Saturday, June 7, 2014

Ben's Latest Adventure

In the past few months, Ben has developed a new hobby... geocaching. If you've never heard of it before, it is where you search using GPS for hidden "treasure" or caches that people have hidden. The GPS will get you in the right area but then you have to use your eyes to find the container... which varies in size! Some are pretty hard to find. Inside there is a log where you can sign your name. Often he takes the kids along and they set out on an adventure. Today they ended up splashing through a creek to find a cache, and everyone had fun. These pictures are from the end of April when we went looking for a couple geocaches. I wasn't expecting to find this abandoned railroad (photo op!!), or I would have brought my "real" camera. But I had my trusty phone camera at least!



Wyatt helps himself to a bandaid if he gets a scrape or scratch. So don't let the large bandages fool you... no, he did not get attacked by a dog. Those were probably just the first bandaids he found!




Lila took our picture for us. (I was wearing pants because I knew we'd be walking in the woods.)



There was one geocache we couldn't find, so Piper and I took pictures while Ben and Wyatt and Lila kept searching. (Piper likes to hold her neck sometimes... she's done it since she was a baby. I'm wondering at what age she will outgrow it.)

Playing on a tree while Dad continues the search.
(We never did find it... guess we'll have to go back sometime! I'll be sure to bring my camera!)

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Rodeo Day at Preschool

Wyatt's school had a Rodeo Day at the end of March. Piper and I went to help out. Here is Wyatt's class with his teacher, Mrs. Deats, and her sons who also helped that day.

First they did a square dance (in a circle).

Then they had a relay race where they had to put western clothes on.

Piper decided to ride the pony :)

Wyatt took a turn too.

Three-legged race.

Me and Cowboy Wyatt

Story time around the "campfire" where they also enjoyed a S'more.

Barber shop. Wyatt got to shave a balloon with a foam razor :)

Drawing faces on the wanted poster.

Decorating a cup that was used to plant bluebonnet seeds.

Eating the chuck wagon lunch - hotdogs!

Circle time!

Singing with Mrs. Deats - she is such a fun teacher! Piper really enjoys the times we spend with Wyatt's class and getting to participate with them.

Update

Wow, it's been a long time since I updated this blog. My three munchkins are growing up fast and keeping me busy. This picture was taken at least a month ago. I think about my blog and get overwhelmed with how far behind I am. So, I'm just going to give a little update on the kids and life in general and try and go from there.

Lila
When I was pregnant with Lila, I remember praying to God that I would have a child who shared my love of reading. Well, He definitely answered that request with Lila! We pick out about 30 books from the library at a time for her. I say things like "please stop reading and eat" or I have to tell her things 2-3 times because she didn't hear it the first time when she was reading. Haha, I remember being at my grandmother's house when I was 10 or 12 and coming out of my book to discover that everyone (grandparents, cousins) were gone. About the time I was starting to get panicked concerned, they pulled up in the car. They had taken my cousins home who lived just a few minutes away. And they had told me where they were going - but I didn't hear them because I was reading. So whenever I find myself repeating things to Lila when she's reading, I try to remember that she is just like me :)

Lila is having a good 2nd grade year. She continues to be friends with all the kids in her class. She doesn't have a best friend, but part of that could be because she hasn't ever had the same kids in her class two years in a row! She does have 2 neighbor girls that she plays with a lot.

Wyatt
Wyatt is going to preschool three days a week. He does really well in school, listening and following directions, and he loves his teacher. Next year he will start Kindergarten, and I think the hardest part for him may be going every day (because he likes his days at home too). For the past three years, he has gone with me to Lila's school when I volunteer, so he is very familiar with the building and many teachers. I think that will help him to feel comfortable starting Kindergarten.

Wyatt loves to play Lego video games. He also loves to build with Legos. Last year he had a Lego birthday party, and he says he wants to have another one this year. Catching a theme? He likes Legos :)  He is doing a really good job learning to read. I bought some Lego Batman phonics books which have been perfect for him - his favorite subject and right at his level.

Piper
Piper is oh so stubborn. I say that, knowing full well she takes after me. Lots of stories of my stubbornness when I was little. So when she furrows her brow at me, I have a hard time not laughing; it's so cute. But I know that stubbornness also drives her "I want to do it myself" attitude. On Mondays Piper goes to a gymnastics class which she really enjoys. She does struggle a bit with wanting to do her own thing instead of listening to the coach. I think if anyone is going to give their school teacher a difficult time, it might be this one :) Good thing she has a couple more years before we find out!

We've made it through potty-training - well, except for the few times she decides she doesn't want to stop what she's doing to use the toilet. But all in all, she's done pretty well with the whole process. She continues to love the color pink, Finding Nemo and recently found a new love for the movie Frozen (and all the songs from it too!)

Ben has traveled overseas more this year than ever before. So I stay pretty busy during those times. The kids go to bed earlier those weeks too :) I signed up to be the room mother for both Lila and Wyatt's class this year, which means I get to plan the class parties - often they are on the same day! It will be nice to have them both at the same school next year. Between time spent at school and time at home, I have a lot to keep me away from my blog, but I'm going to try and do better!

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Pictures with My Grandpa

A few weeks ago, we drove up to Iowa to celebrate my Grandpa's 90th birthday. It was the first time in years the whole family was together. After church on Sunday, we attempted to take some family pictures...

The whole gang

Grandpa with his daughter and her family

Grandpa with his son and his family (including one uncooperative great-grandson!)

Grandpa with his son (my dad) and his daughter

Grandpa with his sister and her husband

Grandpa and all his grandchildren (including spouses)


Grandpa with his great-grandchildren

Four generations of Brandts

My Grandpa - looking pretty good at 90!

All of our family

The best picture we could get... don't know what Piper was doing with her arm :)

My brother's family

My parents (who just celebrated their 40th anniversary)

My aunt and her husband

My aunt's family

My cousin and her husband (they are expecting a baby in October)

My cousin and his wife

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Fun with Friends

Over Spring Break, I thought it would be fun to try and take some pictures of the kiddos. We went to a place in Frisco that has some fun textures in the background. I invited our good friends to go with us, so I was able to get some group shots of all the kids together.


Best buds.
Seriously, they are always so excited to see each other - even if they saw each other the day before!



I think this pic turned out so cute. I just told them to turn and look at each other, and this is what I got.








Being silly.

I photoshopped Lila's black eye (she got hit by a swing earlier in the week) out of the pictures that I was going to use on a card. 




Superhero pose.

I told them to show me their best ninja pose. Haha, gotta love Wyatt!


After taking pictures, we went to lunch with our friends. This was us waiting to be seated. It was a fun morning. I look at this picture and just feel so blessed. Love my job :)