Sweet and Thoughtful Zoey

Zoey is so thoughtful and sweet when it comes to all of us. If I say I don't feel good she quickly gets me water and gives me a nice rub. She is so sweet, especially to Max. Today I cut up some apples for the kids. I didn't peel them though, which Max prefers usually. He was tired and cranky and crying. Zoey thought maybe it was because the apples weren't peeled, so she bit off the skin all around a slice and tried to hand it to him. I felt bad for her that he still didn't want it, but she was very proud of herself and said, "I ate the skin, because Max doesn't like it and gave it to him."

Sweet Exchange

Zoey and Max rarely say more than "Hey" or "stop" to each other, but this happened today at lunch:

Max: Zoey, milk please (while reaching for her drink)

Zoey: No, Max, it is orange drink, not milk (but still handed it to him)

Max: THANKS!! (with a big smile, drinking right away)

Happy Lent

So I am already a day late in writing this, but I needed more time to think I suppose. I have grown up my whole life being Catholic, experiencing Lent at the age appropriate levels. You know, when I was young I always gave up something like chocolate or candy, and didn't really "get" exactly what I was doing. I still try to give up something today, but I also work hard on doing something as well. Something that will help me grow in faith and be closer to God. It actually hasn't hit me until this year though, the depth and meaning of all of this. It is certainly one thing to not eat meat on Fridays or abstain from candy and fried foods because of the season. It is another thing to realize that when you are doing this and when you feel the physical aches of hunger or desires, that it is a physical way of feeling closer to Jesus. To get the smallest glimpse of the sufferings that He did for you and me definitely changes everything in my mind. I will gladly take up my cross and hopefully with God's grace, do it without complaining and looking sad so that I can be closer to Jesus. This is a beautiful time to let go of the crazy things in life that may be taking over and go back to simpler things and let the Lord Bless Us Abundantly. I think when we move away from all the materialism and comforts and conveniences, we realize that we have more time for God and we see Him in our everyday life. How lucky we are to have Jesus in our life...
"For our sakes God made Him Who did not know sin, to be sin, so that in Him we might become the very holiness of God." –2 Cor 5:21
So Happy Lent, and God Bless you all.

Random Funnies!!

Max came running towards Ross the other day and had his dog, Burrito, in his hands. He flung the dog as he hit Ross right in the private parts. Ross keeled over and groaned a little bit and Max just said, "Oh, Daddy, you okay?" and gave him a hug and just acted like he was certainly not the cause and was very sweet to make sure all was well.

I meanwhile, was just cracking up the whole time. I forget to have sympathy with that whole boys getting hit there thing...

And tonight as we were saying goodnight to Zoey she just says, "I don't like where my eyebrows are, I want to move them." This isn't totally random, we had a discussion about why we had eyebrows in the first place the other day, but this caught us off guard a little bit,hee hee.

Enjoy President's Day off if you have it!

Videos

Here is Zoey's rendition of "Slippery Fish" singing it so nicely into a voice reverberating microphone!!



And here is a short one of Max saying "happy Valentine's Day":

Style Trends

I never did end up buying any clothes after Christmas, well, that isn't exactly true. I got my workout wardrobe a little up to speed. I at least got some stylish yoga pants that are both cute and functional. I can wear them to go to pilates class or just at home and still look fine if I have to run out to the grocery store or the park. My problem with any other clothes right now is the style... I just don't get it. I mean, the other day I saw a lady, at least my age or older, who was wearing a denim type miniskirt with black stretch pants/leggings under them. I think this style was big when I was in junior high and I didn't like it then. Or what about the long shirts and sweaters that you wear the belt over? I know you are reliving your memories of that style, TINA!!! LOL. So I think I may have to wait until this fashion style passes once again... Who knows though, I mean, when capri pants came back in, I laughed about that and said the "clam diggers" were horrible, and now I love capri pants.

I suppose too this is just another sign of the inevitable... when you live through repeated style trends, you must just be getting old... See when the whole boot cut and flare jeans came into style, it was okay, because I had not experienced the bell-bottom era first hand, but no longer!!! Come on leg warmers, bring it on, I am ready!!

Ross' Acting Debut

A local radio station was holding a contest for a 15 second video. The winner is going to have the commercial aired during an episode of the show 24. Ross and some people from work did a spoof on 24 and entered a commercial. It is pretty funny. You can check it out here:

Arresting Music

That is the title and it is in the upper right corner.

Picture Day

The other day Zoey had Picture Day at school. I dressed her in casual, but cute clothes and did her hair and hoped for the best. She hasn't had a professional type photograph since she was under age 1 because she wouldn't sit still once she learned how to walk. She would always run out of the room when we tried. The same happened with Max. We have great photographs of our babies, but nothing else. We can't even pose them ourselves for a Christmas photo, part of why we didn't send out cards this year!! Anyway, I picked her up that day and asked how it went and she didn't really answer, so I was prepared for the worst-- no picture was even taken. However, much to my surprise and happiness, they turned out so adorable!! We just got proofs, but we actually have a choice, because all of the poses turned out so cute. It is better than I could have hoped for, so I am very happy. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when they were being taken, to see what they did!! Grandma and Papa were out for a short visit to watch the Superbowl and hang out. One day we went to the beach and two days later it was too cold to play outside in sweatshirts... quite a temperature change!!

Ghandhi Max

Zoey likes to make up words and names all of the time. The other day she was chatting away to Ross and me about Max and then all of a sudden announced, "Max is Ghandhi!" Ross and I just giggle that she made up this word that is actually a person and Ross replies, "Well, he really isn't Ghandhi, he doesn't even look like him." Zoey replies, "Oh, but he does, he is Ghandhi but with fuzzy hair!!" All we could do was laugh and say, "maybe so"

My Family- by Zoey

Whew, finally February!! I won't even go into what I think about this month. All I have to say is that I am glad it is a short one!! I think this negativity towards winter months comes from growing up in Germany- January and February were always dark and cold, and I love sunshine!! Anyway, I don't have a scanner, so I just took a picture of a drawing Zoey did at school the other day. She is on drawing/crafting overload right now!! I can't keep up. She comes up with some pretty good ones, too. This one is neat because she did it on her own and it is the first one that has our whole family in it together, take a look:

I think I like Max the best with his hair!! And notice who is the biggest!! LOL

We have recently discovered the Leap Frog DVDs, like Letter Factory and Talking Words Factory. They are pretty amazing. Just from watching them, both Zoey and Max are sounding out words all of the time, just like in the video. We went to the park the other day and Max was at the sign for the park. I came up to him and he was saying, "Puh, Aah, RRRR, Kah" not just "P-A-R-K". I don't think I could have taught him that anytime soon, but the video really speaks to them.