Red River, New Mexico

We just got back from our vacation to Red River, New Mexico.  Justin's company has some cabins there and we took my parents (Wyatt's Granny and Grandaddy) with us for the fun.

We didn't "do" a whole lot.  A little hiking, rented an off-road golf cart for a half-day trip, a lot of reading and relaxing.  We also went to Taos one day.  Taos Pueblo, a place where Native Americans have lived from before all the white people came, was kind of neat.  A few people still live there with no running water and no electricity.  Some are artists and sell their work to the tourists.  Dad got a really neat piece (a bear) that was made out of clay and then the colored part was from horsehair.  It looks like some kind of stone.  They charged extra for cameras at the Pueblo,  so I got a couple of post-cards and didn't take any pictures.  In the town of Taos there were some neat shops we looked at.  If we had money we didn't know what to do with we all agreed we would have dropped a few thousand in the rocks and minerals store.  They had some beautiful amethyst geodes there that would have made beautiful home decor.

Another major thing we didn't photograph were all the motorcycles.  The Saturday we arrived (Memorial Day weekend) there was a motorcycle rally in Red River.  It took 20 minutes just to drive down the one main street in the town to get to the grocery store because of all the bikes.  I have never seen so many Harley's or so much leather before.  We even worshiped with a bunch of bikers Sunday morning.  What a special experience!  The Saturday we left they had a classic car show.  I didn't take any pictures there either - but we did enjoy looking around for a few minutes before we hit the road to Amarillo.

Sunday morning in Amarillo we went to the church where our old preacher is now at (well, we placed membership the week before he announced he was leaving - but we overalapped a little bit).  We even ran into some friends from our young married class there in Amarillo.  It is a small world sometimes.  After church and lunch we headed for home, only to be stopped on I-40.  People were getting out and walking around trying to see what was going on.  We had seen smoke in the distance, so we guessed that the fire reached or got close to the road and they wouldn't let anyone pass.  Justin got on his phone and found us a different route after awhile, so at least we didn't have to just sit there who knows how long.  We drove through the grass to do a U-turn and went around a different way.  We ended up adding an hour to our drive time, but we did make it home safe and sound.  It was a great vacation, and it is also great to be home and back to normal life again.

On our hike up to a beautiful lake.  (My parents)

Wyatt loves riding in the backpack!  Daddy really got a workout carrying him up the mountain.

Here are all of us at the top.  The lake was beautiful, and it was very cold up there.  Wyatt got really cold even with all his layers, hat, and mittens.

This was a river we had to cross in order to get to the top.  Justin took off his shoes and socks and just waded because it was difficult to balance with Wyatt on his back.  He even helped my parents make it across.

Justin trying to feel his feet again after that freezing cold water.  You can't see it in the picture, but just to his left a little bit is a big pile of snow.

Beautiful view from the top

Wyatt with his grandparents enjoying the view.

Deer we spotted off the dirt road on our way back to the cabin from the hike.  We saw several deer while we were there.

A very common sight during the week.  Wyatt enjoyed having people read to him (and it was really cold in the cabin sometimes - thus all the bundling up)

Mommy reading to Wyatt.

Local park (one of three different ones he played at while we were there).

The first two nights he took a shower with Daddy and screamed the whole time.  Then we gave him his baths in the kitchen sink - which was a success.

That boy loves his Daddy, and the backpack!

Loving the playgrounds here in NM.

Doesn't he look cool in his shades!  We got him new ones (that actually have all the UV protection - I don't know if the ones he is wearing in the picture have any) for his souvenir.  He loves his glasses!

With Granny and Grandaddy down by the river behind the cabin (well, behind and down a very steep hill).

Throwing rocks with Grandaddy - his new favorite past time.

He loves his Granny!

We rented this off-road golf cart for a trip to Goose Lake.  It sure was fun.  Great views, old stuff to look at (old mines and old log houses), and lots of bouncing.

Checking out an old mine.

Here we are at Goose Lake.

An old log cabin on the way to Goose Lake.

The view of Goose Lake.  Gorgeous!  I hiked around the whole thing which was kind of fun (an adventure not to fall in at one point when I was walking on slippery snow).

