The Slade's Spot

Zach turns 2!!

2011-10-04T22:41:00.000-07:00

Zach turns 2 and what a busy two year old is he! This cute boy of mine keeps me on my toes. Zach is full of life and loves cars, trains, books, and doing whatever Brody is doing. He is really well rounded in that he enjoys singing, dancing as well as playing ball, and riding his bike. His new favorite game is duck duck goose as he smacks you on the head. He knows what soft is, but doesn't practice it much!! He is a very smart kid and amazes me with things that he knows. Zach loves to take Brody to school and if he could he would stay there. Which almost happened once because Dad forgot him. Luckily the teacher was paying attention and caught James in time. Zach can be such a sweet kid and is hilarious to watch. He is just a little man and I get a kick out of him. Happy Birthday buddy!! We love you tons.

Zach eyeing his race track cake

Zach loved the cars. He also received monster trucks, a ball, clothes, and a t-ball set for his big day. We had Pam's family over for the festivities as well so it was a fun little party.

Brynlee Slade

2011-10-04T22:17:00.000-07:00

I am so behind on blogging I can't even believe it. We have been so blessed this year with so many things, but the most important has been our sweet baby girl. Brynlee Slade was born on May 31st weighing in at 7lbs 7ou and 20in long. She had dark hair and the cutest most kissable little cheeks you can imagine! She wasn't in any hurry to get here which made it a very long day for mom and dad, but was worth it in the end. A few days after she was born we found out that her thyroid wasn't working. She has been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and will have to take medication for the rest of her life. Over the past few months we have found the right dose that works for her and she is thriving. Thank you to all those who have had her in your prayers we are so grateful. She is such a joy to have and has brought such a sweet little spirit to our home. We love you Brynlee Girl!!

Such cute outfits!!

Day she got home from the hospital

Brody's 4th b-day!!

2011-02-03T17:22:00.001-08:00

Well it's happening my little boy is growing up. He turned 4 yrs old this year and I don't know where the time went. Brody is an amazing little boy with so many wonderful qualities. He is such a sweet boy and is very friendly. He will say hi to almost anyone especially if he is on his bike. He loves preschool and is doing really well. He just doesn't like to get up so early to go. Brody's interests are robots, rockets, and planes as long as they have guns. He loves to ride his bike, play on the computer, and play with his trains. He is a fantastic big brother and puts up with a lot from Zach. Brody is my little cuddler and I love it. We are so blessed to have him in our family and love him very much. Happy 4th little man!!

Rocket cake!

Monster Truck. . . not sure if this was more for dad or Brody!! : )

Brody with cousins Elise and Jarom checking out Walle.

His new helmet so he can be safe riding his bike.

New shoes!

Transformers: Helicopter and Tank

He was so excited about these, but talk about hard to put together.

Optimus Prime. . . transformer!

Christmas

2011-01-30T16:51:00.001-08:00

This year we decided to have Christmas at home. This was a first for us in our 6 yrs of marriage. We were excited to have Heather and Steve's family over to celebrate with us. We were able to mix family traditions with both families and it was a lot of fun. I've never had a fancy meal for Christmas Eve so this was a first. Heather was in charge of that so it turned out great. After our meal it was time to read the Christmas story found in Luke. I don't know how people make it through the story with little kids. We tried to make it fun with a little nativity set, but it was entertaining to say the least. Once we made it through the story the kids got to open a Christmas Eve gift of PJ's. Brody was really excited about his Buzz Light Year Pj's, but mom guessed the size wrong so they were a little snug. Grandma saved the day though with Pj's she had made the kids! Thanks mom your the best!
I don't know what we were thinking putting all the kids down to bed in one room. I guess we figured they would get tired eventually. Good thing we had made a decision on when santa's elves needed to get to work so they wouldn't be up all night. Needless to say we ended up splitting up all three kids until they each fell asleep. Santas elves tried working hard, but really one of them did most of the work (love ya sweetie!!) It was a short sleepless night, but was worth it in the morning when we woke the kids up and told them it was Christmas and that Santa had come. They all came running out and each went to their toy Santa gave them except for Zach. He went running to everyone elses toy especially the train set Brody got. It was pretty cute. The day was a big success and I even got surprised by Santa. . . he's the best!!
On Christmas day we headed over to Pam's house to have our traditional big Christmas dinner. The food was fantastic which it always is when someone else makes it, and it was fun to see what fun things Santa had brought them as well. My mom had come to town a few days before Christmas so we were able to spend time with her and loved having her here for a couple of weeks. The holidays were the best and I am so grateful for the blessings we have received this year.

Christmas morning!!

Brody with his Christmas stash!

Brody and his Geotrax set!!

Zach and his Christmas stash!

Brody at his school Christmas program. They sang Rudolph the red nose reindeer and jingle bells.

Thanksgiving

2011-01-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

Apparently Thanksgiving isn't a big deal in our family because I don't have any pictures of it. Such a slacker I know. This year we were lucky enough to have Roxanne's family come down for Thanksgiving. It was so fun to have them here and see how the kids have grown. We had a delicious dinner at Pam's house and I was in charge of side dishes. . . how fantastic is that. I had no stress about the main dishes and my house didn't have to be spotless!! Thanks Pam your the best!! : )

Halloween trunk-or-treat

2011-01-27T13:02:00.000-08:00

We had a fantastic time trunk-or-treating in our ward. Brody was a cowboy without a hat, but not without a gun! He couldn't get enough of the cocking sound before he got a shot off. Zach was our little batman. He was such a cute super hero I'd let him save me any day. Both boys had a good time Brody was a pro at asking for candy and Zach loved our neighbors wagon. It was fun to dress up and we had a great time dolling Heather and Steve up as well. Thanks for being good sports.

