Z Spot

Recently Heard

2012-02-14T22:45:00.000-08:00

G: I want a lot of fancy things in my hair. I'm gonna decorate it - like a Christmas tree!

-----

G: What's your favorite food?
H: Ice cream. What's yours?
G: Beets. And calamari.

What a treasure!

Ballet Recital

2011-12-10T19:48:00.001-08:00

Genevieve's class did a small recital for the parents last week - totally cute! They each got to choose a special costume, so there was quite the selection.

Fall Photos

2011-12-01T08:58:00.001-08:00

In the Corn Crib at the pumpkin patch - very fun!

The Chosen One

Sacajawea! Genevieve did all the beading for her costume.

Flower Picture

2011-05-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

I got them from Grammie and Granpie. I like them sooooo much! I want to keep them forever (but I can't really, because they won't stay for very long). But I will get new flowers! I got them for my ballet recital, you see! Are you hoping to get some flowers soon?

The end of my story.

Genevieve

Gingerbread House Song

2011-05-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

This is way out of order - I thought it was already up!

Singing about a gingerbread house:
There lived a little witch in one.
There are stories about it in a book; ministry in a book.
Ministry in the book! (she just meant "story", she says)
Hansel and Gretel were afraid of the witch,
Because, because, because she was so mad.
She wanted to eat them for supper.
The end.

Spring 2011 Ballet Recital

2011-05-24T16:54:00.000-07:00

Shortening Bread

2011-05-24T16:42:00.001-07:00

Santiago Sunshine

2011-05-24T16:40:00.001-07:00

Taka Twinkle

2011-05-24T16:36:00.000-07:00

Recently Heard...

2011-05-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

Genevieve was tidying up the living room and picked up a heavy bin to put it back on the shelf.

me: Wow, you're very strong!
G: Yeah. I've got skills.

Just Too Cute

2011-05-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

Here are some fun picture from way back when... Yup, all the things I should have posted right after Christmas!

Best gift ever! (The box was pretty fun too.)

Christmas dinner: Stuffed Salmon in Puff Pasty
(Actually, not as difficult as it looks, and very tasty!)

1st rocket design

Christmas Suzuki play-along

Our beautiful gingerbread house. You should have seen the precisely laid starlight mint and marshmallow shingles on Jeff's side!

Easter with the Zahllers

2011-05-18T14:15:00.001-07:00

Dave and Jerry came for Easter again - they were lucky to make it out of MT, what with the 10 inches of snow overnight and all! I didn't get any photos of our fancy dinner, but here we are mining for Yogos and at the aquarium with our homeschool preschool group.

Improptu Performance

2011-04-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

April Wedding

2011-04-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

A whirlwind weekend in Colorado and a gorgeous wedding - catch the action in reverse!

Package!

2011-02-13T18:25:00.000-08:00

So, I ran out of batteries and memory at exactly the same time. The rest of the contents were equally well received! Thanks, David and Jerry!

Ballet Recital

2010-12-06T18:31:00.000-08:00

Dance of the Reed Pipes

Violin Recital

2010-05-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

There were actually 6 of these "Pre-Twinklers", but Genevieve so too cute I forgot to pan around. We were very proud of her performance and so pleased that she wasn't nervous or shy - there were lots of people there to watch!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely, long weekend over the holiday with David and Jerry. Shopping, eating out, yard work, celebrating, and of course non-stop playing with Genevieve!

Here's the dress I made this year (as Genevieve twirls by). I think I need to work on fabric coordination, but over all I'm pleased with the results. Don't look too closely!

Our Easter celebration with the Bouckenooghes turned out lovely, once again. (Though I didn't get any photos of their family...) Friends from church joined us too!

This is a selection of photos by a local artist:

Violin Lesson - Take 2

2010-03-29T20:06:00.001-07:00

I don't think we're those kinds of parents - we just think this is a really cool program! Genevieve has been taking lessons since January and is doing well. (Most days she even likes it!) The first things a Suzuki student learns are rhythm patterns and Genevieve is playing the first three for you. This isn't the best practice ever, but you get the gist, and I'm super proud of her for wanting to play for the camera! (She is wearing her ballerina outfit for you as well.)

Thanksgiving

2010-02-07T20:06:00.000-08:00

Wow, already caught up to last November - must be some sort of record!

We really enjoyed our time at The Farm with my parents and extended family. It's such a treat to be able to share that special place with Jeff and Genevieve.

Definite Cuteness

2010-02-07T19:45:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos we like!

Glorious

2010-02-07T19:08:00.000-08:00

Each fall morning when I leave my room to head downstairs and start the day, I can see this gorgeous tree through the guest bedroom window at the front of the house. It is easily one of our favorite gifts in our home and the season - the days may be shorter and the rain coming, but for a while we have blue skies and a glorious, flame-colored tree. Isn't God wonderfully exuberant in his color schemes?

Bubble Gum Cupcakes

2010-02-07T19:01:00.000-08:00

Jeff was teasing me about my birthday present, when Genevieve piped up, "I'm going to make Momma a bubble gum cake!" So, here's the result. Not actually as bubble gum flavored as hoped, but certainly tasty!

A Small Production

2010-02-07T18:40:00.001-08:00

Lovely weather and an afternoon in the flower bed have prompted me to show you these pictures of last fall's produce. We had a wonderfully warm summer last year, which is good since I didn't get most of the veggies in the ground until June.

Our tomatoes loved the sunshine, the food bank loved the acorn squash (which we don't), and Genevieve even got an ear of corn off her late-planting, very well-tended stalks (plant the seed, dig it up, repeat).

