San Antonio

 In May we went to San Antonio for Brent's Graduation.  I remember a long ago blog post that I made congratulating Brent for getting into dental school.  Hard to believe the time had finally came to watch him graduate.  We flew down for the weekend and it was so nice to be able to spend a day and night with Brent and Cate and Maggie, their dog, before the rest of the family arrived. They now are in Portland where he is doing his residency right in the city and they are loving it!  Congrats again little big brother - we are proud of you!!

Brenna and Mac playing with little Maggie

Uncle Brent and Joshua playing a game

Aunt Cate and Mac drawing

Christina and Brent

For breakfast we went to their local Mexican Grocery Store where they made
 amazing (for our northern taste buds) breakfast burritos!

Here is a shot of the beautiful resort that we stayed at in the Hill Country outside San Antonio.  It is a huge hotel with a full water park, multiple restaurants, hours of planned games and activities for the kids and adults so it was a great place to meet.  It happened also to be record rainfalls in a state that was in a drought...so needless to say - we were a bit rained out that weekend but we did get to see some of the longest and most spectacular lightning and thunder storms we have ever seen!

Joshua, Matthew and Brenna with their Great Grandma

Josh giving little Henry some love.

When we all get together there are a lot of little blond people - this is not even all of them!

Blakely and Josh

Paca and Mac enjoying some breakfast

Alligator

Thanks to the balloon lady they all got to choose a creation of their own.

Pirate

Princess

Mac and the big Rattler Statue outside Graduation

Our Hunting Boys

I don't think that a season goes by that Brett does not spend time with the boys outdoors.  They have both taken up the love of hunting - or even just hiking along - and fishing.  

Fall 2012 - Deer Hunting Joshua and Brett

Joshua passing some time - reading in his tree stand.

Matthew Duck Hunting January 2013 - He staying all day out in the snow and wind and came
home with rosy cheeks to tell me all about it!

Duck Hunting Niagara River

Joshua and Matthew - Rabbit Hunting Winter 2013

Grandpa with the boys

Brett took Joshua out Turkey Hunting and discovered cow skulls out on a farm...needless to say they are now in our woods and the kids love them.

Spring 2013 - Matthew Fishing 

Spring 2013 Joshua fishing the Lower Niagara River

Lewiston Queenston Bridge in Background

 I found these old pictures to remind the boys that they started all this camo wearing at a very young age.  So cute they were - Matthew age 2 Joshua age 4

Exploring Barns and Old Reclaimed Wood

Brett has discovered a love of old wood this past year.  He has visited nearly every old barn in Niagara County and knocked on many a farmers door asking permission to take a look around.  Most have been more than willing to have him go into their old barns to see if there is anything that he can use.  We have had some fun family afternoons out driving in the country and taking a peak into a different way of life.

There has been quite a collection of old beams in our garage and I am looking forward to a new "old" kitchen table that Brett is going to make me this fall.  Some of the wood for the table will be from huge beams that were used to make a barn that was built in the late 1870's so we think that the wood at that time would have been at least 100 years old or more so we have been excited to gather as much of these rare beams as we can for reclaimed projects.

Here is a cow skeleton he found in one barn

Horse Stall Door

Brett's dad helping to remove some of the beams

Once he got them home he power washed of years of grime

The Stall Door Cleaned

Brett's friend has built his own mill so here is one of our beams being run through it

Joshua this past spring checking out another barn with daddy

At the second barn taking out more beams

Someday the table will be finished and we will have some pictures to see where it all came from!!

Day with Cousins

 One Sunday we were able to take some quick pictures before we headed off to church when the Magnolia Tree was in full bloom.  It is always the first sign of spring for us and let us know that another year has come.




Cousins Nathan, Brenna Joshua and Matthew - April 2013

Of course then the pictures get kinda silly!!

Later that afternoon Reece came over to play also

Here is Mac taking good care of him on the play set...

....and Joshua cuddling with him on the couch.  

Check out those awesome blue eyes this little guy has.