Zoe

Friday was a hard day for our family.. our beloved Zoe passed away.  She has been with us since Zach turned 2 yrs old in fact she was one of his birthday presents that year.  A few days after Zach's birthday Zoe began quacking like a duck or at least that is what it sounded like.  So we took her to the vet and found out that she had a upper respiratory infection and that she had a heart worm which both could cause her sounding so badly.  So we got four medicines for her and returned home hoping that we could slowly kill the heart worm but by Saturday we were no better so we took her again to the vet and again got medicines.. we did this 2 more times before Friday and by Friday she was just misrable.. and she passed away.  Zach took it pretty hard as did Tim and me.. she was our baby and as much she would drive us crazy (and probably the neighbors) barking at everything.. today I would love to hear that little bark... Today was the first time I went in the back yard and it is just so quite and lonesome out there.  She would alway greet you with her jumping on you just wanting you to pat her little head but I didn't have that today.  It was sad but I know she is up in heaven feeling no pain and that makes me feel a little better because she was hurting bad these last few days.

She will always be remembered by this family as our little baby Zoe.

Nature pictures

Ok I have two things that I should be blogging on but I've decided to blog about nature instead.. the other day I took some pictures of Zach for his birthday and while we were out in about I saw some beautiful flowers and butterflies so I had to take some pictures.  And here is what I got.. enjoy.

Zach's friend birthday party

So since Zach's birthday was actually on a Saturday this year we decided to have his party for his friends on the same day.  This year he had a sleep over with 5 of his friends/cousins... yes 6 little 8 year old boys.. I was asking for trouble!  They were loud and there was a little bit of bossiness but all in all they were boys and I know Zach enjoyed having them over.

Zach is not a fan of cake so we got him a cookie cake.  I was able to get HEB to put the cake decorations on the cookie.  I thought it turned out good.

Yes that is a girl in the picture.. she is Eric's big sister.. she was here for a little bit with her parents who stayed a visited for a while.

Zach and Eric

They had a blast playing the Wii, jumping on the trampoline, and just playing. We had an Avengers party and I asked them to bring there super hero stuff and did they!

So about 10:30 I decided it was time for a movie and them to settle down a little bit.  So Tim and I got our two blow up queen mattresses up and got the kids in their pjs and got them down to watch the movie.

I don't remember what Tim was telling them here..

After the Lorax was over I told them it was time to close their eyes!  I was midnight so they had stayed up late.  I think they were a sleep 10 mins later.  I ended up sleeping in the living room with them on the recyliner.. I just wanted to make sure they were ok especially since we had one that had never spent the night anywhere and a few that had never stayed with us before.  But they did fine... they woke up around 7:30 the next morning and I made them pancakes for breakfast.  Since we didn't have time to do the pinata (this was a request from Zach since he had never had one before) the night before Tim helped me get it set up for them after breakfast.  So they got dressed and we went to the back to wack the pinata.  I told them to get around it and that they would get one wack and then it would be the next person's turn.  I wanted to make sure they all had a chance to hit it before it got torn up.  So they all got a few wacks at it and then I told them ok let's see who can open it.. and it didn't take no time for those boys to get it opened.

(my lens was a little bit fogged so please for give)

Once opened they all got a bag with their name on it and they got all the candy they could get.  Afterwards they played a little more until their parents came and got them.  I think they all had a good time and I know Zach did!  He is already talking about having another next year.. we will have to see about that..

Zachary's birthday surprise

I was on the Go Bearkats website about a week or so ago and saw that they were having a lil kats training day on Zach's birthday so I told Tim about it and we decided it would be something Zach would have a blast doing.  They get the players out on the field and run the kids through drills that they do during practice.  So we got up early and didn't tell him what we were doing until we got in the parking lot. Brenden surprised us and showed up to watch him too. 

So in the beginning Coach Fritz told the kids to get in lines by their age.  Zach was so cute when they said eight year olds you could see the smile on his face as he ran to get in line.

Then it was on to practice.  They had things all over the field for them to do.  They would stay in their groups and move from drill to drill when the whistle was blown.

Here is Zach listening to his favorite bearkat Tim Flanders.

After all of the drills were over coach called the kids back to the center of the field and 3 players talked to the kids about doing good in school and listening to their parents and teachers.

After the players were done coach told the kids they had a backpack for the kids and a poweraid.  We took Zach's mini helmet with us so he could get a few autographs.  Tim made sure he got ones that played in the championship.

Then I had to get a picture of my boys too!  Aren't they cute!

