Monday, December 31, 2012

Cheers to you 2012! Welcome 2013!

I may not be wearing glitter and heels tonight as we say goodbye to 2012 but I am partying it up with my sweet family.  It was picnic night with lots of snack foods and Tinkerbell's Secret of the Wings!  Whoopwhoo!  The kids had a blast and we are currently trying to wrangle them to bed, so mommy and daddy can snuggle up and celebrate!  

2012 has been full of lots of ups and downs sprinkled with lots of laughter and a few tears.  I am praying 2013 is a great year for every member of my family and all of my friends!  I pray that each reach higher towards God and seek His wisdom daily.  I also pray that we all reach new heights in our own personal goals!  With God all things are possible that is my motto for 2013!! 

May God Bless you all in 2013 and thanks for the support in 2012!

 The beginning of 2012!!
 
The End 2012!!
Happy New Years from my crazy crew to your's!
 
 

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Merry Christmas!

 
Merry Christmas from our family to your's!
 
(here is a peak at a few activities from the past few weeks)
 
 
 Naught or Nice you decide?
 
 
Our family wishes you a happy holiday!


Before Church one Sunday!
 

 
Taylor at my work for storytime Christmas party, he liked our fireplace singers;)
 
 
Before her performance in the church choir.
 
 
At church about to sing!
 
Taylor being Taylor!
 
 
I hope you liked a peak of our preChristmas fun, I will share more soon!  Hope you have a wonderful holiday!

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

another trip to the doctor

I would love to write and exciting blog post but after another trip with one of my kiddos to the doctor (my second in seven days), I am too tired.  Both kids are on meds for ear infections and this mommy and daddy is t-i-r-e-d!  Taylor has not slept well in a week, he got sick first (again) and then Emma started last night with a horrible night of sleep.  So we are hanging by a thread and praying all get well by Santa!  I am needing to finish shopping and wrapping! 

Love from one sleep deprived mom!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Girl's Day!

Yesterday was girl day with my sweet Rose and my mom, Meme. We went to lunch at Emma's favorite place the "Bird" or Red Robin to the rest of the world and then we went to the Mini Nutcracker at a local school.  It is a shorten version of the great ballet and it is done by the local parks ballet school.  It is so pretty and so much fun.  It was even more fun with my best friend and her sweet daughter also in the audience and we got to see them before and during the break.  Emma was thrilled to see her friend.  Next year we will work on getting tickets together.
  This is the second annual girl's day to see the Nutcracker, and we had so much fun.  Emma was so thrilled and loved the time without little brother.  Meme and me enjoyed seeing her so happy and so in love with all the pretty ballerinas. I will admit I would love to be a candy cane fairy:)  Plus we got mommy/daughter time together as well.  Special for us on so many levels!   It was a fabulous day and full of fun memories with my special girl and my mom!
Enjoy some photos from our fun day!
 
 
 Emma before we got dressed with her new ballerina nutcracker!
 Dressed in the cute nutcracker outfit I found at a local consignment sale, it is big so hopefully she can wear it next year too.
 Photo bombed by little brother, who was sad he was not going with us.
 My Mom, me and Emma all dressed up and ready to go!
 We finished the day off with some muffin making in our aprons.  We let Taylor in on this one.  I am in my pjs and my hair up but a sweet moment to share!
Being silly!
 
Memories are wonderful and I will linger on this special day for  a long time.  I love special days with my sweet girl and having mom with us is icing on the sugar plums:)  

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!

 
Happy Thanksgiving from the Zook Household!
 
 
 
 
 This little Indian
 and this little indian
both have strep!  happy holidays and thanks to our doctor's office that has night hours the night before a holiday!  Pink meds for them both and praying the fever is down by the morning.  Happy Gobble Gobble day!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Monday, November 12, 2012

Date Night

Friday night Daniel and I were given a much needed break for a few hours.  Date nights are rare for us, with two kids, one toddler and one special needs, it is not easy to get out.  Not to mention our budget is pretty tight, so we normally spend any extra money to do family things.  However, I am a junky when it come to trying to win things, anything, I have won toys, candy, free coupons for products, a hat, Cheekwood passes etc.  I love to enter to win things, and it is thrill to win. I normal win small things but the other day I got a call from Sirius XM and had won a pair of tickets to see Anita Renfroe tape a comedy special for Blue Collar Comedy station.  I was thrilled!  I loved seeing Anita perform at Women of Faith and thought she was so funny.  I entered her contest to win tickets off her FB page. 

After a week full of Daniel sick and Taylor sick as well, this mommy needed a night out!  So, when I won, I was thrilled.  A date night with only needing to pay for parking and a quick bit to eat before dinner, SCORE! 

We got all cleaned up and headed to the taping, it was so much fun.  We laughed and laughed and got to just relax for two hours.  Then, we walked downtown to see the little country music shops, and bars and talked.  We capped the night with a Star Bucks treat thanks to a gift card we had.  It was a perfect evening of relaxing and having fun.

The stress of having young kids and a special need is exhausting and we realized a while back that it is important for us to seek a babysitter and get away to recharge our wife and husband relationship when we can.  Just a few hours away to be just us renews us and recharges us to deal with the joys and craziness of parenthood.  I am so thankful for the family we have that will help us get a few hours away.  We have so many aunts, uncles, and grandparents that realize we need a little break and allow that to happen. 