Ballet Recital

2009-12-13T17:17:00.000-08:00

I'm not exactly sold on the idea of a recital for 3-4-year-olds; it seems rather pretentious in a lot of ways. That said, they were certainly cute! There must have been other little ballerinas not paying attention, but each time I watch this, I can only see Genevieve and my heart swells...with laughter! We were very proud of her for standing in front of all the people (the gym was packed) and dancing with the other girls.

A Little Bragging

2009-12-05T20:56:00.000-08:00

Well, Genevieve taught herself to add on her fingers today. Oh, she is totally Jeff's child! Jeff told her it would be 8 minutes before the bacon was ready (yet another way she's like Jeff - bacon is the most important part of Saturday morning), so she counted four on one hand and then to eight on the other and proudly proclaimed, "Four and four make eight".

I guess we'll have to move ahead in the numbers book for school!

Decisions, Decisions

2009-11-06T16:09:00.000-08:00

Genevieve just told me that she would like to learn how to play either the violin like Auntie Kimber, or the bugle like Curious George. Hah!

Movie Break: Behold, Bless the Lord (With AMAZING Water Show!)

2009-11-01T17:38:00.000-08:00

I have no idea about the water...really!

September Adventures

2009-11-01T17:36:00.000-08:00

Apparently, I didn't take many photos in September. Hmmm. Well, lots of fun activities starting up, like reading, science, and ballet. Here's a photo before the first class - she was so excited that she couldn't sleep, then stayed in her ballet things until dinner. When we brought the loetard, tights, and shoes home and she tried them on for the first time, Genevieve started talking about herself in the third person, like she was a character in a book: "The ballerina twirls! The ballerina leaps! The ballerina plops! The ballerina has to go potty!". So funny! Also, "The ballerina doesn't have to obey her mama!". Not so good, but funny, nonetheless.

More fun quotes:

G asked to pray by herself for the first time: Dear Heavenly Father, Please bless Daddah at work today and help him to have a problem.

G, in from the playhouse: Momma, I was talking to my husband, um, what's his name?
H: I don't know. What is his name?
G: Hmm, I better go ask him!

G, looking at a letter "B" flashcard with a picture and label on the back:
B - buh! A - aaa! G - guh! (parents getting excited) Purse!

G, singing: Hush little baby, don't say a word. Momma's gonna buy you a macchiatto bird.

We had an awesome time with David, Jerry, Matt and Kimber at the end of the month, eating lots of good food, fun shopping, and the Seahawks-Bears game. We were all Bears fans for the day and ended up in a little Chicago calvacade in the stands, which was quite an experience, especially when the Bears squeaked out a last minute victory!

Movie Break: Sailing, Sailing

2009-11-01T17:18:00.000-08:00

Movie Break: Little Drummer Girl

2009-11-01T17:06:00.000-08:00

Life in August

2009-11-01T16:57:00.000-08:00

This summer, Anne and I made lots of jam together from berries we picked ourselves. These are the raspberries, rather the end of the season, unfortunately, but enough for several jars (and plenty of on-the-spot sweetness). We also made blueberry and blackberry jam and pumpkin butter. Canning can be fun!

Here's Genevieve getting ready for a couple trips, one close by and the other rather longer...

We made this crown for Auntie Shannon's birthday.

A couple of cute chicks at the fair!

Gilead comes to visit every week and loves to show what he's been learning at home: the mop and broom are his favorite tools and this day he wanted an apron too.

Movie Break: Birthday Tricycle

2009-11-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

July, July, July

2009-10-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

I hope that you will forgive the odd order and boring placement of these photos; just remember that a moment ago you didn't have any photos from the month of July!
We enjoyed Everett's parade on Independence Day.
Genevieve had a (slighly) pool party birthday. She and Amanda had fun being princesses too.
Dad and Mom were in Portland just after Annabelle was born, so Genevieve and I went to visit. Somehow, I didn't get any pictures of the baby!
At the end of the month, we went to Spokane for a Zahller family reunion - lots of fun! We also spent a day at the spa (again, no photos!) and another at Silverwood. Genevieve loved the rides and went on everything twice. Her favorite was the big Ferris Wheel ride with Uncle Matt and Auntie Kimber.
After that, Genevieve and I continued on to MT for my Uncle D.D.'s funeral while Jeff headed back to work. It was really hard, but so good to be with my family.

Movie Break

2009-10-25T17:36:00.000-07:00

The Month of June

2009-10-25T17:07:00.001-07:00

Isn't this amazing? Jeff did it in about 45 minutes one evening. Anyone recognize the scene?

Genevieve loves doing girly things with Momma, particularly painting our fingernails.

Our friends the Johnsons visited us for an evening (Carolyn and I were close in college). It was so great to catch up with them and to learn about their upcoming mission to Papua New Guinea. Genevieve loved having little girls to play with.

Anne took me to San Franscico for the day! We had a blast with her parents and brother, exploring all the tourist spots of the city and eating lots of really good food.

This bowl was once full of strawberries, fresh from the garden, but Genevieve and I ate them all before I remembered the camera...

We took a lovely trip to Sequim for a visit to Mark and Jacquelyn and spent the day on the beach and in the yard. Jeff's cousin Trista came too, with her husband and their son. Here's my helper, on a day when chores were more important than fashion.

May 2009

2009-10-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

May was bittersweet, with lots of new beginnings in the garden and Jeremy's graduation from law school, and a miscarriage. But God is faithful and kind and we continue to depend upon Him for everything, including another child.

