The Fitzwater Family

For my dad

2010-02-11T07:45:00.003-07:00

Well, it's been a while since my last post. As many of you know, life has been pretty crazy around here...more on that later. My dad requested a while back that I share this video of Zane playing the "bitar" and leading the family in "Jingle Bells." So in honor of my dad's birthday a couple of days ago, here it is. Happy Birthday, Papa!

Zane's First Trip to Glacier

2009-06-21T10:15:00.006-06:00

On Memorial Day, we headed to Glacier National Park for our first time this summer and for Zane's first time ever. Sadly, I left our camera at home so we stopped at a photo shop in West Glacier were Luke used to work in the summer ages ago. So, the quality of the photos is not the best, but it is better than nothing and Zane's first trip had to be documented!

The park was only opened up to the Trail of Cedars/Avalanche Gorge. It's a great little stroll through the beautiful tall cedars and alongside Avalanche creek. There is a wooden walkway that has been built through this area which is great for folks with strollers. Most of our visitors have had the pleasure of doing this little jaunt through the woods. After our walk, we left the park and had a bite of lunch at a quaint little cafe in West Glacier. It was a great way to spend our day.

Two years ago on the trail when my friend Marie visited

this year with Zane

A few of my favorite things

2009-06-20T23:16:00.008-06:00

Zane loves the lawn mower, or tractor, as he likes to call it. While we were in TX visiting Papa and Memaw, he got to ride Papa's tractor and ever since then, he cannot get enough. Sometimes when Luke mows the grass, Zane gets to go with him which he loves! However, he just enjoys getting to crawl around on it too, as evident from these pictures.

On this same day, when Luke got home from an appointment, we went on a walk down to the school and back. Every time we pass the school in the car, Zane notices the basketball court and says, "Basketball!" So of course, he loves it when he actually gets to play on it. There are usually balls left out on the court and this makes Zane oh so happy.

Nothin' but net

Just a swingin'- no walk is complete without at least one!

silly boy ready for his bath after a fun outing- I love that belly!

Little Drummer Boy (5.17.09)

2009-06-20T22:42:00.004-06:00

Well, Zane is expanding his repertoire to include not only the guitar but the drums as well. Andy let him play the drums with him one evening after church, and I'm not sure who enjoyed it more- him or Zane! I managed to get a little video of his jam session, too.

5.13.09

2009-06-20T21:43:00.005-06:00

Barb and Joan left to visit their other siblings in AZ on May 13th. Luke, Zane, and I took them to Missoula to the airport. Luke scheduled some appointments for work, so he dropped us off at the mall for a little shopping. Zane had a fun time playing on the playground, but I think he enjoyed the high school band/orchestra's performance the most. He sat so still and was enthralled with the group- it helped that someone was playing a base "bitar" - Zane still loves the guitar! I hope he always enjoys music as much as he does right now! We had a fun day and we're glad to welcome Barb and Joan home this past week- Grandma and Aunt Noanie, you were missed! We love you!

Just a slidin'

Havin' fun (I loved this even though it was blurry!)

Ready to slide

Music to his ears

Family Photo Shoot 5.30.09

2009-06-20T21:20:00.003-06:00

Tutty Family Visit

2009-06-16T20:50:00.007-06:00

The day after we took Marie to the airport in Spokane, our dear friends the Tuttys came for a visit. We met the Tuttys while we lived in AZ. My roommate from college Andrea actually put us in contact with them as she had known them when they lived in Boise. They were our first friends when we moved to AZ and we have many fond memories with them, including helping them move back to Boise 4 years ago. So, it's only fitting that they would be here visiting us when they found out that they'll be moving to Chicago in just a couple of weeks!

Kandis and Jeremy, we're so glad that you made it here for one last trip before you head to Chicago. I'm bummed that we never made it back to Boise, oh well, Chicago here we come! It was so fun having you here in the calm before the storm (or during)! We love you guys and we'll be praying for you as you embark on this new adventure! Thanks for your friendship!

One night we went to the Davidson's for dinner- they just happened to be in town as well, what good timing. Pauline made her father's delicious chicken soup and we enjoyed brownies for dessert. The kids had a blast running around outside and playing on the stairs! Thanks Jim and Pauline for having us over- I'm glad we got to visit with y'all as well. Pauline, we'll see you in July!

The girls-Pauline, Kandis and me

the kiddos- minus Zane

Zane- he LOVED the rocks in their drive way!

The kids- gotta love the bathtub shots!

Our husbands were so sweet to us- they loaded the kids up in the truck and headed for Glacier to ride bikes and pull them behind in bike trailers. Kandis and I had a relaxing 4-5 hours at home, getting ready at a leisurely pace, eating a bite of lunch and then watching a chick flick. It was so relaxing and the best part was, when they got back at 4, the little boys were so tired that they both took a nap- leaving us to be able to fix dinner in peace and quiet!

The guys- minus Chaucer, plus Kambry

The girls

Bye Tuttys- I love Luke and Zane peeking in the window!

Marie's Visit

2009-06-16T14:40:00.005-06:00

My sweet friend Marie came all the way from Phoenix with 2 of her 4 awesome boys for a visit. When we lived in Phoenix, we attended the same church as the Jeffries and went to a small group at their home. I think it was our common love for Chick-fil-a that bonded us together (or maybe just food in general and of course makeovers, wink-wink!) It was so much fun getting to catch up with her- I could not believe that it had been 1.5 years since I had seen her last (probably because we talk on the phone so often!). We had a great time just hanging out and getting to visit. While she was here, we managed to visit the Bear Park, go to the Digi-crop, where we worked on our digital scrapbooking (thanks to Luke who watched the boys), as well as manage a kid-free lunch together (thanks to Brittany the babysitter). We also squeezed in a quick trip to Big Fork to see our friend Shawna and her kiddos.

Marie, thanks so much for coming! I had so much fun with you and I look forward to our next get together- we've got to start planning that now! I'm so glad it all worked out for y'all to come and I can't wait for the day when the whole fam gets to come in the RV! Love you and can't wait to see the pages you've already made!

Marie and her boys Alex and baby Nick

The Digi-Crop

Shawna, Marie, me and Kristi

Marie, me, Shawna and the kids in Big Fork

Mother's Day

2009-05-18T21:15:00.006-06:00

On Mother's Day, Luke and I had the pleasure for filling in for some our friends in the nursery for the 2nd morning service- it actually wasn't too bad and my friend Bekah came in to help us. We stayed after the service for the Mother's Day luncheon at the church. A church member catered the meal and it was actually very delicious!

pictures from the luncheon

Poor Zane- it was a little past his nap time!

Luke and his sweet mom

Finally, a good picture of me and my little guy on Mother's Day! I didn't get a good one last year because he was sick.

I love you Zane! Thanks for making me a mom. You are so much fun and I'm so thankful that God answered our prayers with you! You are the greatest blessing that He has given us.

A Night on the Town (5.8.09)

2009-05-18T20:45:00.006-06:00

Since I was in Texas on my actual birthday, and Luke had to leave TX that day, he planned a night away for us once I got home from the trip (I will be posting pics from the trip later- way too many to go thru!). So, he arranged for his mom and aunt to come stay the night at our house with Zane. We went to Whitefish and ate dinner at one of our favorite spots- Pescado Blanco. There is a shortage of good Mexican food here in the valley, but this place never disappoints. After dinner, we went back to Whitefish Lake Lodge, our beautiful accommodations for the night. We had dessert in the the hotel's restaurant that over looks the lake- what a beautiful backdrop. The next morning we ate breakfast at another favorite spot- Loula's. It was such a fun treat to sneak away for an evening with my hubby. Thanks so much for celebrating my birthday in such a special way, Luke! I had so much fun with you. Thanks also for the beautiful earrings and necklace. I love you!

