Parks and Davis

jan3

2010-01-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

A favorite from the stack of Christmas gifts...clubs from Grandma and Pop, complete with golf bag and all! Turns out Davis has quite the swing and can knock the ball around pretty good:)

jan 2

2010-01-02T17:52:00.000-08:00

1st annual toilet bowl classic football tourney...loads of fun and a tad bit of competitiveness in this group!! team camo won...go daniel!!. not sure he'll make it down any slopes next week in breckenridge with all the soreness that I know will ensue. we even get to house the trophy until next year when the 2nd annual will take place...too bad it's an actual toilet lid!!

Project 365...52??

2010-01-01T19:39:00.001-08:00

Let's try this again...a pic a day??? Ok...a better goal for me might be Project 52 (or however many weeks there are in a year??) with a pic a week:)

So...day 1 pic: How we roll on New Year's Eve...home in our pjs, just us. Candlelit dinner of salmon, asparagus and saffron rice, which my family DEVOURED...the salmon was Parks' request. We even had kiddie champagne (diet 7 up) for the boys to toast to the new year...notice the margarita glasses...we don't have plastic champagne ones:)

Fun night and Daniel and I even made it until midnight...I think its been a few years since we've accomplished that! We did have champagne on hand, but didn't bother to pop it since we were already in bed and watching The Nanny...how lame are we!?!?

Thursday nite visit

2009-08-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

Gramma and Pop came for dinner tonight...big fun for the boys. Gramma never shows up empty handed...fudge pops for all. Check out the coffee filters to catch the drips...man, that woman is crafty! Parks ran foot races, pretended to be a bandit (he's into being a bad guy these days...hope it doesn't stick!), and they both hit homeruns. Have I bragged on my homerun hitter? Parks can smack it clear over the fence...Papa Bear is sure proud:)

Off to Fairfield tomorrow, then to LBJ for the rest of the weekend. Hopefully I'll return with pics of the boys with their east TX cousins and all of us relaxing at Horseshoe Bay:)

Charlotte

2009-08-26T05:45:00.000-07:00

Woke to bad news today...my mom's cousin, Charlotte passed away. We loved going to Fairfield where she lived for visits. I took Parks a couple of times and he LOVED it. Jimmy would take him out on the tractor and around to look at the cows...all of those fun, country things that a city boy misses out on. These are pics from last few summers. Davis never got to go...I'm sorry about that.
We'll miss her and our trips to Fairfield...

Nook

2009-08-25T14:34:00.001-07:00

Last night Daniel built the boys a cave out of pillows. They both immediately wanted to curl up inside with books and a flashlight. This supported my recent argument with my husband that every kid needs a nook...I feel a project coming on:)

Friends

2009-08-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

This morning was spent with some of our best friends:)

Papa Rock & Parks

2009-08-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

Daniel is in Houston, so the boys and I stayed with GG and Papa Rock last night. Papa Rock made good on his promise to teach Parks to shoot a BB gun. Man, he thinks he's BIG STUFF!! Don't read into the target...we were actually big supporters:)

Parks ended the night with his ritual of staying up late with Papa Rock to watch some good old westerns.

That boy loves his Papa Rock!

Aunt Joyce's

2009-08-22T19:44:00.001-07:00

Everyone loves Aunt Joyce's house. Its the house we gather at for Christmas, Easter, and many summer gathers for food, fun & swimming. Its casual, laid back and always welcoming...anytime.

I hope that our house is the "Aunt Joyce" house one day.

The Hatters joined us today for brauts and hot dogs on the grill. Gramma & Pop were there so the boys presented them with their hand painted anniversary cards...they were so proud:) Parks followed through (kind of) on his promise to jump off the diving board...he compromised when bribed with a treat and went off from the sitting position. He did jump off of the slide (which is really almost as high as the board...no convincing him of that!). Davis was fearless as usual and even jumped in fully clothed in his PJs and no floatie...luckily Daddy was there. Good times...

B.O.R.I.N.G.

