Nature Walk

Well, we started the day off going to the zoo. Jack was SO excited, he barely slept the night before. With just our luck, we pulled into the zoo parking lot and there was a big sign saying they were closed for the day. What?! How can the zoo be closed? So now, we get the great task of telling Jack that we can't go. What a disappointment. (This actually happened to us 2 times in a row, if you can believe that. A couple of months prior we tried to go to the zoo in Dallas with Grandma and Grandpa, but it was closed because they had filled capacity. And now this!)

Daddy had a great idea, though. We could go to the Nature Center that was in the same area. Great! Jack was all excited to be able to go for a LONG walk outside. So, off we went to the nature center. Now, keep in mind, we had just come off of a couple days of rain, so we were a little worried about the conditions of the trails...as well we should have been! ha, ha

All in all it was a great day! We got a little muddy, but Jack loved looking at the flowers and listening to the bugs and frogs. We saw tadpoles in the murky swamp waters and even a snake! (Momma wasn't too thrilled with that.) We were hot and tired by the end of the trail, but it was so much fun watching him explore and discover new things!





Ugh! There go the white shoes!

Fun in the Sun

Jack enjoyed a day in the sun with his new sprinkler set.

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY JACK!!!

Sorry for the delay in getting these pictures posted. Jack and his friends had a BLAST at his birthday party! It was a huge success. Once again, he got more than he needed. Thanks to everyone for all of the great birthday gifts! His summer will be filled with lots of fun outside games and toys to enjoy.

Here are a few pics from the day.




We had a Handy Manny birthday party! Manny was present, along with all his helping tools!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!




YUMMY! CAKE AND ICE CREAM!!



FUN WITH THE PINATA!

Jack's Birthday Ideas

Jack's 3rd birthday is fast approaching! I can't believe he is already 3 yrs old--how time flies!

Many of you have asked about gift ideas. I created a wish list on the Toys R Us web site. You can access that by clicking on 'wish list' at the very top of the screen. Once inside, go to existing customer and enter our account as 'angela.strode@yahoo.com' and the password as 'jackson'.

He is really into books and games these days, as well as playing outside as often as he can. He wears a 3T shirt and 2T bottoms. His shoe size is an 8. Just give us a call or send an email if you have other questions.

Hope to see all who can make his party on the 10th!

Hi Ho...Hi Ho...It's Off To Work We Go!!

The other morning Ryan was getting ready for work while Jack and I lay in bed watching Mickey Mouse (tough life, I know!) Anyway, Jack looked up at Ryan and said, "Where you going Daddy?" Ryan said, "I'm going to work and you will go to school." Jack sat there for a minute and thought about it. The he piped up and said "No, I go to work and YOU go to school!" Ryan thought that was a pretty good trade! ha,ha

Speaking of Ryan's job, some prayers are needed for a new venture he is traveling on. As most of you know, for the past year or so, Ryan has been working an incredible amount of hours (sometimes up to 80-90 hours a week!) between his office job and his side work. Well, come this Thursday, Ryan will be in business for himself! He has left the firm he has been at for the past couple of years and is starting to concentrate on his "side work" full time now. This will be his "full time job"! Strode Design is the name of his business. We have been praying for this for quit some time now, for relief for the amount of hours he is working and the ability for him to concentrate on what he loves. It's exciting to see God working in his life! This is a very exciting, yet some what scary, time for us. I have all the confidence in the world that he will succeed! Please pray for him as he takes this leap of faith. Pray for his success and his happiness.

GOOD LUCK, BABE! WE ARE ALL BEHIND YOU!!

A Lesson From Jack

We have been talking a lot lately about how it's not nice to tell Mommy and Daddy 'No'. So, the other day Jack and I were going around and around about not running his cars over Annabelle. "Annabelle doesn't like it when you run your cars over her back" I would tell him. "Yes, she does!", he would reply. After a couple of rounds of this, I told him I would take his car away the next time he didn't listen. Sure enough, not even one second later, he looked at me and proceeded to put his car on her back. I then went to him and took his car away and said "Momma said no.". He proceeded to stare me down and say "Hey, that's nice!"

I guess he thinks it's not nice for Mommy and Daddy to so 'No' to him, either! Ha Ha!!

HE DID IT!!

Well, I'm SO happy to report that it looks like we have accomplished the big potty!! YIPPEE!! For about a month now, Jack has been in 'Big Boy Pants' and has been doing great. This journey has been one of many ups and downs. God has a very unusual sense of humor in this subject--just when you think you are making progress, using the potty, going 1/2 a day in regular underwear, being excited about using the big potty, etc, He throws you for a huge loop. All of a sudden, diapers seem like the ONLY way to go in your little guy's mind. What?? But we were doing so good! Come on, don't you want to be a big boy? Nope, just wear diapers Momma! After about 9 months of this up and down progress, something finally clicked! One day, I just suggested that he try wearing his big boy pants again and he was ALL about it! The rest is history, as they say! He is now in his big boy pants all the time (except for sleeping at night-that still has Momma a bit nervous.)and using the big potty.

GREAT JOB, BUDDY! MOMMA AND DADDY ARE SO PROUD OF YOU! (And all before you turned 3! Yippee!)

I found this older picture taken during our first days of starting to potty train--I think it's hilarious! Such a 'guy'thing! lol