On ponytails and running

Collin insisted when he woke up from his nap yesterday that he needed a ponytail.  I know...it's odd.  What was even more odd was his dad's eagerness to oblige him.  So I spent a good part of my afternoon looking at this: 

I don't even know what more to say.  Other than I think Landry was refusing to take part in this photo for a reason.  Embarrassment.

Now that that is out of the way, let me prove to you just how manly my men are!

Last weekend we participated in a 5k/1k run to benefit a local organization.  Jarrod did the 5k (his first ever), and Collin and I did the 1k fun run.  The race started at sundown, approximately 7:20pm, and it was a Glo Run!  Cutest idea ever.

Everyone was all decked out in neon colors and glow necklaces/bracelets/mohawks.  Yes.  Collin really wanted a glow-in-the-dark mohawk, but his dad refused to shell out for it.  After that ponytail picture it's all a wonder to me...  

Collin did such a great job during the race!  I was worried about several things. 

1. That I might end up carrying him for half a mile (aka, the whole dad-gum 1k)

2. That he would have a meltdown over the fact that Jarrod "ran off without us".

3. That it would downpour, I would end up carrying him for the whole dad-gum 1k and he would have a meltdown because Jarrod "ran off without us".

Alas, none of these things happened!  It only sprinkled for the first few minutes of the race, and I didn't have to carry anyone.  Collin ran the whole time, shouting to me, "Come ON, Mommy! COOOOOOOKIESSSSSSS!!!!"  (I was reading some info to Jarrod before the race, and I read that they would have bananas and cookies at the finish line.  Collin clearly remembered the cookie part!)

Sorry these are all blurry, but the kid was running!

At the end of the 1k, they had "medals" to hand out to the kids who finished.  They had some guy dressed up like Bumblebee from Transformers.  (Or if you're Collin, it's "buzzy-bee".)  Collin flat refused to go near the guy and was pretty hacked off about the whole situation.  Finally, Bumblebee's "helper lady" came over and put Collin's medal around his neck.   

Showing off his "medal", which was a cute little glow-in-the-dark dog tag.

At this point it was straight for the banana/cookie table, and then off to wait for Daddy to finish his race.

Jarrod had a clear time in mind for when he wanted to finish the race, and he beat it!  We were so proud of him.

Eating a banana right after finishing his first ever 5k!

Look at these MEN!  Cuties :)

 Awful group pic... Rain = weird, wavy bangs on me.  And crazy flash-eyes.  Gahhh, the flash!

But I had to include this because Collin totally photo-bombed us, and he thought it was the funniest thing.  Hot dog included.  Yes, the kid ate like a horse after running around a few blocks!

And lastly, Collin's school had someone come in and do Easter-themed photos with the kids last week.  I would normally not really go in for something like this because it has a huge potential to be cheesy, and let's face it, Jarrod doesn't think the picture budget is as big as I might think it is.  We normally only pay for his official "school picture" in the Fall.

Well, I let my crazy mind run away from me, and I reminded myself of the type of luck I tend to possess.  If I decided not to let Collin participate in these, they might very well be the most adorable things ever and then I would kick myself.  There wasn't much of a description.  I was just told that the photographer would be dressing the kids and providing a Spring backdrop and bunnies.  The sitting fee was very small and then you view the proofs to decide if you want to purchase any of them.  So I figured no harm...

That is until I was putting Collin to bed the night he had the pictures taken, and he started to describe to me what he was dressed in for the pictures.  I finished saying goodnight and immediately started trying to find the photographer on Facebook to see if I could find any examples of these bunny photos she is going around taking.

Y'all.  I laughed and laughed.  Jarrod is horrified.  He said I subjected our son to Easter Glamour Shots.  I have a theory though; it's Collin, surely we will think they are the cutest photos ever.  Right?

We will find out tomorrow when I go to view the proofs!  Whether or not I post them on here is TBD. 

Don't worry, Mom.  I'll get you one! ;)

Naked neck chickens & George W.

So incredibly happy it's officially SPRING!  Now, if only the weather in AR would officially catch on...

Last weekend, Jarrod's mom and dad came for a little visit.  Collin asked us every morning when he woke up, and every night at bedtime, if it was Friday yet.  When Friday rolled around and his Nonne and Papa came with me to pick him up from daycare, he was beside his self.  Y'all, he just gushed and gushed over them coming to his school.

Saturday the weather was supposed to be nasty, so we couldn't really make any plans to do anything.  On a whim, we all went out to a local farm so Collin could see the animals and walk around for a bit.  It's so weird for me to be on the city-slicker end of things.  When Jarrod called to ask if we could come out for a visit, the owner stated they are a "working farm", and we should probably wear shoes we wouldn't mind getting dirty. If I had a dollar for every time my parents said to me, "Tell your friends to wear shoes/clothes that can get messy!" 

My handsome men...on a farm...LOVE.

Collin loved seeing all the baby animals, and he was only upset he wasn't able to get closer to them.  He thought he really wanted to hug a baby pig and a baby calf!   Not so much the naked-neck chickens...

Sweetness.

It was a good chance to get a little outside of town though and for me to be able to look up and see a patch of sky without other rooftops in view.

Would you believe I have a photo with a similar background that I used to submit with my resumes?
I'm sitting all peachy-keen on my parents porch with a farm trailer in the background.

Speaking of open sky...  How proud was I when (totally unprovoked) Collin busted out with Deep in the Heart of Texas at the dinner table the other night?!  He really only knows, "The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas", but I'll take it!  Makes my soul happy.

On that note, how giddy did I get over seeing this at the farm? 

You know what else makes my soul happy?  Hilarious things my kid says.  I'm hoping one day we'll strike YouTube gold like this mom:

My mother-in-law brought me a cute book in which to record all of Collin's hilarious musings.  I've already started trying to remember to write down the things he'll surely want to be reminded of when he's 16 and about to leave on a date.  "Remember that time when you called the dog Doo-Doo for a solid year because you couldn't say, Landry?"  "What about the time your babysitter gave you a Twizzler, referred to it as licorice, and you talked all about your "liquor" on our ride home from her house?  Singing, 'Give me my liquor, give me my liquor'."  

Parenting...you can't make these things up!

Febs

Oh. My. Word.
The. Weather.

I really think I have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  When it's my turn for prayer requests at Community Group on Tuesday evenings, I have been known to say the weather in the most pathetic voice.

One day we're doing yard work and Collin Henry is enjoying a picnic in the front yard and the next we are burning through firewood like crazy and praying the power doesn't go out because, well, ICE!

Other things worth mentioning from the past few weeks -

I posted a while back that there was a dead duck in my freezer.  That's because it was special...  Something known as a "banded duck" to hunter people.  Jarrod had the hook-up and got a good deal on having it mounted, so now there is a dead duck in Collin's bedroom!  And he absolutely loves it.  Named it Mr. Quackers. 

Our sweet friend, Kristen Wiley, got herself engaged a couple of weekends ago.  Whoop-whoop!!

Also, we have spent a lot of time cheering for the Harding University men's basketball team.  Collin thinks the student section is just the neatest thing ever, and he copies everything they say and do.

The cutest little clapper you ever did see!

And in case you missed it, we got a significant amount of sleet Sunday night.  Temperatures are supposed to reach above freezing some time this afternoon.  We're going on two days of cancelled school this week, combined with all the other bad weather days we've used this year, teachers and students will be going to school around here until July 4.

He had just slipped and busted his rear, but he thought it was hilarious.