It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!

Christian built a snowman on Christmas Eve, Zach wanted to head out to meet it.
Money is always a popular gift!

Zach being a cheeser!

After three years, Santa finally got her the DS!

All this fun makes you really tired!

We had a blessed and wonderful holiday. We are wishing the same for all of you!

Happy Birthday Zach!!!

Our little baby turned 3 on us!!! Thanks to everyone who helped Zach ring his third year in in-style.

Poor Abby...

Looks as lonely as our blog has been. We will be back soon! I promise!

Catch of the Week

Nick and Christian went out Tuesday night and came home with two big catfish.

Tonight Christian, the little kids, and I went to a park in Ankney and... same thing. Two big cats. Must be the catch of the week!

Random summer pics

Zach- the meanest hair brusher in the west.


It's been a busy summer- we're tired!



Catch of the day! Christian's catfish. I named him Pierre. I think he looks French. Uhhh, looked French. Now he looks like a fillet.

Bright eyes

Hot sweaty kid with a largemouth bass.

Family Night- fishing

Pick out just the right hook...


Don't forget the worm...



Maybe even two...

Then you will get a fish...

Mommy's fishing crew!

Big boy bed

Now that Zach is in a big boy bed...

Naptime turns into a game of hide and seek...

But he's always in the same spot- Bella's top bunk!

Happy 13th Birthday Christian!!!

It's official- there's a teenager is our house!

Broccoli

We have two tortoises that eat broccoli for their diet. Last night at supper I served a veggie mix that had some broccoli in it. It was clear that I do not serve this very often when Zach gave it a glare, popped a piece in his mouth, and then announced "I LIKE TURTLE FOOD!!!"

Happy Father's Day

Present or past- you will never be forgotten.

The pond

Our newest family hang out is ponds! We all enjoy watching the ducks and swans. The duck families are particularly fun to watch with all the little ducklings following their mom. Tonight the kids were bummed that there was a "no feeding" sign up so we left our loaf of bread in the car- only to find they had just dumped two piles of feed out for them, so the kids were able to feed them still.

Nick was markedly calmer than me- I kept envisioning Zach falling into the water.

A happy duck family.

Right before we left it started to rain!

I was impressed with my camera on this last picture. Click on it to see a larger version of it!

Rough weekend

Zach had a tough weekend. It seemed like no matter what he did, he ended up suffering some sort of physical injury. First I'll direct you to the spot on his forehead- a bug bite which grew twice with bonking his head on things both Friday and Saturday. Friday night he also performed a perfect swan dive landing head first on cement from a park bench, but that bump is hiding in his hair. Then to the marks on his neck. He was playing on the swing set with one of Bella's friends, they went too high and he flew off. Not really sure what his neck hit on the way down but it left some marks.
Then his poor legs. He is at that age that no matter how long you soak him in the tub his legs look dirty from the zillions of bruises that line them. This picture has a big bruise and a scrape by his knee. Maybe he'll be safer at daycare this week. Which reminds me, he has a nice bite mark on his arm from his friend at daycare. Darn, didn't snap a picture of that!

Birthday Party!!!

It was a really long day. I got up early and hit some garage sales with my friend, the queen o' the sales, and got some really good bargains! Then it was a mad dash to clean the house and get ready for Bella's party. Bella had a great time and got TONS of gifts.

Tonight she and daddy had a date at the Iowa Cubs game in Des Moines. Christian is fishing with his grandparents. Poor Zach- he went to bed at 11pm last night, got up at regular time this morning, and then skipped nap today. At 6pm he was having a meltdown of mass proportions- laying on the kitchen floor screaming, sobbing, and slobbering all over. He had a quick bath, some "roni cheese", and a story and has been silent ever since. Not a creature is stirring...

Our Isa-bee turns 6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She was too tuckered out for a photo shoot, but we just wanted to share with everyone the new jewelry we got to commemorate her 6th year. The second earring nearly wasn't put in after the shock of the first, but I talked her into it. Party tomorrow- better pics then!

Dance Recital 2009

There are not even words to describe the chaos that is a week of dance... just a few funny pictures.

Yes man!

Zach had his tear duct surgery today. He did really well- now let's just hope that it worked and his goopy eye will be better forever. He was scared to death when they took him back to the operating room. His screams broke my heart but he was back in my arms in 20 minutes. Now he has eaten and is taking a nap.

My favorite part of the day so far is that they have to identify what body part needs operated on. So, in permanent Sharpie, Zach has YES above his left eye.