My cowboy and his facial hair!

Brody enjoying his stash of candy!

Batman. . . aka Zach!! Couldn't get him to hold still!

James, Steve, Zach, and Lawrence a guy in our ward. Love when people dress up!

Gotta love Halloween!!

Preschool Halloween Party

2010-10-28T10:28:00.001-07:00

Brody's cute little class

My cute Cowboy!!

Standing in line to go trick-or-treating around school

Brody loves pre-school!! Today they had a Halloween party and got to go trick-or-treating around the school. He was such a cutie going up to the ladies and saying trick-or-treat and holding up his bag. It was fun to go into his class and see all the kids in their costumes and how he interacts with them. Well Brody just got home and is excited to show me his stash of candy so I'd better go. Happy Halloween!!

Happy First Birthday Zach!!

2010-08-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my little man!! Zach turned the big 1 on July 22nd. We had a little family party for him with pizza, cake and ice cream. He wasn't sure what to do with the candle and all of us singing to him, but as soon as we blew it out and everyone cheered he went crazy. He was laughing, clapping his hands, and kicking his feet. He knew he was the center of attention. . . and he liked it!! It took him a few minutes to get into the cake because he was distracted with the worms etc. Once those were gone he dug into the cake. He liked how it squished into his fingers, but wasn't into eating it like that.

Zach opening his presents!

Zach is such a sweet boy and we are so lucky to have him in our family. He has the cutest little smile and loves to laugh. He started walking at 10 1/2 mo and now he thinks he can run!! : ) He loves balls. . . it doesn't matter what size. He will be in a room full of toys and find all the balls. He is pretty good at walking and kicking the ball too. Maybe he will be a soccer player when he grows up. He is a social eater, but you wouldn't know it by looking at him. Weighing in at a whopping 18lbs and 28 1/2 in tall. Zach is a busy boy for sure I can tell where he has been as soon as I get into a room. He just wreaks havoc where ever he goes it's amazing.
Zach just started giving kisses which I love and is chattering more. He went through a phase of saying MA MA, but now says DA DA instead. Guess that means James will have to start doing everything for him!! : ) He loves to be outside as soon as he wakes up in the morning that is where he wants to go. He adores his older brother and wants to do whatever Brody is doing. They are so cute to watch and get along really well for the most part. Zach is my water baby and loves to go swimming. He doesn't mind going under and getting all wet unlike Brody. Zach brings us so much joy and I'm so grateful he is a part of our family. We love you buddy!!

Funny story

2010-06-10T07:11:00.000-07:00

The other day the boys and I were playing in Brody's room. I had just thought to myself that I should go get my phone to check for messages, or in case someone calls. Then I just kind of blew it off and kept playing with Zach. I looked up to see what Brody was doing and he was messing with his door handle and then he closed the door. It took me a second to realize what had happened. Brody had pushed his lock from the outside and locked us in his room. I couldn't believe it. We have the kind of locks that you can put a nail or paperclip in the handle and push the lock open, but do you think I could find any such tool in a room where sharp objects aren't supposed to be!! I was looking at all the toys to see what parts might come off that I could use. I had just washed the shorts I had on so all my pockets were empty. . . well besides lint and that wasn't very helpful. By this time I was wishing I had just gotten my phone when I thought about it. Then I could have called James to see when he would be home. My only other option was the window. It's a good thing we have a one story house, and that I have lots of experience climbing through windows from my college years. I'm grateful to James that he wanted to put a chair in Brody's room, or I wouldn't have been able to reach the top latch of the window. Gotta love short arms and legs!! : ) Anyway, I got the screen out and was way excited to touch the super hot window sill that had been baking in the sun all day to land in the hard packed uneven dirt below. . . with bare feet. Being the great mom that I am I jumped and saved my boys from having to be stuck in a room filled with toys!! : ) Lesson learned, I always grab my phone when I'm headed to play in Brody's room!!

Vegas Trip

2010-06-02T22:10:00.001-07:00

We had such a great time in Vegas and want to thank Krystal and Brian for letting us hang with them. We were able to see parts of the strip and walk through a beautiful garden with insects made out of flowers. It was amazing. Brody had the time of his life going from game to game in Circus Circus. We were able to watch a couple of free shows there like a trapeze act, contortionist, magician, all of which were very good. We had a lot of fun and hope to do it again soon.

Zach loungin!

Our fam. . . a few hrs before the trip home.

Beautiful lady bug made out of flowers.

Brody in his Semi at Circus Circus.

Vegas Trip

2010-06-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

Our first day in Vegas we decided to check out the M&M factory. It was full of lots of fun things to look at and the kids had a good time. Brody loved the New York New York roller coaster he was mesmerized by it. I think it reminded him of a train because it was on tracks. We also went to a chocolate factory to see how they make chocolates. There wasn't much to see because they were just filling molds while we were there, but the free chocolates were delicious!!

Poor guy so tired!!

My boys happy as can be.

New York New York!!

Yummy!!

Brody loved the car!

M&M Factory. . .

Vegas Trip

2010-06-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

In Vegas we decided it would be fun to take the kids to the zoo. I was thinking it would be something nice like Phoenix has, but boy was I wrong. We followed the signs for parking and ended up in some guys back yard. It was very geto and I had my doubts. However, they had some very interesting animals and everything was incredibly close so you could actually see the animal. I had a Raven say "Hello" to me when I walked up to its cage. I said hello back not really believing that is what it said, but sure enough it talked back. I thought that was pretty cool. They had alligators, snakes, devil cats, and a couple other unique animals. After all was said and done it was a pretty interesting place.

We were so close to the turtles you could reach down and touch them.

