Happy Birthday Kynedy Grace!

All of our edible DOG TREATS!

Most of the party crew. Some of the others got distracted with the toys in the other room. But a pretty good group shot!

Tatum, a therapy dog and her owner Carrie came to the party and did tricks. It was SO precious!!! Carrie made bead braclets for all the kids that said "Party with Tatum". The little white dog, is Koda. Mine and Kynedy's dog. (Will is still waiting for his Golden Retreiver)

Kynedy and best friend Kennedy dressed up in their craft at Kynedy's DOG party. We went on a scavenger hunt after we were all DOGS.

So.....our dear Kynedy turned 5 on June 3rd. She has truly blessed our life in so many ways!
She is the image of true beauty, her heart is tender, her feelings sincere, and her imagination is amazing! She has a passion for animals that surpasses her years. I pray that we do all we can to always encourage and support her abundant love for them. She has a beautiful smile that looks just like her aunt Staci and beautiful blue eyes that tell us many stories. She loves life, loves her family and enjoys her role as BIG sister. Thank you Gracie for your contagious energy and passion for life. We are so proud of you and look forward to what God has planned for your future!

One of our many trips to the OKC zoo and the only family portrait we have captured thus far....Kelly...we NEED your help!

Easter

I realize that I am really lacking in the blog dept. I will again.....try and do better. I just dont have the time to go back from when I left off but I will try and add some HIGHLIGHTS of the last several months.

These pictures are from the VERY cold easter weekend we had! Mom and dad were able to come down to celebrate. Yes....these are the best pictures we could get.

Also, if you notice Kynedy has a new haircut! Daddy went to get his hair cut for Easter weekend and Kynedy wanted to go too. When she got there she informed dad that she would like her hair cut....SHORT. And of coarse....daddy sais ok....I was shocked when she came home with her hair a foot shorter! But in the end....I love it!!!!! She just looks much too old!

Cover Girl!

Our very dear and talented friend Kelly Stocksen submitted some of her photography a couple of weeks ago to this SCRAPBOOK magazine and asked our permission to send some of Kynedy's pictures that she had taken a few months ago. Her amazing work got chosen!; along with our beautiful Kynedy. What an amazing and exciting time for Kynedy to see herself in stores ALL over America! Thank you Kelly for giving Kynedy this oppertunity and congratulations to you as well. Your work is truly amazing!

So if you haven't made it to Target yet...GO GET YOUR COPY TODAY :)

Are you talking to me?

Today my house was WAY to quiet; which means someone is into somthing! This is what I found...a potty party!

Is this normal???

This is as far as we have gotten in potty training....
to be continued.

Old friends are the best!

My friend Megan came down to spend a couple of days with us. We had so much fun just being together. For those who don't know, Megan and I have been friends since we were three years old! Our parents are great friends AND our sisters are great friends. Too often we dont tell our friends how special they are to us. So to Megan; thank you for being a great friend to me ALL these years.

Race Car!

My dear friend Megan came to visit and she drove her 'really cool race car!!' The kids were So excited because they got to go around the block with the top down!

You know your a mom when...

Last night I had a HUGE mom moment. Infact, I am still a little shocked!
If you are a mom I am sure you can relate to one of these evenings: Will was getting home at 4:30, as soon as he walked in the door he got a ' hey! Did you have a good day? Love you.' Literally that fast, no time for him to really answer. I had a hair appointment at 4:45 so that meant I had to leave immediately. Of course getting my hair done, is now the highlight of my life. It means for about an hour and half I have NO responsiblity, and I have to use NO energy. Well...I took it a step further. As I was getting out of my car to run into the salon (b/c I am already 10 minutes late) my shoe slipped off...WHAT!!!!! It wasnt my shoe, but my HOUSE SLIPPERS! I had run out the door so fast I didnt even realize that I hadnt changed my shoes. I was moritified! I debated running back home but there was no way I could do that and not completely mess up my sweet ladies schedule. And so a TRUE evening of pampering began...I sat for an hour and half and got my hair done, slippers and all.

