Birthday Boy

Braden gets so excited about birthdays...anyone's birthday! So naturally, he was thrilled to wake Daddy up on his birthday to give him his presents. We finished the day off with a late dinner out and cake at home.

On the cake, notice the toy dirt bike with the rider doing a trick near the candle flames...this was Braden's addition, of course!

Version 4.5

Braden's officially 4 and a half today. He really wants to be 5-years-old, so he's excited he's inching closer. I've told him as he gets older, he needs to act like a big boy and be responsible. All my lecturing isn't working....

After begging him to brush his teeth and hair countless times before school, he ran over to me and told me he's ready to leave....

Black & Blues

We were given tickets to the Anaheim Ducks vs. the St. Louis Blues hockey game. A great excuse for Braden to stay out late, be rowdy, and eat greasy food....

Besides golf, soccer, basketball, and football, Braden has said he wants to play hockey.

Front and center.... Our seats were just a few rows up from the ice! Braden said hockey players don't smile, so he gave me what he referred to as a "mean smile."
Braden examined every player in the guide and kept us up to date on who was on the ice playing.

Already well on his way to having "hockey hair."

Best seat in the house! Matt hoisted Braden up so he could cheer on the fight....a hockey game just wouldn't be the same without a brawl! Braden also rooted loudly for the Ducks who beat the Blues 2-1!

Season Starter

I guess every mom thinks she's not going to be "that mom" that really gets into her kid's games and cheers loudly from the sideline...and then the first game comes around and it just happens. It's hard not to root for a team consisting of adorable 4 & 5-year-olds doing their best to defeat the other team of adorable 4 & 5-year-olds!

On this gorgeous 83 degree day, Braden had his first official AYSO game, playing on the Silver Knights. This may mark the first day of giving up weekends for the foreseeable future!

Daddy let Braden pick out his cleats...need I say more?! There is an upside to red shoes though...the boys tend to blend in with each other, but I don't think anyone will have a problem immediately spotting which kid is Braden on the field! Another benefit is that the shoes distract from the fact that the jersey would fit me!

The Silver Knights had their first and only practice 20 minutes before the game started. These boys gave the game their best effort, but unfortunately, the other team must have had more practice....
I was worn out just watching these boys run up and down the field....I was told that at this age, they all just stand around or run aimlessly like ants. They actually wanted to score and knew what they were doing on the field!
Braden, Landin and Keegan are either figuring out how to block the other team from scoring another goal or just cracking jokes!

Rest for the Weary

"How am I going to be a pirate if I have to go to bed?" This is what Braden asked me as he tried to negotiate his way out of having to go to sleep. Ten minutes later, I went in to check on him and found this...

Hat? Check. Eye patch? Check. Treasure map clenched in hand? Check. "How to be a Pirate in 7 Days or Less" book on the pillow? Check!

Move Over Tony Hawk

Braden recalls that we told him he can start riding a skateboard once he mastered his razor scooter...well, guess that time has come! He seems to take after his father, meaning that he is good at every activity he tries!

This kid is always trying something new. He watches the older boys in the neighborhood do tricks on their skateboards, and then he attempts to emulate them.

Braden unbuckled the strap on his helmet for the picture and commented that this is how he will wear it when he is older....He said he's noticed the big kids on our street do that!
It's probably about time we invest in some knee and elbow pads!

Desert Storm

The wind and rain storms in the weather forecast wasn't enough to keep us away from spending the weekend in Ocotillo Wells.

Braden loves riding his quad and is developing a liking for his dirt bike too. He's already looking forward to doing some tricks on his bike!

You never know what you might find in the middle of the desert...Amongst an array of beautifully unique rocks, Braden spotted a ladybug. Daddy can't be the only cool parent, so I went for some rides on my dirt bike with Braden. Sadly, he is probably better than I am, so he will be teaching me a thing or two!
Addison rode Braden's quad while he cruised around on his dirt bike. Braden has a hard time not being silly every time he sees a camera.
The rains created a ton of mud, so our Rhino was a mess! This monkey didn't mind at all.
Braden asked how old he has to be before he can drive his friends around in the Rhino....Haha! "Much older," was my answer.
Braden had a blast racing around the track Daddy created for him.
Addison dozed off, but Braden was determined to get as little sleep as possible this weekend!

What?! A smile? That must have been an accident!

Sorry Gramma, this was the best I could get!

We made a visit to the "lost city" which is filled with lots of rock statues and creations.

Braden showed off just a bit on his quad, especially when another little boy was racing around with him. Daddy created a passing lane so Braden wouldn't get stuck going slow behind the other rider. Braden loved cruising over these jumps standing up.

Braden brought along 2 of his monster trucks on a Rhino ride. He said Addison loves trucks, and apparently he was right.

We suggested that Braden take a little break from riding to relax a bit....Running around in Daddy's jacket was his version of chilling out!

Love Bug

Aside from the handmade cards & gifts, Braden surprised me by saying he was going to get extra clean in the bath for Valentine's Day.

Nothing like cuddling up with a squeaky clean kid! He's such a sweetheart!

Balloon Monsters

We were excited that our friends, the Araizas, made a surprise visit to our neck of the woods.

Cameron is almost a teenager, but he sure is a great sport!

Braden is so goofy, but Cameron just went along with his antics. That's why Braden wants to go over to Cameron's to hang out and play soon! It's hard to believe that the boy I've known since he was born is old enough to babysit my son now!
I still think of Heidi as a little girl, but somehow she is almost 20! Braden is trying to think of an excuse to have her babysit. I can think of a few reasons!

No Shadow

We didn't need a groundhog to predict an early spring because we've been experiencing beautiful summer-like weather for weeks. It's hard to imagine that much of the country is dealing with horrible storms while we are enjoying perfect conditions...guess that's what we get for that sunshine tax we pay!

The gorgeous weather has allowed Braden the opportunity to ride his bike and scooter quite a bit. Not exactly a groundhog, but Braden loves this neighborhood cat, Tom.