Easter (4.12.09)

2009-05-18T20:18:00.004-06:00

Well, we had a great Easter. It was Zane's 2nd, but the first one that he actually had some clue as to what was going on. At one point during the hunt, he had an egg in both hands, spotted a ball in the grass, and proceeded to chunk the eggs to pick up the ball- did I mention that he loves balls?! It was a busy day, but very fun. I attended both morning church services as I was singing in a ladies quartet, then we went to Grandma Barb's and Aunt Noanie's for dinner with the rest of the family and extended family (some of the pastors from church and their families). After the Easter egg hunt, we had just a little time to sneak home for a quick nap- Zane stayed at Grandma's until e3. Then, after our nap, it was off to our service. It was a wonderful day!

Spring has Sprung...finally! (4.3.09)

2009-05-18T20:02:00.003-06:00

After what seemed like a very long winter, spring finally came to the Flathead Valley. Zane enjoyed getting to venture OUTSIDE! Poor kid, he hasn't had a lot of time outdoors. You can tell how excited he is to be free outside.

First Haircut

2009-03-18T19:56:00.003-06:00

Today Zane had his hair cut for the first time. I was a little nervous because I wasn't ready to get rid of his sweet curls even though they were getting a little long especially in front.

Before...

Our awesome friend Jen- if any one knows curly hair, it's her!

Look how long it is when wet...

The first cut...

After...

Jen did a great job! Thankfully the curls are still intact.

18 months and counting...

2009-03-16T17:07:00.009-06:00

Last Tuesday Zane turned 18 months. I cannot believe that he'll be 2 in 6 months- it doesn't seem possible! He is very active and enjoys dancing, running around and just being silly in general. There's never a dull moment around here- that's for sure!

He has always seemed to enjoy music and has been quite the dancer. He also enjoys instruments of all kinds. He loves the piano and organ at Grandma and Aunt Noanie's. At church, he loves his weekly guitar time with our friend Andy who leads worship. So much so, that he is obsessed with Andy and the guitar. During the service and during practice before, he will sit so still and just watch Andy play the guitar. He even became obsessed with a toy guitar in the nursery. So, I finally decided to get him one of his very own. Here he is with his favorite toy- the "bitar" as he calls it. He finally has learned how to hold it, at first he would kinda just hold it up in the air. It seems as if he might be a left-handed guitar player.

Here's a little video of Zane playing his guitar.

We have a Saturday morning breakfast burrito tradition. This past Saturday morning I was in Luke's office talking to him when I realized that Zane was being awfully quite in the other room. When I walked into the living room, this is how I found Zane. Apparently, he had found the left over salsa on the table and decided he wanted to eat it. We also found bits of leftover tortilla strewn about the kitchen and living room.

On Sunday, we went over to our friends Shane and Julie's house for lunch. They just had baby Gabe in January and Zane is obsessed with him. He wanted to hold him or be close to him at all times. He was actually pretty gentle with him.

Zane and "Bady" Gabe
It seems just like yesterday that everyone referred to Zane as Baby Zane. He looks like such a big boy compared to lil' Gabriel. He's getting too big! We will go to the doctor on Wednesday and I'm anxious to see just how big he is.

Videos

2009-02-23T23:10:00.002-07:00

Here are a few videos from the last month or so.

He still enjoys dancing...

Here's a video of Zane sweeping. I had just swept the kitchen and not put the broom up yet. I love the part when you can tell he wants me to move because I am in his way.

And last, just a couple of the animal sounds he knows- I'll have to try again to get them all in there.

17 1/2 Months...

2009-02-23T21:25:00.009-07:00

Warning: this post is long overdue and contains many pictures of Zane!

Wow, Zane will be 18 months next month! He is definitely becoming more of a little boy and less of a baby. It seems like he does something new everyday. Within the last few weeks, he finally made the transition from two naps to one, and this has been great because he's been sleeping in most mornings 'til almost 8! He is gaining his independence in several areas. He likes to help me out around the house, especially in the kitchen- specifically "reorganizing" some of our drawers...

and sorting the tupperware... (this was before Luke got the childproof locks on, now he cannot get into the cabinets, only the drawers as evident from the last picture!).

He loves to help out with the laundry...

as well as sweeping.

He likes to feed himself, especially things like yogurt...

and slowly, but surely, he is getting better at using utensils...

Luke taught him how to put raspberries on his fingers.

I finally decided it was time to let him experiment with crayons- he will actually scribble a little, but each coloring session almost always ends with at least one little bite of crayon in his mouth...

He even wants to blow dry and comb his own hair (yes, that's right, I said blow dry- the kid has a lot of hair, okay!).

Here are some other random shots from the last month or so...

with Grandma Barb

I love that smile!

Go Cardinals!

This is how I found Zane after one nap- he had slept almost 4 hours due to an extremely late night for him the night before. I heard him stirring and looked at the monitor to find him sitting up with both legs hanging out of the crib.

Fun times with friends...

and a few more of my sweet son...

Zane, we are enjoying getting to know the little person that you are becoming each day. Thank you for filling our days with laughter and bringing us so much joy! We love you so much, sweet boy and are so proud of you!

Splish Splash I Was Taking a Bath...

2009-01-22T11:50:00.001-07:00

Here's a little video of Zane taking a bath the day he turned 16 months...I cannot believe how big he is getting. I'll post more on that later. For now, I leave you this video to hopefully tide you over until I have time to post some pictures.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2009-01-11T10:13:00.008-07:00

Well, I am behind yet once again! I meant to get all these snow pictures up while we were in the midst of the worst winter storm I've experienced since we moved here 2 1/2 years ago. Even the locals say that they hadn't had this much snow since "the big snow of '96." Not only did we have lots of snow, but we had many days with negative temperatures!

It all started the week before we left for Luke's graduation in Alabama. The morning of the day we were to leave, we woke up to drifts in the driveway between 3 and 4 feet high. In the non-drifted areas, Luke measured the snow to be at least a foot high. Luke started to shovel and thankfully, our neighbor who usually plows out our road made a couple of passes in our driveway, which saved Luke so much time and energy.

This is what Luke encountered when he opened the garage door.After we got back from Alabama, it continued to snow. One day, I think it was on New Year's (all the days started running together- there was a lot of snow!) we had at least 18 inches in less than 24 hours! There were several days that Luke spent most of the day shoveling and/or snow blowing our drive as well as our families', and some neighbors' too. It was crazy!

18 inches!
Almost 2 feet on our back deck- and this it after Luke had just cleared this part of our deck the day before!

Our back deck- Luke said the snow was so high, he could not even tell where the deck ended and the snow began!

Samson next to one of the huge berms of snow in our driveway

Just a few random shots...

These were taken just before sunset one day- we do live in a beautiful place (cold for sure, but definitely beautiful!).

We've had a bit of a respite from the bitter cold and snow as we've had highs in the 40s the last few days. About half of the snow has melted away or just settled down, but the ground is still covered with about a foot of snow.

Fitzwater Christmas

2009-01-02T08:30:00.003-07:00

On Christmas day, we went over to Luke's mom's house around noon. We had a yummy dinner and then opened presents. It was fun for the whole family to be together since it was a Montana Christmas year.

We are thankful that Mark, Wendi and the kids made the trek from Texas.
Caleb, Jayme, Christy and Matt
Aunt Noanie (aka Joan- Luke's aunt)
Jacob
Barb(Mom, Grandma), Bethany and Drew
And, last but not least, my two favorite guys!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

2008-12-27T06:45:00.008-07:00

We hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas with your families. We have had a great time with Luke's family. Luke and I were behind with our Christmas preparations this year due to his last semester of graduate work, so this week started out a little rocky but has since calmed down. We got back from Alabama/Georgia late Monday night, and spent most of Tuesday and Wednesday finishing our Christmas shopping and decorating our house (I know, sad but true!). Wednesday night we attended the candlelight Christmas Eve service out our church and went to his mom's house afterward. These two pictures were taken in front of the fireplace. That is an enlarged replica of the brand they used when they lived on "the hill" above us in the picture. Mark took these pictures and I was quite pleased!This is our second Christmas to have a real tree. In 2006, Luke actually went out and cut down our tree. You have to get a permit but it only costs $5. He picked a really tall tree and actually had to cut off about 4 feet once he got it home so it would fit in our house. Well this year, he did not have the time to go out and cut one down so we decided to get one from the lot. Well, in keeping with tradition he picked out another tall tree. This time however he only had to cut off a few inches from the top. His mom says that he picks out trees just like his dad did!