Feeding the Goats. . . yep they had goats.

Too much cuteness

2010-04-18T22:38:00.000-07:00

Love those messy faces!

Sorry I had way to many super cute pictures of Zach on Easter plus some other random shots so I had to share. He is just growing up so fast I can't believe it.

Easter!

2010-04-18T21:49:00.001-07:00

The two cutest boys ever!!

Brody happy about his basket and sporting his new Easter clothes!

Zach with his basket and new Easter clothes.

Zach loving the grass

Easter Baskets!!

Easter was a ton of fun this year because Brody actually got excited about his basket and finding eggs around the house. He walked out into the family room saw the baskets and went right over to James's bowl with the yummy candy in it and wanted to eat it. He then moved onto his basket pulled the clothes out and started hunting for eggs. He was very cute to watch. Zach's interest was the grass in the basket and he didn't care about anything else.

We had a very relaxing and spiritual filled day watching conference and listening to the wise council of the prophet and other church leaders. They are very inspired men. After conference we had an Easter dinner over at Pam's house with my mom and Raquels family who came down from UT. It was fun to have everyone together and it made our Easter that much more special.

Eggs

2010-04-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late on posting about Easter, but what is new!! This year we did egg painting with just our little family. Which consisted of Brody and myself!! Brody loved decorating the eggs and did really well at keeping them on the wand. He would dip it in one color and then go on down the line. Needless to say we had a lot of green/blue colored eggs which looked pretty cool if I do say so myself.

Don't break the concentration!!

Showing off his egg coloring skills!

Train Park

2010-03-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

Brody at the food train

Waiting patiently to ride the train

The engine that pulled the train

The boys and I in front of the big black train(museum type thing)

Cool looking firetruck

I have mentioned many times that Brody loves trains so for his birthday we wanted to take him to this cute train park. Weekend after weekend something came up or it was raining so we were never able to go until a week or so ago. He was so cute when he got out of the car and saw a bunch of big train cars. Everywhere we went he migrated to the train cars it was very funny. We took a ride around the park on a little mini train which Brody loved and couldn't get enough of the engine. They had a pretty cool looking fire truck at the park so we got to see that and have free ice cream. The park was really nice with places to have picnics, great toys to play on, a model train building, and of course train rides and trains to tour. Brody loved it all and it was fun to see him get all excited.

Bath Time

2010-03-19T22:07:00.001-07:00

Brody when he was a little guy.

I realized I hadn't taken any pictures of Zach having a bath so here he is 7 mo old. I'm such a bad mom. For some reason I thought they looked a little more alike in these pictures. Maybe it was the double chins!!

Zach sporting his towel

Look at those rolls!!

Catching some Z's

2010-03-19T21:44:00.000-07:00

Brody isn't one for taking naps anymore, but somedays he just can't help himself. He was outside playing with his train in the nice warm sun and pretty soon I couldn't see his hand moving anymore. I went to check on him and sure enough he had been lulled to sleep. I thought it was adorable so I had to share.

Picture taken from our dirty window

Sunday afternoon nap

More Birthday pics.

2010-03-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

The gang! It was a lot of fun having everyone over to celebrate with Brody.

Brody getting ready to blow out his candles.

Brody's 3!!

2010-02-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

Brody's Train Cake

On January 21st my big boy turned 3! We are a little late on posting for his b-day. I've been waiting to get the pictures from James' computer, but he is always on his computer. . . so this will have to do for now. We had a small little party for Brody with family and neighbors from next door. Brody loves loves loves trains so I attempted to make a train cake. It was a little sad in places, but over all very cute. Brody thought it was the best thing ever and that is what really counts. He didn't even want to open presents because it would take him away from his train cake. He was super cute!!
A few things about Brody: He loves anything to do with trains. He likes Thomas movies, the Polar Express, and just about any movie that has a train. Brody has learned how to work the computer and loves playing games and doing little activities. He also enjoys being outside playing at the park, or riding his bike. I just got him a soccer ball and he has quite the kick going on. Brody is such a happy little guy with an easy smile and fun personality!! He's my little cuddler and I'll take that as long as I can. We love you Brody and are so happy you are a part of our family. Happy Birthday Big Guy!! : )

Everyday shots

2010-01-22T20:00:00.001-08:00

Such cute boys if I do say so myself.

He looks so adorable sleeping like that.

Christmas!

2010-01-22T13:13:00.001-08:00

Brody Christmas morning.

Zach Christmas morning. He slept in!!

Love stocking stuffers

James Chillin in his Christmas Eve PJ's

Brody's Stash

Zach's Stash

Mom and Jodi

Everyone but Pam we missed you!

Most of the grandkids, what a cute bunch of kids

Raquel's fam in their pj's

We had such a wonderful Christmas this year. We are so greatful to our families who let us crash at your houses, eat all your food, and party until late in the evening every night!! : ) I don't think I've recovered yet. While at Raquel's house we got to ride motorbikes that the kids got for Christmas, and now I know what I would like for my birthday since that is closer then Christmas. Riding those bikes brought back so many memories. . . I loved it even if I couldn't feel my legs because of the cold. James took Brody out and he smiled the whole time, or so that is what I am told. Maybe his face was just frozen like that!! : ) Anyway, it was good times and good laughs (thanks Raquel I will forever have your facial expression on your way to meet the pavement imprinted in my head).
I feel bad because we didn't get to spend as much time with James's family as we had hoped due to sickness. However, we are grateful for the effort everyone put in to stick around and see us while we were there. Hopefully everything will work out and we will see everyone in July healthy and happy!! : )
Brody loved his present from Santa. . . he couldn't even open anything else he was so enthralled with his train set. He played with it for two days straight and slept with his trains. He did take time out to open and play with a helicopter he got, but not for long. Zach got a little light up lion with music, balls, and a hammer from santa and loved it too. So Santa scored this year. Both boys had a great time playing with cousins and I loved having everyone take care of my boys. I should have brought them all home with me!! : ) Thanks again to everyone for making our holidays the best ever.