2009-08-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

I've started a new little project in an attempt to get myself from under this dark cloud of guilt I have that I'm not doing a better job of documenting my children's lives...am I the only one who looses sleep worrying about this? I've found that I do take many, many pics but the pressure of photoshopping and being clever keeps me from posting or scrapbooking the memories...dumb, huh? So, I'm giving up the photo editing and the need to be super witty and cute and am just posting a "pic a day" as a type of journal for me. The hope is I will be able to look back and see what in the world we spend our time doing each day.

I love my life...especially the everyday-ness of it. You know that song "just another day in paradise"...that's me. I hope to keep up and download into a book for me to have and share with boys. So far, I've never kept up with a goal involving scrapbooking or journaling...wish me luck!

So...if you happen to be a reader, expect NO wit or dazzling pics. This is us everyday...just as we are:)

Happy Anniversary Gramma & Pop!

2009-08-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

Today we spent the morning painting anniversary cards for Gramma and Pop...39 years and counting!

Thurs - At the house

2009-08-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

Thursday was my day to "regroup"...we've been at GG's all week, which left my house piling up with to-dos. While cleaning up, I went to wipe off a mark on the wall...MISTAKE! That just showed how incredibly filthy the rest of the wall was. So...we spent the morning scrubbing the walls...not much of a task with these 2 helpers:) We also spent some time "hand watering" out in the back yard...we're on water restrictions, so I made sure we were legit:)

See how exciting my life is? :) I'm not complaining...as Mom says, " I love my boring life!"

The afternoon was actually exciting. We went to play with our new friends, Jackson & Allie. Jackson is 5 and a rockstar in Parks' eyes. He has cool toys...all the Star Wars stuff. I sense a new obsession...

Wed - Sea World!

2009-08-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

We are kicking ourselves for not taking more advantage of our season passes to Sea World. We trekked out there Wednesday with our friends and had a ball...especially at the waterpark. This is the last week for it to be open...bummer!

Then we were off to GG and Papa Rock's for one last evening with the cousins and Aunt Frannie before they headed back to Houston to pack up for their big move to Kansas:(

Surprise

2009-08-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

OK...so, I'm not the best blogger. Here goes my next attempt at keeping up...

Tonight we returned home from a long day at GG's with the cousins to find a BIG SURPRISE on the porch...a belated birthday gift from the Rubiolas...and man, was it ever a good one! All Parks could say was "WOW!!!" as Davis stood closely by eyeing the new toy. As soon as it was out of the box, the boys headed out back (at 9:30!!!) to chop down trees. Perfect gift! As Jen said, in response to my thank you text, "what boy wouldn't love a chainsaw?".

If you give a boy a box...

2009-02-11T21:15:00.001-08:00

it will become a fort...LOVE THAT!!!!

Johnny & Tasha's New Digs

2009-02-11T21:05:00.000-08:00

We're lucky...Uncle Johnny and Aunt Tash bought 22 acres, and our boys LOVE being out there in the country...I mean LOVE!!! We've been out there several times while they are re-doing the house that is on the property...they are basically gutting the whole thing and starting over. They work quick and I love to see the progress with each visit. The boys just love roaming around and riding in their "hunting vehicle." They help Grandma gather firewood, throw rocks (Davis clocked Parks in the head last time...you gotta watch that boy!), pretend to shoot things with their guns and just have a ball. Its quite a drive, but I think we'll be pretty regular visitors:)

17 Months

2009-02-11T20:45:00.000-08:00

At 17 mts, Davis is:

**finally off his knees and walking upright...this happened over the holidays.

**in an intensive VOCABULARY BOOT CAMP that we've started around here since the boy won't talk. Since boot camp has started, he now says: APPLE, NITE-NITE, PAPA, HI, BYE, BALL, MAMA, DADA, and POW!! (he says this while pointing his favorite toy at you...his completely inappropriate pistol). Not much, but making progress and does finally seem somewhat interested (when he wants to be!!)