Luke and I were glad when Zane slept in until almost 8 Christmas morning! Here he is checking out the tree...and opening presents- which mainly consisted of him pulling out tissue paper and playing with that, or tearing off a little wrapping paper and playing with that, and then us chasing him around to get him to come open his other presents...

Since Zane loves playing with our cell phones, we decided he needed his own. He seemed to enjoy it.

He loves balls so Luke picked out a nice set of 4 that are soft enough to play with in the house. They were a big hit as well. Here he is with the football.

Zane's cousin Gideon called to wish us a Merry Christmas in classic 2 year old style. He wanted to talk to Zane so I put the phone on speaker phone and Zane actually "talked" to him. Mainly I'm posting this picture to document that I was there on Christmas morning, since I am taking most of the pictures.

I love this picture of Zane- this is the new face he likes to make.
Ah, the wonder of Christmas!

Santa Claus is coming to town...

2008-12-25T09:34:00.004-07:00

Well, after not having Zane's picture taken with Santa last year, I was determined to get it done this year. It almost didn't happen again, but we managed to get to the mall yesterday for a little visit with Kris Kringle. And as expected, Zane cried. Not right away, but he did cry. I love the progression in the pictures. At first things don't seem too bad, but by the end, Zane was clearly done.

For some reason, this next picture is the one they printed, I'm not sure why.

I love how you can see Luke's arm in this picture coming to rescue Zane from the bearded man!
Not real sure who this kid is, for some reason we had several pictures of him on our CD!
Well, we hope that y'all have a Merry Christmas. Things are finally slowing down around here with Luke's recent graduation- yahoo! I'm hoping to be a little more consistent with my blogging. It has been too long since my last post. As my sister-in-law said, I blog every month and a half whether I need to or not!

Zane's One Year Pictures

2008-11-02T06:23:00.002-07:00

Well, we had these taken a little late. I guess if you want to get technical, they are his 13 month pictures- better late than never, right? I am so thankful for our friend Jen - she has taken pictures for us several times now and she is so talented. I love them all. The ones at the end of the slide show are after Zane crammed 2 handfuls of crackers in his mouth- I love those full cheeks!

10.10.08

2008-11-02T01:50:00.000-07:00

Zane celebrated turning 13 months by taking his first unassisted steps. He had been cruising around the furniture for months, and would take a step here or there, but this was the first letting go and taking several on his own. Thankfully, I had the camera near by and was able to get a few videos to document the monumental event. Luke was out of town, but you can hear me talking on the phone with him.

What a difference a year can make...

2008-11-02T01:47:00.006-06:00

I just wanted to post a few more pictures of Zane with my parents. I can't believe how much Zane has changed in a year. My parents had visited last year when Zane was 2 weeks old. Here are a few pics from then and now(now being almost 2 months ago when my parents were here!)
My dad holding Zane then...and now...
My mom reading to Zane then...
and now...

My Parents' Visit

2008-11-02T01:36:00.003-06:00

Well, I went to bed early and slept for a few hours and now I'm awake so I thought I'd work a little on the blog. I'll never stay caught up if I never actually blog! So, here are a few more pictures from my parents' visit back in September. We had a great time with them. It was there first road trip up here and it was nice to have them here for longer than a long weekend. We were glad that they could be here to help us celebrate Zane's birthday. We did a little sight seeing, but mainly enjoyed just hanging out. It was perfect weather while they were here, so we were able to enjoy several beautiful walks. Zane had so much fun with them too, and learned to play catch with my dad, which quickly became a favorite activity. He also developed a love for the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear while they were here, and they had the chance to read it to him several times.

Thanks so much for coming Mama and Daddy. We had so much fun and enjoyed having you here. We look forward to getting to see you in December. We love you both!

Playing Catch with Papa

2008-11-02T01:11:00.001-06:00

Random photos

2008-10-22T21:01:00.004-06:00

I was just going through all of our pictures in effort to get caught up with my blogging and I came across a few from August that never made the blog. I love this yoga pose that Zane went through a phase of doing.

This next photo is of Zane enjoying one of his favorites...black beans and rice from one of our favorite spots here in Kalispell, Bajio. We love going there once a week, because he enjoys the food and atmosphere. They play festive music and he will dance the whole time. I think this photo is actually when we had it to go one time!

At the end of August, we had the pleasure of seeing Luke's Aunt Bena and cousin Debra. They were visiting from AZ and staying with Luke's mom and aunt. It was great to get to see them- we miss you Arizona family! We were spoiled to get to live close to them for a couple of years when we lived in Phoenix. While they were here, we met them a couple times for dinner.

Our family

Barb, Joan, Debra, and Bena

These next two shots were just too cute to pass up!

Stay tuned for more pics from my parents' visit, my sister's visit, as well as our trip to the Pumpkin Patch....

The Bear Park

2008-10-20T10:06:00.003-06:00

After we left Hungry Horse, we headed north to one of our favorite spots. We had tried taking my parents on their other visits, but it was always closed. Luke and I have been many times in the past. We went to the Great Bear Adventure. You can drive through the park and watch the black bears livin' it up. They used to have grizzly bears also but had to take them out last year. It is amazing to be so close to the bears. And, it seems that they are well cared for- maybe a little too well- I think they each could stand to lose a few pounds. Anyway, Zane really enjoyed seeing them, especially since one of his favorite books these days is Brown Bear, Brown Bear. He would point at the bear and say, "bear." (or at least that's what it sounded like- hey, I'll give him credit!)

Zane taking it all in

I had to get a picture of the sign on the way out...

Hungry Horse Dam

2008-10-19T09:55:00.006-06:00

When my parents were here over a month ago, one day we went for a drive. I took them to Hungry Horse Dam. It is about 30 minutes from where we live, and the view from the top is quite impressive. On our way to the dam, we passed by a small lake, and on the way back down, we had to stop and take some pictures. The water was so still and perfectly reflected the mountains, trees and sky.

The view from the dam

The dam

The lake

First Playgroup

2008-10-19T09:32:00.003-06:00

On Wednesday, September 24, I hosted the first playgroup at our home. Several friends and neighbors had talked of having a playgroup, but nothing was ever started. So, after being inspired my Texas friends who have held a playgroup on Wednesday mornings for over 5 years, I decided to take the initiative to ask friends and neighbors to join in the fun and schedule a weekly play date. Here is a group shot from the first meeting- it is missing two little girls, who left before I remembered to take a picture.

Aiden, Talia, Brady, Maddie, Sophie, David, and Zane

Zane's Dedication

2008-10-19T09:04:00.005-06:00

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord." - 1 Samuel 1:27-28

On Sunday, September 21, we had Zane dedicated at church. Our good friends Roby and Krista also had their son and Zane's friend Aiden dedicated. The pastor read a charge to us and prayed over us. Luke read Jeremiah 29:11-"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

We are so grateful to have a wonderful church family to come along beside us as we seek to raise Zane in a way that will honor the Lord. Zane, our prayer for you is that you will come to know the Lord at a young age, and follow Him your whole life. We love you and are so thankful that God has given you to us.

Play Ball!

2008-09-15T21:43:00.002-06:00

This past Saturday we celebrated Zane's 1st birthday with a baseball themed party, complete with hot dogs, peanuts and baseball decorated cupcakes. We had a great time with family and friends. At first, Zane was traumatized by the balloons on his highchair, so they eventually had to be removed. Thankfully, since the party, he has made peace with the balloons and even enjoys playing with them now (thanks to Papa and Grandma).

Here are some pictures from the special day. I am especially proud of how the cupcakes turned out, my first attempt at decorating any type of cake, not too shabby if I do say so myself (it did not come about without it's share of headaches, however, as I had to experiment with 3 different types of red icing and decorating tools until I found the right one. There were a few rejects that did not make the cut for the party!)