Family Pics.

2010-01-22T11:29:00.001-08:00

Here are a few pictures of our family. Thanks so much to Pam and fam for helping us out.

This is the only picture I could get of the boys together. Brody didn't even want to touch Zach let alone hold him.

Best picture of Brody and dad. . .both were struggling, but close to smiles!! : )

Catch up

2010-01-22T11:04:00.001-08:00

Brody's snowman

Our neighbor next door is such a cute lady. She invited Brody over to her house to make this cute little half melted snowman. She owns trains so he wasn't too interested in making the snowman so I had to help. I thought it was a super cute idea and the kids had fun making them.

The finished project!!

So this year we bought a gingerbread house kit thinking it would be a great FHE activity. As you can see Brody and James had a good ol' time. James is in the construction business so the house stayed together. . . but the decorating/icing part needs a little bit of work!! : ) There is always next year. It was fun to watch the two boys decorate the house Brody loved it especially eating the candy while working.

One on the house.. . one in my mouth!

Zach 4 mo.

2009-12-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

Zach is such a cutie what can I say. My little boy is growing up way to fast. He had his 4 mo. check-up and weighed 14lbs 8 oz and was 25 1/2 in long. He had to get 3 shots and didn't like that at all, but he was a trooper and didn't cry for long. Zach has the cutest smile and shows it to most people. He always has to have something in his mouth whether it be a toy, blanket, or his fingers as long as it isn't a binky. He tries to grab at everything in reach and it's so fun to watch his face when he grabs my nose or mouth. He's got super strong legs and is always kicking which is hilarious in the bath, but gets me all wet. We tried cereal for the first time this week, but he didn't seem to like it with the face he made so maybe we will try again when he is 5 mo. We love having him in our family and Brody is super cute with him now. He is always concerned when he cries and asks him whats wrong. Brody is interacting with him a little more and wants to hold him, but only for a second. I love it!! I can't wait until I can actually get a picture of them together. Such a proud mom!

Checking out his rings.

He always has to have something in his mouth.

Trunk-or-Treat/Halloween

2009-11-12T13:40:00.001-08:00

Our trunk-or-treat was a lot of fun this year because we actually dressed up. James has never wanted to before, but he was a trooper and got all decked out this year. I'm not sure what he went as, or even what I went as, but it was fun. Brody was our construction worker which was super cute even though he wouldn't wear the hat. We just collected candy in it since I forgot his sack. Zach was our little ghost. James had the option of putting him in a giraffe outfit or the ghost guess he liked this one better. James was such a sweet heart to get everyone ready, make the sloppy joe mix, and get the candy all together while I was gone with the activities committee preparing for the party. Thanks love you are the best. It was great to have Kiana, McKenna, and Jon there with us too.

The fam.. . . don't even ask about James.

My baby ghost!!

Brody cheesing it

Halloween this year was super fun. We had Steve and Heather's family over to go trick-or-treating with. This is a cute picture of Heather and her kids I made her put on James's afro wig and she looked awesome!!

Anyway, this year James rigged a tv outside so that he and Steve could watch football while handing out candy. We pulled the grill out front and had a little party at the same time. It was actually a lot of fun and you could see all the dad's out with the kids straining to watch the game as they went by. Very funny. .. Some even had to come over and ask scores etc. While the guys relaxed Heather and I took the kids out trick-or-treating. Brody was a natural he went right up to the people and said trick or treat and thank you. I was blown away. One lady had some toys in her living room so he invited himself in to play. He has no fear aparently. . . he didn't get that from his mom. We didn't go to very many houses, but I think the kids had a good time. When we got back to our house they had a great time passing out candy to other kids. Over all it was a successful night besides picture taking. Brody wouldn't let me take his picture so that is why one isn't posted.

My boys.

2009-11-10T13:04:00.000-08:00

Zach 3 1/2 mo.

Here are some everyday pics of the boys. The boys are both growing up so fast. Brody loves to play with trains, trucks, cars, etc. He is talking more which is nice and says some cute things. When he says I'm coming it sounds like "I'm hummin". He says "On mars, set, go. He asks us "where goin" when we leave a room. He's not one to sit for very long doing one thing unless it's watching a movie! He gets so excited in some of the movies and talks a mile a minute. Then he gets up and dances if there is music and makes sad noises if someone gets hurt etc. It is all very entertaining. He always makes me laugh and gives the best hugs. . . I love you buddy.
Zach is a smiley baby and has smiles for everyone. He has the cutest little laugh that is contagious and you can't help but laugh with him. He loves his hands and always tries to eat them. I try to substitute a binky for his hands or a toy, but that doesn't last long. He is a total drool baby like Brody was so we go through many bibs a day. Zach always wants to sit up and loves to watch people especially Brody. When he looks at Brody he gets a huge grin on his face very cute. Zach is such a lovable little guy we are so happy he is ours.

Daddy's little helper!

2009-11-10T12:37:00.000-08:00

Brody loves to help James no matter what he is doing especially if it involves tools. He can't get enough of the tool box full of treasures to find. I thought he was adorable trying to imitate the things that James was doing. He was trying to cut wires, use pliers, and work the drill. Super super cute. James might not feel the same way since he had an extra pair of little hands getting in the way. The water system got installed and my two plumbers did a fantastic job.

Brody's favorite box to play in.

Almost 3 mo.