April 2009

2009-10-04T17:28:00.000-07:00

Easter with Grammie and Grandpa and the Bouckenooghes was this month's highlight, although somehow I neglected to get photos of the actual celebration. Ah, me. You'll just have to trust that it was delicious and glorious.

Jeff and David built a retaining wall for the alley planter. Genevieve helped a bit.

We went to the Tulip Festival for the first time (poor Jeff missed out) and enjoyed it emensly.

The sun came out in erneast!

Ice Cream Conversation

2009-03-14T19:46:00.001-07:00

February Photos

2009-03-14T19:33:00.001-07:00

In February we get rain, snow, and flowers. It's when the crocuses first begin to bloom that the winter blahs begin to go away. And the bunny princesses come out to play!

January News

2009-03-14T18:20:00.000-07:00

One problem of posting too infrequently is forgetting the events of entire months altogether. We played with play dough, went on a mini-hike with the Bouckenooghes and Mrs. Bell and Bexar, and ate ice cream. Other than that, I don't know! Oh, we celebrated Jeff's birthday with steak and chocolate chip cookies (for those of you with America's Test Kitchen's Family Cookbook, the cookies in there are the best ever!).

Future Chef

2009-01-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

We're not sure where she learned this, but it comes suspiscously after a visit with grandpas...

Play Imitates Life

2009-01-06T08:53:00.000-08:00

In an homage to Auntie Kimber, all the Little People took turns falling down the steps of their house. Thankfully, no one was hurt!

In the Busy Midwinter

2008-12-17T20:53:00.000-08:00

You know it's a good time to blog when there are four other things you should be working on, but you've decided to put your site on the Christmas card and then realized you haven't updated it since October 31st. (And not since July before that!)

We're doing well; enjoying the snow and getting ready to take the train to Montana on Friday. Christmas preparations are nearing completion, and we're trying to keep in mind the wisdom to be found in the crush of Advent: Jesus came, and things got messy. Our pastor exhorted us in this on Sunday. Remember, Mary was betrothed, but not married, and a baby really complicated things. Joseph too had to bear the questions and looks. But this is a glorious messiness, just like our preparations are a glorious messiness. Christ came into the world!

Genevieve likes to sing, so every day we hear fragments of Christmas carols, hymns, and action songs as she dances around the house. Such fun! Here are some more recent quotes:

G: Daddah, would you like to kiss my hand?

J: Sure.

G: Momma, would you like to kiss my hand?

H: What do you think you are, a princess?

G: Yes, it says "princess" on my unders!

H: Well, we've gone to the Post Office, that's our major task for the day. What do you need to do today?

G: after some thought French Fries.

Mr. Owen, blessing the congregation: Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy...

G: He said "PRESENTS"!

With the Bouckenos at the Fair Parade.

Feeling like a big girl holding Gilead.

A lovely tea party.

Nice hugs for Grammie

"Helping" Grandma with the pickles.

Great-Grandpa Craft's mandolin.

Big-girl bed.

The Pumpkin Patch

So, the coat came in a package from Grammie. Genevieve was very excited to try it on, so she took off her pants. Only a two-year-old...

Our new living room paint color (and Genevieve's pretty shirt).

Pumpkins from the garden.

Our five home-grown carrots.

Christmas time is here!

Working in the kitchen.

Merry Christmas!

Reformation Costume

2008-10-31T17:29:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't resist getting these up right away. Happy Reformation Day!

Recently Heard...

2008-08-11T22:17:00.000-07:00

Bear 'cessities, simple bear 'cessities!
Forget about woo-woo and stripes!
I'm Nemo!

(It's probably because I'm her mom, but I just die laughing every time she sings it.)

Sing Along!

2008-07-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

Birthday Bliss!

2008-07-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

I'm going completely out of order here so that you'll be able to enjoy the photos from Vieve's 2nd birthday in good time. (Trust me, my sense of propriety is truly offended. July before June? Should never be done!)

Genevieve is learning to use her little privy, and is doing quite well. We play lots of games, read books and make fun things with playdough. Last week she came up to me and stated, "I have to go!" Clearly, she was ready for an outing!

There were a few presents Birthday morning (Grammie and Grampie were delayed by the death of a TD&H partner), followed by bacon, fruit cutting, and water color painting. Mr. and Mrs. Bell came that evening for cake and ice cream; you can see Melinda's photos here. Then we walked over to the Bouckeno's to see the new baby. He's really cute! (Pictures later, I hope.)

David and Jerry arrived Sunday morning, bearing books, movies, and shoes. They also got a really cool sand and water table, ably set up by Daddah and Grampie with only a little input from Genevieve. We haven't spent less than an hour outside with it every day this week!

Thanks for the hat, dress, sunglasses, and hair clips, Uncle Brad, Auntie Katie, Isaac and Baby Too!

I love the stickers for my hat and the coloring books, Uncle Matt, Auntie Kimber, Uncle Bailey and Uncle Kobe!

Now is the Month of Maying

2008-07-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

Our big excitement for May was Kimber's graduation from vet school at WSU. We had a really nice trip and got to see lots of Zahllers. Genevieve did pretty well - not a single hour of screaming!

Genevieve likes to help me in the kitchen - not sure what we were making, but apparently it was good!

With her animals all set on the chair behind her, Vieve sat down to read them a story. Isn't that fun? The book is one she has memorized, so it was mostly coherent too.

Our friend Amanda came to play (she's five and hiding), and she likes to build forts. Now Vieve thinks the space behind the chair is her own personal corner and often serves Daddah lunch there.

I just love the classic kid things, like wearing Momma's shoes!

Hey, I'm only six weeks behind!