Thanks also for all your sweet comments and birthday wishes for our boy. We are so blessed to have such great friends and family! We love you all!

A Year in Pictures

2008-09-11T16:05:00.003-06:00

Well, I was trying to select a few pictures of Zane over the last year to share. I thought I would do about 12, but instead I have over 40! Oh well, thank goodness for the slide show. It's crazy how much they change in a year, isn't it?

Oh, and by the way, I wanted to give a shout out to Zoe- Happy Birthday! I hope that you have/had a great day! Love you!

One Year Ago Today...

2008-09-10T15:31:00.007-06:00

One year ago today, Luke and I drove to the hospital at 6 something in the morning. I thought that my water had broken, but I wasn't sure. When we arrived at the hospital, I stepped out of the car, and I knew in no uncertain terms, that my water was in fact, breaking.

** Side note: I was really glad that I had curled my hair the day before. I even put on a little makeup on the way to the hospital!

One year ago today, Luke and I anxiously awaited becoming parents. I had been having sporadic contractions, but nothing consistent, so since my water had broken, they decided to put me on pitocin to speed things along. (Clearly, this picture was taken before I started to feel the effects of the aforementioned pitocin.)

One year ago today, Luke dressed himself in scrubs so that he might come into the operating room with me while the doctors delivered Zane by c-section. You see, after the pitocin kicked in, my contractions had become quite intense, and Zane was showing signs of distress. So, since I was only at a 3, the doctor decided that it would be best to do a c-section. I was so thankful when I saw Luke come in the room.

One year ago today, Zane Asher was born at 2:25pm. He was 7 lbs 1 oz and 21 inches long. His poor little face was so badly swollen. He had been trying to come out face first, with his neck bent back- no wonder he was showing signs of distress! The doctor told me later that even if they had waited and let me try for a normal delivery, I would have had to have a c-section any way due to the way he was presenting. I am so thankful that she made the call early on and spared me from hours of labor and pushing that would have ended up with the same result. One year ago today, Luke became a father.

One year ago today, I became a mother.

One year ago today, our family of two became a family of three. And our lives were forever changed.

Zane, we are so thankful that God blessed our lives with you one year ago today. We have so enjoyed this first year with you, it has gone by incredibly too fast. We love you so much and pray that God would give us wisdom and guidance as we raise you- that we would show you God's love. We are so proud of you. We love everything about you- your sweet personality, your contagious smile and laughter, your love of music and dancing, your incessant "talking"(we only wish we could understand what you were saying!), your curly hair, and your beautiful eyes. You have made our lives better and less focused on ourselves. I'm sure that God will continue to use you to mold us into the parents and individuals that He would have us to be. We love you, Zaners! Happy 1st Birthday!

Whitefish Lake

2008-08-31T22:49:00.004-06:00

Today, Luke, Zane, and I went to Whitefish for lunch. We ended up eating at the Buffalo Cafe, a local favorite. After lunch, we headed to Whitefish Lake, not to swim however, as the temperature never rose above 60 today (as evident by our wearing of long sleeves)! I just have heard so much about it, but had never been there, so Luke decided he would take us there.

We did not stay too long, but managed to fit in a many photo session with Zane. It was Zane's first experience being that close to a body of water bigger than the bathtub! He enjoyed getting his hands wet, and also just looking at all the water as Luke held him. I think his favorite part of the outing was getting to ride on Dad's shoulders.

Taking the plunge...

2008-08-30T22:03:00.009-06:00

Well folks, after eight years of traditional scrapbooking, I have decided to take the plunge into the world of digital scrapbooking. I have only completed one digital storybook, a Father's Day book for Luke, and I wanted to share it with you. I was really pleased with the final product, and more importantly, so was Luke.

I'm embarrassed to say that I had worked on this off and on since April, and I just published it last weekend, over 2 months late for Father's Day! Oh well, better late than never, right?! Any way, it was fairly easy to do (this was a template that I just had to drop in pictures and add journaling, the part that always takes me the longest to do!)- it was just taking the time to sit down and work on it. I had a lot of "technical support" from my friend Marie in Arizona, and I think with a little more practice, I will definitely get faster at it. I really enjoyed the fact that when I did sit down to work on it, all I needed was my laptop, as opposed to the endless amount of scrap crap that I used for my traditional scrapbooks.

Now I am excited to finally get to work on Zane's first year album. I was beginning to think that I might never scrapbook again. But now I have a plan...

July, in a Nutshell

2008-08-15T22:07:00.002-06:00

July proved to be a very busy month (obviously so, as it is the middle of August and I am just now posting about it!). We had several family gatherings including, but not limited to the following: 2 birthday celebrations, a few cookouts, and visits from Luke's cousin and brother's family.

In between family functions, we kept ourselves busy with frequent walks taking advantage of the awesome weather, our usual church activities, Zane cutting his 5th and 6th teeth (see screaming pictures), frequent housecleaning (long story), and trying to spend as much time together as a family when Luke was actually in town, not working or busy with school.

Well, here are a few pictures from the month. I really like this slide show feature- it's great when you have too many pictures.

Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Oh Zane!

2008-08-13T20:34:00.007-06:00

Why do we even buy our children toys? Last week, after I had gotten out a few safe kitchen items for Zane to play with, including but not limited to this baster, I caught him crawling around with this part in his mouth! I guess it makes a good teether- who knows?! Anyway, I thought this was too cute not to share!

Ok, now it's your turn. What random things have you found your kids playing with or teething on?

The One with Zane's Moves

2008-08-11T18:56:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, Zane turned 11 months! I can't believe it- his first year of life is almost complete- WOW! He is very busy these days, chattering away (I only wish I knew what he was trying to say!), crawling all over the place, pulling himself up on every piece of furniture, and the newest trick in is repertoire, dancing.

He has always loved music, even from the time he was a little bitty thing. At some point, he started waving his hand or hands to the beat when we were singing at church or when we were listening to music at home, and then a few weeks ago, he started bouncing up and down when he was standing holding on to something, or even when he was sitting down. Then one night when we were at a friend's birthday party, there was music playing and he started crawling toward the stereo, and he would pause to rock his body back and forth to the beat, crawl a little more, stop to rock to the beat, etc. His newest move is swaying side to side while standing up, holding on to something.

I had been meaning to video him for sometime, but every time I would get the camera out, he would stop, of course. Finally, just the other day, he was dancing in the living room, and I managed to catch him. This video showcases all of Zane's "moves."

Finally, the rest of the story...

2008-08-08T21:58:00.002-06:00

Well, I decided to just put the rest of the pictures in a slide show, otherwise I met never finish the Texas trip post! Tuesday was a good day with family and ended with one of my favorites, yummy Chick-fil-a! Oh, how I miss it! Wednesday, the Speers came out again in the morning, and my sister and Gideon left, but not before an impromptu photo session with the grandparents. Thanks so much for coming down Amy, and for letting Zane use Gideon's car seat. That was a big help. We love you guys and look forward to the next visit.

Wednesday afternoon, Zane and I met up with Mark, Wendi and the kids. We had lunch at McAlister's (by the way, thanks for my lunch!) and then went back to the dorm. It was nice to just have a low key afternoon. And Wendi, I am a little jealous of your awesome room where you can scrapbook ( well, and also that you can actually find the time to do it... I am beginning to wonder if I will ever scrapbook again!).

Wednesday evening, I got to see all my girls at Chili's. I'm bummed because I left my camera in the car and did not get any pictures. It was great to visit and catch up without little ones to keep track of! I am thankful to have such great friends that remain near and dear to my heart, even though we are separated by many miles!

Thursday, I met Krystl and her lovely girls at Chick-fil-a for lunch (you know, I have to get my fill while I can!). Again, I did not take very many pictures... I'll have to do better next trip! That afternoon, we went to the Morgans. Jason's parents were in for the 4th and finally got to meet Zane. Abigail enjoyed entertaining Zane, however, Josh was not so thrilled to have him around.