2009-10-16T16:12:00.000-07:00

Zach is such a big boy I can't believe he is almost 3 mo. A few things about Zach. . . he rolled over from back to front for the first time a couple of weeks ago, but doesn't like to be on his stomach. He loves to stand, sit up, or be carried facing out rather then laying down. He constantly blows bubbles and gets everything wet. He is a happy baby with lots of smiles for everyone. When he sees Brody he smiles so I'm hoping that means they will be best of friends.
We are so happy to have Zach apart of our family he is a special little guy. Love ya Buddy!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-16T14:38:00.001-07:00

For an enrichment activity we went to a pumpkin patch at Mother Natures Farm. It was a cute place with lot's of pumpkins and some you could decorate, a bounce house, a hay ride with animals to look at, and cute areas to take pictures. Brody absolutely loved the tractor. He kept going up to the driver and talking to him in Brody language. It was very cute I wish I could have gotten a better picture of him by the tractor, but every time I got closer Brody walked away. I thought for sure that Brody would love the pumpkins, but not so much. I pretty much handed him things to put on his pumpkin and I was lucky to get a picture of him holding it at all. He was more interested in running around and climbing on the hay ride. We took a break and had a PBJ sandwich and then we were off again. I'm so grateful that Zach was sleeping the whole time because I was doing all that I could to keep track of Brody. It was nice to get out and visit with the ladies, but by the end we were ready to go home. 2 1/2 year olds wear me out!!

Loved the Tractor

Proof Brody does eat

Bounce house

Tables to decorate pumpkins

Zach not knowing what to think.

Brody with his decorated pumpkin

Sticker Fun

2009-10-16T14:00:00.001-07:00

Brody loves stickers so we went through my sticker collection and found these bright suns. We put them all over Brody and I got one on the face. Later that day my neighbor and her mom came over to see Zach. I totally forgot I had a sticker on my face until they kept looking at me funny and I realized it was still there. I didn't want to pull it off in front of them in case it hurt coming off so there it stayed. I was going to use water to get it off, but Brody had other ideas. All of a sudden he came up and ripped it off my cheek. . . talk about painful. The next morning as I was washing my face I noticed this red circle below my eye. I couldn't imagine where I had gotten that from and why it wouldn't rub off. Then it dawned on me. . . that mark was from the stupid sticker that got ripped off my face. It felt like it would leave a mark when it came off, but I didn't really think it would. Lesson learned . . . no more stickers on the face!
This picture of Zach and I was taken by Brody. I thought he did a pretty good job aw my photographer in the making.

Pardon my ugly everything day!!

Birthday Party

2009-10-16T13:37:00.001-07:00

So Brody got to go to his first official Princess birthday party!! Our friends Jed & Gina's little girl Arianna turned 3 and had a princess party. They had really cute decorations with Cinderella, Bell, and a castle etc. They had also rented a bounce house which Brody loved for the most part. He liked to go in, but didn't stick around for very long especially if there were other people in it. His favorite things to play with that day were the sliding doors. It's amazing how entertaining opening and closing doors can be. He took a break for a little while and played with a few cars, but then he was right back at the doors. I've decided Brody likes to do his own thing. He is kind of a loner child, but he seems to be ok with that. He doesn't really interact with other kids until it is time to go home then he wants to play with them. Go figure. . . We had a great time and it was good to hang out with the Groats again.

Brody giving me smiles in the bouncer.

Brody and Nicholas

James and Jed lounging.

More Random pictures

2009-09-14T18:49:00.001-07:00

Here are a few everyday pictures. Zach is changing so much and has many facial expressions. He loves to stand up and has the cutest little smile. I haven't been able to catch one of those on camera yet, but will keep trying. Brody loves water and since we don't have a pool he gets to play with a squirt bottle. It entertains him for quite a while and he gets to be outside. He usually comes in soaking wet and a happy camper.

Brody watching a movie.

Brody and his squirt bottle.

Day at the Park

2009-09-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning was beautiful here. . . not too hot and definitely not too cold so we were able to go to the park. We have missed our trips to the park and the fun splash pad we have close by. Brody loved running around the water and stepping on the holes the water comes out of. He was in heaven since he loves water and we don't have a pool at home. Zach loved being outside and was enchanted by the little monkey hanging in front of him he just kept staring at it. I guess he couldn't help it since it was right in his face!! : ) This is what we have to look forward to in the next couple of months. . . beautiful park days.

Brody playing with a squirt bottle can't leave home without it.

Zach staring at the little orange monkey.

Zachs Blessing

2009-09-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

On Sept. 6th Zach was given a name and a blessing by his dad. I am so grateful for the priesthood which James holds and that he is worthy to perform such a wonderful ordinance. There is nothing sweeter then a blessing by your father. Both of them did a great job Zach slept through the whole thing and James gave him a wonderful blessing. We were happy to be able to share this experience with family and friends. It was fun to have Jame's parents here as well as his two brothers. They got to stay close this trip. . . thanks for letting us cram you guys all together!! : ) We had a great time and hope you did too. We love having family around and wish everyone could have been here. We have been truly blessed with two amazing boys and I'm grateful that they will be ours forever.

Zach not liking his suit hiked up to his ears, but he looks cute anyway.

Proud father!!

Proud Parents!

Brody looking as cute as ever!

Grandma and Grandpa Slade

Playing cards to pass the time. . . I think I won that game!

Brian and Steve playing the Wii, couldn't get enough of the tank game.

Nate. . . enough said

Random Pics

2009-08-14T10:04:00.001-07:00

We haven't had much happening around here, but here are a few random pictures we took in the last couple of weeks. Thanks again grandma for coming and helping with the kids we loved having you here.

Grandma and Pam's kids Brody wouldn't get in the picture.

