Trees and the manly art of climbing

It has been shown in study after study that trees call to boys like strappy sandals call to the real housewives of Orange County. Today Jackson needed some time with his dad so the took a walk to discuss attitudes and using kind words. The next thing you know their climbing redwood trees. Oh well, I suppose it's a bonding thing...

The Road to Adventure

The Edewards clan specializes in turning lemons into lemonade. When Jordyn's soccer practice was not scheduled as we thought it was, we decided not to drive straight home, but rather to go on an impromptu deer hunt.
Nearing that magical twilight hour when the deer come out to forage, we pulled off the beaten path and heard that familiar hallmark of adventure, the sound of gravel under tires. Soon Lucy spotted road kill, "Daddy, let's look at something dead," she plaintively requested from the back seat. Nothing thrills my three-year-old princess like animal guts on the roadway.
Jackson's more pedestrian request to climb hay bales dovetailed nicely with Vaughn's desire to see tractors up close and personal. We pulled off into a field and accommodated both.

The lowest tier of this stack was three bales high, just over 8 feet. Aaron had to throw him up to the flat so he could climb all the way to the top. Then Jack wanted to jump down!

Safely back into the car, we resumed hunting deer. It didn't take long to get sidetracked by Jordyn's love of horses. Soon we were feeding this Shetland/Welsh mix and petting its friendly nose.

Sadly the camera was not at the ready when a bear (Mommy confirmed the creature was large and bear shaped) crashed through the brush behind the horse pasture. So back into the car we went to continue the search for deer. Since the gravel road was deserted and visibility was still good, the big kids stood out the sunroof while we drove 2mph for a while. Jackson swallowed a bug. (Great fun for everyone inside the vehicle).

With everyone back in seat belts, we picked up the pace and discovered paradise. Near Kings Valley a hidden dell is tucked back off of the main thoroughfare. A hundred acre pasture, a small abandoned dairy and beauty as far as you can see was our reward for making a little investigation off of the pavement. Traversing a weed patch mommy picked this flower for Vaughn, who loves when the fauna touches his window. "Again!" he shrieks when vines scrape the sides of the 'Cruiser.

We did finally see a deer, and mommy spotted a cougar, bringing our hunt to a successful conclusion. (Except for Lucy's disappointment over the meaning of 'dead end' road. She had been excited for more carnage) Everyone made it to bed, after baths and ice cream, before 10 pm. All in all a great night!

First Official Haircut

Waiting for pizzas to be made at the local take 'n' bake, daddy got the idea to take Vaughnie for his first haircut at the barbershop next door. Vaughn felt the idea was without merit. A discussion ensued and while the little V looks very distinguished with his new 'do, he is not speaking with his father. I think this picture says it all:

Take Your Son to Work Day

Since Aaron has some pretty cool clients, like a helicopter charter service, a gun dealer and his own company's comic book printing service, take your son to work day has a tendency to be more like a trip to wonderland than a glimpse of the working man's world.
Jackson got to go with daddy on Friday and had a pretty good time sitting in giant Sikorski helicopters, trainers, and Cessnas and watching jets and stunt planes takeoff, but his favorite experience was watching his very own comic book being printed, cut, folded and bound on the machines at the office. These smiles and memories will last a lifetime as will the unrealistic expectations when it comes to choosing a career.
Thanks Daddy!



Piloting a Marine Helicopter (one of the last ones out in 1975)





This Firefighting Sikorski Helicopter drops 1500 gallons of water and surfactant on forest fires




Jackson has decided to buy this one since it will hold his whole family (as it stand today)

Vaughn

How long do you cook a baby bunny?

This afternoon I was sitting at the computer and kept hearing a banging noise. I knew all the kids were outside or sleeping so I got up to investigate. I went into the kitchen and heard it again, only it was not coming from the kitchen as I had thought. It was in the dining room and coming from Lucy's play kitchen. Tucked inside the microwave was one of the 7 21/2 week old baby bunnies. Apparantly Lucy put it there earlier this morning when she went to go potty, then we went to town and what 3 year old would remember her baking bunny after a ong grocery trip. Next time you go to prepare a bunny remember, it may take all day. We returned him to his brothers and sisters of course. Lucy insisted he WAS NOT FOR DINNER.

Here are a few more shots of the babies. This one fromwhen they were about 5 days old.

Here are three of Jackon's favorites at about 10 days old.

And Lucy with two more.

Trying to juggle a couple more. Baby bunnies are about the cutest little things. And if anyone is interested we need to slim down our herd.

Happy Birthday Sweet Lu

My little girl turned three today. It brought back sweet memories of holding her the first time, Daddy crying and smiling thru the tears and arriving home to a video crew from Bringing Home Baby. What a whirlwind her homecoming was but an experience never to be forgotten. Lucy is a constant source of energy, laughter, love and drama all wrapped up in a little body. You can't help but love her, with her sparkeling blue eyes and shimmering blonde hair. She keeps us on our toes. I Love You Lucy.
Here are just a few shots from her day.

Surfing and 4x4 in the Back Yard

Today it rained and it rained and it rained and it rained! After the nice weather we have been having it was so hard to keep the kids happy inside. They finally escaped and I just gave in. They went "surfing" in the garden on some left over siding.

Vaughn had other ideas. After wading in the "lake" he got a great idea...

4x4 with the tricycle!

Easter Bunnies

Last Easter we got Jordyn and Jackson bunnies.Lucy was not quite old enough in our minds to handle a bunny. So this year we decided to get her a bunny also. We made the 45 minute trip to sweet home to get another bunny from the girl we got the others from. Well our trip did not only yield one bunny for Lucy but one each for Jordyna dn Jackson and one for a friend. It is a regular bunny farm around here. They are so cute Mommy has a hard time saying no. The kids are cute too but baby bunnies, who can resist.

Jordyn and Leo

Vaughn with Lucy's Wendy Oreo Amy Abigail Angel (she is having a hard time deciding on just one name)

Jackson and Gin-Gin (Ginger)

Lucy and her bunny. "I just love it."

Wrestling Wholeheartedly

There are so many things that keep me from blogging these days and this is one of the newest. Wrestling. The thought never crossed my mind that I would be cheering a child on in wrestling. Jackson decided he wanted to wrestle so we are giving it a shot. He prefers practice to the meets but he is really good and we have made him do a couple. His first meet he wrestled 3 kids and beat them all by points winning the gold medal at the tournament.

Shoot

Pin

and WIN!

Today we went to another meet and came home with a silver medal. The first of 4 matches started off a little rocky. He got thrown to the mat, knocking his loose tooth almost out and he could not focus on anything else. He lost the match by points, came over and spit the tooth in my hand. Poor little guy. I was not sure he was going to be able to recover from the trauma but after a lot of tears we got him back out on the mat: Three pins later he was beaming from ear to ear wearing his silver metal. The kid who knocked out his tooth ended up taking home the gold. Not bad for a beginner.

I have a lot to learn about wrestling but one thing I do know is it is not for the weak. Those kids give it all they've got, using a tremendous amount of energy and strength.