Star Wars: Return of the Zoo Animals

Braylon's obsession with Star Wars continues. The other night I went into his room to find this set up. Apparently, in Braylon's mind, zoo animals will be the mode of transportation in the next star war. To go along with Braylon starting to play more on his own and his very good imagination, Braylon's vocabulary is also developing. Earlier in the week when mom and dad were here with their puppy Maggie Blue, Braylon said, "I like Maggie, she's marvelous!" And yesterday before the game Bray set up his stuffed animals facing each other on teams and announced as he pointed to one team: "This team is impressive." He is such a nut...but I sure do love him...no one can bring a smile to my face like he can!

4th Annual Hanshaw Family Camping Trip

We had tons of fun camping with my Mom and Dad and D.J. and his family again this year. It is so beautiful at Camp Runaway...I love taking pictures there...here are a bunch (which is only a small sampling of all the pictures I took).

Caden, JoLee, Zack (Aryka's boyfriend), Aryka, Braylon, and Noah

Two little squirts!

Mom took us to her fishing spot. We didn't catch much but we had fun!

Braylon and his Dad

Braylon and Mama

Braylon and his MaMaw (and his worm)

Braylon and his MaMaw and PaPaw

Braylon and his PaPaw

An even bigger big-boy bed

Braylon looked so big in his toddler bed, but look at my little man his first night in his big-boy-full-size bed...he looks so tiny. And of course his crazy, over-protective mama had to surround him with pillows so he wouldn't roll out, but in my defense, it would be quite a fall.

Here is his matching gentleman's chest, which is also huge!

Thanks Boo Boo and Papaw for the Amish-made furniture! It is so beautiful and so well made - it is something Braylon can cherish forever!

Memory Lane

There is a dirt road that goes along my grandparent's property. PaPaw Gene always called it The Lane. The only way to it is through the creek. All of us grandkids used to have a blast playing in the creek and in The Lane. PaPaw taught me how to ride my bike on The Lane. On nice days, after church, we would walk to MaMaw and PaPaw's house, through the creek and down The Lane.

A couple of months ago one of MaMaw's neighbors put up this sign. (Barwheel was PaPaw's nickname.)

The last time I was in Tipton, Braylon and his cousins Kayli and Kelsi (my cousin Kristy's girls) walked down The Lane and played in the creek. It sure did bring back memories.

Birthday Madness

Nearly everyone we know has a birthday the last week of August - the first week of September.

Happy Birthday to Braylon's cousin Joshua on August 26th.

Happy Birthday to my cousin Jennifer on August 27th.
(I don't have a picture of Jennifer on my computer.)

Happy Birthday to my mama on August 28th.
One more year till the big 5-0.
(look at my chubby little man the day after he was born)

Happy Birthday to Johnrad on August 30th.

Happy Birthday to my niece Aryka on August 30th.

Happy Birthday to my friend Nikki on September 4th (no picture of her either).

Happy Birthday to Paula yesterday, September 5th.
Check out our stackable boobs!
We are going to have to remember to leave a little space between us in future pictures Paula!

My PaPaw Gene would have been 76 yesterday. I miss him so much.
(PaPaw holding me when I was probably around a year old.)

And Happy Birthday today to Braylon's Papaw George!

We love you all!

Happy Birthday Grumpy Cat

Sabien turns 8 years old today. This picture was taken a day or two before we moved. I just think it is hilarious that Bray was this happy that Sabien was actually letting him pet him...although Sabien doesn't look nearly as thrilled. You would think that in three years the cats would be used to Braylon, but they both still hate him. And the thing that I don't understand, Braylon has never hurt them: not a single fur pull or tail tug...yet (as much as I hate to admit that anyone/thing could harbor such feelings toward my little boy) they despise him. Sometimes I overhear Sabien's kitty prayers and they sound like this: thank you for my dad and his unconditional adoration, please help with my kitty bulimia as I continue to puke up my food onto the carpet mere minutes after eating, please allow more moths to sneek into the house when the doors open, and please send that little blonde-haired, blue-eyed monster away.

Our new house

Finally...here are some pictures of our house.

The back yard.

The view from the front door.

The kitchen.

The living room.

The hall bathroom.

Spare bedroom.

Our bathroom.

We still have painting to do in our bedroom and Braylon's bedroom and I haven't taken any pics of the downstairs.