Saddle Ridge Ranch

WARNING...PIC OVERLOAD!

Just thought I would post some VBS pics for those of you who think I sit around all day doing nothing...

Near the welcome desk.

Entrance to the Younger Art Room

by: Meredith and Leigh Ann

Bandanas Hanging down the hallways...

Small barn in the Younger Art Room.

Preschool Project.

Jenny's sister did these. They added things to them every day.

Ben's is now hanging in the Guggenheim.

It's hard to see thru the bullet-proof glass.

Pre-K Bible Study Room

(We threw this up in about 30 minutes when we had to add a class)

Kindergarten Bunkhouse

Mrs. Carol and Mrs. Jennifer

Pre-K Bunkhouse

Mrs. Holly and Mrs. Lisa

Pre-K Campfire

Third Grade Bible Study Bunkhouse

by: Mrs. Lois and Mrs. Kay

Third Grade

Third Grade

Third Grade Door

Big Sky Cafe

Snack Area

Pre-Teen Cavern

By: Mrs. Suzanne and Mrs. Amie

Pre-Teen

Door to Jenny's Art Room

Cabin Corner in Worship Rally

Barn in Worship Rally

Stairway from Registration to Worship Rally

Worship Rally

We came. We saw. We rounded up.

VBS 2010 was a hit. And now it's history.

Swimming Lessons

Ben has been taking swimming lessons for the past several weeks. In May, he went every Tuesday evening for a half hour. On June 7, he began a two-week session where he went every morning. His teacher was really easy to work with, and Jenny and I both were able to spend time with him in the water.

I'll go ahead and say it...Daddys do better with swimming lessons. There is something about a mommy and her sweet baby swimming that keeps her from pushing the envelope. The day I took him, his teacher commented on my not letting him take a break. Maybe that's attributed to the Daddy wanting to get his money's worth and not waste a moment or a dime.

Or maybe it's the male competitiveness. At any rate, these past few weeks have been great for Benjamin, and he has learned all he can learn at this point. We'll do it again in summers to come, but for now he is right where he needs to be.

Some of what he has learned:

Gator Crawling (Hand to hand moving along the wall)

Superman (Jumping off our lap towards the wall)

Jumping in

Blowing bubbles

Jumping onto a Noodle

Kicking (with his feet staying just under the surface)

Kicking along with a boogie board underneath

Dunking (taking him all the way under the water)

Climbing out of the side

Floating on his back

He's a natural!

Jumping into the water on his own...nothing underneath him.

Treading water while mommy pulls him...

We've joined a neighborhood pool this year, and I think we're going to get our money's worth from that as well. It's hot outside, and only going to get hotter.

Still praying that our Florida Vacation makes.

Back later this week with VBS pics.

What We've Been Up To...

This past month has been completely crazy. Jenny and I have been all over the place...mentally and physically.

Work has been wild with VBS planning, re-arranging classrooms, starting another session of Mother's Day Out, and entering the busy summer months.

With the end of the school year and the beginning of summer and all the craziness that entails, Jenny and I had to make a mad dash to Waco a few weeks ago so that I could interview for a doctoral program back at Baylor. As crazy as the trip down and back was (12 pm Monday to 6 pm Tuesday) we enjoyed being away without Ben for a night. On the way down, we discovered iced coffee from Starbucks. Where has this been the last few miserable summers? We're totally hooked.

We arrived in Dallas right at 5, and needed to stretch our legs, so we walked around the Galleria for a while and then headed to our favorite restaurant in the world...

We would be broke and morbidly obese if we had a Pappadeaux in Little Rock.

Jenny and I were both dieting when we traveled, and actually stayed on our diets even with the desire to snack on the road. The school put us up in an apartment for the night, so we checked in, went to see our friends Tiffany and David, and then had a nice, quiet night's sleep. I even woke early enough on Tuesday to lay on the couch and watch the news. A rare treat. (Side note...I've been accepted though it's not final until the faculty signs off on all of the applicants who have been recommended for admission. Now I have to decide if I actually can start the program or if I need to defer for another year...)

Ben's days have been filled with playing in the house, running errands with Mommy, and basically getting into all sorts of two year-old mischief. He's really talking well in complete sentences. Things like "Go outside play Bailey Annabelle-Toot-Toot" or "Go ride Mommy Daddy Car Go See Pippi Poppa."

Sure, he omits definite articles and helping verbs, but he's talking really well.

And singing.

His favorite song right now is the Hot Dog Dance from The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He pauses, belts out a long "oooooooohhhhhhhh....hot dog hot dog (hot) diggity dog." It's so cute I want to just leave the house.

Other favorites...taking out the trash. Throwing anything and everything in the trash. Wiping off his hands and face after eating. Praying to God (mealtime blessing). Chocadoughs (Chocolate Donuts). Dough Wutt Holes (Any Donuts...holes or otherwise). Blugurt (Blue GoGurt). Snow Cone Truck Man (the snow cone...not necessarily the vehicle or attendants). 'Lil Gurl (Plastic girl figurine).

Another favorite...friends. He's really taking to some of the older kids from church...Lila for one. This was a recent playdate spent throwing rocks in a pond. What an Arkansas pastime.

Bailey's pretty much been up to the same stuff...

Benjamin spent two nights with his Grammy and Granddad this past week. His treat when he returned home: a Choo Choo board book. Notice the chicken in his hand...we don't know what triggered it, but Saturday he ate everything in sight.

Later that day and after swimming, he ate an entire six-pack of nuggets. He's never even finished a four-pack of nuggets.

That night we visited a roadhouse where he could throw his peanut shells on the floor...which he loved of course. He also enjoyed the homemade rolls and deep-fried chips that came with our burger.

So, that's where we are for now. We've been burning the roads in various directions...trying to get him to eat, working on VBS, working on work in general, and enjoying life with a wild and rough and tumble little boy.