Long time, no blog...

Paul's cut himself while shaving his knee...I told him the knee is a tricky spot but he wouldn't listen!

Then, since his knee was shaved, he went ahead and got some hamstring ripped out and turned into a new ACL and then added a meniscus repair for kicks (no pun intended)

Parker started breast feeding.

Paul and I went camping to celebrate 9 years of marriage...

Gunner got chubbier...and more cute every day!

For Thanksgiving, we went to Strawberry and had a blast. Family pictures in the woods.

"Team Gunner"

I can't figure out how to get these things in order so...whatever. August 4th my favorite sister had her first baby. Gunner Samuel Zandt. He has been such a blessing to all of us! This picture looks nothing like him because at 4 months old he is 20 pounds! He is so sweet and so fun to have in the family. Kaka and Coco make the best parents!

In June we moved from our 5 year home in Mesa to Queen Creek. We are on the border of Gilbert so we aren't too far. We really love it out here. This is the kids in front of their new house. They love it too and have had no trouble adjusting and making great friends!

Tooth Fairy

My first baby lost her first baby tooth yesterday! It's about time!! She will be 7 in 3 months and I think she is the ONLY kid in her 1st grade class that hasn't lost a tooth. She was so excited and so brave to let her Daddy yank it right out. Historically, Sydney is not our most fearless child but she wanted this so badly!! Her note to the tooth fairy read: "Dear Tooth Fairy, I will give you my tooth if you give me your wand. So if you give me your wand I'll give you my tooth. Is that a deal? ok. Love, Sydney" After I told her that may sound a little demanding she added a few "pleases" but the general demand was the same.

The tooth fairy was not as accommodating as she had hoped. She got a $1.00 because it was her first tooth and a promise of a wand IF she keeps her teeth clean and loses another tooth. She came in my room in the middle of the night to read me the note from the fairy and tell me all about the wand promise. She read me the note again when we woke up for school and read it to her dad and brother...She was thrilled! She never smiles with her teeth in pictures but now it's a different story! This was a very exciting day for her and it was just as exciting for me!

Blue Dinosaurs!!

Joe was on his first soccer team this year! The Blue Dinosaurs! He liked it but each week all he was concerned about was when he was getting his trophy! Sydney has one and he wanted it so badly! He went to his games and went on the field when he was told. Most of our time on the side lines was spent yelling "Where is the ball? GO GET THE BALL!! Joe! Joe! Follow your team! Run Joe! Other way, buddy! Kick it, JoeJoe!" I'm fairly sure he was only there in body...his mind and spirit were somewhere very different. His coach was a little intense for these little first timers and I think he might have been relieved when Joe missed a game or a practice :( We loved watching him and laughing when he was dancing around the wrong end of the field with his hands down the back of his pants! On his last game, we all sprayed our hair blue and cheered our loudest! He did have the best hair on the team, NO DOUBT! Sydney was a big supporter and was exactly like him during her first and only soccer season! 4 year olds and sports...AWESOME!!

(last game of season)

(first game of season)

Good Mom moments

As a Mom, there are days that I am more proud of than others...This was a good day. We woke up to pouring rain outside so I told my kids (in their pj's) to go out and play in it. They looked at me like I was trying to trick them into doing something wrong then cautiously stepped into the rain. The minute it hit them, they acted as they should, like KIDS! They ran around and jumped on the trampoline. Syd wasn't up to walking in the mud puddles but Joe wanted to try it. After the fun died down they wanted to take a bath together so on went the "bathing" suits and they had a WARM wet blast. After baths, we build a sweet fort in the living room with blankets and books and watched a movie with our stuffed animals. This picture is one of my favorites of all three of them. I'm not usually this fun. Infact, I'm pretty grouchy most of the time... I hope they remember the good times! This was a more simple "good mom" day. We just sat outside and played all together. It doesn't take too much to make them happy. They are the best kids! I am one lucky Mama.

For Thanksgiving we were so THANKful to get to go to my cousin, Traci's cabin in Strawberry! The kids had so much fun needing their coats! It was a very fun trip!

With A LOT of help, I made my first quilt! Paul and I have wanted a quilt for our bed for a while. He made me the mirror above our bed a couple years ago and this year I made him a quilt to match! I'd like to take the credit but I couldn't have done this alone to save my life! Thank you, helper friends!

We think maybe I was pregnant with twins but the other twin is stuck in Parker's tummy...no sign of it coming out anytime soon! We love our chubby girl! She pulled her shirt up like this...clothes are just too tight!

Joe Joe

Joe is BOY 100%. He plays hard and is so so sweet. He loves his sister, Parker! Every morning when he hears her wake up he runs in to ask us if he can go talk to her. If we say yes, he BURSTS into her room and they laugh together forever. He allows us to keep sleeping...good boy Joe. He is right at that point where a nap benefits his mood greatly but if he does nap for even a minute he is impossible to get to bed at night. I love my kids!

The one and only Christmas photo of 2009

This is my Sydney. This face says it all. But just in case it doesn't say it, I'll explain. She is 6 1/2 but she thinks she is 18 and knows everything! She is sassy and very opinionated! She hates the color purple and hates her hair the way I did it in this photo. She is beautiful and so loving when she wants to be and she is a great big sister...to Parker. This attitude on her face and Joe kinda clash. This is our ONLY Christmas picture...I was not snappy this year. Got some cute video, though! I love this girl and adore spending one on one time with her. She is so bright and special to me.