The quest for the perfect Christmas Card photo!

Well it's that time of year again, and as happens every year my Mom informed me that we need to get a photo of Wyatt for our Christmas cards. This year I convinced her not to run across the street to the 'fast food' photography studio and let me take one instead. Ahem. I should have just let someone else do it because my kid HATES my camera. Something about having a Mom with a lens attached to her nose makes a kid a bit camera shy. But I was optimistic beyond words so. . .on we went!

We piled up and headed to the Gaylord Texan Resort, in Grapevine, Texas. They have a ton of Christmas decorations, trains and a wonderful Buffet that we like to visit once a year! So it's kind of a tradition for us to go walk around and look at the pretty stuff!



Started out trying to get a shot in the sleigh near the front of the resort. Nope. Not a good spot!


Tried on a bench. Nope. Didn't like any of those either. . .


Tried in front of some poinsettias. Nope. Wyatt wouldn't look at me to save my life!!


Cute though!


Tried in front of the ginger bread house!! Yikes! Horrid lighting.


Taking a break and watching the trains!



We decided to go eat lunch and give Wyatt some time to play. . .
I decided to take some photos of the general holiday cheer all around! lol. Couldn't just walk. . .













The spot we ate lunch is a wonderful little buffet with gourmet type food and a nice atmosphere along a 'river walk'. (all indoors.) When we were finished I took some shots around the table. . .


Orchids at the host's station


Christmas Cactus alongside the 'river'.


Water Glasses


Koi in the 'river'.


After dinner we let Wyatt run laps around a fountain. Lol. Kids have fun doing nothing!





Technically a terrible photo but look!! He's completely off the ground!!! And very fast!!


Finally!! I got eyeballs!!! But it was a bit too closeup for the Christmas Card. . .


His idea of posing. . .


Too bear skin rugged for my taste! lol


Finally my Mom bribed him with pennies to throw in the water. . . .

And!!!! Drum role. . . .




WE GOT THE SHOT! lol Presenting our Christmas Card!

Picture update!

This week we were beyond busy!!! And we actually took a few pics!!!

We carved pumpkins on Wednesday. Wyatt thought it was gross so he really didn't do very much of it. . .but he agreed to pose with it for me!




Then we played with Lele. She's getting big!! Or bigger. Wyatt just LOVES her.


Lele flying. . .

Hanging with her Mom


Cindy, Wyatt's cat got her picture taken. She's such a great cat!! She lets Wyatt drag her all over the place.


Dad fixed up Wyatt's bathroom so he can use it. It had been used as storage but we removed the door between it and his room and he can get in there now and he loves it!!!! I don't have to use the toddler potty anymore!!! He goes in there and takes care of business all by himself!! Anyways, bath pics!




Then on Halloween we went to Grami and Papaw's house because they have a wonderful neighborhood. Everyone hangs out outside during trick or treating and everyone is super friendly.

Before we went Wyatt was pretending to be Bob the Builder or Handy Manny.


Then we got ready, put on the boy's costume, put on Lady's costume, waited for Papaw to put on his costume.. .and took off!!

Papaw and Grami


Wyatt and Lady (the ladybug)


At Mr. John's spooky house


My favorite of the week


Lady sneaking some 'sugar'.


And finally Wyatt eating some real sugar!


Hope everyone is doing well!! Wyatt is growing up wonderfully.

Say Hello to Lele!

We are so excited!! Our pygmy goat girl Meg had her first successful delivery today!!! About 10 months after her scary c-section. Yay!!!!!!!!! Our goats are pets only so this was a big deal for us!! Our first baby born on the property!!!! Wyatt is so excited!!

I noticed last night that Meg was acting strange so we separated the boys out from her and I checked on her during the night. No baby this morning but I kept her in because she was still acting strange. Then this afternoon when I went to feed horses I noticed she was down and then I noticed blood and of course after the c-section last spring I panicked!! Ran over to her and saw a little white thing next to her and in my panic I thought it was our cat Cindy but it wasn't!!!! It was our new baby!!!!!! She's a little girl Pygmy, and I think she will have blue eyes but I'm not sure!! We are going to call her Lele! Which is kinda funny because often it comes out as Wewe when Wyatt says it.

I took pics and checked to see that she was okay then we headed to town to buy shavings so we could set up the horse trailer with a heat lamp and comfy bedding. It's not safe out in the world for her since she was in the pen that the fox got Mary. I'm not losing another one. . so if I can't travel anywhere that's okay!! Who needs to ride!