Bits from April

2008-07-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

Isn't this fun? I can hardly remember what happened two months ago. Good thing I took a couple pictures...

Jeff and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary! We went to Young Artists Debut at the Bellevue Symphony and enjoyed our selves completely. (Although, we both lamented our mis-spent youths. Ah, to have been forced to practice violin from the age of 4. At least we can make sure our children don't miss out!) It really was amazing how well the kids performed, and listening to adult music was quite a treat! Then we went to an Asian Fushion sushi restaurant and ate tasty things wrapped in seaweed far into the night. Such fun!

Bob and Jenn visited for a long weekend to attend a homeschool conference (which I wouldn't have remembered if I hadn't taken one bad photo of Ella, two bad photos of Shannon and two more bad photos of Jenn. Surrounded by darling little girls and that's all I got!). Catching up in person was so refreshing, although they had a rough time, with Ella getting very sick the night before they left and then the rest of the girls and Jenn catching the bug during the next week. They're all better now - be sure to click on their blog and see yummy pictures of Odessa!

I (mostly) finished my first sewing project for Vieve, which fit (barely) for a week. It turned our really cute, though, and her sisters will look lovely in it too.

The tulips were a delight, both inside and out.

Vieve loves to take her friends shopping. (You can tell the difference between "shopping" and "for a walk" by the direction the friend is facing. Get it?)

Dave and Jerry Visit!

2008-06-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this was the end of March (yes, nearly three months ago). Still, we had a wonderful time. Grammie and Grampie went on a play group trip with Genevieve to the Bellevue Botanical Gardens - highly recommended for pretty plants and lots of fun trails. Unfortunatly, I... um ...forgot to put Vieve's shoes in the car (they were muddy and she always kicks them off, so why not just take them along?), so she had to ride on shoulders for most of the way. Not fun to watch all your friends running around while you have to be carried!

There was also a lot of fun with bubbles, including Grammie blowing and Grampie holding Vieve trying to catch. It's fun to be carried when Grampie's running around!

Good News!

2008-04-06T21:06:00.000-07:00

Josh got the job in the X Box division with Microsoft! Super secret new game work, Jeff says. They have certainly had an exciting week:
Tuesday: New Job
Wednesday: Offer on House (up the street from us)
Thursday: Offer Accepted
Saturday: Inspection Goes Well

We're so thankful to have good friends so close by - beginning in June, anyway. Baby B is due in July!

The Nerd in Me

2008-04-06T20:55:00.000-07:00

Our favorite show, Stargate: SG-1 , was canceled after 10 seasons, but they got to make a couple feature length movies, so we're slightly mollified. Anyway, to celebrate the release of the first of these we threw a party. Not much of one, as it turned out, since only Josh and Anne were able to come and I was the only one who hadn't seen it yet (they ALL peeked!).

On the up side, we had tasty ring-shaped food, blue jello, pineapple, and a mossy "ancient ruins" cake. (I do understand that no one else will get the significance, but if you want to borrow the complete series and get caught up, just stop by.) Oh, and the movie was pretty good too!

Easter Sermon

2008-04-06T20:10:00.000-07:00

For the past few years we have recited responsively John Chrysostom's Easter Sermon, and let me tell you, it's one of the traditions I look forward to the most. John Chrysostom was a 4th and 5th century preacher who was known for the stunning brilliance of his sermons. Chrysostom is Greek for "golden-mouthed", and this piece makes it easy to see why. The congregation always gets louder and louder, until the whole church rings with our final "AMEN!". It's a great way to begin the most important day of the year.

Are there any who are devout lovers of God?
Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!

Are there any who are grateful servants?
Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary with fasting?
Let them now receive their wages!

If any have toiled from the first hour,
let them receive their due reward;
If any have come after the third hour,
let him with gratitude join in the Feast!
And he that arrived after the sixth hour,
let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.
And if any delayed until the ninth hour,
let him not hesitate; but let him come too.
And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,
let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.
For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,
as well as to him that toiled from the first.

First and last alike receive your reward;
rich and poor, rejoice together!
Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!
You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,
rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!

Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.
Let no one go away hungry.
Partake, all, of the cup of faith.
Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one grieve at his poverty,
for the universal kingdom has been revealed.

Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;
for forgiveness has risen from the grave.

Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.
He has destroyed it by enduring it.
He destroyed Hell when He descended into it.
He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.

Isaiah foretold this when he said,
"You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."
Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.
It was in an uproar because it is mocked.
It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.
It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.
It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.

Hell took a body, and discovered God.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

O death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?

Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!
Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!

Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;
for Christ having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!

The Easter sermon of John Chrysostom (circa 400 AD)

He is Risen!

2008-04-06T18:29:00.001-07:00

We hope you had a glorious Easter! We certainly enjoyed our celebrations, starting with a playgroup egg hunt. We had a ton of kids and lots of eggs. Genevieve thought the process was fun, if a little strange. (You mean this basket is just for eggs, not grass, rocks, dirt, trash?) The candy cemented it as a worthwhile activity, though!

Dave and Jerry were supposed to come, but sadly weren't able to in the end. We still had a full house for dinner, however, with our good friends Josh and Anne, Anne's parents, Shannon, and our near neighbors Nathan and Melinda. Anne and I made chocolate truffle robin's eggs - they were quite a hit, as you can see.

After stuffing ourselves silly, we walked up to see the house Josh and Anne are hoping to buy, if Josh's new job comes through. Hurray for friends just up the street!

Time's fun...

