Esthetics class

So in case you didn't know, I am training to become an esthetician.  Skin care is very important to me and I just love my class.  Here are some pictures of us practicing facials on each other, oh it feels so good and I get all sorts of free pampering.  We also learn makeup application, this is my baby.  I did sort of a Suzanne Sugarbaker daytime look on him.

Bored, continued.

I forgot this instance of boredom.  Jesse and Tripp were both tired of being cooped up so they put their hoodies on and braved the cold weather.  Tripp has a backyard full of dump trucks and other such toys, but on this day he was content to have Jesse throw a basketball up on the roof and then . . .wait for it. . .watch it fall down.  I know, I 'bout peed my pants with excitment.

Bored

Don't get me wrong, I adore Ark City.  The people are wonderful, it's safe and it's quiet, but it can be really boring when the day approaches and your husband is off work and the whole family is sitting around dreaming up things to do.  On this particular day, a Sunday, we were all home and dying to get out of the house.  And when there's nothing better to do we drive around and look at the fires that Jesse has helped extinguish.  This day we got to drive to Winfield, oh I was so excited!  Winfield is about 10 miles away, it is the Cowley County seat and a booming metropolis.  Just kidding it's not a whole lot bigger than Ark City, but it's just fun to go somewhere else.  This same week Jesse had fought two separate fires in Winfield, both were house fires, one damn near burnt to the ground.  We then went back to A-town and Jesse drove me by the meth lab fire and the many grass fires around town.  Tripp could have cared less about any of this, because he doesn't get bored, he goes to sleep.  I took lots of pictures on this car trip, I don't know.  Capturing the real moments seems to be my shtick, I never have my camera around to capture any firsts or milestones, but don't worry if you need to be reminded of life's daily minutia I'm your girl.

They're here. . . (cue scary music)

The terrible two's have arrived.  We celebrated Tripp's second birthday in true Tripp fashion with lots of pop, playing at the park and candy.  He had a great time, when the cake was gone, the presents put up, and all the company back on the road to the land of the normal's (Tulsa) Tripp finally surrendered to his exhaustion and caved for a nap at 6:00 p.m.  He got way too many toys as usual, but loved them all, so I can't really complain.  No offense to any other gifts he received, but my favorite had to be his big boy bed, for completely selfish reasons of course.  Hoooooooray, no more sleeping in bed with Mama and Daddy!  That's almost as exciting as the day he was born, someone explain to me why we don't celebrate the moving to your own bed with more pomp and circumstance?  It truly is a right of passage for both the child and the parents.

Birthday #1

I can't believe it has already been another year.  Tripp is turning 2 in 10 days and I have this aching feeling in my stomach that I too am another year older.  Tripp's first year has truly been fascinating, children change so much in this year it is hard to recognize from the beginning of this year to the end.  Tripp was just walking and speaking in one word commands at his first birthday, he now using hopping as his primary source of transportation and carrying on conversations with any adult who will listen.  His latest zinger went something like this, "My stepped in Winston dogshit at Mimi's house."  He's so big I can't wait to see what this next year brings, we are almost over the terrible two hill, or better yet the terrible two Mt. Everest.  Tripp has sure been a lot of fun and I look forward to this birthday.

?

I'm not sure what to say about this picture except that Tripp and I arrived too late for Sunday school and too early for church so we were killing time in the car waiting for church to start.

Big Shoes to Fill, Literally!

Tripp loves fire trucks and the fire station and all that it entails.  He even took his shower with his Fireman helmet on.  It looks as though he might want to follow in his Daddy's big footsteps and pursue a career in firefighting.  We hope so, Jesse loves firefighting and would be a wonderful career choice for Tripp.

Unaccompanied Toddler

This is what happens when a toddler gets in the make-up drawer at Mimi's house and then decides that Daddy is a blank canvas that needs some spicing up.  Tripp is using a Fall color palate, but I think Jesse is more of a Summer.