Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

This year we decided to cut down a tree at Hagle Tree Farm. It was during our extremely hot weather for December, so it was very difficult to get in the spirit of Christmas. We went out there with 2 of our neighbors and we all cut down a tree for our houses. Zoe loved riding in the wheel barrel as we searched for a tree. Shaun found one that was to his liking and began cutting away. It was hard work and the heat wasn't on his side. It smelled so good and survived all the way to Christmas with no problem...there was even less mess! Santa was there, but Zoe wanted nothing to do with him. Stay tuned for the Santa story...

Disneyland with the Wismann Family

Uncle Greg and Zach on Astro Blasters

Zoe and Zach in Minnie's House

Grandpa and Grandma on Astro Blasters

Zoe thought...If I hide my eyes, Goofy won't see me, right???

Zoe and Zach driving a car in Toontown

Grandma thought it would be nice if the WHOLE family went to Disneyland for the holidays. Grandma and Grandpa treated Greg, Heather, Shaun and me to a season pass. Thanks! Now we can take the kids back a few more times in the next year. The kiddos are still free, so that makes it really nice. I will post a whole group shot, once I get it from my mom. It was very successful with 6 adults and the 4 kiddos, Zach, 2, Zoe, 20 months, and Ryder and Jadyn, 9 months. It was my nephews and niece's first time, so that made it extra special. Zoe still loves the Tiki Room and Zach was tall enough to go on his first roller coaster! As you can see from the pics, everyone really seemed to enjoy Astro Blasters. That is one of our favorite rides...Shaun and I try to go on it every time we are there. Zoe LOVES Goofy from afar, but when we got in line to say hello to Goofy, she said, "No Goofy, no Goofy". I thought we could at least give high fives, but that was a no go, she hid so no one, not even, Goofy could see her :)...it was pretty cute! All in all it was a very good trip and we can't wait to go back again.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well...Zoe's second Thanksgiving came and went. We can't really believe that she has already been around two Thanksgivings. There is so much to be thankful these days. Thank you to everyone that makes our lives special! Zoe ate turkey (which she called chicken), a whole lot of turkey and she LOVES sweet potatoes. That morning Shaun woke up early with her and taught her what a turkey says, so she went around the house saying, "Gobble, gobble, gobble". We are blown away at how observant she has become and she is putting 3 and sometimes 4 words together in a sentence. And her latest is drinking from a cup. She knows that she is only allowed to drink from a cup when she is sitting in her high chair, so she says, "Mommy, chair. Cup please (which comes out more like, pease)". Her phrase that she has picked up at the sitter's house is "I don't want to". I guess that's what older kiddos teach younger ones these days. Zoe tries it out at home and knows that it doesn't fly in our household! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and the count down is on 'til Santa comes! (I would have posted pics, but I didn't even get the camera out of the diaper bag that day...I should be excused this time because I wasn't feeling 100%)

Kids Say the Darndest Things...

Zoe has become such a talker!!! We actually look at one another so much lately and ask, "Did she really say that?" So, just about a week or two ago, I had just gotten dressed for the day and I walk out to greet Zoe and she said, "Cute top." Shaun was close enough to hear her and we couldn't believe what we heard. Unbelievable!!! Then just today, she found a paper bag in our room that is from the Loft and put it on her arm like a purse and started to walk out of the room. As she left the room she waved and said, "Bye, see ya." We can't believe how much she is talking and connecting multiple words for sentences now. How time flies!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

Zoe survived her second Halloween. We carved our pumpkins earlier in the day and Zoe loved giving hugs to the ghosts that Wendy and I made. This one was a little harder to get enthusiastic about because we were expecting the worst, hoping for the best. Zoe is pretty timid and very cautious in new situations these days, but she surprised us both. She is getting over another cold and is teething like CRAZY! ( The molars are NO fun!) All of that in combination seemed like it would make for a pretty miserable time. BUT Zoe had a blast! She took a couple of houses to warm up to the idea, but when she realized that she was getting something from every neighbor when she knocked on the door, it really made her want to go to more houses. It was so fun to see her face light up with surprise and her run from house to house. Once she got to the door she would knock and say, "knock, knock". We couldn't quite get the "trick or treat" words...(I should have practiced with her more, but oh well!) She was pretty scared of any costume with a mask, she would say, "scary, uppie", but overall did great. When she was finished, she took each piece of candy/crackers out of her bag and thought it was the greatest thing ever. After we put her down for the night, I got rid of all signs of candy in our house, so that she wouldn't ask for any. (It worked! Since Sunday, she has not asked for any candy.)

Birthday Dinner

Jadyn and Ryder

Jadyn, Ryder, and Zoe

Zach, Jadyn, Ryder, and Zoe

What a lil' pumpkin!

We celebrated my birthday and Auntie Heather's 30th birthday at Grandma and Grandpa's house. All the kids went to the pumpkin patch earlier that day, then we got to hang out and have dinner together. Jadyn always seems so amused by Zoe, so I can't wait to see how close they are when they get a little older. Zach is Zoe's big helper...he always likes to take care of her. What a great big cousin! And Ryder is just a go with the flow baby boy. They are all getting to the ages where they will start playing together and having a great time.

Underwood Farms

Zoe's Cousins: Ryder and Jadyn

Weeeee! Train ride all by herself...


Zach and Zoe LOVED the puppet show.

Oh Jadyn is just TOO CUTE!!!

Zach, Zoe, and Grandma

This one or that one???

Hmmmm...I still can't decide.

What a funny face, Grandpa!!!

Grandma and Grandpa took Zoe and her cousins to Underwood Farms and this time of year it is set up with the whole pumpkin patch deal. Zoe was not to sure, as always, but she definitely had parts she really liked (like the puppet show). Shaun and I didn't get to go for Zoe's first visit to a pumpkin patch because we were working, but Zoe came home with a pretty cool pumpkin and a toy tracker.