We went to Taos one day.  Found this great play area behind a toy store.  Totally free play area and children's classes.  Wish we had someplace like this here.

Still at the play area.  We left shortly after this picture when he fell and hit his head.  It was way past nap time anyway.

Rio Grande Gorge - It was spectacular.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  We drove across this bridge, stopped and took pictures at the rest stop and then drove back.  We didn't try walking on the bridge (although there was a sidewalk and overlook places for pedestrians).  I was close enough for my comfort from right here.

Other view of the gorge.

Wyatt is quite the little reader!

Daddy put Wyatt on his tummy to swing all by himself and he loved it!  He also laughed every time his feet drug on the ground.

These little flower shaped seats spin around and around.  Very unique and fun for Wyatt and Daddy.

Throwing rocks in the river with Grandaddy.

This (and the above pics) were at a little park in Red Ricer that had a nature trail that crossed back and forth over this little river.  This was probably our favorite spot of the whole trip.  Fun, peaceful, and beautiful.

Grandaddy came up with a new game.  He would "ribbit" the little frog and then throw it "attack frog."  Wyatt thought it was hilarious and it scared him both at the same time.  I guess he must enjoy being scared a little bit since he was always ready for more attack frog.

All of us in front of the cabin.

In front of the property.  You can see the cabin and the rental van in the background..

And just another pic of the cutie (when we were back home).

Baseball

Wyatt is really into baseball.  He loves to watch the Rangers on TV (He grins, says "b-ball" while pointing at the screen, and then goes around the house swinging whatever he can find that looks like a bat.  He has used golf clubs, umbrellas, and one of those tubes that you can mail posters in.)  When we watch baseball on tv, (which isn't too often since we don't have cable and only get Friday night baseball for the most part) Wyatt will cheer along with the crowd.  Good when its a home game for the Rangers, but when it is an away game he cheers at the wrong times :)

He also has gotten to see Justin play softball a few times, which he seems to enjoy.  He likes to cheer for them (or the other team - as I mentioned before, when he hears cheering he usually joins in).  When he was able to swing Justin's huge bat I decided he needed a bat of his own.  Within a week of having his tee-ball set he is pretty good.  He can even hit the ball when it is thrown to him some of the time.   When we call Justin on the phone now the first thing Wyatt says is, "Hi Daddy" and then "baseball" and "bat."

I don't know how Wyatt figured out how to bat - but he picked it up quickly.  He will sometimes hit the ball, drop his bat, and runs around pumping his left arm only and saying "go, go, go!"

In honor of Josh Hamilton's four home runs (and a double) last night I would like to say, "Go Rangers!"

I got a few pictures of Wyatt (future home run hitter) playing baseball at the lake this weekend.

I got a video too.

Train and Farm

Wyatt and I went and took a train ride around Trinity Park with Shelby and Brady.  We had a good time.  Here are a few pictures I got of the fun.  I took the pictures while the train was waiting at the depot - in case anyone gets worried that we let the boys sit/stand alone while the train was moving.

Brady

Wyatt - I could only get serious faces out of him.

I  got a little smile out of Brady!

Checking out the engine.

A week later we went to Homestead Farms, in Keller.  This was with Christine, Blake (on his birthday!),  and Parker as well as Shelby and Brady.  They had some extra things going on for earth day, like plant your own seed in a Dixie cup, hay rides, and snow cones.  It started raining after we'd been there awhile, so we didn't get to do a hay ride (and of course no snow cones for us).  Wyatt enjoyed looking at the animals, the tractor, and digging in the wheelbarrow full of dirt.  I took home a yummy tomato and a couple of sweet potatoes from their store.  I didn't buy any of the raw goat's milk from their goats - maybe next time.   

Wyatt really enjoyed looking at the chickens.

Planting his seed

Parker and Wyatt - they are sharing...right?

Wyatt and Parker are both wearing their overalls for the trip to the farm - but it was chilly so they had jackets over them and you can't tell.

Wyatt loving the tractor.  He was so high in the air I had to have Blake put him up and get him down for me.

Brady on the tractor.

Wyatt loved the "puppies."  Super sweet farm dogs.

Cute mama and baby goats.  Wyatt actually learned to call them goats, and not puppies!

