Thankful Thursday

My Rowan

Rowan has had a rough couple of weeks, behavior wise.  He is as smart and sweet as ever but has begun letting us (and his poor teachers) know when he doesn't want to do something.  We are working on obeying the first time, having a cheerful heart, patience, and thinking about others as well as yourself.  None of those are easy tasks for a two year old.  

Rowan loves testing the limits.  Once he understands what the limits are though he is generally obedient.  He is quick to say he's sorry, quick to say I love you, and quick to forgive us when we get angry at him.  He always wants to make sure that Cruz & I have food when he eats and never wants his baby brother to feel sad or upset.  Rowan has a beautiful heart.  We can see that.  Now we just need to help him through these 2's so that everyone he meets can see it too! :-) 

Sitting Up & Fighting Fires!

Cruz does great at sitting up now.... as long as he wants to anyway. You know if he's not interested in sitting at the moment because he throws himself backwards and refuses to bend. :-)

Last Friday my Mom's Group visited the fire station! Rowan loved seeing the big trucks. He even got to climb in the fire truck and help spray the fire hose. The fire fighters dressed in all of their gear so the kids could see what they look like and so that it would help them to feel less scared if they ever needed to be helped by a fire fighter. 

P.S. I scheduled this to post automatically 8:00 PM tonight. I will not having time for blogging tonight because I will be watching the Season Premiere of Grey's Anatomy... Just so you know. :-)

Thankful Thursday

I am starting a new photo project called 365 Days of Gratitude. You can read more here about the Year of Gratitude if you are interested. Basically, each day for an entire year, I will photographing something I am thankful for. We are blessed daily in SO many ways and I'm really excited to document a year of those things. Its already changed my perspective because each morning, I know I need to find something to photograph that day and all day long I really take notice of all the ways God has blessed me. I will be doing a post every Thursday to share them with you. My wonderful Roger designed this awesome template for me to use.... Here is my first week:

Box Tops

Rowan's school is collecting Box Tops. If you have any laying around your house that you would like to forward our way, that would be super!

-Huggies Diapers

-Pull Ups

-Betty Crocker Frostings & Cake Mixes

-General Mills Cereals

-Old El Paso Taco Shells

-Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

-GoGurt

-Ziploc Bags

The listed items are things that I had in my pantry that box tops can be found on. For a complete list, click HERE

Thanks :-)

More Park Photos from Sunday

Sorry, Mom! I know I said I'd post some more photos last night but between laundry and the new season of Dancing With the Stars, I got side tracked. Luckily, your terrific grandson Rowan decided to wake up in the middle of the night. So, since I'm up and can't sleep, I figured now is as good of a time as any to go ahead and post those photos. :-)

Just in case anyone is interested, these photos and the one in the previous post were for my last workshop assignment. I actually created black and white photos out of these but I thought I'd post the color ones here!

We went to the park AGAIN tonight. These glorious, semi-cooler, end of summer evenings are one of the reasons I love living here in the desert. Watching Rowan, Cruz & Roger enjoy the park on a evening like this makes it that much more perfect.

When you have a big brother, you're never too young to try out the slide!!! (Roger helped, of course!)

Cruz Fix

Here's little Cruzy hanging out while Rowan played on the playground at the park. I can't wait until Cruz is big enough to play too!

Come Closer, Ducks!

This was an one of the more intense 'feeding of ducks' experiences that I've ever been a part of. There were probably at least 30 ducks, some of them as tall as Rowan, walking inches away from my little boy, snatching stale bread out of his hands. Rowan loved it. He wasn't scared in the slightest. In fact, he kept laughing and calling out, "Come closer, ducks!"

B is 2!

Well... he turned 2 about 3 months ago. :-) I kept dragging poor B away from where he and Rowan were playing so I could snap some pictures. Doesn't Rowan have the cutest best friend?

These are just my two favorites... more to come!

Rock Your Camera 201: Week 3

Two of my favorites from my photography class this week. Next week is our last week! I have really loved being challenged by this class but I'm kind of looking forward to a break from HAVING to take pictures. I never thought I'd be ready to put the D90 down for a day or two, haha.