2008-04-06T18:10:00.000-07:00

Here we are, way past time for a new post! I'm afraid I don't have much to say tonight, so on to the highlights from February:
Matt stayed with us overnight during one of his WSU recruitment trips.
Genevieve discovered lip gloss.
Jeff and I had a date. (!)
Genevieve loves to be Momma in various ways, including washing dishes, feeding her various friends various meals, and getting ready to "go shopping" with one of her many purses.
It rained a lot.

Our month of January

2008-02-03T17:22:00.000-08:00

Sorry to do this all in one big post, but that's just how life has turned out this month!

Genevieve and I go walking (thanks for the stroller, Grandpa and Grammie!).

We met with Jeremy and Erin after they returned from MT in order to have a late Christmas from my parents. I had a photo of them up before we went so that Genevieve would be recognize her uncle and aunt. I'm not sure how much it helped, but since we got home she yells "Uncle!" every time I get on the computer or when she sees a bearded man.

The second Christmas was a big hit, since Genevieve knew just what to do. She has been calling every box that comes through the house a present ever since! Each gift would be accompanied by an emphatic "Oh, no!", but I think she actually enjoyed the process.

My parents were able to make a quick trip over, and we had a great time. It was wonderful that God answered our prayer to be able to see them, although as usual, it wasn't in the way we expected! Genevieve loves to color, and was happy to find the her grandparents do as well. She also loves to look at pictures, and so do Grandpa and Grandma. A wagon ride is also a favorite activity, and look who loves to give wagon rides. Grandparents are great!

Jeff's birthday (and festival week beforehand) was a success - he turned 29! We had lots of good food, including cupcakes and homemade ice cream. Genevieve is quite pleased to have either. The next morning when I asked what she wanted for breakfast she pointed to the freezer and said, "Ice cream!". She is so my daughter!

Here are a couple hair pictures. I have way too much fun with my little dolly! The first is two French braids, and the second? Well, she brought three hair bands to me that morning - what could I do?

We had a lovely snow day last week, although it was gone the next morning. Genevieve loves to look at snow and is getting better at manuevering around in it. Just need a few more of those sorts of days to get her really going!

A parting Vieve-ism:

[me] Genevieve, you need to be trained.
[Vieve] Choo-choo!

Speaking of being trained, the manager of the Safeway Starbucks is very friendly and always talks to Genevieve and I when we go for our weekly latte and whipped cream. Last week when we walked in the store she rushed over and asked, "Has Genevieve had her whipped cream yet? I'll go get her spoon from the deli."
"Can she have chocolate?" she asked on her way back to the kiosk. This very nice lady then returned with a cup of cream covered in chocolate sauce and a spoon. Genevieve was very appreciative.

A Sweet Pea's Work is Never Done

2008-01-08T19:38:00.001-08:00

Laundry...dishes...keeping track of Dadda...so much to do!

Spatula Hunt

2008-01-08T19:30:00.001-08:00

Christmas Day - what would you do without your spatula?

Friends

2008-01-08T16:18:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely time with our friends the Weatherhogges during a visit just before Christmas. Stephen and Elizabeth are so big and have such fun personalities. The never stop! Sarah very seriously cut out a blizzard of snowflakes for Genevieve, and Julieanne made several beautiful cards while they were here.

Funny Moments

2008-01-07T17:26:00.000-08:00

New hair-do

The other day as we were working in the garden (Genevieve quite literally) I asked her to be careful of the plants (a few dafodils poked their heads up after our first frost). Moments later I heard a little voice saying "Excuse me! Excuse me!", and when I looked around Genevieve was carefully edging past one of the larger sprouts, asking it's pardon the entire time.

Washing dishes

One of the songs Genevieve seems to really like on her Jamie Soles CD is "Praise Him, Praise Him". She can actually sing the first phrase by herself! It comes out "Pray! Pray!", but she gets the pitches right. We have also recently seen her clap in time while we sang - she's quite the music lover.

Genevieve's greatest ambition in life right now is to "pat" a dog. Every time she hears one outside, finds a stuffed puppy, or sees one in a book or on her blocks she becomes very excited and yells "DOG! DOG!" at the top of her lungs. Then she proclaims "Pat" in her no-nonsense, this-is-what-I-want-now tone of voice. We talk a lot about dogs these days.

Rocking Horse

2007-12-25T13:44:00.001-08:00

Now Genevieve can ride by herself! It only took a few pats and tests, then she was off!

Scary Horse

2007-12-25T13:42:00.001-08:00

Not quite sure what to do with her new rocking horse, Genevieve looks on from Dadda's lap.

Just a few things

2007-12-14T20:09:00.001-08:00

I actually had time to finish a few sewing projects this week (which is good, since several of them were Christmas gifts) as Genevieve took two super-long naps. Her stocking turned out beautifully, and, yes, it really is as big as it looks! Granddaughters need a lot of stocking space, it turns out.

Shnow Video

2007-12-14T20:05:00.001-08:00

This has been my favorite word for the past few weeks - you'll see why!

First Snow of the Year!

2007-12-14T12:36:00.000-08:00

We woke up to a little snow on December 1st and hurried out to enjoy it. Genevieve thought we were crazy, tromping around and throwing snowballs, but quickly got into the spirit. After it all melted in the afternoon, we got another 3-4 inches and then rain and flooding. Yuck! Hopefully the remainder of the winter won't be quite as wet. If it is, though, Genevieve knows how to counteract the dreariness:

Coloring has been a recent (and much enjoyed) activity in our home, although taking the crayons out of the box and putting them back in seems to occupy most of Genevieve's art time.

Christmas Crafts

2007-11-30T10:59:00.000-08:00

On Friday after the holiday three friends came over and we made fun Christmas decorations, in honor of one's birthday. This snow globe is one of two I put together - the other one is very small and just right for Genevieve to shake. She calls it her "gLO-gLO" and is mostly interested in the shaking part.