Friday, the 4th, Zane and I stayed at my parents to rest up and finish packing. My parents prepared a wonderful lunch of steaks and an array of home grown veggies, including corn-on-the-cob, my absolute favorite! In the afternoon, we made the rounds, stopping here and there to get one last visit in. It seems no matter how long I stay, it is never long enough!

Saturday morning, Zane had to get in one last swing- oh how he loved that swing! We're going to have to invest in a swing set, I do believe! My parents drove us to the airport. Zane did great on the way home, and we were blessed to have the entire row to ourselves on each of our 3 flights!

Thanks again, Mama and Daddy, for your hospitality, the yummy food (especially all of the home grown veggies), and letting me drive your car all around! We had a great visit and look forward to y'all's trip up here. We love you!

Monday Afternoon

2008-07-18T15:01:00.006-06:00

Right after Zane got up from his morning nap, Aunt Amy and cousin Gideon arrived. Zane was instantly intrigued by his cool older cousin. They are nine months apart, which seems a big difference now, but in a few years, won't matter as much. Zane loved crawling after him and trying to do whatever Gideon did. For some reason, both boys loved this vent. Gideon enjoyed putting his cars on it, while Zane enjoyed putting his mouth on it. Fabulous! Oh well, whatcha gonna do?

Note: Gideon is actually driving the cars while Zane chews on them!

Gideon was sweet and gave kisses to his cousin!

Fun times in the bath- I had a cute shot of their little buns, but didn't know if it would be appropriate for the internet, so I edited it!

Day 3

2008-07-18T10:16:00.007-06:00

We had another relaxing morning Monday. We enjoyed sitting on the porch in the relatively cool breeze. Zane enjoyed being held by Papa, and kept leaning his head to the side so my dad could get him, over and over again.Papa introduced Zane to the windmill and the water from the fountain.
I loved this shot of Zane with my dad...
and this one with my mom.
Zoe and the kiddos were able to come over. William loves windmills and had so much fun playing in the fountain.
My parents swing set was a hit with Blythe and William. William's favorite part was the ladder and Blythe's I think was a toss up between the swing and the slide.
She loved going down the slide on her tummy.
Blythe, what a sweet girl...
and that William, what a charmer!
Thanks for coming out with the kids- it was so such fun, Zoe! We love you guys!

Trip to Texas- Days 1&2

2008-07-15T21:44:00.004-06:00

On June 28th, Zane and I left Luke behind in MT and headed for the great state of Texas by way of airplane. It was right at the time of Zane's afternoon nap, so I had hoped that he would fall asleep. Alas, this was not so. I guess there was just too much to take in. Thankfully, it was not a full flight, so we had the entire row to ourselves. We endured the intermittent fussy times together as he fought off sleep, until the last 10 minutes or so of the flight, when he finally succumbed to slumber. This was short lived, however, as he woke up as soon as I got off the plane and put him in his stroller.

Our 2 hour layover was fairly uneventful, and then back on the plane. This time Zane did not fight off sleep, falling asleep almost instantly, and staying asleep for almost the entire flight, thankfully! We arrived in Austin after 11 pm and my parents greeted us at the airport. Zane took to my parents quickly, and once we got my luggage, we were on our way. We had a little drama trying to leave the airport. Apparently, the $20 bill that my dad gave the parking attendant did not pass the test of the highlighter, so her manager was called, as well as the police! Thankfully, the manager proved it to be real and not counterfeit, so we were able to leave, not before the police had arrived however.

After getting in so late Saturday night, we were all pretty tired. Sunday proved to be a nice and relaxing day. Zane got to try out the swing on my parents' new swing set for the first time and needless to say, it was a big hit. This became a part of our daily routine, right after breakfast each morning.

After we came in, I stripped Zane down to his onesie so he could cool off. He crawled over to the screen door and pulled himself up so he could keep an eye on Papa. I love this shot!
In the afternoon, after a trip to Target with my mom to pick up all the baby essentials: food, diapers,etc., and after his nap, Zane and I headed into Belton to visit Mark, Wendi and the kids. The kids were having a blast on the slip and slide, and Zane even got in on the action when Uncle Mark held him where he could stick his hand in the sprinkler.

Relaxing with Aunt Wendi

Bethany is so sweet and loves Zane. She always wants to hold him, even though she is not much bigger than he is. I love how Zane is studying her in this picture.

After some fun times with the cousins, we left in plenty of time to get Zane home for a much needed bath. He couldn't hold out and fell asleep in the car. He looked so cute in the seat, with his hand behind his head.

I didn't have the heart to wake him, managed to feed him while he was still asleep and put him to bed. I didn't even change his clothes- I just put him to bed in the outfit he had on. I, too was exhausted and headed to bed pretty early myself that night.

More later...

A little laughter goes a long way...

2008-07-14T22:15:00.002-06:00

Here's just a little clip of Zane's sweet laughter. Luke was tickling him. Dad always knows how to get the laughs out of the lil' fellow.

I can't believe my little baby is 10 months old, as of last week. I cried last night as I held him before I put him to bed. I couldn't believe how big he looked in my arms, and just how fast this time has flown by. I'm so thankful that God has allowed me to experience the joy of motherhood (hey, don't get me wrong, there have been some rough spots along the way, of course, but so far, my experience has been pretty great!). Hopefully, I'm becoming a better person because of it.

Soon to follow, posts from my recent trip to Texas with Zane...

Our Anniversary

2008-07-12T21:49:00.015-06:00

On June 24th, Luke and I celebrated our 8th anniversary. Wow- eight years! That's hard to believe- where has the time gone? We have lived in 5 different cities, in seven different homes including 2 apartments, 1 cool place by the lake, and 4 houses (if you count the month that we lived with his mom and aunt when we first moved to Montana). We have shared many adventures together, as well as joys and sorrows along the way. Luke, I am truly blessed to have you by my side for this journey. Thank you for loving me always and being my best friend. You are one of God's greatest blessings in my life. I love you!

Luke's mom and aunt were kind enough to watch Zane at our house the night after our anniversary so we could go out. We couldn't remember the last time that we had been out on a date- we thought it might have been New Year's Eve. How sad is that? Anyway, we traveled down the road a few miles to the town of Bigfork. It is a quaint town similar to Salado, for my Texas friends out there. We had a scrumptious dinner at the Bigfork Inn, followed by an enjoyable performance at the Bigfork Playhouse, where actors from across the nation come to perform during the summer. We saw Footloose- I've only seen parts of the movie, never in its entirety. I need to watch it now to compare.

Sidenote: For those fellow former Crusaders out there, what I mostly remember about Footloose, is from a Stunt Night when the Senior Class (Junior?) mistakenly won with their rendition, beating out our class (Freshman or Sophomore?), who should have won with Decent Dancing (at least I'm not bitter, right?!).

Here are some pictures from our wonderful evening. We've got to get out more! I'm sure most of you parents out there can totally relate. We had a great time. Thank you Mom and Noanie for staying with Zane so we could go out, even when you had to get up early for work the next morning.

Outside the Inn

The Inn after the musical

Random Pics from June

2008-06-26T22:33:00.002-06:00

18 months in the making...

2008-06-13T08:18:00.000-06:00

Well, this last weekend, Luke and I finished decorating Zane's nursery. At one point, I had entertained the thought of painting and even putting up a chair rail, but that was before Zane was born. Recently, I had lowered my expectations and decided I would be happy if we just hung some stuff up on the walls. I had wanted to put his name above the crib and had bought these letters at Hobby Lobby at Christmas time. We finally got them out and Luke spray painted them 2 weeks ago. When the sun started pouring in Zane's room each morning around 5, I decided that the curtains would make a nice addition. So, here it is, folks. Better late than never, right?

Kissin' Cousins

2008-06-12T07:28:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday evening, Zane and I ventured out into the winter storm. I had definitely gotten stir crazy from being cooped up inside all day, so we traveled just a couple of miles down the road to visit Matt, Christy, Jayme and Caleb. They had ordered pizza for dinner and graciously shared some with me, as well as a few other delicious treats. I provided the entertainment- Zane. He, of course thoroughly enjoyed all the extra attention and found Caleb to be of particular interest. At one point, Zane was all over him, patting his head and giving him kisses. Caleb was a good sport and suffered through this special attention!

