Ones man's trash is another man's treasure.

Braxton got some finger paints from Santa. I decided to brave letting the boys paint one day... they had a blast.

 Braxton was pretty happy that he got to dip his fingers in the paint and then express himself however he felt like on the paper.

 We did have a few occasions where he tried eating though.

 Quincy thoroughly concentrating on his masterpiece.

 B getting creative.

 I love the rare opportunities that Braxton actually smiles for the camera. It's usually a small one, but the fact that it's there is good enough for me.

 About the title to the post...I got this race car track from a family friend that goes WAY back. It was a track that her grandsons used while at her house and they had gotten too old for. She was kind enough to pass it along to me. Thus her "trash" has become my boys' "treasure". They LOVE this thing! It is by far one of their most favorite 'toys'. A place where they can play out their car fantasies. I will love it even more when Braxton figures out how to race Quincy instead of just trying to pull apart the track.

 Still, I'll enjoy the little moments where they are actually playing well together.

 Quincy got this airport mat from his cousin Jakoby during Christmas. I helped them set up the airport next to the race track so not only are we having races on the track, but we are also coordinating flights at the airport. :) [It seems there is a little too much traffic on the airport runway for any flights to get out.]

 Braxton repeatedly says something over and over until I say it back to him. He kept holding this truck in my face and saying "chuh- chuh". Did I mention how much I can't wait for him to say real words?

 I love B's little long john style cotton jammies, he looks so cute in them!

 All that playing was bound to catch up to them sooner or later. Braxton, who's recently decided that he can "function" on 6 hours of sleep and a 1 hour nap, looked like this at 11:00AM. It's rather frustrating because he wakes up early, wants to nap early (and only for an hour), and then he is tired for the night by 6:00PM. Ugh! Did I mention that B has also learned how to open his bedroom door by himself? It makes for real fun "mornings" when he wakes up and decides it's time to play when it's still dark outside.

 Quincy would have never fallen asleep like this on the floor! My kids are total opposites. Although there is one area where they have some common ground: Independence. Both think they have the right to do what they want, when they want to. They think they know best, and that I'm some nitwit mother who's dummer than a doorknob. I regularly remind myself that this Independence thing WILL pay off when they're older. For now, it just sucks.  

 And lastly, speaking of Independence... Quincy decided that this was an appropriate outfit for a cold winter night. Don't you love the basketball shorts, Brazil T shirt, and pulled up tube socks? So his feet don't get cold.....

**Sigh**

 They were being kind of funny while I was taking these pictures, because they WANTED me to take them, but could hardly sit still enough to smile for the camera before running over to me so they could look at themselves.

 Braxton was even gung-ho about the idea of smiling for the camera and I managed to catch one....

 ....... Right here.

 Gotta love my crazy boys!