We're off to see the wizard

Does this orange-nosed boy remind you of anyone?

Lately, no matter how many jars of green beans I feed Maddox (he won't have anything to do with peas), the pigment from the squash, sweet potatoes, carrots and peaches seems to be showing up on him.

It brings this guy to my mind!

Swimming!

Our summer has been great so far. We've spent some time swimming with some of our favorite friends!

Breaking a Z family rule for a photo opp on the slide: Ashlea, Megan, Evelyn, Alayna, Alyssa, Bryn and Jadyn. A Kaytaskie (KAYlor, HurTAdo, ZabriSKIE) play date always brings back fond memories and reminds us that we are short one very important person (not that we need reminding).

Maddox spends most of our swimming time taking a nap, but he's made a couple of appearances at the pool and he's done it in his usual cute style.

A girl can never have too many flotation devices!

Ashlea

Thanks to one very patient (and determined) teacher, Evelyn has made some great strides in the pool this summer. She used to think that getting her chin wet meant she was going under water. Even when bathing, Evelyn doesn't have enough hands to shield her eyes, ears and nose from the water. And since she mostly saves her drama for her Mama (and Daddy) I just stepped back and pretended like I wasn't there.

Before we knew it Alyson had her doggie paddling,

going under water,

and jumping in.

Look at that! I think even her eyebrows are wet!

Thanks to Alyson's helpful (and tall) assistant, Jeff, Evelyn was even going down the slide.

Father's Day

This week Maddox started taking his baths sitting up. Bathtime is much more enjoyable this way. He loves splashing the water!

Lunch with Mimi

Evelyn lost her second tooth

You may have noticed from recent pictures I've posted that Maddox can now sit up by himself.

Well, since Megan's babies like to do the same activities as Maddox, this is how I found one the other day.

We continued our annual tradition of taking Michael to the Gaylord for brunch for Father's Day.

Forget the dishes!

This morning after breakfast and a little "dress up" play I said, "Forget the dishes!" and instead we went out and had a dead plant digging, mulch laying, roly-poly catching, wet getting, sidewalk chalk drawing jolly good time - diva style.

I had been needing to dig up a few plants that didn't make it and lay down some mulch. The girls got their shovels and dug right in (Maddox was taking his morning nap).

The girls are not a fan of bugs except a few choice ones like lady bugs, butterflies and roly-polies. Luckily, roly-polies are the only bugs we came across this morning.

Yes, Megan's shoes are on the wrong feet. This is a usual occurrence at our house. And, often with flip flops, that little part between the toes is in between the wrong two toes!

Much better!

Have a beautiful day!

Sami's Graduation

Can you believe it? I just posted last week and here I am back again! Maybe I really will try to stay caught up.

Bryn, Mrs. Maurer, Evelyn and Megan on the last day of school. Mrs. Maurer was so sweet to coordinate a day when she, Bryn and Evelyn could all wear their CouraJESS shirts together.

On Friday we were all set to go swimming at Alyson's house when Megan woke up with a bum ankle. When she got out of bed and stood up she immediately fell to the ground whining. After a trip to the doctor and then to the radiologist for an x-ray she just needed rest and ice for a sprain. We're not sure how it happened. She was running and playing right up until bed the night before. Thank you, Grandpa, for tagging along on our appointments. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to carry Megan, carry Maddox in his carseat, open doors, etc.

Saturday our niece, Sami, graduated from High School.

Sunday we went to a party celebrating her. Here, Uncle George from California is helping Megan blow some bubbles.

Maddox "playing" at the mall.


Michael and me

March, April & May 2009 and LOTS of pictures

Well, here we go again. It's time for another edition of playing catch up. I really should blog along the way so I wouldn't get so far behind, but who am I kidding?

Uncle Daniel, Evan, Michael and Maddox

Slobbering all over the place

For Spring Break we got to have Jadyn and Bryn

At the zoo on the day of RECORD-BREAKING attendance

Jumping with friends

One at a time on the slide? That doesn't sound like much fun!

Maddox and Cade got to know each other

Here's the whole group - What? Someone's crying? Just take the picture, with this many kids someone's always going to be crying!

Fun at the park

Bryn

Jadyn

Evelyn

Megan

Maddox started eating some baby food

Jadyn's soccer game

Fossil Rim

Feeling the wind on our faces

Maddox was loving not being stuck in his carseat

Maddox really started intentionally reaching for things

Evelyn lost her first tooth - she pulled it out herself!

