Santa 2015

*Blog malfunction yesterday that I didn't notice! Thanksgiving blog is right before this one, oops!

I broke every rule in my book and took the kids to see Santa the day before Thanksgiving. I don't do holidays before or after the designated time. Designated being the time I make up of course. But I heard that it was a great day to go without lots of lines, and at the time we still thought surgery was approaching. Plus, last year, 3 hour wait. Not happening again. So, Pa Pa F offered to join us and off we went!

I love the way Fair Oaks lays out their line. Lots to see and do while you wait! 

And now, drumroll...but first, take a trip down memory lane with these Santa pics from years past!

Do you sense a theme? Well........

No crying! I'll admit I was a little sad. Because, you know, growing up and all. But Aubrey was SO proud of herself. So, I decided not to push her to cry. ;) 

First Christmas event complete! And guess who arrives tonight - Elfie! Fingers crossed I remember every night! 

Thanksgiving 2015

Woah, this was supposed to publish Sunday! Oops!

Hellloooo! Long time no blog! And no Thankful on Thursday post ON Thanksgiving. Shame on me. I'm living on the edge here people. Wild times. 

Biggest reason you didn't see that post? Too much fun! We had a great Thanksgiving in Richmond with Grandma and Grandpa K and the other Zs. 

First, this is what happens when you're asked to bring ONE casserole and you make it the night before and then forget it in the fridge 1.5 hours away. You go to the grocery store that is thankfully open 5 minutes from your inlaws house! And you pick up a couple extras. 

There was lots of back surgery talk before the real fun. 

I may have also tried to convince someone a nap would be fun (selfishly). Fail. Well, for her. I got a little nap!

Then we went to enjoy dinner and fun at the other Zs. Craft time!

Playtime!

Logan was in heaven when he got to play Mario Kart with the big boys!

Adult time!

Ahem. Someone is missing from this picture, Mrs. KZ!! 

Dinner time!

We had a fabulous time! Thank you, thank you for a great night Z family!

The next day Logan and Aubrey helped Grandpa K with some yard work. 

Rocks removed! They had a blast!

We had such a fun time! Lots and lots to be thankful for of course. 

Now it's almost December and you know what that means...I've got a blog backup already! I've got Santa visits, Christmas trees, and crafts to tell you about! Stay tuned!

Wordless Wednesday

Because really, are there any words for this?

Weekend Snapshots

1. I am writing this in our new GIANT bed. 

Why yes, that is a king size bed! With our old queen headboard, I know it looks awesome like that. And yes, that is the most generic duvet cover ever, but when they give you free sheets, comforter, and cover you take what you get at the moment. Because lord knows it will take us 77 years to agree on one. And a bed skirt. But that's not the point!!! The point is, NEW BED!!! Our old mattress was a queen and 15 years old. Seeing as Peter is having major back surgery and all we really, really needed a new one. And I started panicking that time was running out. So yesterday, bam, we bought a beds and the children played on mattresses very happily for about 90 minutes, yay for fairly deserted stores! They delivered it today, and we hodgepodged it together. Hey, it's fine since I know it's hodgepodged, right?!?! Besides, new bed! 

2. Bowling birthday! Tis the season for birthday parties apparently! Kindergarten seems to have no shortage of them. We went to Logan's best buddy's party this weekend at the bowling alley. 

Stylin shoes!

Waaaay too excited to start to let me take a picture! Logan and the birthday boy!

My party buddy!

4. Tae Kwon Do

I realize you can't see it AT ALL, but Logan and Aubrey joined one of our friends for a Buddy Night at their martial arts studio. They both loved it, and Aubrey was quite impressive too! I'm pretty sure we'll enroll after Christmas.

Lots to do this week, stress is starting to hit the Z house as we prepare for next week. And why is making Christmas lists so stressful?!?! I cannot make decisions about the kids stuff to save my life! 

Anyway! I'm just going to go to sleep now. In this awesome bed. 

Thankful on Thursday

I really love the fact that when this one needs me, I can be there...

Oh the cough. Buggy has a bad, yucky cough. Worse at night because, hello...always worse at night. But you know what I realized?!?!?!

COUGH SYRUP. 

I have waited 6 years for this moments for 6 years they told me not to give cough syrup to my child under 6. And now he is not under 6! So I can give him cough syrup! 

Except I have none because they always told me not to give it to him. 

But tomorrow, when I get some, I am going to be really, really thankful for cough syrup. 

I am also super thankful that Peter's surgery is still moving forward (insurance is being icky) and mom doesn't have to have surgery! Yay! 

Um, this week has been the longest week evererrrrrr. So let's be thankful it's almost Happy Friday!!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

This is how we do Sunday mornings around here:

PS - That's our newest family member, Winkus. That's what Aubrey named her baby in the car on Sunday. Glad she gets to watch cartoons too!

To the Rescue

Dashing over to put away clean dishes at a moments notice, it's Super Dishwasher Boy and Super Dishwasher Girl! Yes, they named themselves. 