Anyways, I know ya'll just want to see pics so here they are!!!


Awwww!


Where's the buffet?


Momma and baby love.


Momma Love


Welcome to earth!


So proud of her!!! She is such a trooper!



Man! Rough day!


Wyatt was VERY impressed!! He had a ton of questions about the afterbirth that Meg still had coming out! He thought it was 'cool'.

Spivey Family's First Camping Trip!!

Well I'm done with the photos from the weekend and I thought I'd post a camping trip report for prosperity's sake!!!

We had a good time I think. . .lol but I don't like cold! My nose nearly froze off during the night so I didn't sleep well because I was worried my son was cold. He woke up only once and said his hands were cold so I held them and he went right back to sleep.


Hubby putting up the tent!

We found a PERFECT spot nestled under some really big trees on the edge of a big empty field that had a view of the overlook but no nearby camping sites!!! Plus we were right by the trail so we could amuse ourselves by waving at all the trail riders as they went by! We will certainly camp in that spot again!


Wyatt approved of our tent!! It's the first time we've used this one and it was VERY roomy!! And nice during the day! We of course put the cover over it at night!


Playing with his new Army men. . which were the favorite of the trip!


First 'traffic'!


So of course we had to play in the tent once it was up!!! It was actually almost nap time. . .


But we played for a while anyways!


But naptime eventually had to arrive. . . no problems napping in the tent!!


Our 'kitchen' area


The whole campsite.


Every campsite needs a crazy pumpkin plate holder!!! lol


While Wyatt was napping I left my hubby reclining in his camp chair and went home to feed horses and get my dog Sable. Shes never been camping either! She had a good time. Of course during the middle of the night when the coyotes started howling she decided to get into touch with her wild side and joined in for a few courses!! Her howling is lovely but it's a little loud when she is sitting right next to my feet in our tent. Lol. So needless to say she got kicked off the air mattress and into the truck for the rest of the night!


Another happy Sable shot!! She was tied to a tree because she has a tendency to wander some. . always comes back. . . but didn't want to lose her on the Grasslands.


After naptime the boys set the grill up and decided to explore before they cooked dinner!




Then they set off and I did what I do. . .I watched through my camera lens. I swear I see the best parts of life through my lens!


While they were exploring I took photos of the area. . . evidently only 1 tree in 100 thinks it's Fall! This is from the overlook we can see from our campsite!


The boys brought me back a flower. Awww


The sun started to set so the boys started getting a campfire ready. (or rather Wyatt returned to playing and Daddy worked on the campfire)


I decided smoke is pretty!


And so is fire!



After we ate dinner we decided to call it an early night (it was around 9:30 or so) and Wyatt and I pilled into our tent and changed into our pajamas. We got cuddled up on our air mattress under our many blankets and my hubby stayed up for a while and watched the fire die out.

The next thing I remember is waking up around 2 a.m. and being frozen solid!!! I tried covering Wyatt up with a blanket all the way over his head but he protested. So we cuddled up until Sable interupted us with her singing. After that I don't think I went back to sleep really. So needless to say I was VERY happy to see this:


Sunrise!!!! Yay!!! I'm a sissy. I climbed into my truck and turned the heater on and watched the sunrise a bit. (The boys claimed my covers in the tent and cuddled up closer and evidently fell back asleep!)


That one is my favorite shot of the trip. . lol




About 7a.m. two big ol' trucks and riggs pulled up RIGHT beside our campsite in the big field and unloaded these horses and took off on a ride. Have to admire their dedication!! It was early!! But they only road for around an hour!! But they woke my kid up so he of course had to get up and play!


The sun goes up just as fast as it goes down evidently!


Sable waited on breakfast very patiently while my husband got the fire going again! I love fire!


And of course the boy played in his pajamas for a while. Oh to be a kid!! The first thing you do in the morning is hard physcal labor but it's fun!!

So we decided that one night was enough for us and that we'd go fishing and then break camp!


Are there any fish in there?


I don't know Dad. . .that spot over there looks promising!!


Well evidently the only fish Wyatt can catch are the cute little rubber ones that go on the end of kids fishing poles. (Cause hooks are DANGEROUS on a 3 year old's line!)

So that was the end of our trip!! We had a great time and will do it again!! Just not anytime soon!!