Cabin Fever

The weather is in the twenties here (if even that!) which to us poor old Texans...we might as well live in Alaska! The kids were SO excited about there being 'snow' (really its white ice!) that they just had to go outside. Poor Lane and Koda just watched out the window.

Mary and Joseph...live in EDMOND!

Some of you might know that last year at christmas I was really sad because Nolan broke my glass 'Joseph'...mom and Gigi used words of comfort both basically telling me that 'boys will be boys' and if that is the worst thing that happens...then I am lucky! So this christmas season as I got out my beautiful nativity and set it up (without Joseph of course) I was still kinda sad. I mean what kind of REAL nativity doesnt have a Joseph. Will's solution to make me feel better wont surprise any of you I am sure; a typical 'guy' answer. "Erk, how important was he anyway, I mean she is the virgin Mary..." uggg! ;) Anyway, long story short...I guess my kids learned who Joseph was even if he wasnt in our nativity. Lately, for some reason they have been pretending to be just that; Mary and Joseph, sometimes Lane gets lucky and is even Jesus! I realize that they are terribly stretching out their shirts but how can a mom tell her kids to stop playing a game as cute as this!

War Wounds...

Yesterday Nolan and Lane got into their first 'fight'. Nolan was playing with little toy cars and Lane thought that looked like a good idea and ONLY the cars Nolan was playing with would be acceptable. Well...that didn't go down very well with Nolan. So, in a matter of seconds they were 'duking' it out; unfortunately their is always one who will have the upper hand and in this case Nolan did. So here is the dreadful picture of the 'results' (dont miss the black eye forming) :(

New Years Resolutions!

(I am scoring brownie points for this one from ALL the grandparents ;)

Welcome to THE RHOADS FAMILY blog...again!
I realize that I have really slacked off on my blogging! This is my attempt to do better in the New Year. We hope that you will enjoy our memories and adventures and that we find each of you; our dear family and friends, happy and healthy and filled with peace.

Happy New Year...

not so much. Two munchkins sick. Nothing that a good movie, a snuggle, and blankies couldn't fix.

MEAN faces!

Just playin' around

We were getting ready to leave to go look at new sofas and we were waiting for Lane to wake up. So we decided to just play with the camera!

Going to the beach...

I love make-believe...

Today Grace and Nolan went to the beach. Kynedy told me "I didn't want to go to the beach with a boy so Nolan is a girl"
and so...the two little girls went to 'the beach'.

Belly Bomp!

At Thanksgiving Uncle Matt started a 'new game'...he called it bootie bomp. Anytime one of the little boys (I had to clearify the little ones) would walk by each other they would bootie bomp theirs booties into the other and they thought it was hystaricle! Well now we do belly bomps ALSO! Since usually out of the bath one of them gets hurt following this game its not exactly a Kodak moment, but Lane came up to Nollie in the bath laughing and throwing himself forward tried to give a belly bomp. It was really cute. Kynedy just took advantage of the photo opportunity!:)

Hats and Jammies

Shopping at Old Navy, the kids spotted these hats! They loved them and they were a great distraction while I dug for the good deals ;)! So in the end they each got to chose one and I was a SUPER mom!

Make Believe

Kynedy continues to ADORE animals. It is so fun to watch your children be passionate about somthing. It confirms that they really are their own person. Her days include: playing with her stuffed animals (all of them!) doing her new very difficult tiger puzzle, playing with her figurine horses, coloring animals, watching any animal movie or reading any animal book... Nolan enjoys: the car (of coarse!) tools, tools, tools, weed eaters, lawn mowers, sports (when he is not distracted by the previously listed interest) but his newest obsession is Hockey! He 'swishes' (literally making those noices) through the house and will slam himself into my walls because "that is what hockey players do.." Occassionally he gets a hockey puck to the eye (pretends) and Kynedy the paramedic comes to his rescue! These are some of my favorite times...watching them Make believe!