Zach had a great time and was so surprised, which was great! 

Finally just wanted to show you our new football seats!!  They are nice and comfortable!  They are even a little bigger!  We had to try them out while we were watching Zach.  I'm so ready for football season!!!  Go KATS!!!

Zach's party with the family

We ended up having a small party for Zach on Friday night since we planned a sleepover for his friend party.. so we did BW3 and cupcakes from Frost for dessert.  We went ahead and let him also open his big gift from us so that he could play with it on his way up to the surprise on his birthday morning plus we figured it would be easier to put up with out all his friends wanting to play on it.  We had a good time with the family and Zach ways proud of all of his gifts.

Happy 8th Birthday Zachary!!!

My baby is 8 years old today.. I still can't believe he is an 8 year old and going in the 3rd grade!  Tonight our house will be filled with 6 little 8 yr olds.. pray for Tim and me!  We are having an Avenger party and they will be sleeping over. 

This year's video is a little long.. sorry there were too many pictures!  So I had to do the video a little different.. but you can see it by clicking the link below.




Songs used in video -

"He's Mine" - By Rodney Atkins - Tim picked this song because he thought it was fitting..

"Glad You Came" - The Wanted Zachary loves this song and will request it to be played on my phone on the way home everyday.

"Home" - Phillip Phillips - This song was played during the Olympics for the Women's Gymnastics.  Zachary loved this song and would sing it around the house.  I thought it was fitting to use an Olympics song since I remember being home with him as a baby watching the Athens Games.  Also because we LOVE the Olympics around here we stay up late and wake up early to watch them.

"Crazy Train" - Ozzy Osbourne - Ok Zach loves playing Madden 2011 and this song is one they play during the games.  He sings this one around the house too! 

"Sweet Child of Mine" - Sheryl Crow - This is my song pick.. I needed one more song and needed one to make me cry... you have to have at least one of those songs! 

Houston Texans Training Camp

It's Football Time in Texas!!!

And Our family is excited about it!  Friday I was lucky enough to get tickets to the Houston Texans Training Camp.  This practices have been sold out for weeks but it just so happens I follow them on Twitter and well they twitted that they had just put some more tickets out there for the followers.. so I thought why not.  We had so much fun when we went a couple of years ago (you may remember this blog or this one about our time there).  So we got there early or at least we thought it was early but let me say since we did so well last year now everyone wants to see them.. there were ALOT more fans this year!!  So we knew we needed to go to the cheerleaders first so we would have a chance to maybe get to meet the players again.  This year Zach was excited to see the cheerleaders the last time we had gotten him a calendar for him to get signed and last year we just got him a calendar, so he was ready to get one and have it signed again.  So we got in line and I noticed Zach looking over at the girls and the next thing I know we have a cheerleader motioning for him to come over to her.. well we were in a long line but she motioned for him to come over there so I sent him over to her.  I moved so I could get some good pictures of him and Tim stayed in line.  So she and the girl next to him talked to him and asked him questions and he talked to them.  I figured she was going to send him back to me after they were done but she sent him down the line and she was last so he went through backwards!  As he was talking to the next set I told her thank you for letting him come up there and she was just telling me how cute he was.  I told her I was surprised he was talking to her since the last time we came he was scared to talk to them.  She told me that when he got to the end to make sure I got them to take a good picture with him.  I asked her if it would be ok if I brought him back to her to get a picture of him and her and she said that would be great.  So he got through and many of the others talked to him and he talked to them and got pictures with a few of them also.  When he was done I made sure he came back down to her.  I figured she would just have him turn around and she get behind him but she told him to come around the table and sit on her lap.  She was really sweet to him, she didn't have to do that but she really made a little boy happy!

After the Cheerleaders we went to see the Texans Ambassators.  These are old Oilers and original Texans players.. we got to meet Seth Payne (Texans) and Gerald McNeil (Oilers). 

Mr. McNeil was talking to Zachary about getting big and playing football.  We told him that he goes and weighs himself weekly to see if he is any closer to 50 lbs.  We told him he had to be 50 lbs to play..

He told Zach to get on a chair and take a picture with him and Seth.. then he told him see now you are as big as us!

Then it was off to practice!!  I got lots of good pictures of the players.

J J Watt - my favorite player!!

After practice was over the players went out the crowd and signed autographs.  We happened to be on the side where the defense came.  Zach got two mini helmets filled with autographs.

It was a fun day and it was full a memories I don't think Zach will forget!  There were a lot more pictures I will try and put them on the Smugmug site soon!