Oh, and I need to add that Rowan and Roger have been SUCH willing models (I'm not even being sarcastic). I really appreciate their help!

Masterpieces: Month 1

One of my favorite room is our house is the playroom. It is bright, cheerful and filled with toys. One of my favorite parts of the playroom is the Art Display wall.

The wall is the perfect place to show off the many pieces of artwork that Rowan brings home from school (or that we make together). I love the color and personalization the wall brings to the room too.

I thought I'd give you a close up view of some of my favorites that Rowan has done recently:

Rowan's teacher put the glue on the letter A and then Rowan put beans on to outline the A.

The kids are learning about themselves and about their families. Rowan will tell you that his eyes are blue and his hair is yellow, but he wishes it were pink.

Mrs. Lupinek said the kids glued the eyes, nose and ears on all by themselves. I thought that Rowan did an amazing job! Although, I kind of liked the look that some of his classmates went for.... you know, with the ears hanging off the chin. :-)

Finally, here's what I like to refer to as "Abstract Corduroy." Apparently Rowan couldn't quite decide if Corduroy should be fully clothed or not.

Watch for future editions of Rowan's masterpieces here on the blog. I figure that I will share some every month or so. That way it will force me to take some pictures of them too because there's no way I can keep them all!!!! :-)

We Help Daddy

When I was little, I had a Little Golden Book called We Help Daddy. That book title kept going through my head as Rowan followed Roger around the yard "helping" with the landscaping.

That is, if helping means stealing Daddy's gardening glove so that Daddy has to cut/rip thorny branches off of the bushes with his bare hands.

Or, if helping means to very slooowly look at each and every rock in the street before putting it into Daddy's pile.

Rowan did, however, put every single stray rock back where it belonged.

Cruz Emerson was still tired out from all the fun at the Church cookout and carnival this morning. He decided his time would be best spent lounging around in the shade, watching all of the work going on. I joined him. :-)

I pulled the walker out yesterday after looking at some photos of 5 month old Rowan in it. I'm not sure who enjoyed the new toy more. Rowan loved pushing Cruz around the house. He pushed him into the playroom at one point, and then proceeded to play with his trains. When I asked what he was doing he said, "Baby Cruzy wants to watch me play twains." Ha, I'm sure he does.

I talk to my mom and she asked if Cruz was able to do the walker by himself and I honestly have no idea. His big brother won't leave him alone long enough to let him try. :-)

Here's a picture of Rowan, about the same age as Cruz, also chewing on the steering wheel of the walker.

P.S. Can anyone name the song playing in the background of the video??

A Bit of Cruz

Cruz is doing well sitting with the aid of his boppy. He is also getting hair! I don't think we'll have another baldy on our hands. Also, check out those eyes. Rowan has Daddy's blue eyes and looks like Cruz might have my brown ones!!! Yay! :-)

Pat a Cake

Rowan LOVES songs and rhymes now. At school he has learned a bunch of Nursery Rhymes and some new songs too! His favorites to sing are "If I Were a Butterfly" and "If You're Happy & You Know It." His favorite Nursery Rhymes are "This Little Piggy" & "Pat a Cake"

We are so incredibly happy with Rowan's school. We are so blessed to have a Christian place to send him to. I love that I know a lot of the teachers and the principal from my days of teaching there. He is so well cared for during the day and he absolutely adores his teachers.

For Rowan, 2 year old pre-school isn't necessarily about learning. He already knows his alphabet and can identify some of the letters. He knows his numbers, shapes and colors too. We are still working hard at home. For Rowan, school is about making friends, learning to be part of a group, and learning how to love others. He is doing fabulously. I have seen a very caring side of Rowan since he started school. Rowan is growing and thriving at school and I'm so glad that he has been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of the NVCA 2 year old class this year.

Rowan's Hair Day

Poor Rowan has been working tirelessly for 2 whole years trying to grow hair.

Last night, Daddy jumped "razor first" into a haircut and buzzed off all that hard work.

Only Mama was sad about this accidental haircut though. Roger thought his handiwork wasn't half bad and Rowan said, "I wuf my new hair!"

