Snapshots of a Good Life: Nate

So, I told you last week that I would share some more of Nate's pictures with you...

Well, I finally have some of them done.

He chose his clothes.

Cowboy jeans, cowboy boots, button-up shirt left open.

Poor kid has my ears.

I had this evening that I was going to spend with Nate all planned out.

We were going to go on a nature trail walk.

Just spend time together one-on-one, talk, explore, and take pictures.

Why is it that it never turns out quite like I plan??

We did end up at the nature trail....

But not alone...

not just Nate and I.

Nick was working on the house and it wasn't something

that Landen could play safely around.

So, we brought him along.

Not that I didn't want him there, but this was NOT easy to take pictures

of one and keep the other out of poison ivy.

Landen wanted his picture taken too.

And I am more than happy to capture a moment with the two of them

smiling and being kind to one another.

No hitting, yelling, fighting, tattling...

Maybe some unintentional choking.

We did find a few things exploring...

or I should say ran into them.

And by looking at this picture one would think what a happy boy.

So cooperative.

NO.

The mosquitoes were swarming us like they hadn't had dinner in months!

Landen kept yelling, "Mito bite, Mito bite!!!!"

Nate sat here for all of 2 seconds before he started waving his arms as if

the mosquitoes might eat might him alive.

So for the rest of the nature trail walk we ran.

We ran while Nate hollered, "I am SO DONE with pictures!"

We ran while Landen yelled, "Mito bite, Mito bite!!!"

We ran while I carried everything and Landen.

Then, we got out of the wooded area and it was suddenly better.

Not great, but better.

And I captured some of my favorite pictures of the boys.

And I know this one doesn't show Nate's face,

but I really love how it turned out.

The silhouette will forever remind me of a 7 year year old boy

that was standing next to the water

watching the birds, the sunset, skipping rocks, and kicking around a dead turtle.

Oh how he loved that dead turtle...it fascinated him.

Two Saturdays ago, we made the trip to Manhattan for two things: to see our dear friends the Kilgore's and to watch the Brett Cushenbery Memorial Bullride.

For those of you who don't know, Brett and Nick used to work together and became quite close. Especially, when Nick owned his own business and it was just him and Brett most days. Brett passed away in October of 2003 during a bullride he was participating in. This was really one of the first death experiences Nick or I had had as adults that touched so close to home. It hit us pretty hard to say the least. Nick tries to attend the Memorial Bullride every year, as for me, this was my first time going and bringing the boys. It was awesome...why hadn't I gone before??

Nate was super pumped. He loves cowboys, rodeos, bullriding, and everything else in between. He was dressed for the occasion and a little upset with me for not wearing MY boots, but what could I do...K-State was playing KU that day in Manhattan and I felt it necessary to wear my tennis shoes while I showed my team spirit...

I was a little worried about Landen and how he would do being up this late and NOT being able to sit still, but that really wasn't the case at all. He did great!

Nate had his eyes glued on the bulls and cowboys the whole time...he was taking it all in. He kept saying, " I want to do this when I grow up!" YIKES! I think my eyes were like saucers, but told him he would be great at it...he has few years to change his mind...or vice versa.

This is AJ. One of Brett's bestfriends. It was HIS idea for the Memorial Bullride and he organizes everything each year. How awesome is that? To have a friend care for you that much he would do something so great in your honor. The horse without a rider symbolizes Brett's absence...I cried.

When the flag came around the arena I didn't even have to tell Nate to take his hat off...he did it all by himself and put it over his heart like all the other cowboys. So cute.

This is Brett's mom, Yvonne. I love her. I used to work with her at the hospital and she is just one of the sweetest people I know. She sings the National Anthem at every memorial.

Let the bullriding begin! You can honestly feel the excitement and anticipation in the air after a very heartfelt moment.

This bull was one of the meanest old things...he even chased the horses.

Can you even imagine how hard it would be to stay on one of those things?!

HOLY buckets!! How do I tell Nate without discouraging him that he will NEVER be aloud to do this?!

We did end up having to get Landen a snack to keep him occupied...

This was a two handed job. He acted like he was starving...well, he probably was since he refused to eat a fabulous supper that the Kilgore's made for us all because he just a bit too excited to be there.