All three of the boys together in a rare moment.  Checking out the chickens.

Here are all the milking goats.

17 months

I thought I would write a little bit about what Wyatt is up to these days, now that he is 17 months old.  He is starting to "run" a little bit.  He really wants to be able to jump, and pretends he is, but his feet don't leave the ground.  He still loves to dance, and now he will spin around in a circle while moving his fist up and down (his "dancing").  It is so funny when he falls over because he has made himself dizzy.  Justin says he must have my balance, because it doesn't take much for him to fall over.

Talking is the main thing Wyatt does.  He is a pretty good communicator with Mama and Daddy (others have trouble interpreting), and there are only a few things he has recently started saying that I can't figure out.  Here is a list of some words he has picked up over the last couple of months: push, yucky, off, light, outside "side", slide, swing, door, diaper, cheek, teeth, amen, again, one more, cereal, raisin, apple, cracker, cheese, chicken, berry, Staci, Granny, Mr. Ron, rain, mowing, poo-poo, tractor, car, seat, and Pawpaw.  He says something for Grandaddy and Grandma, but they aren't as clear as Granny and Pawpaw (which is funny, because the names he can and can't say well don't go together).  He really understands things too.  This morning he was fussing because he wanted something out of the fridge.  I said something like - we don't talk like that, how do you ask nicely.  He stopped fussing, looked at me and said, "please." 

Lately one of the things that had been driving me crazy was when Wyatt would just fuss and cry while I was trying to get things done.  There would be nothing wrong with him, he would just want my attention or want something he couldn't have.  Well, I started putting him in his room for timeout.  Once he stopped crying I would go let him out to be with me - and it worked like a charm.  Previously when I got him to stop crying he would start up with the fussing again really soon, but with the time out  he stopped fussing and was pleasant to be around (even when he was tired).  Life has been made much easier with this tactic.  I have only had to do it a couple of times ever - and the benefit has lasted even though he hasn't had time out in almost a week. 

On the other hand we won't be doing any kind of physical punishment right now.  I gave him a little swat on the hand for disobeying me the other day (continuing to throw food across the room right after I told him no).  Well, as soon as he was out of his high chair that night he came over to me and gave my hand a little swat.  It was so funny because he imitated exactly the way I had done it to him.  Justin and I looked at each other and said, last time we try that!

He is imitating things all the time.  He likes to bring me my exercise band (no I don't actually use them to exercise with like I should) and I will show him how to use it - big grunt as a I stretch it out.  Then he will make a grunting noise as he pulls on the band.  He likes to sit, fully clothed, on his little potty and say poo-poo.  (He won't sit on it at all undressed like before his bath though - goofy kid).  He likes to "help" me sweep, dust, and vacuum.  He especially likes to vacuum and will turn it off and on when I am trying to use the hose to vacuum the furniture.  Wyatt loves to pretend to talk on the phone - or things that look like phones such as remote controls or calculators (he doesn't do this nearly as much as he used to though).  I have to watch what I do in front of him.  I was weeding the other day, so he started trying to pull up my flowers!

Oh yeah - Wyatt finally got his 5th tooth to poke out the other day.  

We have a sweet, sweet boy.  We sure love him and are very proud parents.

Bluebonnets

We heard about a field of bluebonnets on Popplewell, which is very close by in Richland Hills.  I thought it was over by Dad's office, but when I asked him he said no.  We drove around and found it - other end of Popplewell off Highway 10/Baker Blvd.  It was a great place to take pictures.  Wyatt was fussy unfortunately, (it was almost dinner time) but we were still able to get some decent pics.  We are all in our Rangers gear because this was opening day.  Let's go Rangers!

He sure loves his Daddy!

Aunt Staci had stopped by on her way home (she was looking for the bluebonnets for us, but we had already found them) and she took our family picture.  Hard to get any better because Wyatt wouldn't cooperate.

#32 Josh Hamilton is who they are supporting.

Wyatt started crying when Daddy was taking the above picture of Mommy.  I guess he didn't think he could walk over to us because of all the bluebonnets in his way.

Happy again - Mommy and Daddy came back to me.

Wyatt's little baseball and glove.