Megan loving on Popo

Maddox being cute

Hanging out at Chick-fil-a with Cade

Hello Uncle Taylor!

Megan getting ready to bake cookies

We went to the mall one day and the girls decided they wanted to bungee jump.

Megan jumped cautiously low.

Evelyn loved it and jumped as high as she could.

Maddox was not up for jumping yet, so he just slept.

Megan and Maddox

Field Day

Megan turned her visor upside down, put it around her waist and used it as a shelf for her snacks.

Awards Assembly

Proud Mama and her kiddos

Evelyn, Mrs. Maurer and Bryn

Sweet Friends

Playdate with Jace and Ashlea

End of the year party

That snow cone sure looks good Sister.

My sweet girls

How blessed am I? It really is a charmed life. Thank you, Babe, for working so hard for our family so that we can do so many fun things and I can spend so much time with our kids!

February 2009

We went on a picture scavenger hunt for Ashlea Z's birthday. We earned points for taking pictures of ourselves with various things in different locations around town. In a family restroom:

With a FOR SALE sign:

Just some cute pictures of Maddox

A visit to the Zoo

Getting better at tummy time

Spending some time with Popo

Sitting in the Bumbo seat

Bryn and Evelyn's Valentine's Party

Cute pictures

Daddy Daughter Dance

Jadyn and Evelyn at a friend's birthday party

January 2009

A few of Maddox's favorite sleeping positions:

swaddled on the couch

in Mama's arms

in his swing

Our annual family tradition: The Fort Worth Stock Show

January 25, 2009

The Stock Show is always a favorite activity for us. All year long the girls want to know when is it time to go again. We usually have special cowgirl (and now cowboy) attire. We get bundled up and ready to eat giant corn dogs, enjoy looking at (and smelling) the animals and get on some rides.

Every year since she was born Evelyn gets her picture with the baby goats and on a pony. Megan is not quite as excited about this tradition. She refuses to get a picture on the pony, but she tolerates a picture with the goats. This picture is starting out pretty good,

but quickly turns traumatic when the goat moves around.

Evelyn loved getting on every tractor for sale. I'm sure we really looked like we were in the market for a tractor.

Home on a school day because of ice, the girls play with some Moon Sand that they got for Christmas from Aunt Jen and Uncle Brad.

January 31, 2009
A trip to the Rainforest Cafe

Finishing Up 2008

Hi all! Here's catching you up on things we've been up to since Maddox was born. Start at the bottom of this post to go from bringing Maddox home October 29, 2008 to New Years Eve December 31, 2008. Check back later for January and February 2009.

December 31, 2008

A New Year's Eve party at my friend, Laurie's house

December 22, 2008

The first real smile captured on camera

Being silly on the bus

Alayna and Evelyn

We took a Christmas light bus tour with a bunch of McNutts. Here are Alyssa and Megan.

Decorating Mrs. Maurer, Evelyn's Kindergarten teacher, at the class Christmas party.

Mama and her boy

Papa and Maddox

Nana and Maddox

Evelyn, Morgan, Bryn

We celebrated Megan's 3rd birthday with a gymnastics party. Of course, Mimi made the Cinderella (or as Megan says, Cinderenna) cake.

Pepe getting in his tummy time

Having some sisterly fun

Decorating our Christmas tree

We went to the Gaylord to look at the Christmas decorations.

Uncle Taylor and Maddox

Megan getting her tummy time.

Sometime around 1 month of age poor little Maddox lost the hair on top of his head. We called him our little old man. Here is the little old man getting in some tummy time.

Again, the day's activities wiped Evelyn out. This girl needs her sleep!

November 27, 2008

Thanksgiving

November 26, 2008

The day before Thanksgiving my brother, Taylor, got to come home from Iraq for his 2 weeks R & R. Picking him up at the airport is always so emotional.

Evelyn also loves to hold Maddox. She is so patient and kind with him. She will even hold him when he's fussy and she can usually get him calmed down.

Megan just can't get enough of Maddox. She always wants to hold him and squeeze him. When I tell her to be soft, she says, "But Mama I just love him too much!"

Evelyn and Bryn

The show really wiped Evelyn out.

We went to see Backyardigns Live.

November 15, 2008

The two men in my life

A visit from Papa and Nana

Megan helping me give Maddox his first bath at home.

Evelyn and Maddox

Grandpa and Maddox

Bringing #3 - Maddox - home

October 29, 2008

Maddox Frank Hurtado October 27, 2008

Maddox Frank Hurtado

October 27, 2008

4:14 am

6 lb 10 oz

19.5 in