Nine Months Old Yesterday

2008-06-11T07:05:00.000-06:00

I tried to post these last night but encountered some technical difficulties. I cannot believe that Zane is 9 months old- in just 3 short months, he will be a year old. Unbelievable! He has stolen our hearts with his smile and sweet personality. We love you, Zane!

I tried to take a picture of him sitting on the couch, but all he wanted to do was crawl toward me.

This is a new pose- leaning the head to one side and smiling...

or giving the wrinkled nose pose!

Here is a little video of this boy is constantly on the go these days!

Believe It or Not...

2008-06-10T11:47:00.001-06:00

Well folks, I'm beginning to doubt that we are going to have spring or summer here in Kalispell this year! We've had record cooler temperatures and rain/snow this year. We enjoyed a beautiful sunny morning yesterday, only to be ended by cloudy skies and rain only hours later. I had reached my breaking point and spent Zane's nap yesterday morning perusing the Internet for available flights for this week to either Texas or Arizona. I am beyond ready for warmer weather and almost booked a quick getaway with a frequent flier ticket that would have left today. I wouldn't have gotten back 'til after Father's Day, so that wouldn't have been a good plan- to miss Luke's first one. Anyway, I'm glad I didn't book it, because I would have had to drive to Spokane in a snow storm today! That's right, people, I said SNOW! It is June 10, and the ground is covered with snow! It's been snowing since 8:30 this morning!

In other random news, Zane slept in til 8:20 this morning. I was actually able to sleep in til 8 this morning! I can't even remember the last time that has occurred. He usually wakes between 6-7 and I try and wait to go in until 7 as long as he sounds happy. A week or so ago he was even waking as early as 5:30. He has also been pulling himself up on his knees in the crib, so it has been taking him longer to fall asleep before his naps, pushing his naps later,and ultimately pushing his bedtime later. I guess we are in a new phase and I think it may take us a while to figure out his schedule. He had been going to bed around 7, but now it has been between 7-8. Anyway, since I got extra sleep, I have a much better perspective on this crazy weather and for some reason, I'm not at all bothered by it! I put him down for his nap at 11 and he is just now getting up-almost 1 hour and 45 minutes later! He usually only takes 40 minute naps, so this has been nice! Unfortunately, I've not gotten anything done other than this blog post!

Well, here are some pictures of the snow. I think there are a couple of inches that have accumulated! It's supposed to be in the 70s this weekend, so hopefully, summer is right around the corner!

Crawling

2008-05-31T11:26:00.000-06:00

Waving to Grandma

2008-05-31T11:01:00.000-06:00

Oh Zaney boy!

2008-05-31T09:59:00.000-06:00

Here are a few more pictures of Zane from this month. He is such a sweet boy and I love his smile. It can melt your heart! Luke and I are so thankful for him- he is such a blessing!

I love this picture of him just hangin' with Dad. He looks so content and like a little boy not a baby!
Well, our lives are changing now that Zane is more mobile. He had been rolling for a while but now he is crawling and trying to pull up on things to a kneeling position. When I went to get him up from his morning nap on Tuesday, this is how I found Zane...

I love his bed hair!

Now I understand why they put that plastic on the crib rail. We had just lowered his mattress, but I guess it's time to lower it again!
Here's a few pics of him maneuvering around the living room, trying to get a hold of the cabinet knob...

We're in trouble now!

and trying to pull up on the couch to reach Samson who was resting peacefully on the pillows. Poor Samson, he is unsure of Zane's new found mobility. He tries to keep a safe distance away.

Samson's in trouble now!

Baby cannot live on rice cereal alone...

2008-05-29T20:37:00.000-06:00

Zane's growin' like a weed! When I took him to the doctor last week, he weighed in at 21 1/2 lbs. He likes almost anything we put in front of him to eat. He has now expanded his diet beyond cereal, fruits, and vegetables to include cheerios and other puffs, bread, yogurt, and cheese. It's so funny to watch him attempt to feed himself. He has improved vastly from his first attempt to eat cheerios. I think he might actually consume more than what ends up in his highchair. He also manages to make quite a mess in the process!

Yummy cheerios!

I love the cheerio on his tongue!
What a big boy in his travel highchair.
I love when they put their sticky hands in their hair!
Teething biscuit, anyone?

Fun Times with Friends

2008-05-29T20:00:00.000-06:00

May has been a busy month, what with Zane turning 8 months, Mother's Day and taking care of a baby with a cold, a trip to Boise for the Beth Moore Conference (which was awesome!), taking care of a baby with strep throat and scarlet fever, and getting strep throat myself! It's crazy but with all that going on we still managed to squeeze some in time with friends.

Zane and I got to hang out with Krista and Aiden a couple of times under the pretense of the moms getting to scrapbook. Well, with two infants, you can imagine how much scrapbooking actually got done, but hey, it's a good excuse to hang out!

Our friends the Davidsons where back in town at their cabin and Zane and I got to hang out with Pauline and Rylie one Friday afternoon. It's so fun to have friends with babies close in age with Zane.

thbpbpbp!

2008-05-28T19:49:00.000-06:00

At the beginning of the month, Zane was having fun experimenting with the razzing sound. He seemed to practice it at every mealtime without fail. And like any good parents, we decided to reinforce this behavior by getting out the camera! Sometimes it was more frustrating than funny, and then one day he just stopped doing it and he hasn't done it since.

2008-05-01T18:26:00.000-06:00

Well, I am long overdue for a post. I can't believe that it's the first day of May already! Zane will be 8 months in 9 days- that's crazy! He's growing so fast. He has 2 teeth now, the first one is visible in the first picture (well, if you look really hard!). The second one just broke through last night.

He has started getting up on his hands and knees or toes, and will rock back and forth. He manages to scooch backward somehow but has not mastered forward motion.

This picture looks like he is doing push-ups or a yoga position.

Ready to crawl!
He also likes to bench press the toy bar on his little chair. The other day while I was getting ready, he kept bringing down to his mouth and pushing it up. What a workout!

Saturday I celebrated my 31st birthday. Wow- 31, that's the oldest I've ever been! Thanks to all of you who emailed, called, or sent me a card- I felt truly loved! Is it just me, or does each birthday seem less exciting the older we get? Or is it that once you have a child, your birthday just seems less important?

I had a great birthday weekend. We celebrated with Luke's family for lunch at one of my favorite spots in Whitefish. I had not slept well the night before, so Luke was great and got up with Zane so I could sleep in a little. He had planned to take me out, but we opted for an evening in and he went and got take out from one of my other favorite places. We will go out sometime soon. I'm all for spreading out the birthday celebrations!

The fam at Loula's
I was so glad that we had awesome weather all weekend. That was probably the best present of all, especially after a dreary week that included one day with snow! Let's just say that I am done with winter and ready for warmer weather- I guess it's the Texan in me, what can I say? Any way, I digress. On Sunday, we took our lunch to the park and enjoyed a nice stroll in the warm sunshine! It was the perfect temperature out. Thank you Lord for such a beautiful weekend!
Zane, happy to be outside
Just a strollin'
Zane has also started wrinkling up his nose and making a few new noises. He has mastered the raspberry sound which is super fun when he does it when you are feeding him!
Makin' some faces
After we got home from the park, we gave him a bath before his nap since we had church later that night. Here's a cute pose of Zane sporting the old man smile!
Monday afternoon, we went to Luke's mom's house. Here are a couple of pics with Zane and me. Why is it that moms seldom get to be in the pictures with their own baby? I guess because we are usually the ones taking the pictures, huh?
I love this sweet boy!
Well, hope y'all are doing well. We love you guys!

UMHB friends

2008-04-21T10:09:00.000-06:00

This weekend we had a mini UMHB reunion with the Davidsons and the Williams. The Davidsons have a cabin near Kalispell and the Williams came with them for a long weekend. It was fun getting together and remembering old times- Jason humored us, being the only non- UMHB alum. We had a great time and look forward to future get togethers!

