ThanksGiving (November)

 so special to have Nana & Grandaddy here for the holidays and birthdays!

another superhero ... (November)

twelve years old. (November)

pretty self explanatory here ... my first baby turned twelve last month.  crazy!!!

Liam was awake and had joined me that morning, so he got to be a part of the morning presents!
later I went and picked up her cake - she had requested it have hamsters on it!
she got to choose dinner, so we had subway and then did cake "with" daddy - via skype!

Annicka - you drive me nuts and you know it!
you also know that despite that, I love you to death ...
the little girl that made me a mommy!!!

shoes! (November)

I love that Zoey can say "shoes" - and it sounds so cute to hear her, it sounds like the end

of the word bijou!  like "jouz" - too cute, my little lover of shoes!

and yes, she loves to try everyone's shoes on ... this day I caught her with the camera!!!

church time (November)

I may have never mentioned about the awesome church I started going to back in January!

anyway, it's called The Journey Church and I love it!

it reminds me, in some ways, of Life Church - back in Oklahoma!

well, I hadn't been for a couple months ...

but in September I decided it was time to get back to church -

time to commit to being there every week!

I'm so glad to be back!!!

anyway, this is a pic I snapped of Zoey one Sunday morning as we were getting ready to go to church!

trick OR treat!!! (October)

 for trick or treating we were invited to a friends to go as a group and I gotta say - it was a blast!

we went to our friends' house for dinner (delicious) and then the whole lot of us headed out

for candy getting!  I snapped these group pics before we all hit the pavement ...

 my four are on the left - Zoey in the stroller, Annicka behind the stroller, 

Liam next to Annicka, and Jericho next to Liam

 1-Liam loved his costume!  he called himself "a police", though technically it was a swat team costume!  I still think the only reason he chose it was because of all the fun "stuff" that came attached to it!  (flashlight, handcuffs, and like five other things!)
2-third year as a vampire, and Annicka is so not into having her pics taken - but clearly I still manage my mamarazzi skills fairly well
3-little Zoey trying to lick a still wrapped lollipop!
4-little Zoey giving me a big CHEESE
5-Jericho was Darth Vader, he was spoiled this year and even got the gloves and light saber to go with the costume!
6-he was so excited and so cute going up and getting his candy at each house
7-my friend was his buddy that night, he even said "I love you, now I'm in love with two people" ... uh, awkward son - but you're still little so it's still adorable (in case I never mentioned it, the other person he's in love with is one of his teachers - clearly he's going for the mature ladies)
8-awww that sweet face, we'll repeat that photo later cause it's just so lovely
9-look at that, told you my mamarazzi skills were ON, it's vampire Annicka again!

halloween pre-school party ... (October)

just a quick share of these couple pics from the party at preschool!

Liam had a ton of fun and was so excited to get to wear his costume to school!

a costume and a dance (October)

 so, it finally happened ... 

I decided to make a costume!

I knew Zoey had to be Snow White this year ...

she is, after all, the fairest in the land - so it was only fitting!

the problem was, I couldn't find a decent Snow White costume in her size -

I wanted the classic colors, but something semi-warm and different!

I might note, I'm glad of my choice - I saw a lot of Snow Whites and it was 

nice that Zoey was unique, but -hopefully- still recognizable!

anyway, I ended up whipping out this costume on the day of the school's fall dance ...

I worked like mad and finished it just in the knick of time!

it was definitely not perfect, but I felt like it turned out pretty cute!

and she looked like a true princess!

 I had all four of my kids at the fall dance - but the two oldest were not having

the picture thing ... like, at all.  hence, the pics of Zoey and then just these couple of Liam -

enjoying his pizza and enjoying a fun "get the apple" game!

none of my kids would dance with me (and Liam and Annicka were plugging their ears and

truly not enjoying the loud music) so I took Zoey out of her stroller and she danced with

me, but it was all a little overwhelming for her - so it was short lived ... and really she

just wanted to run off and be independent!  of course!!

we had a really fun time though, the three oldest kids all got their name called for a prize

(drawing) and that was pretty neat!  another fun evening together, love it!

a semi-typical afternoon ... (October)

Jericho begging to do some glass cleaning, sure!

I think he really just likes having control of the spray - but hey, the door did look better after his work!

Jericho actually suggesting that Liam help - wow!

our "thriller" singing pumpkin!

dancing, dancing, and more dancing!!!

little Zozo, with her bun, doing some chair climbing - one of her faves!

the spider/web tee I made Jericho!

a witch hat we picked up - amongst a bunch of "stuff" - at our recent dinner at the chow hall!

Zoey shakin her booty!

and one of the sweetest things I've captured to date!!!

(though Zoey does this constantly, patting us)

a sweet face ... (October)

to brighten your day! 

daddy~
I know you've been waiting patiently for mommy to update the blog!  I know you miss seeing photos of me and my brothers and sister!  mommy told me to let you know that she's doing her best and will try to get more photos edited and posted soon!  we love you daddy, we miss you ~Zoey

halloween outfit - Zoey (October)

 not to be mistaken with costume, this was Zoey's little halloween "outfit" that I made for her!

she wore it to an Oktoberfest party we went to (as well as a couple other times)

and so I snapped some pics - I thought she looked so cute!!!

oh yah - and the shirt glows - too cool!!!

pretty skies (October)

it just so happened, a couple weeks back, that we had a day in which I snapped

shots of our pretty skies in both the morning and evening!

sky pics are a fave - even if there's houses and cars in them!

the green outfit ...

for about half a second I thought about linking to the post of Jericho wearing this outfit ... but given that the old blog (where I'm pretty sure it is) is private and the fact that I don't feel like searching for it ... I decided, eh!

anyway, here is Liam - our little ladies man - sporting a super special outfit!  somewhere I have photos ... real, actual, before I had a digital camera photos ... of Annicka in this outfit!  yep - it started as hers!  then, I have photos of Jericho in it, as referenced above.  and now, I have photos of Liam in it!  next up will be Zoey - but she's got some growing to do ... and since all four of my kids have worn it - it might make into a "save" box for grandkids!  that's right people, I'm serious!

quotes ...

it's been a long time - I know!  but this was too cute not to put on here:

we're looking through Liam's pre-school photos (we can view all the photos online) and we got to one of his teachers and he, quite boldly, says: "that's the one I'm in love with"!!!!  Jericho is sitting here, doing homework, and asked him something and he replied: "I just love her"!  then he goes on to say, "yah, I wanna marry her ... but she's already married".  

he's four.

wow!!!

beauty and fun (October)

 it's no secret that I can't resist sunset pics!

usually I catch the sunset only if I'm out and about (our house is weird -

we have very few windows and none downstairs that face west) and of course, don't

have my camera!  but sometimes I'm just home and go outside and happen to notice ... 

and this was one such evening!

so, I grabbed the camera and the three kids that were inside and made a little

outing of going to take my sunset pics ... which, turned into fun times at the little park near

our house ... which, turned into pics of my cute kids!

she was very upset to have to leave!

tried to catch some pics of mama & Zoey ... 

this was my fave, we're both making stink faces!  LOL!!

and later that night, I had to grab the camera again and try to capture the beauty of the moon!