**always snotty...Daddy's to blame for those allergies, not me!

**cracking us up all day...he is so funny and HARD HEADED...where did he get that!?!?

**pretty go with the flow and laid back...unless he gets ticked, then watch out! He is a head butter (is that how you spell that??..seems weird??). He'll either butt you, or the floor. Mimi says he comes by this honestly...from Papa Rock:)

**tough, tough, tough as nails. He got his 15 mt shots last week (I know, bad mom for being late on that!!)...3 shots in a row and didn't bat an eye. He tumbles often and knocks himself pretty good, but rarely carries on for long.

**stingy with the hugs and kisses, but still sweet as can be and getting sweeter...today I got 3 kisses:)

**doing better with the school routine, but wants me to be the first mama to pick up or he gets mad waiting once the other moms start coming in.

**still loves his froggy. We left him at school one night on accident, and he was genuinely sad.

**sleeps like a champ...bed by 8 and sleeps until 7:30.

**finally sitting still to listen to a book...he really likes books these days...yeah!!

**goes to the kitchen and brings you a bowl if he's hungry or a cup if he wants juice. I guess this is easier than actually asking for them...

Be Mine

2009-02-11T20:40:00.001-08:00

We spent today preparing for Parks' Valentine's party at school tomorrow. We like that homemade touch...except the little heart cakes, of course:) We will be spending our Valentine's in Corpus with Becca, Wade and Jack-Jack...boys playing golf and girls at the spa...how romantic:)

Cutest Cowboy E-V-E-R!!!

2009-02-11T20:31:00.000-08:00

Papa Rock scored us some tickets to Taylor Swift Tuesday, so off to the rodeo we went. Parks got all duded up and man, was he something...so proud of those boots and hat. He had fun checking everything out, but I can tell you this...he will NOT be entering the mutten busting anytime soon...maybe Davis:) While he did enjoy the show, he spent most of the ride home talking about how he didn't like "those baby cows getting roped like that"...G.G., in her wisdom, compared it to a football player getting tackled...all part of the game. He felt better with that explanation and has spent today running around with his make shift rope roping imaginary calves:)

The Reluctant Pilgrim

2008-11-28T06:25:00.001-08:00

Parks had his first little school program last week...something I've really been looking forward to! He can be a bit anxious about things, so I was a tad worried about how he would do when all eyes were on him. Well...check out the series of pics and you can see that the anxiety boiled over in his classroom BEFORE the performance when his teacher got him all dressed up for the show. The next several pics document where it all went wrong...started strong...missed the "sit down" cue and then crumbled. Teacher removed him from bleachers to console...tried 2 more spots to sit...one in his other teacher's lap. At the end of it all, he was just fine and felt he was the best pilgrim in the show. Ya know what...he was:)

First Haircut

2008-11-28T06:12:00.000-08:00

OK...I feel a bit bullied, but I gave in...the boy did kind of need a haircut. I was dreading this a bit because I remember that after the first haircut, Parks looked ready for kindergarten...how can they look so much older with that little change in appearance?!?! G.G. went with me...I wasn't sure how it would go...Davis isn't the "sit still" type of kid that big brother was at this age. Well...he did GREAT! We went to the great new place right by the house. He got to sit in this super cool airplane and watch a video...he loved it!

And, yes...he looks like he's going into 2nd grade, all of the sudden:(

Big Game Hunter

2008-11-28T05:47:00.000-08:00

Big news and big anticipation around here as Parks geared up for his first "hunting" trip last week. Papa Rock, Daniel and Parks camo-ed up and headed south to the deer camp for some "man time." Papa Rock was briefed before the trip that he was allowed to shoot Bambi...if, and only if, it was the buck of a lifetime...even then, he would be financially accountable for all of the necessary therapy to get Parks past the event (he is a VERY sensitive soul:). Well, Parks had a BLAST!!!! He got to ride on the high-up hunting truck (what do you call those things?!?!), sit in the blind and watch deer, roast marshmallows on the fire, and play with a few dead birds that Daniel shot (this actually shocked me that it didn't bother him...maybe he has some of that hunting blood yet!!). The trip was a hit...I think Papa Rock was a bit disappointed that Parks was way more interested in collecting rock and sticks then shooting a BB gun...don't fret, Papa Rock...he's only 3!!! There was one minor incident involving a splinter in Parks finger that occured (he reported to me that he was "very brave"...bit different from the report I received from Daniel and Papa Rock that he scared off all deer within 3 counties...), but other than that came home unscathed and ready to head back!

