Endings

The month of May is always a month of endings.  And of course, each ending is accompanied by a celebration of some sort.  So, we here in the Bryson household are a little "celebrated -out". 

First we had the end of the school year program....

The kids sang songs with an ocean theme and ended with an all-school rendition of "Everlasting God", in which Paige got to say a verse with a few friends.

Then there was the end of Father's G.Y.M., a father-son program that Dave and Garrett have been part of at our church.  To wrap up for summer, they went fishing in the Jemez mountains.  Garrett caught 4 trout, which we grilled up for dinner that night.  He was so proud!

And so exhausted....



Then there was the end of Paige's bottom teeth....

Paige also celebrated the end of kindergarten with a graduation program at her school.  The kids had caps and gowns, and they each went up on the stage and talked about their favorite part of kindergarten.  True to form, Paige wrote about holding earthworms.  She talked about how they didn't like the light, and finished her speech by saying "I liked when I held them in my hand.  They felt COOL!" 



Finally, there was the end of ballet lessons.  Paige has finished her mandatory year of ballet so that she can choose to try jazz or tap now.  They had a big recital (2 performances!) at the Hispanic Cultural Center this weekend.  She had to dress up in her very frilly costume, wear a feather and flower in her hair, have her hair curled, and wear makeup.  For many little girls, this would be a dream, but for Paige, it was a little more like torture.  She cried and complained her way through getting ready for the dress rehearsal.  However, after we arrived at the theater and she saw all the other girls decked out too, she changed her mind.  She told me today that she liked looking pretty and graceful, and she might want to continue taking ballet instead of switching to jazz.  We'll see whether this "girly" feeling sticks around, but we had a fun weekend with it anyway!



Goin' Green

No, not that kind of green.  We didn't buy a hybrid car.  Or unplug all electrical appliances.  Or give money to stop the thinning of the ozone layer.  We did something much more exciting than that.  In the last two years of living in this house, our backyard has resembled a war-torn country.  Don't believe me?  Here's proof:

We never intended for this look to be permanent.  But, with all the construction going on, it seemed silly to waste any time fixing up the yard.  In the grand scheme, a kitchen sink seemed more important than a pretty yard.  But, it never seemed like we were quite finished with our house, even after everything inside was fully operational. 

After several weekends of laying sprinkler pipes, adding fertilizer (because that picture up above shows dirt that was only good for the hardiest of weeds), and laying out flower beds, our backyard is now (almost) complete!  We can finally relax outside and actually enjoy the view!  And, as Paige excitedly put it, "No more stickers in my feet!!"  Thanks to my sweet hubby for all his hard work.  He finally bought the new coffeepot I promised him when the remodel was done!  Now he can kick back and relax! (Until he remembers that we still haven't painted the eaves or put up the gutters.  But those can wait....)

Here are some pictures of our new oasis:

Now THAT'S some "green" I can really appreciate!!

Derbies and Deacons

Our family has had a wonderful weekend.  Garrett and Dave have been taking part in a program at our church called Father's G.Y.M. (Growing Young Men).  They get to do "boy" stuff, and their most recent project was to do a Pinewood Derby.  Dave, of course, relished this challenge.  He and Garrett spent a lot of time whittling their cars, painting them, and smoothing out all the kinks.
On Saturday, the kids and dads all met for the official race.  They had quite an advanced setup, with a computer program that determined the race order and a laser light that determined which car won the race.  After each car had 8 races, they compiled all the times and awarded prizes.  Garrett came in 3rd place, although he was less than one second behind the winner.  He did, however win the "Custom Car" category for having the coolest car.  Here's the proud winner with his prizes:

Dave and the other dads had their own race, and Dave and another dad tied.  After 8 races, their times were identical down to the millisecond!  They had one final race-off between them, and Dave won!  It was a fun night for all.

Tonight, Dave was also ordained as a deacon in our church.  We had a really special service where our good friend Bill challenged us to follow Christ whole-heartedly, and then all the ordained men prayed with Dave.  We have such a wonderful church family, and we really felt their love tonight.

In other news, Paige has a new and improved version of the Easter story.  Last night, she was telling us all the details of the Easter week.  As she told of Judas' betrayal, the trial before Pilate, and the stone over the tomb entrance, I was feeling so proud of her and moved that the story had meant so much to her.  Then she finishes the story with this: "On Easter morning, Jesus rose again.  The Marys went to the tomb so they could put chiles on Jesus' body, and He was gone!" 
I'm sorry....chiles on Jesus' body???  Then it occured to me that her teacher had probably said that the women brought spices to put on his body.  Well, in the Bryson household, spices mean chile!  So, apparently the angels should have asked Jesus the age-old question -"red or green?"  I managed to control my laughter enough to praise Paige for her wonderful storytelling, and then set her straight.  I'm not sure I will be able to read the Easter story with a straight face next week, but we will still praise the Lord!

Diggin'

We have been finished with the remodel for 9 months now, but we have yet to do anything with our backyard.  In the morning, I open the blinds and look out on....dirt.  With Garrett's love of digging holes, it wasn't even nice smooth dirt.  It looked vaguely reminiscient of some war zone aftermath -random holes with piles of dirt next to them, tools and pieces of metal scattered around, even half of the nectarine tree broken off on the ground. 