And yes please, one small political moment. Please, please join me in remembering that one bad apple doesn't make a whole group of people bad. You know who I have in my classroom? Students who are either refugees themselves (no, not from Syria, but other Middle Eastern countries) or whose parents were refugees. I teach them everyday. I meet with their parents. They are so appreciative of me that it's sometimes overwhelming. 

We live where we live.  So I know, believe me, I know it is scary. And I know we are afraid of the next big thing. There are not easy answers, but making blanket statements about a group of people? That is certainly not the answer. One of my classroom parents is already afraid of backlash because of her religion. Heartbreaking. 

There is a refugee mother out there tonight wishing that she had the normalcy of her child having a temper tantrum when it's time to turn off the iPad. We are so, so blessed to be here. I am so thankful for the people who help keep us safe and free everyday. I get wanting that. I get risking it all to save your child from certain death in a country ravaged by war. I don't have the answers. But I do know what a mom's heart feels. That is universal. 

Because of this lovely private blog I know you are all thoughtful people. And while our politics may not match, I know you are all kind. So I urge you to encourage those around you to just think about those children. Those moms and dads. We are so focused on the bad guys that it's becoming impossible to remember the good. Help the world see the good, okay? That's my plan. Quietly. 

Sorry you poor blog readers have to hear it loudly. Come back for more cute children and less politics soon, I promise. 

Birthday Boy Daddy!

Guess who turned 38 today?!?! The lovey Peter! We were so excited to celebrate with him!

My big project for his birthday was to make Grandma K's carrot cake that is Peter's favorite. She gave me the recipe a few years ago but I've always been afraid to make it because it's just that yummy and I didn't want to mess it up! But since she couldn't do it this year I wanted to make sure Peter got one. She talked me through a few questions on Friday night then voila! I made my very first homemade carrot cake! And truly my first batch of icing ever, in 35 years. 

We went to dinner at a Japanese steakhouse with my parents last night, then came back and had...cake! 

Dinner, before Logan's eye almost got cut by a flying spatula. 

It passed inspection! This morning after some present opening and breakfast he got to play his video game on his own for a bit, and rest up. Then we went out to dinner with friends and had a great time! 

(Very important almost 2 year old missing, because he was too low for the hostess taking our picture!) Quite a group, but the kids did a fabulous job and I was so glad Peter got to be surrounded by our wonderful friends!

Quite an adventure on the horizon with the surgery, but I know together we can tackle anything!

Happy, Happy Birthday to my favorite husband ever! 😜

Thankful on Thursday

BED!!! 

Seriously. That's all I've got. Whew. But if a whirlwind around these parts! 

Grandma B

Hard news tonight as we found out our beloved Grandma B, Peter's mom's mom, passed away. She was 91 years old. She got sick about 3 weeks ago and things went very quickly. 

Emotions are a hard thing at a time like this. She led a full, happy life. She has 2 children who are healthy and happy, who have children and grandchildren who are happy and healthy. She had a wonderful marriage, a city she called home for many, many years. But she will be so very missed. 

An interesting note (private blog and all, and I've heard Kay share this so I feel comfortable sharing): Grandma B had to make some big, hard decisions to make sure Kay got the best of everything in a hearing world. And she did - she helped make decisions that led Kay to a strong education and to help Kay be a wonderful advocate for the deaf community. My mother-in- law is a smart,  kind woman, who loves SO, SO unconditionally. I'm sure she learned some of that from her mom! 

Grandma B welcomed me into the family with open arms. She told me right away that yes, we should get rid of the ugly couch (yay! She was on my side!), But we should always, always keep a room for her. She had a silly side and was simply aghast that Peter went after some wedding cake that fell in my dress. But she still smiled. 

We love, love, love you Grabdma B!!!

This...this is living life at 90. :)

With both of her kiddos: 

Our Milwaukee trip will always be so very special - we are SO glad we got to celebrate 90 with her!!!

Blog post from the bday trip...

http://keepingupwiththezs.blogspot.com/2014/05/milwaukee-part-2.html?m=1

All the hugs, all around. LIVE your life well. She sure did!

Weekend Musings

Ahem. Everyone around me is falling apart! Since we are private now and all...looks like Peter and mom BOTH have to have surgery in the next couple of months! Not a good news weekend there. My mom has been a workout machine the past year or so and apparently her knee does not like it. And Peter, well, his back is not happy. Herniated disc, spinal fusion, it's just all too much fun to handle! 

So, we had a girls night, a guys night, a play date, and a final soccer game this weekend. How's that for distractions? 

Um also, this is what we looked like Saturday morning at 5:50am:

Yes, that's the couch. And both of them on me on the couch. With a whole other couch right over there. Ah, mommyhood!

Today was the boy's last soccer game of the season! He's grown a lot this season and has gotten fast! He's also been challenging people with the ball, and taking it away. I think he got 3 goals total, and he played so hard!

Fighting for it!

He's played with most of these kids for 5 seasons now!

Soccer party time! 

Trophies and cupcakes! That's a "gray ghost" on the cupcake. You may remember cupcakes with sharks, minions, and dragons in the past!

While soccer is fun, we are ready for a return to quiet Sundays for a bit. Until the next thing comes along!