In his few short 21 months on planet earth, Bran has already classified himself as "that kid" in our family. You know, the kid who is always making messes, causing problems, and just making more work for those around him. I mean this in a truly loving way of course. He is a wonderful baby - and so much fun - but so FULL OF IT! Rae has up until now held the title of "that kid" in our family. But I think everyone around here would agree that Brannen just passed her up.
Notice the newly wrapped purple cast on his broken wing. Yes, we went for Vikings purple - because they were out of Incredible Hulk green. Got the cast on monday. The doc and I were both sweating by the time we got him all finished up. I had to secure the special needs wolverine (Kelly's new name for the boy, when we decided that calling him the retarded wolverine wasn't very appropriate!) while he quickly created the cast. All was well. So we thought.
Brannen was even pretty good at playing up the "poor baby" factor - and has mastered the sad face. Yep. He's pretty much getting what he wants around here. Notice the sad eyes, and dimpled eyebrows. That takes talent, people!
Now, cut to Wednesday - Kelly and I are in Idaho Falls - with Rae the super sister at home babysitting. She walks in Bran's room to find him - playing on the floor with cast sitting on the floor next to him! That turkey bird pulled the thing off!! Wish I had a video of the little bugger working away on that! He only had that cast on for two days! Ahhh!
Rae, the accomplished babysitter called us and then called Grama Chris who swooped in to save them all. She and Rae took Bran to the doctors office to get a new cast put on. The doc wisely suggested an above the elbow cast this time. Let's see the crazy rug rat rip this thing off!
"I promise, I promise to be a big boy and be good and keep my cast on this time. I will turn away from my wolverine ways and be oh so melow and good. " Well, I know that is what he was saying in his mind. Of course it came out like - "uhhhhuhh". Actually everything he attempts to say sounds like "uhhhhuhh". But I am so sure that his attitude is one of repentance! : )
You heard it right here - he's turning over a new leaf! : ) Silly kid.
He's supposed to be keeping me young right?!? I try to remember that platitude while I am physically wrestling him in the doctors office, chasing him down the road as he runs away, apologising to the nice older lady behind us in church whom he has just hit with a truck, sweeping up all the spilled rice on the kitchen floor, and giving him one of a million kisses during the day. Best time of my life!
Every year my kids think that they should have their own Christmas tree in the basement - that they can decorate how they want. Our family tree upstairs is artificial and Rae, the lumberjack that she is, thinks that this is no fun. It's funny but the older Kelly gets-- the more tree-huggerish he gets. He is always telling Rae the lumberjack - do you know just how many years it took that tree to get that big?! He is fine with artificial - just because he doesn't want to be a tree cutter.
But this year we sacrificed a tree for the kiddos. I bought them a tree tag and left them to it. After school they put on their snow clothes, jumped on the ATV and headed up the canyon. They found a tree, cut it down, towed it home, set it up and decorated it. They even cleaned up after themselves! 
It is truly their very own tree. Pretty cool that they did it all themselves. I guess that is one advantage to living in the boonies! 
So here they are with their awesome sacrificial Christmas tree. They really had fun getting it - and really, as I look out the window, there isn't a tree shortage. I feel no tree guilt. Kelly or not!