His hair is so light that it looks like he doesn't have any at all. Mad as I was, he still looks pretty cute to me!

Rock Your Camera 201: Week 2

Our assignment for my photography workshop this week was to "Embrace the Sun." We have quite a bit of sun around here and its VERY hot. :-) We had to take a number of pictures in different lighting situations involving the sun. These are three of my favorite images from the week:

This image shows haze from the sun:

This one shows haze and backlighting:

This one was taking during the "Golden Hour" which is about an hour before sunset and has really soft, pretty light.

On the way home from pre-school today I asked Rowan how his day was and he said:

"Brayden cried, Mommy!"

"Why did Brayden cry, Row?"

"_______ hit him when Bray Bray was cleanin' up."

"Poor Brayden."

"I hug him. I make him happy, Mommy!"

I thought this was sweet. Now, whether or not this really happened is still up in the air. At 2 year old, I'm not sure Rowan always accurately portrays things. However, if its not true, Rowan concocted a pretty impressive story. :-)

Little Golfer

Rowan had his first golf experience today! Was it a success? Depends on who you ask. :-)

I thought Rowan did wonderfully. No, he is not swinging the club like 2 year old Tiger Woods BUT he learned some key fundamentals today and that's what counts.

Rowan wore his golf glove the entire time today. While his grip on the golf club is not all that Roger hoped it would be (yet), Rowan has learned that a proper golf swing requires the use of BOTH hands on the club.

Rowan wanted to do it "by myself" but he did let Daddy help him a little bit. Rowan now understands that you don't push the ball with your club but you swing and hit.

Rowan is tidy on the golf course as well as at home. He wanted to pick up all the balls. When we were done, he returned the bucket and balls to the shop even though Roger told him that "no one does that."

This is my favorite picture. The final thing Rowan learned on the golf course today was that there is a specific side of the club that is supposed to hit the ball. He seemed more comfortable holding his club like a lefty (like his mama!) but Roger is determined to teach him right handed.

On our way home, Rowan said, "I wanna go back to the golf course with you, Daddy." Believe me, Rowan, there's nothing Daddy would like more!

Sedona

We decided to take a day trip to Sedona today since the temperature is about 15 degrees cooler up there. Actually, 90 compared to 105 doesn't make too much of a difference really. Anyway, Roger and I are so blessed that our boys love to travel. They thrive on their schedules at home but we are able to throw those out the window and head off on adventures. Neither boy minded a nap in the carseat, a late lunch or a diaper change (Cruz) on the front seat of the car.

**Yes, Rowan has his pacifier. He only uses it when he sleeps and we were encouraging him to take a nap in the car. When Cruz turns 6 months, Rowan is getting rid of it... but that's another post for another day.

We stopped to take a little hike to Bell Rock. Rowan loved it! We stopped a little short of Bell Rock due to the fact that it early afternoon and the sun was so incredibly hot.

Rowan is an odd duck in the fact that he doesn't like riding on Daddy's shoulders. He warmed up to it after a bit though.

Rowan loved checking out the scenery, rocks, fences and trees. He kept telling other hikers that we met that he was on a trail. He also kept saying, "lets go on another trail!"

We visited the Chapel of the Holy Cross which is a really neat little chapel built into the red rock. Roger and I had both been there on family vacations as kids so it was fun to go there together. Rowan wanted to say a prayer in the chapel, so we did. Guess what was first on his prayer list? Yep, his teachers and his school.

This picture, though I'm the only one looking at the camera, is by far my favorite. I hardly have any of me and both boys. I know we don't look the best either but this was actually taken at the END of our day. I'd like to see what your hair looks like after sweating in 92 degree temperatures all afternoon. :-)

The last place we visited was Montezuma's Castle. It is a one thousand year old cliff dwelling of some people...haha. I couldn't read the information plaques too carefully since Rowan had tripped and fallen about 5 times at this point and Cruz was fussing in the stroller. The picture above is Rowan, completely unimpressed with some tent. The picture below is the actual ruins.

This completed our northern adventure. The return trip was not complete, however, without a stop at Dairy Queen and a gas station for snacks.. you know me and candy!! :-)