Trick-or-Treat!

2008-11-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

Check out our super scary pirate and our little playmaker! We had to snap quick to get pics with Davis' pirate hat on...Park on the other hand want to wear his costume 24/7...cleats, eye black, shoulder pads, and all! He actually still has on the eye black from 2 nights ago...we're really not sure of a pain-free way to remove them. I guess we'll wait until they rot off:)

We spent the evening at our neighbor's house with good friends...kids were cuter than cute! We did manage to do a bit of trick-or-treating with the Hatters, but not much because Parks kept whining to go home...that's our boy!!!

Carving Jack

2008-11-02T06:54:00.000-08:00

I love fall...this is just one of the reasons why:)

Pumpkin Patch

2008-11-02T06:53:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin Patch, originally uploaded by amyezunker.

Last Sunday we made the hour trek with G.G. out to Medina to check out this pumpkin patch I've heard so much about. I must admit I was regretting the plans that morning, due to all of the "fun" had at Allison's party the night before. But once we got out there, I was pleasantly surprised to find ourselves in this Norman Rockwell type setting with pumpkins, ponies, food vendors and hayrides...I loved it! It was a fantastic afternoon with lots to see and do: Parks rode a pony...I couldn't believe he actually did it (he's known to balk at the last minute on things like this!), they held a baby chicken...poor chicken, ate some good ol' festival food on quaint little picnic tables, danced indian-style around inside of a teepee, wandered a maze made of hay bales, and lastly...picked out a couple of pumpkins for carving:)

On the verge...

2008-10-23T18:04:00.001-07:00

Davie-Doo is REAL impressed with his new trick...standing! How about that? He really knows he is doing something spectacular...you can tell by his super-big grin:) He's been doing this standing thing (not from the ground up yet...he has to start by holding on to something then letting go...does that make sense?) for a week or so now. Well, today I tried holding his hand...just the one...and letting him walk beside me. He walked all the way down the hallway to music class at church this morning!!! He was all ready to make his big entrance and impress all of his little friends, but when we FINALLY turned the corner...no one was there!!! First time in my life I've ever been early anywhere. Maybe next time! I'm betting that this boy is taking his first step sometime in the next two weeks...I'll keep you all posted:)

Family Heirloom

2008-10-23T15:42:00.001-07:00

Check out this super cute little desk that my boys got handed down to them! It came from my mom's first cousin, M'liss...it was hers when she was a little girl. M'liss lives in Hawaii, but was here visiting her step mother. While here, she came across the desk in her SM's attic or garage and thought the boys might like it. She really wanted to keep it in the family. Well, let me tell you...the desk is a HIT! Parks has all of his crayons, markers, stamps, etc... tucked away in it and feels so "grown up" sitting there working. What a treasure! We will take good care of it and pass it on along when the time comes:)

Welcome Aunt Tasha

2008-10-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

Big News! We have a new Aunt:) Johnny and Tasha FINALLY tied the knot, and what a lovely affair it was! It was a wonderful fall theme with hay bales and pumpkins everywhere. The weather and the scenery could not have been any more fabulous. And, of course, they had the most handsome ring bearer EVER!!! He was so, so, so, so cute and took his job very seriously...in true Parks fashion:) He was reluctant at rehearsal, but when the big moment came, he was ON! He was almost at the end of the aisle when those darn slippery shoes tripped him up. Yep, he fell all the way down...poor guy! He picked himself immediately up, but was embarrassed and just crumbled as he finished his way to his designated spot. Thankfully, Daddy was there to pick him up and comfort him. He got over it quickly and returned to his duties. Throughout all of the wedding festivities, Parks and the flower girl, Mackenzie, were busy becoming most enamoured with one another. By the time the reception hit, they thought they had gotten married and didn't let each other out their sights!! It was just adorable...they slowed danced all night and left the dance floor only to share a piece of wedding cake:)

I wish I had a pic of Parks with the bride...if I get my hands on one, I will be sure to post. Thanks to G.G. and Papa Rock who took over Davis duty for most of the weekend so that we could stay later and focus more on the wedding!

