how old he is,

if he had horses (B totally perked up at this!),

and if he was married (which confused him all over again). 

Highlight of our combined life so far, I think! 

Except for the ice cream cone after wards.

Okay, new highlight already!

Brayden also got to meet Newton and Josh, one of the teams in the show.

Josh asked him if he had horses and Brayden talked all about them and how we ride them.

Then he added "But we don't ride the chickens though!"

and melted everyone who was standing near enough to hear him.

 Brayden's still taking his own pictures.

He's getting pretty good at the self portraits!

And getting pretty good the Jack-portraits!

One morning, Jack sat at the breakfast table, narrowed his eyebrows and said

"Mad at you!".

Then he said it again.

And again,

and again.

We still haven't figured out why, but now he say's "I'm mad!" any time he gets into trouble.

Which is just about as funny as when he used to stick out his belly,

put his hands on his hips and shriek, "No!  I don't!"

Goodness sakes this kid melts my heart.

He is just so dang beautiful!

Here is a Mommy-portrait by Brayden.

And what big brother does, little brother isn't far behind.

Please excuse the bugger and the messy face!

We tried painting again.

Jack still hasn't figured out that paint goes on the paper and not in your mouth/on your face.

Another Mommy-portrait.

Right after I said the required "cheese burger" I put the camera up just a little bit higher!

Jack can get out of his crib.

And he wants to cuddle at night.

He calls me and says "Mommy?  Cuddle you?  Can you?"

in the sweetest voice you could possibly imagine.

So, we put the crib away.

Brayden's bed got bigger two.

Jack hasn't figured out just how perilous big beds are though.

So far, he has split his eyebrow open, busted his lip and bonked his head.

We hear Brayden telling him "Jack, stop jumping!  You're going to get an owie!"

He does fall asleep eventually though.

I wonder if he will ever sleep like he is supposed to.

He is just as busy in his sleep as he is when 

he is awake.