The Davidsons

The Williams

The girls

Shout Out to Luke

2008-04-16T20:52:00.000-06:00

Luke, just want you to know that we love you and are glad you'll be home tomorrow! We are so proud of you for being such a hard worker, great husband, and wonderful dad. I tried to let Zane hold the sign, but all he wanted to do was crumble it up and put it in his mouth- so I had to tape it on the chair above him! Love you and we'll see you soon!

Totally Awesome Party, Dude!

2008-04-15T22:33:00.001-06:00

We hosted an 80s themed party this weekend for our small group. We had a great time. Everyone dressed up and looked totally rad! We enjoyed awesome music, Pop Rocks, Capri Sun, old school video games, and yummy food including this cake that Krista baked and Molly decorated. Way to go, ladies!Luke and me sporting 80s prep
The guys
The gals

Random shots

2008-04-15T22:18:00.001-06:00

Zane rolling

2008-04-11T21:48:00.000-06:00

Yeah! I think I have the hang of it- I can now upload a video through blogger or youtube. Thanks Angel for telling me how to make use of youtube.

Finally, a video!

2008-04-11T19:51:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally successfully uploaded a video! I think the ones I was trying to do before where too big. Anyway, this is just a little clip of Zane rocking and talking. I will post more later- I can't believe that Zane is already 7 months old!

Zane's 6 Month Pictures

2008-04-02T21:34:00.001-06:00

Well, since I haven't been able to upload a video of Zane yet, I decided to post a slideshow of some of Zane's 6 month photos. Our friend Jen took these at our house, and I think that she did a great job. I love them all and I don't know how I am going to pick which ones to frame.

How do you upload a video?

2008-03-25T21:57:00.000-06:00

Well, I just wasted over 30 minutes trying to upload a video clip to the blog. Does anyone have any tips for me on how to do this? Any input would be greatly appreciated- as long as it is actually helpful. ;)

Easter Weekend

2008-03-24T08:40:00.001-06:00

We hope that you all had a wonderful Easter weekend. Ours was quite busy. Friday afternoon Zane had his 6 month checkup. He was over 19 1/2 lbs and 27 inches long! What a big boy! He had two shots and did not cry much at all- he even managed a smile after the first one. Here are a few pictures of him from last week.

Friday evening we took dinner to our friends, Sam and Dawn. They had a baby a couple of weeks ago. Braden joined his older sister Talia. Here are a few pics from our visit.

The Wills
Zane meeting Braden
Braden Samuel Wills

Luke and I had the privlege of singing on the praise team for both morning services Sunday. Since we go to e3, the evening service, it was great to see people that we haven't seen in a while. They couldn't believe how much Zane had grown.

After church, we went over to Luke's mom and aunt's house for lunch. His aunt Bena is here from Tucson so she was there, along with Matt, Christy and the kids, as well as Christy's cousin's family. We ate a delicious meal and visited until it was time for us to get ready for e3. We headed back to the church for another service. Eventhough it was a long, busy day, it was a good day- our first Easter with Zane!
Our happy family
Zane entertaining Grandma Barb
Zane examining an Easter egg

Happy Birthday, Jacob!

2008-03-19T21:39:00.001-06:00

Our nephew in Texas celebrated his birthday today. Everyone says that he looks like Luke, and he does. When Zane was born, several people in the family thought that he favored Jacob as a baby. Zane and Jacob
Luke, Jacob and Zane- can't you see the family resemblance?

Happy Birthday, Jacob! We hope you had a great day. Wish we could have been there!

We love you!

Texas Trip, Part 3

2008-03-15T14:36:00.000-06:00

Friday morning, Lori and Brody came out to my parents house. It was fun to watch Brody with Zane and Gideon. Thanks for coming out Lori- it was great getting to visit with you a little and see your sweet big boy!

At lunch time, I went over to the Speer's home to meet up with Amanda. From there, we went to campus to eat with Christan and then watch the kids while Christan went to a meeting. Wendi brought Bethany over during this time to play with Corban. As soon as they left, all of the babies started crying (Zane, Stella and Canaan). Amanda and I just had to laugh at the situation. After Christan's sister-in-law came over to lend a helping hand, we finally got things under control! It was so great to see Amanda and meet her precious daughter Stella. We had not seen each other in over 2 years. Christan returned from her meeting and we were able to visit with her as well.
After that craziness, Amanda and I went back over to Zoe's to visit. It was so fun to be together with all of our kids- 2 boys and 2 girls. We have been close friends for well over 10 years and it was so fun to hang out! Hopefully next time, we will have a little more time together! I love you girls and your sweet families!

Friday night, my parents graciously agreed to watch Zane so I could have a night out with the girls. We met at El Chico for dinner and then went to Starbucks to visit. It was so much fun and we will definitely have to make that a tradition when I am in town. It was great to be able to visit without all the kids running around! Thanks girls for making some time for me- I love you! I am so blessed to have such awesome friends.
Saturday morning, my mom was taking us to meet Wendi at the campus. On the way, we stopped off at the Morgan's so I could see the kids and so they could see Zane. Zane was also ready for his breakfast so it worked out perfectly. Heidi, thanks for letting us drop in- sorry it was such a short visit. I'm glad you were able to come to girls' night!

Texas Trip, Part 2

2008-03-15T13:47:00.000-06:00

On Thursday, I was able to go over to the dorm and see Mark, Wendi and the kids. I went with Wendi during a torrential down pour to pick up the kids from school. Then, I left Zane with Uncle Mark, Jacob and Drew, and went with Wendi and Bethany to her dance class. She looked super cute and did a great job- I wish I would have take a picture with her in her little outfit! After dance, we returned to the dorm and ate the yummy potato soup that Wendi had made. Thanks for the fun evening guys, we love you guys! Wendi thanks for driving us to the airport. I enjoyed getting to visit with you!

Zane with Bethany- oh, how she loves him!

Uncle Mark knows just how to make Zane laugh

Aunt Wendi and Zane

Texas Trip

2008-03-15T13:21:00.000-06:00

Luke was going to be in San Diego for a week so I decided to head to Texas with Zane for a quick trip. I learned a valuable lesson- no more quick trips to Texas. I need to be there at least a week to make traveling with a little one worth it. Even though it was a whirl wind trip, we had a good time and got to spend time with family and friends.

My sister came down with her son Gideon on Wednesday afternoon and stayed until Friday. Thanks for coming down, Amy. It was fun to see you and Gideon. He is so cute and getting so big.

My Aunt Linda and Uncle Tommy happened to be in Austin visiting their kids so they were able to come up and meet Zane for the first time. My cousin's wife Kathryn came along with her son Judah. It was great to see them. Judah is a year older than Zane. While they were there, my dad got out the tractor which was a big hit with the boys.

Zane on the tractor

Judah, Kathryn, me, Zane, Gideon, and Amy
Grandma and her boys

Thanks Mama and Daddy for letting us stay with you and for watching Zane when I went out with the girls on Friday night. We look forward to the next visit. We love you!

Six months...

2008-03-13T21:24:00.000-06:00

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him." 1Samuel 1:27

I can't believe that Zane is already 6 months old. Where has the time gone? Before we know it, he will be a year old. It seemed like it took us forever to become parents and now that it has happened, time is passing so quickly. He is such a blessing and answer to prayer. I love his fun personality and sweet smile. I love him more every day. Luke and I still can't believe that he is ours sometimes! A wise friend of mine once said, "Isn't God better than he has to be?" I totally agree. He has already given us more than we deserve, and then he blesses us with this sweet son. We are so thankful and pray that God would grant us wisdom and guidance as we raise Zane. We are so thankful for our friends and family who have walked this road with us and for the many prayers that have been lifted up on our behalf over these last several years. God is so good and he does answer our prayers!

Six months ago...

Some cute poses from Monday, when he officially turned 6 months.