Catch Up!!!

2008-10-23T12:11:00.001-07:00

Catch Up!!!, originally uploaded by amyezunker.

You know how you get so behind on something that you don't know where to start to catch up? Well, that's me with this blog...5 months behind! I do have somewhat of an excuse though...for those of you that don't know, there is another Baby Z around here these days...you can check out the newest addition here. This new baby has taken up a lot of the last 5 or 6 months. My task now is to CATCH UP here with the goings on with the boys. Here goes:

*Went to Mexico in July with BFFs and family...BLAST!
*Parks turned 3 in July.
*Davis turned 1 in September.
*Been to many Aggie games in September and October.
*Started back to school in September...Parks LOVES it, Davis tolerates it.
*Got a new aunt when Uncle Johnny and Tasha married last week...Parks was ring bearer...you've NEVER seen anything cuter (more on this later).

There, now that's a quick and dirty run down of the high points of the past few months. Now I can go back to posting the day-to-day events of our household:)

Meet Baby Lucy

2008-05-08T06:28:00.000-07:00

Check out Parks with his own Baby Lucy. About 3 weeks ago, he picked this little bunny out to be his baby. I'm not sure why the bunny is the "chosen one" because he has at least a million choices. One night he showed up with the bunny wrapped up in one of Davis' burp cloths saying, "This is my baby!" We figured it was a fleeting thing, but he is still taking care of her:) Daniel convinced him that the baby needed a name, but no suggestion from Daddy was good enough. Finally, he decided that the name would be Baby Lucy...his BFF Katelyn's baby sister's name is Lucy, so I think it is SOOOO SWEET he thought of that!! He doesn't lug the bunny around all the time (thank goodness!), but he always puts her some place safe and goes to check on her from time to time. He'll put her in the exersaucer or the baby swing, and I'll hear him say, "I'll be right back." About a week ago, I kept noticing Parks' wastebasket in Davis' room. I just kept putting it back where it belongs. That mystery was solved when one day Parks told me, " Be VERY quiet, Baby Lucy is sleeping!" When I went to put something in Davis' room, I saw the wastebasket back in there with the baby nestled down in the bottom of it...its no longer a trashcan, but her bed! I forgot about this the other day and was scolded when I tried to put some trash in it:) It is so sweet how gentle he is with her...I love to watch him. He asked me if I wanted to hold her one day, then he told me, "but you have to be VERY careful!"

This little story and memory is not probably as exciting for Dad as maybe hitting his first homerun will be, but this just so much speaks to Parks' character. He is so gentle, kind and compassionate. He might lash out every once in a while, but he always feels genuinely bad when he knows he's upset someone. Sometimes we worry about how he will handle the usual playground/locker room banter when he gets older, but hopefully we will be able to help him thicken his skin just enough to not let it hurt...I definitely don't want him to loose that soft heart of his:)

7 Months

2008-04-24T19:13:00.000-07:00

Davis is 7 months old. Two very monumental (yes, monumental!!) things to report that have happened just in the past few days:

*Today at music class, he sat up all by himself for several minutes. I was right behind him, so I'm not sure he even knew what he was doing. We haven't been practicing this much (bad mom!!), so I'm surprised to see how stable he was.

*The night before last I noticed Davis doing a kind of army crawl, using only his arms. He would move his little arms forward, put his head against the ground and scooch with all his might. He only ever got an inch or so, but that's forward progression!!! Last night, we practiced a bit more by putting toys in front of him to go for and he's really getting pretty good. Next thing you know, he'll be on his way! Wait, why am I so excited about this??? Mobility and lack of knowledge of danger don't mix well...we'll have to re-babyproof the place.

These days he is also:

*Eating real food 3 meals a day: cereal/fruit for lunch, veggie and fruit for dinner, and whatever I grab for lunch. He's down to about four 7 ounce bottles a day.

*Trying to move his bedtime and waketime up a bit...bed around 7:30 or 8, and up around 6:30. He was sleeping until 7:30, so this is NOT a welcome change!