With the warm weather beginning, we are finally starting Phase 3 of the remodel -landscaping!  We have spent the last 3 weekends hauling dirt, digging trenches, and laying sprinklers.  We are hoping to lay sod next weekend, if all goes well.  It's been so long since I've seen a green yard, I can't wait!  Paige keeps saying she wants grass now, so that she doesn't have to wear shoes outside and so she won't get any "little sticker things" in her feet. 

Last weekend was the highlight of the process for the kids.  Dave rented a small Bobcat to help move the 13 yards of dirt we bought from the driveway to the backyard.  He let both kids ride in it, and Garrett even got to use the controls!  There was nothing more exciting in his world that weekend!  Now he wants a Bobcat to play with in the yard!  After today's job of digging trenches, I'm not sure Dave or I will be able to stand up tomorrow.  But, the end result will be worth it!

Toothless!

It's been coming for a few weeks now....There was the twisting, turning, and tongue-pushing.  Then there was the apple-eating, candy chewing, and gum-smacking.  And finally, there were Daddy's fly-fishing forceps:

Paige has finally lost her first tooth!  She has been talking about it now for months, and she was so excited!  Her first reaction when Dave pulled it was to start crying, but then when I forced her to look in the mirror, she started laughing hysterically.  She threw herself a party tonight, complete with jumping on the bed and dancing around with her stuffed animals.

And, naturally, kindergarten pictures are tomorrow.  Good-bye, sweet baby teeth smiles! 

Picasso Paige and Other Adventures

As usual, February has flown by.  Garrett wrote an essay about my dad for the "A Senior Citizen I Know" contest, and read it at the second grade's Senior Citizen Appreciation Tea.  I have a hard time thinking of my dad as a senior citizen, but I guess he technically qualifies, even though he doesn't seem like one!  Garrett enjoyed writing about his Papa, even if he DIDN'T enjoy reading his essay in front of all those people. (I don't think public speaking is in his future.  Or acting.  Or anything requiring too many people to look at him at once.)

He also supplied the best quote of the month.  One afternoon, he was bopping around the kitchen backwards and singing out "Doin' the moon walk!  Doin' the mo-o-o-on walk!"  I asked him if he knew who did the moonwalk first, since he likes a few of Michael Jackson's songs.  He looked at me like I was the dumbest creature alive, and said "Yeah, I know -Neil Armstrong!!"  It's too bad he doesn't like public speaking, with one-liners like that!

Paige, on the other hand, is showing her creative side more each day.  In addition to ballet, she has taken up painting and drawing.  One Saturday morning, I returned from the gym to find the kids waiting for me at the door.  Garrett said "Mom!  Come look at Paige's room!"  Dave said "Don't worry, I've already talked to her about it -after I stopped laughing!"  So, with great trepidation, I entered her room, but nothing seemed out of place.  Then Paige said "Mommy, you have to close the door!"  At which point, I noticed this:

(Of course, "noticed" might not be the right word, seeing how you could hardly miss it!)  My emotions went from anger and disbelief, right into uncontrollable laughter.  I mean, how could you not laugh hysterically at that crazed, smiling face?  Paige had decided that her door needed a self-portrait.  My biggest concern was that she was going to wake up in the middle of the night and think it was a monster out to get her.  But so far, it hasn't fazed her.  I'm not sure how Rembrandt's mother would have handled this, but I'm sure my laughing fit was not appropriate for discipline.  However, we did express that this act would NEVER be replicated again on anything other than blank paper.  You know, when you become a parent, they leave out so many rules that you should make.  I guess I missed the chapter entitled "Don't draw a life-sized portrait of yourself on the back of your door!"  Who would have thought we'd need that rule?  Now all we need is a gallon of paint....

Snow Day!

After several failed warnings of "huge snowstorms" throughout the winter, the weatherman finally got one right.  We are effectively shut in today, with over 6 inches of snow, strong winds, and more to come.  None of this slowed down the kids, of course.  Both were up at 5:45 a.m. begging to go outside and play.  After making them wait until a slightly more reasonable time of 7:00, they proceeded to create a snow fort out of the shoveled snow from the driveway.  Garrett is in heaven, pretending that he is the guy on "Man vs. Wild" and surviving in the bitter Arctic.  Paige played outside until her clothes were sopping wet, then traded for a warm blanket and cartoons.  Garrett came inside to eat, then happily donned his soaking clothes and went back out.  Crazy boy!  Here he is in his "igloo".

The kids are hoping that the snow will continue and we'll have another snow day tomorrow.  I can't say it would make me too sad, either!

In the month since Christmas, we've had a lot of fun.  First, there was Christmas itself, with its new jammies, Nerf guns from Santa, and other wonderful things!



Then there was Christmas at Dave's parents, where Garrett got to shoot his first real gun "that could kill people" (a .22).  He was an excellent marksman, and this picture shows his first 4 shots -3 of which were in the "bullseye" from 150 feet.  Not bad for a beginner!  He's set his sights on the Olympics already.  Maybe we'll settle for a safety and training course at the local gun range first!

Last weekend, we visited the Albuquerque Aquarium and enjoyed looking at all the fishy exhibits.  The kids even stopped running around long enough to take a picture with mom! (A rarity, as I'm usually the one behind the camera!)  All in all, it's been an excellent month.