We also created these topiaries, and I am very excited to make more. They're just so pretty!

New Moves Video

2007-11-30T09:25:00.000-08:00

Genevieve LOVES this CD and asks to listen to it all the time. Good thing we like it too...

Giving Thanks

2007-11-29T17:32:00.000-08:00

What a fun time we had in Sequim for Thanksgiving Day! Uncle Mark and Aunt Jacqueline put on quite a spread, with Cory, Perry, Timber, and Leslie contributing enough desserts for us to each have our own - yum!

The road trip itself could have gone better, but at least we got a quiet night's sleep when we got home (after almost two and a half hours of screaming - Genevieve, not me)!

Kitchen Help

2007-11-29T17:19:00.000-08:00

One of the major changes this month has been Genevieve's interest in helping Momma cook and wash dishes. She'll climb up on her stool and stir in bowls while I make dinner, or play with the bubbles in the sink. It has really helped me get my kitchen tidy more often, since Vieve isn't trying to get me to go somewhere else when I need to be working there. Her new play kitchen is also a big hit (thanks, Grammie and Grandpa Z!), and she loves being able to open and close her own cupboards.

October Summary

2007-11-15T16:27:00.000-08:00

More fast and fun synopsis of our lives:

Genevieve got cuter (check out all those teeth!),

Jeff made pizza for my birthday and Genevieve learned an important life skill: sticking olives on her fingers,

we did a lot of work in the gardens,

visited the Eck family (I didn't get a good photo of Lily, so be sure to visit their blog,

and were visited by the Tumeys.

September Re-run

2007-11-15T15:52:00.000-08:00

How to re-cap an entire month in one posting? Like this, I suppose:

Genevieve is cute,

we ate our kalamari, gyro, Greek fries, loukomades, galaktobouriko, and coffee too quickly to take many pictures at the Greek Festival,

worked hard to get everything ready and then enjoyed decorating house cookies at our open house (Anne organized it for me - what a friend!),

and played lots of games with Grandpa, Grammie, and Grandma Gen.

Stage One Complete

2007-11-06T15:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I've downloaded all the photos from the past two months onto the computer. Now, to get them posted... Soon! I promise!

Time Flies When You're...

2007-09-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

Moving! We're getting pretty settled and have set the date for our Open House (Sept 29th, 1-5pm - please come!), which will be good motivation to get those last little things done. Genevieve loves her new yard and right after breakfast (first things first, you know) insistently says her favorite word: "OUT!"

We do a lot of digging in the dirt, and she really likes to take the bark out of the planters and put it on the sidewalk. On The Dirtiest Day of My Life Genevieve had been doing just that, plus had found a puddle, and was looking so cute and muddy that I had to take a picture. It wasn't until she turned around that I noticed she had blown out the diaper down the back of her legs!

Jeff worked amazingly long hours to tear out the timber borders on our three backyard beds and then replace them with masonry blocks. They are just beautiful, and make my (brownish-green) thumbs itch every time I look out the window. I have plans already, but we'll have to see what I can actually grow.
Our trip to Montana, less than a week after moving in, was refreshing and fun. Of course, as I frantically unpacked and packed again I frequently questioned my sanity, but a week of not having to think about where things should go was just what we needed. Gary and Denise (Jeff's aunt and uncle in Spokane) kindly put us up for a night each way, then we spent a few days in Great Falls and Genevieve got to meet her great-grandparents. Next, on to Boulder and a good visit with Isaac (oh, and my parents, sister and brother-in-law). Can you believe I didn't take a single picture there? I know I had a camera in my hands at one point, so it must have belonged to some one else! Please send any to me!

Hmmmm, here's one last photo: Jeff looking devastatingly handsome in his new suit. Wow!

Genevieve's 1st Birthday

2007-07-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

There really isn't anything like your own child, is there? One year ago Jeff and I were sleepless, worried, and totally in love with our new baby. Now, we're rested, less worried :) , and totally in love with our toddler. God has been kind to see us safely through the trials He gave us, and will continue to do so as Genevieve grows.

Okay, enough of that - here are pictures at the zoo!

(The grandparents got better ones!) We got to see giraffes up-close as they were released from the barn into their field, and Genevieve pointed and said "Ooooo!" a lot. High praise from a one-year-old.

Grandpa Craft made a beautiful rocking chair for G. She likes to sit in it with an animal to hug, which is amazing because she really never stays in one place for long.

I think Grammie Z had a good time introducing G to Starbucks (well, the whipped cream, anyway)!

Genevieve will consent to having a birthday again next year, as long as the grandparents come out to teach her more things!

What I Know (now that I'm 1):

Cake bad.

Grandparents good.

Stairs are more fun than just walking.

Whipped cream makes you pretty.

A well-timed "please" sign and the world is yours! (See note about grandparents.)

Happy Fourth of July!

2007-07-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Independence Day by looking at houses, and have found the one we want! It's a three bed, two-and-a-half bath home in Monroe, further north and east of where we are now. We'll have a big, fenced backyard and a nice front yard - plenty of room for kids to play. Jeff's commute will be about an hour (that's the maximum we felt we could handle) and he'll go to work earlier in order to miss most of the traffic, but it's a real house and we're excited! The move out is scheduled for August 8th, then we'll stay a few nights with friends until the move in on the 11th.

