It has been a very wet April, especially the last 2 weeks.  I have no idea how much rain we have gotten, but it has been the slow steady rain!  I think we have seen the sun maybe 2 days in the last 10 days and it looks like only 2 more sunny days in the next week forecast.  Can't complain though!

Last night I took Benjamin to meet the guys who are doing the movie.  I guess this was like an audition, although I don't know that they are looking at anyone else for the part.  There are three of them.  One is the producer, one is the camera and special effects guy and then the one we know, he is more of like the behind the scenes/manager type.  They put Benjamin in costume (from waist up because they were only filming from the waist up) and had him go through 4 different scenes.  I wished I had had my good camera with me, but a few pics.

Physically, he is what they imagined the character to be.  So that is good.  He still struggles with throwing it all out the window and getting into total character, but I think they saw potential.  They are wanting him to learn a slight British accent.  We also talked about him getting on a horse to see about his horse allergy and if Benadryl would be a solution.  We even talked about getting him contacts, as I don't think they want the character to be in glasses.  I asked more about this project.  From what I understand, they are wanting to do a short 3 minute clip and then use that to put on Kickstart to see if they can raise more money for the project.  The camera guy did apply for a grant from the state (because they are willing to film most of it in the state and show off the state) for $50,000.  He got the grant and when he received the grant, they gave him $100,000.  So, these guys are serious and getting this done.  They are anticipating that the grant will get them a 1/3 of the way through the book.  There are 4 books in the series, of which we just ordered them all so he can read and reread them.  I am also going to try to find some online acting 'classes'.  The author is having a local book signing next week, so we will go meet him.  The film crew approached the author a while back about the idea, but I don't think the author knows how serious they are and they have a grant.  Anyway, can you tell that I am excited about this opportunity.  Hopefully it will be a good fit and a great experience for Benjamin.

I am looking at changing the settings on my blog to a private blog.  I keep hearing stories of people lifting photos from one blog and using the images somewhere else.  I don't like knowing who might be lurking around and watching our family.  (Not paranoid, you just have to be so much more aware with technology, etc.)  That is one reason I have never specifically mentioned things by name.  I try to keep our camping spots, places we visit somewhat vague.)  If my blog was private, only those I invite could see what I type and then I would not hesitate to be more specific.  SO, IF YOU ARE READING MY BLOG, SHOOT ME AN EMAIL, LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW, CALL ME AND LET ME KNOW.  I WILL BE SURE AND ADD YOUR EMAIL TO MY LIST WHEN I DO MAKE IT PRIVATE, SO THAT YOU CAN STILL CHECK IN ON US.  IF YOU GET MY BLOG EMAILS, YOU ARE FINE AND THE PRIVATE SETTING SHOULD NOT CHANGE YOU BEING ABLE TO SEE MY BLOG.  I probably won't make it private until this summer, because I know some followers don't check it as frequently.

Enjoy your weekend.  It will be a quiet, wet one here!

Things keep rolling along here.  The resort has now closed and off season for JR is officially here.  It is nice for him to have a little bit of flexibility in his schedule.

We had a quiet Easter.  We went to church early for their breakfast and then church.  We went out to eat last minute with some friends...to the truck stop.  I never would have imagined Easter dinner at a truck stop, but it was fun.  As we were leaving the table, Jacob put his left over food in a container.  Joseph wanted to take his french fries home.  I told him to put the french fries in with Jacob's food.  Joseph did not want that.  So what does he do...he un tucks his shirt and creates a pocket with his shirt and puts all the fries in it.  Sometimes my boys amaze me with their improvision and other times I just shake my head in disbelief.

The boys did not hunt eggs and none of them even asked about it.  I had made the decision that I did not want to hunt eggs because it was all candy.  If I put money in the eggs, then they just go to the dollar store and buy candy.  The more I stay away from sugar, the more I see how it is truly a drug and your brain reacts to it the same way it does hard drugs.

The working out is continuing to go well. I have 2 more weeks left on the 12 week eating plan.  The scale has been slower to move, but seeing some body composition changes.  I am having mobility issues with my mid back and left shoulder.  My coaches have a great relationship with a local PT and he periodically provides free movement screenings for the athletes.  They hooked me up yesterday.  I think the PT was surprised how tight I was through my thoracic spine.  He could not really figure out what was going on with my shoulder, but it was really tight too (although he said the rotator was totally fine).  He gave me some good stretches.  One of these days I will be able to properly lift things above my head and to do a hand stand push up!

Anyone know what this is....

The newest toy...a fidget spinner.  You hold the middle with two fingers and spin, spin, spin it.  I am amazed how much time they can play with these.  It is suppose to keep hands occupied, which it does but the teachers find it distracting ~ ha.

