Paris--Already One Year Ago!

So Clay and I just had our 6th Anniversary, March 17, ... time flies when you have a mortgage and TWO kids! :) (We have actually known each other for 12 going on 13 years! Wow! ) I thought I would share some photos with you in slide show form ... check out the side bar. (Thanks Krista for the idea!) Enjoy!

Mommy's Shirt

So my mom has kept a few (well a lot) of my clothes from when I was a girl. Brayden loves going to Grandma's house to put on Mommy's shirts. This yellow one is one of those shirts he managed to take home with him-- "Handsome!" (I guess the 70's have come back into style!)

At "our" Park

One nice day a few weeks ago, we went to the park. Rylan loves going in the swing (thanks Sweetings for the cute dino outfit!) and it was the first time he had been on the slide. I'm sure there will be many more days there for many more years.

Natasha and Brayden

So last night we took some new pics of Brayden and Natasha, then we were looking back at old pics! I decided to show you a tribute to their friendship...since they have known each other since birth (B is two days older)... so cute!

About 3 months old

About 6 months old

About 12 months old

About 18 Months Old

3 Years old

WHY GOD MADE MOMS

To all the moms or moms-to-be or grandmothers....this is for you!
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.2. Mostly to clean the house. 3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used biggerparts.
What ingredients are mothers made of ?1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything niceinthe world and one dab of mean.2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?1. We're related.2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom? 1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would beprettybossy.3. They say she used to be nice.
What did mom need to know about dad before she married him? 1. His last name.2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he getdrunk on beer?3. Does he make at least $800 a year?4. Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your mom marry your dad?1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world.2. She got too old to do anything else with him.3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.
Who's the boss at your house? 1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such agoofball.2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under thebed.3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What's the difference between moms & dads?1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work atwork.2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your mom do in her spare time?1. Mothers don't do spare time. 2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your mom perfect?1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind ofplastic surgery.2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd getrid of that.2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the backof her head.

Handy Husband

Now we have a more organized storage room thanks to Clay....it looks great! Yeah! (I am so grateful that I have a husband that can fix things and build things:) Brayden was playing around with the old shelving...climbing in and out...he stuck his head up long enough for me to get a picture.

Bathing Buddies

Brayden and Rylan had fun in the bath...Rylan can finally hold his head up enough to chillax in his bath ring. Bubble fun!

Happy Birthday Mikayla!

Our family went to Mikayla's birthday on Sunday. Brayden went swimming in a POOL for the second time in his life (because chlorine irritates his eczema)...he swam on his back the full length of the pool. Check out his new life jacket! The kids also made funky visors. Fun times!

4 months down...17 years 8 months to go!

Rylan is growing so fast ... I had to take pics in some of my favorite outfits before he grows out of them!

(Thanks Great Aunt Louise for the new outfit!)

Happy Valentine's Day!

To those far and near...hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day. Keep those you love close to your heart! We love you all. XOX

Brayden's Accomplishments

I am so very proud of Brayden!! We printed off some worksheets from www.starfall.com and www.edhelper.com for him to practice his letters....I know .... I know.... he will be in school for the next 20 or so years --give the guy a break! BUT... He is such a keener! I did the first few Aa's then he copied the rest. We traced the alligator from his hand (thanks Rene for the idea!).

He also loves his puzzles --- I found the abc's from one puzzle put together in another...check it out. :) He also knows on the world map where we live and where Gramma Rain lives... "Auztrazzila!"

TOP 10 Rylanisms

Rylan is now 3 1/2 months old, over 18 pounds and he CAN...

1. smile (which shows his two dimples)...even to strangers
2. talk when looked at and spoken to (He is a great story teller)
3. fold his hands together and grip blankets, toys and fingers
4. almost fit his whole fist into his mouth (good hand eye coordination like his dad) which causes excess drool!
5. sit in his BUMBO chair unassisted holding up his head!
6. get fussy when he is left in the room with no one around (very extroverted!)
7. pick good singers from American Idol (he kicks and makes loud sounds at the bad ones and listens intently at the good ones)
8. follow you when you move about the room
9. burp a good one... he could compete with the best of us!
10. laugh when tickled on his feet and arm pits...he also likes his cheeks and belly nibbled!

Brayden and Bubbles

Brayden loves to play in the bath tub especially when I fill it with bubbles ... he pretends he is swimming...sometimes he actually is! I filled it extra full the other day so here are a few shots!

Mom and Rylan

I thought I would post this because for ONCE :) Clay grabbed the camera and took a picture of me (and Rylan!). Cute!

Rylan's Sleeping..shhhh!

The Lode's sure like to sleep and Rylan is no exception! I found him fast asleep under his blanket (I could hear his breathing through the blanket..whew!) and another time gripping tightly to another blanket. What a cutie!

Natasha and Brayden

Good friends, Shelley and Eddie, came over last Friday nite with their daughter Natasha who is 2 DAYS younger than Brayden. They had fun on the computer .... here is a cute shot!

Adventure Zone

Brayden is a VERY active boy and needs lots of exercise, so we decided to try this ginormous indoor playground to help him let off some of the 'antsiness' during the cold weather. It has a bouncy castle, ball room, and lots of slides and tubes--about 12 times the size of McDonald's play room. Bayleigh and Carter were playing there too! FUN! (In some pics try to find Brayden in the maze of tunnels!)

It's a Boy in Vancouver

So Brayden, Rylan and I braved the long drive to visit the Priebe's in Vancouver. We hadn't met Tyler James yet, so it was fun to see this tiny (really TINY compared to the Lode boys) newborn baby boy. Ty is about at birth weight now which is 7 pounds 3 ounces (now less than half the size of Rylan). I even caught a picture of Tyler awake! It was fun to see the size difference of Ry and Ty. What fun buddies they will be! Em and Brayden had so much fun running in circles in the house, playing in the "whirly, twirly park" and laughing hysterically! Congratulations Barton, Heather and big sister Emily!