whatever you want

So I asked todd what I should title this post, and that's what he came up with. Clever. It's been quite some time since we've posted anything, and in the words of my sister it's been "FOR-EV-ER." I apologize. I chalk it up to life. Life has happened.

Since our last post, we've been busy with the usual things as well as a bit of the unusual. Here goes the list... basketball, school, cub scouts, church, ryder, work (that ends it for the usual), a baby shower, a trip to NorCal, a visit for me and ryder to Roseville to see Lizzy and fam, a research trip for Todd to New Orleans, a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a Josh Groban concert (yes, Josh Groban.... it was amazing!), new callings in church (Scout Master for Todd to add to his callings as part time youth Sunday school teacher and priest quorum teacher, and I was called as the first counselor in the primary), a great General Conference weekend in Merced (General Conference is a biannual worldwide broadcast of leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which we are members of), ryder's first dunk under water, a Giants game for Todd, a scout pinewood derby, a ward Easter egg hunt, a FABULOUS visit from mom and dad Fairbanks and Sam (Todd's younger brother), ryder's 9mo mark, dinner with friends, and walks in the park. I think that's about it...

I won't bore you with all of the details of the above, but here are some pictures with captions in an effort to share some of these moments with you.

during our visit to Roseville, ryder had to endure his meals in lizzy's Bumbo.
the poor kid's legs were stuck in there pretty tight!


julie (my brother kevin's wife) took me on a drive through Loomis, a town near Roseville where she hopes todd and i will one day settle down. ryder and lizzy weren't too thrilled to be on the drive.

the three of us took a little vacation up the coast to Mendocino for a few days during todd's two week break in March. here's one of those great do-it-yourself shots at Glass Beach.

so... on the way, Todd insisted that we stop and pay five bucks to drive through a tree... and here it is. was it worth five bucks?
depends who you ask.

ryder is a very good traveler, but he did get a little grumpy during the seemingly nonstop driving, so i drove for a bit while todd took on the job of entertaining. i happened to glance back, and Ryder's socks were no longer on his feet.


what a great slug! ryder so wanted to pick it up and put it in his mouth, but his nervous mother would not allow it. can you blame me?

on day #2 of our trip north, we drove even a couple of more hours further north to Humboldt State Redwoods Park.... amazing. i never, ever thought i'd find trees so interesting.

i caught this photo during one of ryder's afternoon naps in hopes i would get
a few good ones to hang in his room. so cute!

ryder playing in the water at the Monterey Bay Aquarium....
he was so sad to leave his little red fish!

todd and ryder checkin' out the fish at the aquarium.

ryder and his grandpa fairbanks. ryder was thoroughly scared of Todd's dad until about day three of their visit here. that's when we caught this smile.

ryder loves grandma fairbanks!

so.... ryder learned out to take off his pants. need i say more?

this week we drove out to San Rafael to visit with some long lost friends who used to live here in the city. ryder loved playing with his buddies
Tessa and Trevin.