*Getting a new tooth on top. He still only has the two on the bottom, but chewing like crazy on everything...more must be coming!

*A BIG, BIG boy...not sure how much he weighs now, but at his 6 month appt. he was 18.8 lbs. I think that's much more now since he's since started solid food (and LOVING it!).

*Cuddling up every night with his little stuffed froggie...so cute!! He doesn't take a binky much, so this is his night-night friend. When we go to check on him, he almost always has his arms around him:)

*Getting a more consistent napping schedule: 10-12 and 3-5. Parks sleeps from about 1-4, so Mama doesn't get out much!

*Still super happy most of the time...such an easy smile. I love, love, love those sweet dimples!!

*Still in love with Big Brother...we all pale in comparison!

At the zoo...

2008-04-24T19:01:00.000-07:00

Daddy came home early last week and took us to the zoo. We've been several times in the past, but not since last summer and Parks just LOVED it this time!! We had fun walking around (although every elementary school kid in SA was there...note to you all planning a trip to the zoo: go around 2:30 when the school kids are gone!!). There is a new Africa area of the zoo with hippos, lions, zebras, etc...pretty neat! Davis was content just strolling along and chewing on his monkey. Parks was pretty taken with everything...have to make many more trips this summer.

Parks and Katelyn

2008-04-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

One of Parks' very favorite people in the whole world is Katelyn. They met when they were about 9 months old at a class at the zoo. They really took to each other right away, and its been fun to watch them grow up together. Ashley, Katelyn's mom, and I always laugh at how they are so "monkey see-monkey do" when they are together at Little Gym or in music class. Whatever one does, the other is pretty close behind. This has been great for Parks, given his cautious nature...no risks made by this boy (might be glad of this later in life!!). Katelyn is not scared of anything, so when they are together, Parks gets a bit bolder...just to keep up! I remember once we were all at the Park while the daddies were playing basketball...the kids had to have been barely 2. Katelyn was wondering off from where we were pretty far (yes, we were watching!!! We were curious to see how far she would go...all VERY safe:) Well, Parks was right on her heels. I kept saying that he'll turn back because he wouldn't DARE go too far from Mama...WRONG!! He followed Katelyn all the way around the corner of the school (seriously...this was within 100 yards and fenced in...we WERE watching!!!) and we finally had to go bring them back. Doesn't seem like much if you don't know Parks, but he is pretty much a rule-follower and, again, NOT a risk taker...Katelyn brings up his confidence level, and I love that! The other night, Katelyn and her family came for dinner. We set a little table special for the kids, and they LOVED it!!! It was so funny watching them bump their glasses and say "CHEERS!" I love looking back at these pics...Ashley and I joke about how cute they will be in their wedding video:) Such good times with such good friends!

Where did my baby boy go??????

2008-03-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

I've heard it a trillion times, but I now know what everyone means...they DO grow up soooooo fast! Parks is only 2 1/2, but I can already envision him packing up for college...crazy, I know. Any mom out there gets where I coming from. Let me just brag for a minute on my boy...he is smart as a whip. A few recent examples:

*He can sing his ABC's perfectly, and even ends with the "now I know my ABC's song"...this is good for 2, right??!

*The other night in the tub, Davis was chewing on a foam shaped 2. Parks said, "Davis is learning the number 2"...how did he know that was a 2?!?!?

*Yesterday we made our rounds of birthday parties. One of the favors was a magnetic fishing set. He's had fun playing with it. This morning he went and got some of his Thomas trains to fish for. Not so brilliant to the untrained eye, but he had made the connection that if the fishing magnet can pick up these fish that have magnets, they must be able to pick up the trains that also have magnets. See...brilliant!! (Whoever is reading this better not be rolling their eyes!!!)

Parks really is something else...he is constantly saying something that makes us go, "How in the world did he know that!?!?" I really can't remember when he couldn't talk, and I swear that his brain is always ticking. He studies everything so closely and asks questions all the time that show us that he's thinking.

