Guitar Lessons

I took my camera to guitar lessons today. Cody has taken lessons from Danny Brewer for almost 4 years. Nolan began lessons just a few months ago. I thought it would be nice to document one of their lessons. Rock on!

(Cody learning Darius Rucker's song "It won't be like this for long.")

Danny has played back up for Tom Petty, Tina Turner, and the Box Tops. He is the best guitar teacher, EVER!

Nolan is jammin out on his chord progressions and Yankee Doodle.

Sunflower

Erin and I took the kids to the Draper Wildlife Management Area to see the fields of sunflowers. Most of the sunflowers were gone but we found just enough to get these shots.

Nolan found a pussywillow- he thought it was really cool and had to bring it home.

More Critters

More Critters- becoming a boring topic around here, since the kids find more critters than the average scientist. Critter #1 for this week comes from our driveway, baking in the sun. A small black and white king snake that the kids (and Dad) have now decided to keep, for God knows how long. It has already escaped, in our den, and I threaten to move out if they did not find it. They did find it and I photographed it in case it got out again and lost its life (just kidding I am not going to kill it). Critter #2 for this week is an assortment of frogs and toads, caught by you know who, Logan the "frog whisperer". Steven took her and Nolan to the Draper Wildlife Management Area and they came home with 25-30 critters (poor things are still in the container). Critter #3 for this week is Timmy the turtle. Timmy is a box turtle that we found 2 years ago. We adorned his shell with a BIG T, in red fingernail polish, and then sent Timmy on his merry way. Months would pass and Timmy, with the T, would come and visit. For the past 2 years we have seen Timmy our property. It has been quite awhile since the last encounter, until last night in the road, Steven saved Timmy. He has grown and shed his "T" but we will help him before releasing him and paint his shell once more. It is only Wednesday and one can only guess what other critters will be found the remainder of the week!

Click on the photo to enlarge.

The snake is tasting one of the frogs that Logan found.

Whittling

I looked out of the back door and saw Nolan sitting in a chair with knife in hand and stick in the other hand, whittling. Steven gave Nolan a Swiss Army knife and he is enthralled with all of the tools. While at Fripp Island, Uncle Kevin showed Nolan how to whittle with his knife. Now Nolan stays in the woods looking for sticks to whittle. So cute!

Logan went to camp

This was Logan's first year to go to camp. She attended a week long camp at the Museum of York County. Her camp was titled "Critter Camp". She learned about her favorite thing- critters! At the end of the camp they had a ceremony. The children sang a song with hand motions, Logan sat motionless during the entire song. She was so funny!!!! She cannot wait to do this again next year.

Just a few vacation photos for far away people we love.

This is just for you Mama Linda. I wanted you to see the kids at the beach. If you click on the photo, it will enlarge it Logan had a frog attached to her all week!
This is the point where we watched the sunset

Mr. Smiley

That one ended up coming on the porch.

She chased the deer away.

Buttercup

Last night Steve and Cody were at the ball field. Nolan and Logan were enjoying watermelon at the kitchen table. I had the backdoor open, while I was cleaning the kitchen. Charlie was on the 3rd stair watching everyone, Chase was under the table, and Maggie (the cat) was sitting in the kitchen watching me (and meowing for treats). All of the sudden I see something out of the corner of my eye, then the chase began. Quicker than I could turn around Maggie and Charlie where on top of a baby bunny. I am screaming "Holy *&%$", over and over. Nolan and Logan are now standing in their chairs, Logan thinks it is a raccoon or fox. When I began to scream the cat dropped the bunny, which had made its way into the dining room. Maggie decides she is going to try to get it again and the bunny scoots under a record cabinet. I shooed all of the animals outside, got my gloves on (what am I thinking- gloves!!!), and moved the cabinet, where I found the tiny baby bunny, cute a button. Logan names it Buttercup. We made Buttercup a comfortable bed with food and water. We wanted it to spend the night to make sure that it did not sustain any injuries. At 6am this morning Logan wakes us wanting to check on Buttercup, who had escaped from her nice box. We found her under the couch, healthy as a tick. We drove Buttercup to a "safer" place in the woods, away from all of our meat eating rabid animals. (smile) Now she is back where she belongs. A bunny in my house, now how did that happen?

Chase, Charlie, and Maggie are hoping that the door will open for them. They want a taste...