I was going through some recent pics JR took with his phone and found some of this kid, when he went to work with dad.

Looks like he does great work!

Always gets a nap on the way home...

Looking forward to continued warmer weather!

The middle of April...how time just keeps on moving!   I am close to putting up the snow gear, but will hold off for another 2-3 weeks, cause you just never know!

Through a friend of mine, I was able to hook JR up with a landowner for hiking and hunting.  They have over 10K acres.  One of the things she is interested in, is JR finding the rattlesnakes.  I guess she has a neighbor who paid over 3,000 dollars for someone to come in and capture/kill over 400 rattlers.  (It is incredibly fascinating to hear how one catches that many snakes...pretty ingenious actually.)  Although JR is going for hunting privileges in exchange for some dead skins.  The snakes create lots of problems for their horses and the riders.  It created a lively conversation on snake bites, cost of antivenim, etc.  Fortunately, there is cell service out there if anything were to happen.  It also made us wonder about the rattlesnake roundup that is held every year in Texas and where in the world do all those snakes come from!

When I went with my horse friend out to this 10K acre ranch, we came across this.  I was so intrigued, I had to take a picture.  (You can tell it is in the middle of nowhere.)

I had to buy 3 cookies!  That is country hospitality and trust right there!

Jacob is now signed up for football!  There is a family at church who donates week long camp scholarships to students that complete a list of tasks.  Both Benjamin and Jacob have completed their items, so we are filling out the paperwork for them to go to christian camp for a week.  Benjamin is also planning on going to 4H camp this summer.  All the boys are looking forward to summer and all the roaming and playing that entails.

Here are some (grainy because it is dark) photos from a recent trampoline park outing.  The boys had a ball.

Easter is this weekend.  Pretty quiet weekend lined up!  Yay!!!

I feel like I am coming out of the fog of winter and wanting to document our lives again.

This kid, I mean young man, got new glasses and it totally changed his appearance.

4th quarter has started and Benjamin signed up again for Drama club.  They are doing a musical this time around.  Not sure the name, but a spoof on Mother Goose?  He was cast for Little Boy Blue.  He thinks he is going to have to sing in this, which would be fun.  Not sure what kind of a voice he has, but maybe could get some training and develop it (the drama club director's wife, is a choir director, so maybe he will help out).  Benjamin also has another potential acting gig.  There is a college student at our church, who helps produce/director small films done locally with two other friends.  They are wanting to film the first chapter of a book called Eragon.  This student at our church has asked Benjamin if he might be interested in being the lead role.  Of course Benjamin got all excited.  If they do it, it would be late summer or early fall.  Not sure if it will pan out but at least exciting to see another avenue for Benjamin.  Theater is way different than movies.  Benjamin does not know anything about the book, so we will be checking it out this week so he can read it and see if it even interests him.

I have recently befriended a gal who has horses and has worked with horses for many years.  Her husband is a horse trainer and was looking for someone to help him out when he trains (non paid).  I have introduced Benjamin to Joe and Benjamin is going to start helping him out periodically. Really excited for him to learn more about horses, work ethic, etc.  Benjamin is allergic to horses, but hoping that Benadryl can take care of that!  I have also made a contact with a couple at our church who are both pilots and this summer I am hoping Benjamin can spend some time with them, learning about planes, maybe going up in their small plane, seeing controls, etc.  Now, if I can just find him an avenue in a kitchen, alongside a chef.  I need to keep this kid busy.  I have told him this summer will have a great mix of free/play time and work time.  He is almost 13 and up here, kids can start taking drivers ed at 14.5 (scary).  So, he needs to start thinking about ways to save money.  As I have heard friends around here say, the 'fumes' will soon start taking over for Benjamin....perfume and car fumes and both of those require money!

The other day, I took Bree out.  She was so spastic and running all over the place.  I decided she needed a more intense run with the van.  She ran 3 miles.  Then decided that she was hot so found a mud puddle.  Not only did she get in the mud puddle, she laid in the muddle puddle and she rolled around in the mud puddle!  Ugh.

I made her run a little further to dry off.  Then I brought her home.  She has learned what the bathroom means, so she runs the other way when you call her from the bathroom.  I got a few treats and then led her to the bathroom and shut the door.  I turned on the water and to my amazement, she jumped into the bathtub and stood there calmly.  (I wonder if all the mud was driving her nuts too).  We found a tick on her recently, which seems really early in the year.  Or maybe she had it a while, since her coat is so thick!

Later this week we are suppose to be in the low 70s!  One of the ski resorts is closing this week and not sure that the other one will make it until their closing date of Easter.  Yet, I am sure we will be getting one more snowfall!