Zach a couple of weeks old.

Grandma Redford and Zach

Zachary Van Slade

2009-07-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

Talk about an adventure. . . I kept hoping and praying that my delivery would go faster with this second child then it did with Brody, and now I'll be thinking twice about what I hope and pray for! : ) So our story begins with an excitement of being induced at 3 pm only to be rejected at the hospital due to lack of rooms. I was a little annoyed at that because they had scheduled us, but such is life. So James and I made the trek back home. No worries though because at a more convenient time for everyone 11:30 pm my water broke. We made it to the hospital close to midnight and the contractions were pretty bad. For some reason the ER was really slow. . . maybe it was just me in pain, but they were moving like we had all the time in the world. Anyway, a nurse finally made it down from the 3rd floor to get me and I wanted an epidural right then, or any form of drug that would make the pain go away. Yep, I am a pansy!! : ) So they take us to an admitting room and start asking us all these medical questions and I just want the lady to shut-up and give me something for the pain. Good thing James is a sweet and patient guy who doesn't get riled up about much because he answered most of the questions a lot nicer then I did. Let's just say the pain going from a 5 to an 8 was enough to make me never want another kid again. The nurse told me I could probably do the birth natural and I told her no way give me the drugs so they finally gave me a spinal and then I was in heaven. We waited about 2 more contractions and then I started pushing. Zach was born pretty quick and ended up with some bruising on his cute little face. I took one look at him realized I didn't feel a thing ,and decided I could handle having more kids!! : ) Drugs are my friend!
Zachary Van Slade was born around 1:40am on July 22nd 2009 weighing in at 8lbs 8oz and 20 1/2 in long. He has blond hair, blue eyes and kind of has his own look about him. He is adorable and a good sleeper as well. We are so thankful to have him here and healthy. We have been blessed with two wonderful boys and I can't imagine being happier. James was wonderful through it all and stayed by my side the whole time. I'm sure at some point he wondered where his sweet, loving wife went and when did I become such a wimp, but if he did he kept it to himself. Thanks to family and friends who have given us gifts, prayers and support we truly appreciate it.

Brody's favorite thing!

2009-07-09T13:17:00.000-07:00

Brody has a couple of loves, cars, blankets, and the mini dvd player. He is a fanatic when it comes to the dvd player. He knows how to plug it into the wall, put the cord in the right spot, plug the head phones in, and turn it on. He is a very smart little boy. Brody insists on having the headphones on when he starts watching which is funny to me because they are way to big, but he loves it. I think he just wants to be like his dad!!

2 weeks to go!!

2009-07-09T13:08:00.000-07:00

I figured since I was about ready to pop that I'd better get some pictures taken. At this point I am 38 weeks and counting!! I'll let everyone know when the big event happens. We are very excited to add a new little addition to our family.

This can't be happening.

2009-06-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a long time. We haven't had much excitement to write about until yesterday!! Our family had a "I can't believe that happened" and "I just want to die" moment at church yesterday. It's 2 pm and we are just getting out of church. James is chatting with a friend in the foyer, Brody is playing by the front door, and I step away for a second to get a tithing slip. As I'm walking back towards James I hear this really really loud ringing sound going throughout the whole church. That sounds kind of like a fire alarm. I look over at Brody and sure enough he has stuck his little hand up the glass and pulled the fire alarm down. Talk about wanting to die right then and there. . . I run over to Brody and pull him away hoping not too many people saw what happened. At this point I am beside myself and have no idea what we are supposed to do. I don't know how to turn the thing off, or who we should talk to. All James can do is laugh like it was the funniest thing ever and Brody has no idea what drama he has created and walking around without a care in the world.
All of a sudden the foyer is full of people coming out of the chapel because their sacrament meeting was being disturbed. I grab Brody and head outside horrified at what was happening telling myself this was just a bad dream. I watched as people filed in their cars and left to go home while others stood around on the lawn wondering what to do. By the time James and I left a fire truck was there and over a hundred people were outside. We had talked to our bishop and he said not to worry about it so that made me feel better. I think I was finally able to laugh about the whole ordeal by the time we got home.
I hope to never have that happen again, and keep wondering why fire alarms are put at a level that a two year old can reach them. Someone didn't think that one through!!! : )

Let's go fly a kite!!

2009-04-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I bought Brody a kite. I thought it would be a fun thing to do as a family plus I haven't flown a kite for years. Brody absolutely loved it. He wanted to fly the kite all by himself and did a great job for the most part. However, he had a tendency to walk towards the kite which would send the kite hurtling to the ground. Luckily dad was there to help him get it going again. Brody loved it so much he wouldn't let anyone else fly it even when he decided to play in the sand. He just kept his arm up and played in the sand with his other arm it was hilarious. Over all the kite was a huge success and we were able to spend some family time. What more could you ask for!!

Look one handed!

Beautiful park next to our house.

Cabin Trip

2009-03-26T15:43:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we took an amazing trip with Pam's family up to a cabin around Eagar AZ . Talk about some beautiful views, pretty country, and a lot of driving. The cabin we stayed at was great Jon did a wonderful job of remodeling it. James kept us toasty with a fire in the fireplace and Pam and I roasted hot dogs for everyone on the fire. It felt like we were really camping, but better. We were able to go sledding twice at two different hills. Both days were sunny and warm which is the only way to go sledding. Brody liked sledding the first day, but wasn't so thrilled the second. I don't think he liked being bundled up and not able to move much. Everyone had a great time and we got some awesome footage on video of train wrecks and flying bodies. Chase would be the king of that!!
We were able to celebrate my b-day while we were there. I'm not a huge fan of cake so Pam's family bought me a twinkie and put a candle in it. That was the best kind of cake I could ever ask for. I couldn't stop laughing because it was perfect. James gave me a camera/camcorder for my birthday which I'm very excited about. Brody is not playing with this one. Overall it was a wonderful birthday and I'm grateful to my family for celebrating it with me. They are the best!! I also want to thank all my fam and friends who called, emailed, facebooked, etc. to wish me a happy birthday you guys are great!!
We only had one downfall to the trip which was a flat tire on our car. We were fortunate enough to have been on an Indian reservation at the time so we got it fixed for $10. Not to shabby if you ask me. Thanks again to Pam's fam for letting us hangout with them during their spring break we had a great time. Those will be memories that will last a long time.

