thomas :: the 4th time

We got to see our old friend Thomas this weekend.  This makes our fourth time.  

There was 2008.

2010.

2011.

super fun weekend plans.

We're excited for everything this weekend holds.  

The first cold front of the season, time together, but mostly...

a trip to OKC to ride Thomas the Tank Engine.  

He's been counting down for a year.

Yay for fun weekend plans!

bill nye or britton buss?

Britton was home from work yesterday and got to be a science teacher.

We've been studying weather and he and Miles made a weather vane.

Ella supervised.

 Emmett supervised too.

It actually worked!

Cardboard, tape, dowl, spool, clay and...

The wind was in fact coming from the south!

Bill Nye ain't got nothin' on this guy.  

a little bit country. a little bit pink.

Please know I did not pose the children in this photo shoot.  It took less than 2 minutes and was ALL them.  

Miles got some new cowboy gear, so he got himself all done up from head to toe.   

I had to grab a photo.

As soon as little sister figured out he was dressing up and taking pictures, she threw on this ensemble and met us at the door.

She kept "flying" into the picture.  This is the flying...

Who taught him to stand like this?  Looks pretty legit for a cowboy.

The new pieces to his cowboy ensemble?  

His Dad's spurs...

And belt...

How precious that little Britton wore these a million years ago.  Miles is so proud to have them...

Back to the flying pink sparkle...

 

 

She's so funny.

And she rubs off on us.

chocolate chip banana muffins.

The kids wanted to make chocolate chip muffins.  

I made them add bananas.  

I let them gather the ingredients, mix up the batter and fill the cups basically on their own.  

Mr. 5 Months Old was grabbing at everything!

So I gave him his very own cooking utensil...

which he appreciated very much.

For 10 seconds. 

And then it was back to Grabby McGrabberson.

It goes against my nature to allow this kind of messiness.  
I like things done neatly.  
(Though you would not know this about me based on the current state of my house.)

But the joy and pride that comes from doing things yourself when you're three (and 5)...

It encourages me to chill so she can learn to enjoy baking.  

Cause what fun is it to be clean? And truly, the muffins taste just as good whether you made a mess or not.  

*******

Baby boy slobbered so much while gnawing on his cooking utensil that he had to change out of his soaked clothes...

And he got to spend a few minutes in his high chair for the first time.  

Everyone always says how big he is. 

But really, he's just so tiny.