It was a great fall night and the laughter and fun will be a great memory for years to come.  Love you Daniel!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Daddy Down

Well this has been a fun filled week so far....not!  Daniel came home Monday sick and has strep.  We are on day three of him barely able to move.  Hoping today the meds kick in and I get my wonderful hubby back!  I am one tired mom; tackling his chores ontop of mine is about done me in.  I have realized just how lucky I am to have such a wonderful husband/father to my kids.  He not only works full time but does so much to help ease my work load at home.  Thanks Daniel!  Now get well!

Taylor also has strep, just got back from the ped dr with him.  He is cranky!  I miss my sweet natured boy!  Praying he gets well soon!

So the women of the house are currently the only two standing and I hope we stay that way.  I am washing and scrubbing all I can. Up next new toothbrushes for all!  Be gone germs!

I hope to soon post about our Halloween and a few other fall fun we have had.  But too tired now to do so.  Please pray the men get better soon and the women stay well!

Love one tired mommy!

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from our family to your's!!
 
 
 



Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Monday, October 15, 2012

Light a candle for me


Tonight I light a candle for a very special reason.  I am joining in a movement of light for all those families who have sufferend some form of pregnancy or infant loss.  1 out of 4 women suffer a miscarriage and I am one of them. A little over two years ago, I rejoiced with my husband and family, that we got pregnant, my heart was overflowing with joy.  I was carrying another little baby and could not wait to welcome them into our family.  At my first appt, I mentioned a few pains, so she sent me on to have a quick check on ultrasound, and my husband and I were thrilled to get a peak of our little one.  The clerk told us nothing and proudly sent us home with our pics.  However, a few hours later, as I stood alone in my kitchen, I got a phone call I will never forget.  It was my OB's nurse calling to inform me that they believed that the baby was not going to survive, it did not apear healthy and growing at the correct rate for my date, but they would give me a week to see what happened.  I stood stunned, my oh so happy day, just turned to a dark day.  I barely was able to call Daniel and squeak out what the nurse said.  I was sobbing over what could be happening. 

I honestly do not remember much of those following days, as I prayed and prayed to have the Lord heal my unborn child.  I also tried hard to get through the day with my then almost 4 year old.  The day arrived of the next appt, and we could see right away on ultrasound that the baby had passed.  The poor lady who was doing it, she quietly confirmed it and then left the room for us to gather ourselves.  I clung to Daniel sobbing and our tears mixed together as reality hit, our sweet baby was now an angel.  I remember being taken the  back way to my OB's office and her trying to get us to schedule the next steps.  I just wanted to crawl into bed and never get up.  My heart was breaking and so was my sweet husband who was trying so hard to be strong, but his heart was breaking as well. 

The days that followed were hard, as we told the few family and friends who already knew of my pregnancy, I had started to share since I was around 10 weeks.  I also had to go in for a D&C which was heartbreaking.  I was just lucky to have such wonderful support of my husband and family.  Without my mom, especially, I think I would have just crumbled during those days.  I really dont have many memories those first few days following the loss, besides crying and crying and crying in the shower.  I never wanted Emma to hear me. 

Those weeks and months following were hard.  My heart felt broken, and my body was going through major changes as it shifted back to non pregnant.  I was just a mess.  Slowly I was able to move forward, but the pain is still there.  I wonder often what the baby would have been a girl or a boy?  Etc etc.  I cling to the hope that when I get to heaven the baby will be waiting for me to hold and love.  Till then I know my family that has gone to heaven before me is loving on them and helping the baby know their parents love them. 

So tonight I light a candle and break my silence and share my story in hopes that someone out there realizes they are not alone.  The pain is real and never leaves.  Just because we did not give birth and hold them close, does not make them less of our baby.  I loved the baby I lost from the moment I realized that I was pregnant and rejoiced with Daniel of our love growing inside me.  He or she will always be a part of me and I know that someday my family will be complete.  Till then I honor the baby I lost by being the best mom to their siblings.  I may be a mom of two to most people but I am really a mom to three and love them all today and everyday. 

Tonight I light a candle and ask you to do the same!  Love to my angel baby, mommy and daddy love you more then words will ever express!!  We miss you and long to hold you in our arms!  Tell Jesus hey for us!

Friday, October 12, 2012

Disney on Ice

On Sunday we were able to take the kiddos to Disney on Ice.  We normally can not really swing this type of program without being given the tickets, but thanks to Emma's Girl Scout discount and Taylor being free we decided to spend the money and celebrate Fall break at Disney on Ice.  Aunt Nay got Emma her Tinkerbell costume for Halloween early for her to wear it and I made Taylor a Mickey Mouse Ghost tshirt to wear.  The kiddos were so excited and to be truthful daddy and I were too. 

The seats we had were six rows from the ice and we were surrounded by good friends and their kiddos which made it even more fun.  We could see everything going on and it was so neat to be that close to the action.  Taylor was not so sure at first but when he saw Mickey Mouse he started having fun, Emma was soaking it all in and smiling the whole time.  However when Tinkerbell came out she screamed and got so excited.  I loved seeing her face and how it shined with the wonder of seeing the show.  The second best part was hearing Taylor flip out after intermission when Mickey came back out and he threw his hands up and squealed so loud people all around us to laugh at him. He was so excited!!! It was worth the money and the hike in from the parking lot my hubby parked us in:)  Whew my arms hurt for two days from carrying them. 

Here are some great photos from our special night out at Disney on Ice, great memories for all of us! Wonderful night!

 Mickey Mouse
 My sweet Tinkerbell
 Love her toothless grin
 my loves
 he steals my heart daily
 I want that please daddy!
 Me and my man, Emma took this of us
 look mom it is TINKERBELL


 OMG it is Mickey Mouse
 snack time