Checking out the view on the way to the cabin

View of the kitchen Jon put in

The little kids finding something to do

Relaxing in front of the fireplace

Jon and James checking out the hill

Can't move all bundled up

Resting after their bumpy train ride

Trek up the hill

Sledding with Dad

Exciting News!!

2009-02-16T19:49:00.000-08:00

For those who don't know, we are expecting a new little addition to our family in July. We are very excited and had the opportunity to go and have an ultrasound today. Talk about never drinking that much water again. . . Never, never, never. Anyway, we finally got put in the room and it had a tv on the wall so I could see everything without crinking my neck at the monitor. I am so amazed at technology these days and the images you can see. It was a relief to see and hear the heart beating. That part always scares me. The baby had perfect toes and hands and it was moving all over the place. Brody kept looking at the tv saying baby. . . it was very cute. The baby was camera shy and didn't want us to see it's face or a profile of it so we just got pictures of the back of it's head. The lady asked us if we wanted to know what the sex of the baby was so we said yes. She got a great picture of the legs and bottom area and you could defiantly tell it was a little. . .
We were excited and a little surprised, but very excited to know that the baby is healthy and growing just fine. We can't wait for July to get here so that we can welcome home our precious baby boy.

Birthday Boy

2009-02-16T19:31:00.000-08:00

On January 21st our little boy turned 2 years old. I can't believe how time flies when you have a little one. He had a fun filled day at the park feeding ducks and hanging out on the toys. We had a little bar-b-que and family party for Brody to celebrate his big day. He had a great time opening presents which he did all by himself this time. We started with clothes because once he got to the toys he didn't care about any thing else. I made a super duper easy cake out of a dump truck which he loved. (Thanks Raquel for the idea) He almost dumped the cake out wanting to play with the truck, but we caught it in time. It turned out to be a great day and Brody was happy. . . mission accomplished. We are so grateful to have family around to share these special times with. These are just a few pics of our birthday boy at his party. (thanks Pam for the pictures!!)

Brody's b-day cake!

Eating cake with cousins!

2009-02-16T16:49:00.000-08:00

Brody had big smiles for the camera.

Brody opening presents w/cousin Jerom

Brody blowing out the candles.

UT Trip

2009-02-02T10:59:00.000-08:00

Our trip to UT was fantastic! We had so much fun seeing family and friends. We began our trip from Arizona at 70 degrees and landed in 20-30 degree weather in SLC. I thought I would freeze right off, but it wasn't so bad. We spent a couple of days in Draper and got to visit with my mom and sister there. Both have very beautiful homes so it was fun to see all the work they had put into them. Draper is a nice place, but extremely windy.
Our next stop was Logan where we got to stay with Raquel's family, hang-out with Mindy's fam., and see some of our friends. During our stay in Logan we attended a wedding for James's best friend in the Idaho Falls temple. Talk about extreme cold. . . I thought we were all going to die while taking pictures outside. Actually it was a beautiful sunny day, but so stinkin cold. Anyway, it took me a long time to thaw from that. It was fun to be able to attend the temple though and I'm always excited to go to sealings. Nothing like being reminded of how wonderful and eternal your marriage is.
After our stay in Logan we headed to West Point to spend a few days with Lance and his family. On our last day we met up with James's sisters Michelle, Jen, Cami and their fams. We went sledding. This was a first for Brody and he absolutely loved it. He laughed the whole way down and wanted to keep going. He didn't however like the snow he got in his face when he did a face plant. I think that was a shock to his system!! After sledding we had a fantastic lunch and visited for awhile then it was off to the airport and home.
I want to thank everyone for letting us stay with them and for spoiling us rotten. Poor James never ate so good in his life as he did that week. He is going through withdrawals. . . so thanks for that!! : ) We loved seeing everyone and Brody had a blast with his cousins. Our families are the best and I am so grateful to be a part of them. Thanks again for everything.

Trudging up the hill.

Brody all bundled up to go sledding!

Utah Trip

2009-02-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

Sledding with cousins!

James teaches Brody how to make a snowball.

Brody all bundled up to play.

Christmas!

2009-01-11T14:37:00.000-08:00

Yes . . . I finally posted Christmas. I just wanted to thank Pam and Jon for letting us crash their holiday celebrations. We are so grateful to be close to family and we love spending time with them. If was a wonderful holiday season and we were blessed in so many ways. We had a secret santa this year who spoiled us like crazy and really went all out. We were truly touched by their generosity and are looking forward to making that a tradition of ours in the future. I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday and a happy new year.

2009-01-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning before all the action.

Christmas morning with cousins Kiana, McKenna, and Chase

James loves Santa too he brought him the Wii!

2009-01-11T14:28:00.000-08:00

Santa is the best!!

Brody Loves his truck and front loader

Brody not wanting to open anymore presents!

Holidays!

2009-01-11T14:22:00.000-08:00

Brody's stash from Christmas!

It's tragic!!