Auntie Kimber Visits

2007-07-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

We got to see Kimber for a quick over-nighter on the 2nd. She was on her way to Nome, Alaska, to do one of her vet school residencies, this one on reindeer. It seems there is something causing them to go blind, which is obviously not good for survival. The last we heard, the herdsmen she was with were having a hard time finding the reindeer in order to round them up, so there wasn't much for Kimber to do.

Genevieve liked taking her card out of the envelope, and all the animals on the front. Thanks, Matt and Kimber!

Video: She's Walking!

2007-07-02T10:40:00.001-07:00

We were totally shocked yestersday that in the space of a few hours Genevieve went from a couple timid steps to galavanting around our home!

Spider Song Video

2007-06-28T18:24:00.001-07:00

Sing along! Genevieve almost has the actions down...

Barrage of Photos

2007-06-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

It's been several weeks since I added photos (sorry, grandparents!), so here they all are at once!

We had lots of fun with my dad here, as you can see. The Adult B'nei Mitzvah ceremony my aunt and uncle participated in was interesting, and it was really wonderful to get to see so much family. Dad was only going to stay for the weekend, but was able to extend his visit for two days - marvelous! He helped with some pre-sale projects and did lots of Schmoopsie entertainment (check out the Itsy-Bitsy Spider video).

For Father's Day Genevieve and I surprised Jeff with a picnic at the Dock Dogs Competition, a set of books he had been wishing for, and the piece de resistance: a can of Spaghetti O's. He enjoyed the day, and has since enjoyed the O's (while I was gone and had it totally cleaned up before I got back).

Our 11-month-old Genevieve looked supremely cute in her new outfit, as you can see!

Sold!

2007-06-28T17:41:00.000-07:00

With great thanksgiving I'm pleased to tell you that we've sold the condo! We accepted the best more-than-full-price offer Tuesday night and took the sign down Wednesday. Aaaaah, big sigh of relief. So now we just get to look for a nice house - yes, house!

For Sale

2007-06-22T10:28:00.000-07:00

We've been working really hard to get things ready for selling our condo - that's my best excuse for not posting for so long! And for those of you who maybe just found out that we're selling our condo - sorry! Our agent has set up a really cool visual tour here (click on "Kirkland Condo"), so tell all your friends. Please pray for us, that we would be able to sell quickly, find a great house, and love and serve each other through this process.
No photos this time, though I promise to get them up soon.

46 Weeks!

2007-06-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

That's right, only 6 more weeks until the big First Birthday! What a full life we live!
David and Jerry were here for a long weekend, and I got a very lovely break from being Genevieve's sole entertainment for a few days. Well, when she would let me out of her sight! We did lots of shopping and eating and went to the Redmond Farmer's Market, a required activity for visitors during the summer. All-in-all a very refreshing time. Oh, and it was sunny and 80 degrees every day - wow! Genevieve really warmed up to the grandparents well, and was hugging and kissing Grammie by the end of the first day. We were expecting it to take longer, but I have their photo up on my desktop, so every time I turned on the computer we would say "Hi, Grandpa! Hi, Grammie!" and wave. Maybe it helped? Anyway, I'm trying it again for my dad's visit this weekend.

It's always fun to see the ways in which Genevieve is "girly". She found this tiny flower and had to stop and pick it. I'm afraid it didn't survive the encounter, but she's learning anyway...

Her first steps were Monday evening, and she's slowly becoming more bold. We've found that we just have to give her the opportunity and she'll really surprise us with her abilities. We are very blessed to have such a wonderful little daughter!

He's Published - Again!

2007-05-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

I keep forgetting to tell you about Jeff's latest accomplishment: a paper he wrote relating to his master's thesis research was published in Water Environment Research this month! I think it's called "Everything you wanted to know about wastewater but were too afraid to ask", or something similar. You can see a few details (and order copies!) here.

Choo Choo Video

2007-05-28T14:23:00.001-07:00

Sunday after church I put Genevieve behind her train, just to see if she was interested in pushing it. To my surprise (and hers) she took off all the way across the living room! It's been difficult to capture on video, since she still finds crawling her fastest mode of transportation and tries to get to the camera as quickly as possible, but I think we got a good one.

Vermicomposting

2007-05-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

For Christmas Jerry and David gave me a book about gardening using a "lasagna" technique, which requires using compost and peat moss and newspaper in pots rather than dirt. I've been picking the brains of friends who garden, and one of them offered me some redworms to start my own vermicompost bins. Here's Jeff drilling holes in the rubber bins for ventilation and drainage (he got to run to Home Depot for drill bits - very manly!). Genevieve was disappointed that she didn't get to help. I have a bunch of veggie scraps (we've been eating healthily), and now just have to find the time to run down to South Seattle for worms. Maybe next week...

I Don't Have to Tell You

2007-05-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

...how wonderful Jeff is! Today I was complaining again about our lack of suitable end table (remember this post?). Jeff said, "Want me to look for one?", and proceeded to spend several hours on the computer looking through thousands of photographs of end tables, side tables, occasional tables, accessory tables, and console tables, listening to me say things like, "Too square", and "But it won't go with the coffee table". And in the end? The search goes on...

Administrative Assistant Video

2007-05-18T16:03:00.001-07:00

This video is long and not very exciting, but if you want to see Genevieve in action, here's your chance!

44 Weeks

2007-05-18T15:34:00.000-07:00

So, I'm not really very good at finishing projects, and since Genevieve came along, I think that has gotten worse. Thankfully, though, she has begun to help around the house. Here she's reorganizing my filing (yes, the stuff I've been working on since the new cabinet came two - no, three! - weeks ago). It really is very funny to see, how she will very carefully take the top paper off the pile, turn it over, examine it closely, then toss it over her shoulder and move on to the next one. This photo is after an hour of "paperwork" while I was at choir.

