ZoZo Turns 2

Daddy got ZoZo ready for church. Don't you just love all the flowers in her hair?




In just a matter of months, this little girl went from hating anything girly to loving all of it- hair bows, dolls, dresses, sparkles. I don't know what caused this change to happen.



She was so cute pushing around her new stroller as her skirt swished back and forth.



Zo thinks Mommy is a horse.



G.G. tried to help her hold up two fingers but that was a little tricky. We'll have to keep practicing.



HeRoos once again questioned my cake creation skills. As I was making it, he kept walking by and saying, "I thought you were making a butterfly cake." A little while later, "That doesn't look like a butterfly." It wasn't until moments before her party that I put the butterflies in place.





Mr. Boy wanted to make sure everything was under control. She finally blew the candle out by herself.



HeRoos acting as the camera man. G.G. & Pops made some delicious homemade ice cream to go with the cake. We also had Hawaiian Haystacks for dinner since ZoZo loves rice.



Our friends, the Terrando's.



Aunt Kim & Uncle Dave. The kids love to visit them!



Grandma & Grandpa Roos.



Butterfly treats for the kids to take home.



Happy Birthday to our feisty and sweet two year-old girl! Over the past year, she has learned how to defend herself against a very rough, big brother. She also makes sure her lungs are strong and her vocal chords are loud so she can be a great singer some day. She doesn't allow anyone to tell her what to do or push her around. She is very determined.

She has her daddy smitten and she can get away with just about anything. Every morning when he puts on his shoes, she runs & gets her shoes (it's always a disappointment when she can't go with him to work).

Zo can give the meanest scowl and then brighten up an entire room with her beautiful smile.

Some of her favorite foods are cottage cheese, shredded Colby jack cheese, green smoothies, bananas, rice, oatmeal, and chocolate chips.

Her favorite things to do are play in sand or dirt, pick flowers, read books, gather items and carry them around all day, go for rides in the stroller or wagon, play with her brother, chase the neighbor's cat, attend nursery on Sundays, and sing songs while making hand motions (Itsy Bitsy Spider, Popcorn, Pat-a-cake).

We love our ZoZo and hope that she continues to be her own little person, full of life and love!

Handsome

As we were eating lunch at the table I told the kids, "You are cute."

Mr. Boy replied, "I'm not cute anymore, I'm just handsome."

Two in One Swing

The kids love to swing and I have a confession...for some reason I dread pushing them. I really don't enjoy pushing them back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. They would be content being pushed for hours if it is done just right. Mr. Boy is very particular about how he is pushed. They are both so small that they fit in one swing and it does make me smile to see how happy they are.

Identify that Bird

For all you bird watchers out there, what kind of bird is this? This cute little thing has been singing in our backyard all day. Usually birds stop in for just a minute or two but this one seems to be getting awfully comfortable, especially by the raspberry bush. It seems to be sending out a call/song that is actually quite pretty and loud. Other birds will respond by sitting on the fence but they are easily scared away.




It seems to be a Quail. Is this normal for them to fly alone and hang out in the same place for a while? I just found this article with some useful information. I would love it if the Quail & her mate decided to nest in our backyard!

Sweet Dreams & Random Thoughts

I love seeing my kids sleeping peacefully. This sight made me especially happy. From the time our kids are just babies we try reading with them every night as part of their bedtime routine. For the longest time ZoZo had no interest in the books. She would play and walk around as if she wasn't paying any attention to us. We continued reading aloud anyway. Fast forward a few months and now this little girl loves books. She looks at them during nap time/quiet time and bedtime. It does my heart good to see that our persistence is finally paying off.




We went to the Meadow Canyons Park today for their monthly train ride and farmer's market. Some kids were selling their homemade crafts and when Mr. Boy saw the light sabers he instantly lit up and wanted one (he has never even seen Star Wars). A young boy was selling them for $2 each. We were at the park for a couple hours and by the time we left he had sold all 20 of them. His mom said that he was having a Star Wars birthday party and all the kids were getting them as party favors. What a fun idea!

Zo chose a little bracelet for $.50. My kids were so thrilled with their treasures and the kids selling them were equally excited to make a sell. Their day got even better when we ate our fresh peas (purchased for $1) and rode the train 4 times! We had a fun and inexpensive day.

Mr. Boy hanging on to his light saber long after falling asleep. Hopefully, he can scare away any bad dreams he may have.



Tonight, HeRoos and I went on a double date with my parents. They have been wanting to take HeRoos out for his birthday dinner so we were finally able to go. Out of all the delicious restaurants out there, guess what HeRoos chose... Sizzler. Seriously?! He loves the All-You-Can-Eat Shrimp. I will admit that I like the salad bar but I've never had a steak there that I've liked. We were stuffed by the time we left but decided to see a movie. We saw 17 Miracles and it was so emotional. This is the first time I have been to a movie where every single person sat through all of the credits. The theatre was full and completely silent until the lights came on. There was a lot to digest and tears needed to dry before re-entering the real world. My appreciation and respect for the early pioneers continues to grow and grow. I cannot even begin to imagine the heartache and pain they experienced. I have no doubt that they will be blessed for their faith.

Motherhood

Every day, I experience these feelings:

Pure exhaustion.
No time for myself.
Unappreciated.
Inadequate.
Frustration.
On the verge of a mental breakdown. ;)

Every day, I also feel this:

Love.
Sense of adventure.
Guidance from Above.
Tender, innocent arms wrapped around me.
Hope for the future.
Reason to push forward.
A personal, sacred call that only motherhood can fulfill.


I wouldn't change being a mother for anything... which is why we're adding one more to our family in January. Yep, we may be crazy but if the next one is anything like Mr. Boy and Zo, we just can't resist. They are full of mischief, giggles, intelligence, attitude, sweetness, stubbornness, determination, and the list goes on...

Turn Those Frowns Upside Down

We were afraid the whole 4th of July weekend was going to pass by this sick gang. HeRoos and I have been fighting some ugly stomach bug that has left us 10 pounds lighter and completely drained of energy. The kids have been healthy and full of their normal high energy. They have been so anxious to get out of the house but the two times we tried, it didn't turn out so well. In fact, it was very bad. So we decided to confine ourselves to staying at home. We missed out on some family gatherings, parades, firework shows and HeRoos missed two days of work (which he rarely ever does).

Fortunately, GG and Pops came to the rescue today. They came to visit us with bundles full of goodies. They brought food, bubbles, firecrackers, AND a swimming pool. It sure lifted all of our spirits and now I can type this as I listen to the fireworks going off outside and I don't feel like I'm missing out. We had our own little party & created some memories. Thankfully, whatever we had is gone and our energy is starting to come back.

Happy 4th of July!