2008-12-18T15:26:00.000-08:00

So it's been a while since I've gotten on here to write. I have a reason though. . . it's called my child. We had a tragedy happen in our home a couple of weeks ago. I was all geared up and couldn't wait to post pictures of Thanksgiving and all the fun activities we did while Raquel's family came to visit. I had pictures of delicious food, fun little turkeys made out of oreo cookies and whoppers, people feeling fat after the meal. . . etc. Oh, the memories in my head . . . and that is all they are going to be thanks to Brody.
Here's my story: Once upon a time there was a charming little family enjoying a wonderful night full of tree decorating and what ever else could hold Christmas decorations!! The little boy was being a great helper taking ornaments off the tree and putting them back in the box. The mom decided she should take pictures of all the fun they were having to post on her blog so she got the camera. She took some great pictures and then her little boy wanted to take pictures as well. So wanting to encourage the little boys photography skills she let him play with the camera. He took a couple of the mom and dad which turned out rather well. . . so the dad said when he looked at them. The mom saw that the dad had taken the camera from the little boy so she figured it was safe. Oh no. . . that wasn't the case which she found out a couple of days later when she wanted to post pictures on her blog. The dad had given the camera back to the little boy and you guessed it . . . it was never found. The little boy has a tendency to throw things in the garbage so I'm guessing that was the fate of my beloved camera. I will keep searching and pray that it is still somewhere in this house and not at the dump.
So I guess the blame is mine for letting him play with the camera in the first place. . . note to self get Brody his own play camera!! : ) I apologize for the lack of photos and hope you were entertained with the story instead.

Oh. . . Brody

2008-11-17T11:30:00.000-08:00

Brody is such a cutie. He wanted his blanket on his head and it wasn't staying so he was getting a little frustrated and upset. So being the think quick mom that I am. . . I grabbed my trusty 24/7 hair-tie from my wrist and wrapped it around the blanket. I'm not much for styling hair, but I can do the ponytail look. (blanket or real hair) It worked. . . not that I didn't think it would, but I was still pleasantly surprised and my long haired little boy was content once again for a little while anyway. And yes that is a Christmas tree in the background. . . that would be my husbands doing.

So Brody likes to do things and be in things he shouldn't. I decided to catch him in the act and show him pictures of what he shouldn't do and maybe just maybe he would understand. I can always hope right? James has a fan on his desk that Brody loves to turn on and off and the only way to reach it is by climbing on and across his desk. He thinks this is fantastic and while he is up there he might as well check in all the cupboards and cubbies to see what else he shouldn't touch. If it's not the desk it is the dishwasher. This is a fantastic step stool for little people. . . and no I don't use it for all those who think they are funny!! Brody has learned that it is perfect for finding treasures left on the counter. Thanks dad for the plastic container and head set!!

Family outing

2008-11-17T11:11:00.000-08:00

While grandma and grandpa Slade were here we went on an outing to the park. We were able to feed the ducks and some of the fish. The fish in this lake are huge and very colorful, sorry I didn't get any pictures of them. I only got pictures of what's important. . . family!!

I was tagged

2008-11-08T06:52:00.000-08:00

Here is what you do: Go to your fourth folder, select your fourth picture and write about it.

This is a picture of Brody chillin in his blow-up turtle. When we lived in Mesa we had a pool in the backyard which was very convenient. He loved playing in the pool watching dad, his uncle and cousins be all crazy. We miss having a pool, but enjoy a community pool in the area we live in now. It's not as easy as stepping outside, but it works.

Trunk-or-Treating

2008-11-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

Alyse in her cute bunny costume

Our two super heroes

My intimidating Batman!!

This year we were lucky enough to have cousins as well as grandma and grandpa Slade here for trunk-or-treating. Brody was a natural at trunk-or-treating. He carried his bag around and opened it up for people to put candy in it. I'm not sure he knew exactly why he was walking around with a sack, but he had a good time doing it. He received a lot of yummy treats and being the responsible mother that I am I ate most of them so he wouldn't rot his teeth! What can I say I'm a sucker for chocolate. So is my boy I'm afraid it's amazing what traits they pick up from hanging out with you.
We had a great time with James' parents and were so glad that they could come and spend a few days with us. Brody got a kick out of playing with them and loved the dvd of stories grandma made. It was fun to see family and we hope to see everyone soon.
Halloween was a little different this year because we didn't go trick-or-treating. However, we had a great time handing out candy and hanging out with Steve and Heather. I learned something this year. Always hand candy to trick-or-treaters because if you don't they will take handfuls. That's my advice to all. After running out of candy fast we watched the scariest kind of movie Steve and I can handle. . . Ironman. Yep, not scary at all that's the kind we like. I thought it was a pretty good movie, the suit was cool if nothing else. Holidays are awesome what can I say.

A quick catch-up on us.

2008-11-03T08:48:00.000-08:00

I finally did it. . . I created a blog page. It's not all cutesy yet but hey at least I got one set up. Just a quick rundown on what is happening with us. James started a new job this past week rehabing foreclosed homes in Ohio and he seems to be enjoying it. He works from home which is good and bad. Good for Brody and I because we get to see him all day, but bad for him because we can't seem to leave him alone to work! What can we say. . . we love him!

Brody is 21 months now and is still a feather weight. I'm afraid he received more of my genes then James' in the physical area. However, his personality is more like his dads he is curious about everything, and is constantly trying to figure out how things work. I get a kick out of watching him during the day. His favorite thing is jumping in his crib like a trampoline and washing his hands. Which would be fantastic if it wasn't in the toilet! Oh the joys of having a boy.

Brody is a sweet heart and I love him to death. He always has a smile and a ready laugh. . . ah I love being a mom. Well, I'm hoping to get some pictures posted when I figure out how and make my page all fun like everyone elses. Until then this is what you get!