Big Boy Braden . . . and other stuff

We are so excited - Braden has used the potty chair several times in the last couple of days!! He asks for potty and then goes!!! We have had it a while and they both like to pretend to go - usually with their diapers on but all the sudden something is clicking in his little boy brain and he can do it! And I can already tell that Addyson is feeling a little left out. She talked and talked about the first time he used it - you could see her girly brain processing it all, because she just talked and talked and talked - you know how girls think, out loud!! And although she still has yet to be successful she is definitely more interested in it because Braden is. Maybe this twin competitiveness could turn out to be a good thing! We are soooo far off from even being any kind of potty trained, but it is so exciting that Braden can actually do it at all!!! Yeah!!!

This week we have been doing some ranching; yep, Addyson and Braden too. Ryan has been busy working cattle and then hauling them to grass. So we have spent some quality time around the moo cows and horses. They LOVE it!!! Watching the cattle jump off the trailer and run to pasture is super fun for them! Braden is having a great, great time with his daddy. He saw the truck outside this morning and told me about the whole process. Moo cow. In there. Get out. Jump. Run. Trailer. Daddy. Truck. Go? Then he runs in circles so excited that he gets to go with daddy. What fun times!!!

But of course I have no pictures of that. Instead here are some other things we've been doing:

some serious reading

Helping cook!! a.k.a making a fun big mess.

Addyson really likes to "cook". And they both love to check out the cookbooks while I'm cooking

Giving BIG hugs. They have started to really "squeeze" each other and be sad when they're apart.

Farming - Braden spends a lot of his time at the table with all his tractors, cars, and trucks. He likes to hook up some interesting combos of things pulling other things.

Making time for daddy and playing outside

Rocking

Picnicing - not one of Ryan's favorite things but I convinced him this beautiful day we had! Maybe this will be something the kids and I do when he is busy working this summer over mealtimes. Can you say easy cleanup?? - thank you Chloe and Maddie!