Things were a little rough recently, and I realized I was finding it difficult to think of the fun progress Genevieve is making, rather than everything I'm worried about. Here's a good list of her new tricks:

Opens and closes her hand to wave

Puts toys in buckets and bins and laundry in the dryer

Picks up Rice Krispies - and eats them!

Claps our hands for us

Brings little nasties off the floor to me

Gets sad when Jeff leaves the room

Genevieve's gotten a much better nightly rhythm lately, closer to 10:30pm-8am rather than 11:30pm-9:am. I'm so thankful! One day we even had a 9:30pm-6:30am night. I caught myself thinking that day, "Oh, I love getting up at 6:30!". Crazy, I know, but it really does help me get more done when I get early.

She pulled another fast one on me yesterday. I've been keeping an eye on her top gums, expecting the next two up there to errupt any day. So, of course, there's a new tooth on the bottom about 1/4 of the way in! I'm so observant...

Matt Visits

2007-05-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

Fun

With

Uncle

Matt

.....

Matt came to visit yesterday in between speaking engagements in Everett and Auburn for his job with WSU. After several hours of making faces, playing peek-a-boo, and chattering at him Genevieve warmed up enough to sit in his lap. We wish he could have stayed longer!

Playing in the Grass Video

2007-05-14T10:25:00.001-07:00

Genevieve wasn't very sure about touching the grass, but she thought rubbing her feet in it was great fun!

10 Months

2007-05-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

Our little bug is ten months old! We can hardly believe it, she's growing so quickly. I have a good time playing with her hair. Although the styles are currently limited, they're expanding rapidly. Here's a new favorite - antennae! Genevieve wore a dress with caterpillars on it to church on Sunday with her hair like this. (It's never too early to learn to coordinate, right? I know... I'm goofy!) She leaves the clips alone pretty well, it's a battle I've chosen to fight, and generally doesn't mind me fussing with her hair - as long as I'm quick!
We're all still a little under the weather, some more so than others. Genevieve seems to be better, I'm in about the middle, and Jeff's in the throws of the nastiness. It will be nice when we're all well for a long stretch. Apparently this will happen about the time our youngest future child goes to college!

Tasty Blessings

2007-05-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

Thursday and Friday nights we made good use of generous gifts, thoroughly enjoying blessings God has given us through family and friends!

Thursday

Pan Seared Rib-Eye Steaks with Muenster Cheese Sauce

(steaks from Mom and Dad Z, cooking classes from Jeff)

Pan Roasted Aparagus Spears

Warm Lentil and Barley Salad

Siegerrebe Wine (from our 3rd anniversary trip to San Juan Island)

Friday

5th Anniversary Dinner Date at Lombardi's

(childcare from the Weatherhogge family)

42 Weeks

2007-05-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

Well, Genevieve caught a cold last week, so we've been wading through lots of nastiness this weekend. One bonus, though, is the cuddle factor. You just have to love a little warm body curled up asleep on your chest! Jeff likes to get all he can on weekends anyway, so he doesn't mind being a pillow while doing things on the computer.

Peek-a-Boo Video

2007-04-27T20:17:00.001-07:00

I have been trying for weeks to get Genevieve to play peek-a-boo on video, but she's usually so busy trying to eat the camera that she forgets about playing. But here she is! Apologies for the darkness...

41 Weeks

2007-04-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's weather was pretty nice, so we went for a walk to the park. Genevieve got to swing outside for the first time, and seemed to really like it. She enjoys being outside and nearly twists her head off trying to see everything. People are still the greatest attraction, though, and she'll give a big smile to anyone who catches her eye.

You may have noticed a fun new feature in the sidebar (this blogging stuff is way too easy!). We are so amazed at how Genevieve has changed that I wanted to display all of her monthly photos in one place. Just think of all the cool things we could use this for: vacation shots, a party, relatives (hint hint), and so on. Oh, and if you double click on it you can see the photos bigger. Most of you have seen these already - they're the ones I used to email.

40 Weeks

2007-04-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

Not much more to say, but isn't she cute?

Bath Time Video

2007-04-24T13:31:00.001-07:00

Genevieve loves her bath! She gets excited from the moment I start to fill the tub, and then kicks and splashes throughout the entire time. This was Dadah's first experience doing everything by himself (so I could get some pictures), and he did a great job!

Good Checkup!

2007-04-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

Genevieve's 9 month checkup was yesterday, so I thought I would post her stats:

Weight: 18lbs 15oz (50th percentile)

Height: 28.25 inches (80th percentile)

Her growth curve is holding steady, which is what they want to see.

Only one shot, making it an easy appointment. Dr. Kazaras is always impressed at her quick recovery afterward, and the nurses marvel at her cheerfulness. Of course, that's because they don't see her just before nap time...

9 Months

2007-04-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

After weeks of "dadadada", Genevieve has finally said her first word: "Mama!", of course! This was Friday night, and Sunday night she said "Amen!" after our dinner prayer. I think Dada is anxious for some recognition - Genevieve seems to almost have him figured out, though. She mimics practically everything now, from facial expressions to sounds, and really responds to things that Jeff does. We're working on teaching her some simple signs (please, more, all done), although she has us pretty well trained to wave back!

Good Friday (April 6) was our 5th anniversary! We haven't done much to celebrate yet, apart from me cooking our favorite special occasion dinner (fried calamari, marinara and pasta) and Jeff presenting me with a gorgeous ruby ring, but we hope to go out some time soon. A lot has happened in five years, and God has been gracious and kind to us throughout it all!