I can't believe all that he is doing now, from sitting up....

to moving all around by either scooching on his back, or

rolling from tummy to back and back to tummy...

to eating solids (he looks unsure of his first bite of sweet potato,

but now he likes it!).

Here are a couple cute pics that Luke took of Zane.

Oh What a Beautiful Day!

2008-03-11T08:28:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in Kalispell. Zane, Samson and I went for a walk. The sun was shining and I didn't even need a jacket. It felt great! I'm glad that we took advantage of the nice weather and got out because today it is cloudy, rainy and cold once again. I am ready for Spring- I even took a trip to Texas last week in hopes of escaping the cold, and as luck would have it, it snowed one of the days I was there! I will blog about the trip later. Anyway, this was Zane's first stroll in the stroller without the car seat. I realized that he really has not spent much time outside. Since he was born in mid-September, we were only able to go on a few walks before it was too cold. I can't wait until we can make walks apart of our daily routine!

Zane taking it all in
Some of the beautiful scenery
This snow-capped peak is a mountain in Glacier National Park.

I took this picture of our house from the mailbox. Aren't the mountains beautiful? There will be snow on them until May or early June.

Fun Times in February

2008-02-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

I thought Zane looked so cute in these big boy pajamas!

Isn't he handsome?!
At the beginning of the month, Luke's boss and friend, Brent came to Montana to travel with Luke. He spent one night with us. We have known Brent since we lived in Texas, and Luke really enjoys working with him. We have become good friends with him and his wife. Every time we are in Phoenix, we enjoy getting to visit with them.

The first of many playdates with Krista, Aiden, Jolandie and Easton
We had small group at our house last Thursday night and Zane enjoyed flirting with his new friend Sophie.
Jayme stayed with us last night since both Matt and Christy are out of town. Zane could not stop staring at her. He likes his cousin! It's crazy to think that when he is in kindergarten, Jayme will be a freshman in college!

Zane's First Valentine's Day

2008-02-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of Zane on his first Valentine's. I can't believe that he is already 5 months old. I think that I love him more everyday! He is such an answer to prayer and Luke and I thank God for the miracle that he truly is! God is so good to us!

I love his sweet smile...

and that belly!

My two sweethearts!

New Highchair

2008-02-23T20:49:00.000-07:00

Zane continues to improve in the cereal eating category. I think he has finally gotten the hang of it. We have now expanded his diet to include not only rice cereal, but oatmeal as well. I could not resist posting these pics of Luke feeding Zane.

Whatcha doin' there, dad?
Dad, you sure make funny noises and faces to get me to eat my cereal!
I was excited when the highchair we ordered for Zane arrived. Here are some shots from the first day trying out the new chair. I can't believe that he is big enough to be sitting in a highchair eating cereal!

Post e3 Superbowl Party

2008-02-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

We kicked off the month of February by hosting a post e3 Superbowl party. Since this church service starts at 5:00, we decided to tivo the game and have friends over after church to watch the game. Zane was wearing his Arizona Cardinals outfit in honor of the game being in Phoenix. Thanks Uncle Russ, Aunt Becky and Aunt Bena for the outfit.

For some reason, Matt chose to sit at the table instead of in the living room- I guess he wanted to be close to the food.

We had a great time watching the game and of course the commercials. My personal favorite was the one with Will Farrell in it. He cracks me up!

Random Pics from January

2008-02-15T22:46:00.000-07:00

Here are some random pictures from the month. Man, I love this kid!

Zane is definitely teething. He wants to put everything in his mouth.

He is working on his two bottom front teeth.

That feels good dad!
We got him a stationary entertainer for Christmas which he seems to enjoy!
Grandma Barb got this cap for Zane for Christmas.

Samson
Tummy time
First time trying out his Bumbo
We had put him on the mat on his tummy and the next thing we knew, he had rolled over. He rolled over for the first time when we were in Texas for Christmas.
Zane loves his daddy!

It's a boy!

2008-02-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

On January 21st, our friends Roby and Krista welcomed their little one into the world. They had decided not to find out the gender so it was a surprise! Aiden James was 7lbs 8.5oz and 21 inches long. Again, it was so great to be able to visit them in the hospital and meet their little guy. Zane is going to have so many friends just from our small group at church, since there is another couple having a boy in just a few weeks. We joke that we are trying to form our own little league team.

Proud daddy Roby with his son
Zane meeting Aiden for the first time
I love how he is really checking him out in this picture!
Hello, Mr. Aiden! How cute are you?!

Aiden and Mommy Krista

I took them a meal the day they got home from the hospital and was finally able to get a picture of mom and baby. Luke and I are excited because they only live about 5 minutes from our house! It is great to have friends close by!

The Montana Wedding Reception

2008-02-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

Over Christmas, our friends Andy and Bekah got married in Connecticut. We weren't able to attend the actual wedding, but our church threw them a Montana reception. Before the reception though, there was a small ceremony where she walked down the aisle in her beautiful dress and they repeated their vows. They asked Luke to say a prayer of thanksgiving during the ceremony, which made Luke feel very honored. We hated that we were not able attend their wedding, so this was a great way to celebrate this special time with them.

Luke's prayer of thanksgiving
Jayme and Zane
Our family
The happy couple!

Zane meets Easton

2008-02-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

On January 11th, our friends Alan and Jolandie welcomed their sweet baby boy into the world. Easton Alen was 8 lbs. 6 oz. and 21 inches long. It was so fun to go and see them at the hospital. I could not believe how big Zane seemed in comparison to Easton! In fact, it made me cry- why do they grow up so fast?! It will be so fun when the boys are old enough to play together.

The proud fathers and their sons
Easton Alen
About a week later, I got the chance to see the happy family again. My how those babies can change so much in just a few days! He is so handsome!
Alan, Jolandie and Easton

January Highlights

2008-02-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I decided to start this blog was so that when I do get around to scrapbooking, I can refer back to the blog for the journaling. So I thought I better get January done, so I am not two months behind.

January was a busy month. We had friends over for the BCS National Championship game at the beginning of the month. Zane looked so cute sitting next to Luke watching the game!

The weekend after Zane turned 4 months, he had his first taste of cereal. Let's just say that his bib ended up with more on it than what actually stayed in his mouth. Here is a before shot!
We were glad to welcome Grandma Barb and Aunt Noanie back from Tucson, AZ. They had been gone over a month and could not believe how big Zane had gotten.

Zane enjoyed them oohing and aahing over him.

I've been tagged.

2008-02-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I was tagged last week by Lori and Heidi for a MEME: (6 random thoughts/ habits/ quirks, about me)and I'm finally getting around to doing it. So here goes!

1. I am not a fan of forwards, especially ones that say if you love Jesus, forward this to 10 people. I do love Jesus, I just hate forwards!

2. I am really afraid of snakes. I think it stems from a close encounter I had with a rattlesnake as a young child.

3. I absolutely love it when people see Zane and say, "He looks just like Luke!" How blessed am I to have these two handsome guys in my life?!

4. I really enjoy our dvr(tivo)- it has revolutionized my television viewing especially since having a baby. Now, when I do have a moment to sit down and watch tv, I can watch something I really enjoy, without commercials!

5. Laundry is my nemesis! Will it ever be all washed, dried, folded and put away?! I am beginning to think not...

6. Every time I get a haircut, I think it is uneven. Luke always makes fun of me but I know that it is! I think that it is because of my scoliosis.

Okay, well there you go. I guess that wasn't so bad. Now, it's your turn, Andrea and Krista. Let's hear about you!

Happy Birthday, Papa!

2008-02-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Papa!

Hope you had a great day yesterday.

Thought you would enjoy these pictures of you

and one of your favorite grandsons!

Meeting Zane for the first time
Papa at work
Talking with Papa and Grandma at Christmas time
Sitting with Papa

(I'm not quite sure what that face is about!)
Papa, you're funny!

The Faces of Zane

2008-02-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

I finally did it!

2008-02-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I am finally doing it! After stalking others' blogs for years, I have decided to get my own. I can't promise that it will be that interesting but at least it will give you a small glimpse of our life here in Montana.