Aside from his obvious brilliance:), he is pretty much a regular 2 year old. "NO!!" is his favorite word...Daddy is actually running a boot camp today to address this...good luck!! He has become somewhat of a finicky eater...what he loves today, he might not touch tomorrow. A few of his favs are steak, any fruit, and G.G.'s oatmeal. He won't touch most any veggie, except corn on the cob and sometimes a pea or two. He's addicted to cartoons...Oswald being his favorite, followed by Little Bill and Max & Ruby. We try to leave the TV off because he goes into a catatonic state while watching and throws a fit when you change it...even if its been on for hours!!!

We adore this little guy and love watching him grow up...just don't grow up too fast, Parks!

We love our G.G.

2008-03-30T08:22:00.001-07:00

How lucky we are that we have all of our grandparents right here in town! I love that the boys are going to grow up knowing them all so well. They spend every Monday with G.G. and Papa Rock while I'm at work. Grandma and Pop pick them up from school on Wednesdays, so they get to spend that afternoon with them each week. We are so fortunate to have such great family...that they are so close is such a bonus! This pic is from our Easter weekend...definitely going in a frame:)

Cousins

2008-03-30T07:29:00.001-07:00

Parks really enjoys spending time with his cousins. They are always so sweet to both of the boys and are so patient with them. They always remember them at special times, too. For Valentine's Day, they sent them each a little snuggly toy and some candy for Parks. For Easter, they brought them cute little bunnies and chocolate rabbits. Right after we got back to SA from our Easter weekend, Parks and Davis got a note in the mail from Ella with a little book...what a surprise!!! Thanks, Ella...it made Parks' day:) We're looking forward to spending more time together over the summer...swimming, hanging out, and maybe Sea World???? Fun times to come!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

2008-03-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

We spent Easter in Bryan with G.G., Papa Rock, Mimi, Lee, Frannie and the cousins. Before we left on Friday, Parks had fun painting paper eggs to give out. He decided that he wanted to give them to Aunt Frannie, Mimi and Reville (Mimi's dog). I thought he might decide later that the 3rd egg should go to G.G., but no dice...he really wanted Rev to have that egg!

Parks loves being outside, so Mimi's house is great. She lives right on the golf course...plenty of room to run and lots people to watch. It was a beautiful weekend, so alot of time was spent on the back porch. Ella, Sam and Lauren came from Houston on Saturday. Parks LOVES his cousins!!! Every night when he says his prayers, he includes them...and their dog, Buddy:) We spent Saturday night celebrating Dad's birthday and hanging out together. G.G. gave the kids all a little Easter gift, and scored big with the flashlight that straps onto your head. Parks was so cute running around the dark golf course with it on.

Sunday morning we awoke to gifts from the Easter bunny. Parks got a wheelbarrow and yard tools (which he loves, by the way...has been helping Daddy all this weekend with them!)...he also got a load of candy. Why does the Easter bunny bring so much candy??? Think he'd be smarter than that by now...especially since I eat it all!!! Davis got a stuffed bunny, a book and some other little goodies. He especially likes a little squeeze bunny that he chewed on (hope its not from China!!!). Of course, we had an Easter egg hunt out back. Parks found a golden egg with money in it...jackpot! He solicited his father's help with negotiating a trade for candy with his cousins...a Trump in the making:) **Side note here...the little guy really does like money...actually jumps up and down when someone gives him some change. He will rob me right in front of my face..."gonna get your money to put in my bank." He takes the money to his room, wrestles his stepping stool in place so that he can climb up and add it to his little baseball bank. Gets that saving gene from Daddy!!**After the big hunt, we went to brunch at the club and ate way too much. Enjoyed seeing Pam and Billy there. The boys were pretty well behaved. We set Parks next to Ella...for some reason he listens to her...she might have to move in with us! Francesca says their little relationship works out well because he listens to her, and she likes to boss people around...perfect match!

Great weekend...the only bummer was that Mimi had a terrible cold. I've never seen this woman sick! She rested for most of the weekend, so we missed getting to visit with her. She wasn't even able to make it to brunch with us after she did all of the arranging:( Hopefully she is feeling better by now...you can't keep Mimi down long!

The binky fairy has come and gone...

