Quote that Resonates with Me

"Never think that someone else knows what's best for you.  Trust your way and don't ask for so much advice.  Learn how to be quiet and still enough to hear your own voice.  It's up to you: your voice will either be silenced or will get to roar."
- Maria Shriver

Complete article with many quotes on "International Day of the Girl"

Two Videos - Now and Then

 Now - Ian and Noah chatting about our Christmas Tree hunt

Car chats

Then - Y'all, it's Ian learning to walk, and going through YouTube videos now is mind-blowing! I can't believe how true the sentiment 'it goes fast' is.

Ian walking

Visit our Mobile Blog!

This is where we post frequent updates on the go!
Mobile Blog: With Love from Lane

Somebody is Almost 3

Life in California is taking off...

With the end of Kodak Gallery (Ofoto), came the beginning of Shutterfly--the new (to us) place we share family pics (the motherload - for printing, etc.)  That site is BatesLove.shutterfly.com.  If you're interested, just go to the site and request to be a member.  I'll still post here and on our Mobile Blog - the best place to see what's been shakin' in our world.

Peace and Love!

With Love from Lane ~ Mobile Blog

What we've been up to lately and a resurrected mobile blog...

With Love from Lane may already be familiar to you...  It's a mobile iphone blog I started a few years ago to share Noah's photos, which gave quite a creative perspective.  

Now this has been repurposed as truly a blog on the go - these are mostly iPhone photos (via Instagram) that I can post immediately.  This is great way to check out what's been going on in our world.  It's much easier lately for me to update this blog as we scooter, hike and explore around us.

How's Potty-Learning Going, You Ask?

Happy Spring

Who needs a dipper tool for dying eggs?  Full hand dipping is much more effective.

 

Thanks for my beautiful flowers Noah

Su Casa

Our new California home.

Photo Story

Beyond photos, it'd be great to include interesting updates about 'life these days'.  In summary: Ian walks over and tells me his (red) shirt matches my eyes.  I wonder?  

 

Top 3 headlines for the Bates would look like: Mortgage Might Fall Through; Which State (Coast) Do I Live on?; Leper Nation (or, Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease)

 

My boys (Noah is bouncing something off the wall in background)

 

 

Above - Baltimore (backyard/Inner Harbour);  Below - California... 

I wish I could go there and even begin to explain this hike!  We did make it to the top.

Ian's snake went everywhere with us - even had mash potatoes in the restaurant! But alas he was left in the rental car... somewhere in San Francisco...

Faces to love!

Ian has a wonderfully interesting sense of style (this shirt is about one-year too small).

Ode to the Redwood.

Little Man

And, Bigger Little Man - below, from Outer Banks this summer...

I'll come out from hiding (more like seeking) once we find our Los Gatos, Willow Glen, Campbell, or Silver Creek new little home...

Californ-IAN, Noah, Connor + Jackie

We are moving back to the west coast!  This is for an awesome job opportunity for Connor.  The next few weeks will be pure torture excitement as we move ourselves 2200 miles across the country.  Come visit us!

Old School

Sisters

My 1st Bday

My beautiful mama

We finally got the scanner working and copied in several old, back-in-the-day family pictures and a few more recent ones that I only had in hard copies.  I'd like to add to this folder with more that I have in an envelope on my desk, including some of Connor's baby/boy pictures.

On a side note, I am looking for a new home for my pictures.  With Kodak filing for bankruptcy, I'd like to start using some  program other than Kodak Gallery.  I am tinkering with Flickr - lots I like about it, but lots I don't - like their free account only allows the first 200 photos to be publicly viewable, and they use a third party service to do all their photo services (cards, etc.).  I may end up just using Picasa.

At any rate, go to my Flickr Sets and click on 'Scans' to see all the pictures.  I'll be adding more!

In early January, Connor and I did Vegas!  I was there for a tradeshow, and Connor was able to join us for the first leg of the trip.  We put the man to work!!  He was a great asset to our pre-show preparation (stapling, stuffing, carrying, organizing...poor Connor)  And, we had a total blast!  There are pictures in the Flickr Sets of these festivities as well.