2008-02-28T07:35:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, we decided that it was time for Parks to give up his binky. He's always only wanted it for naps and bedtime...I didn't realize he NEEDED it for naptime and bedtime! We did the whole binky fairy thing where we put the binkies outside his door for the binky fairy to take to "the babies"...this worked well, especially since the binky fairy was leaving some pretty good little treats. He didn't seem to mourn the actual binky much, but he did have trouble falling asleep...this was new for us because God blessed up with good sleepers (thanks for that!!) The first few nights he thought of every excuse for us to come back in...water, music back on, cover his baby up, ect... When he ran out of excuses, the crying began. Poor guy just couldn't soothe himself with out his binky!! As you can see from the picture, he came up with creative ways to spend his time while trying to fall asleep. I went in to check on him one afternnon, thinking he was asleep since it had been so quiet for so long...WRONG!! He completely unstuffed his baseball pillow. I couldn't be mad...he almost never destroys things...who could blame him??!?! He's now adjusted and doesn't even seem tempted by his brother's binkies anymore...what a big boy:)

First tooth, first cereal

2008-02-28T07:18:00.000-08:00

When Daniel told me the other night that he felt a tooth coming in Davis' mouth, I didn't think that it could be. I wasn't expecting that for at least a couple of months...Parks' first tooth didn't come until he was 8 months old. I had to check it out for myself, and he was right...a little baby tooth poking through! That explained his fussiness...must admit I'm glad there was an explanation and not a personality change on my sweet, laid back boy:)

I guess since the boy has teeth coming in we should introduce him to some solid food. Funny how you put this off with the second child. We couldn't wait to feed Parks his first "real meal"...now, who has the time??? Pop a bottle in his mouth and DONE...I know, we're awful! Anyway, Davis enjoyed his rice cereal and big brother enjoyed helping out with feeding him.

Baby Davis

2008-02-17T07:33:00.000-08:00

Davis is super busy growing these days. He turned 5 months old on Valentine's Day. What a sweet guy he is!! He just likes to sit and smile at whoever is looking at him. These days he is:

***loving his exersaucer...whoever came up with these things is GENIUS!!!!

***smiling when BIG BROTHER comes around.

***learning to turn over from stomach to back...he actually did this for the first time on Christmas Eve (on accident!!), but has only done it a very few times since then...now he's on a mission!!

***finding his voice...so cute when he squeals with delight and coos. Sometimes he looks at you and talks back like he is really saying something (I guess he is!!).

***laughing out loud, but only REALLY belly laughs for Daddy so far (that I know of).

***weighing 16 lbs. 3 oz. at last week's doctor appt.

***fully recovered from last week's stomach virus that he passed on to all of us...yuck!!

***eating 7 oz of formula every 3 or so hours.

***sleeping like a CHAMP...bed at 8:30 PM, up around 6-6:30 AM to eat, back to sleep until around 8...THAT'S MY BOY!!!!

***loving his little play gym that he lays under.

***grabbing whatever he can and jamming it in his mouth...especially the purple fish on his exersaucer.

What a special guy! How we hit the jackpot twice is beyond me, but we sure feel blessed that we did!

My Boy LOVES the snow!!!

2008-02-16T22:32:00.001-08:00

2008-02-16T19:09:00.000-08:00

We spent most of last week with the Zunker family in Breckenridge, CO...what a good time! We left Davis here with G.G. and Papa Rock (thanks for that, Mom!!!). We figure he can make it with us next year:) We didn't know what Parks would think of the snow, but he just LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it!! He was adorable all bundled up...he never even felt the cold. We put him on skis the first day...we wasn't so keen on that. He preferred just running around and falling down in the snow. We put him back on the skis later in the day and Uncle Johnny and Daddy pushed him back and forth a bit...he tolerated it, but was definitely not ready to hit the slopes! The place we stayed was perfect...right there at one of the main lifts. That worked out well because we could kind of take turns staying down with Parks while the rest of us skied. I'm a fair-weathered skier, so when the snow and wind came, I was GLAD to have Parks as an excuse to stay off the mountain! It was a great trip...thanks Grandma and Pop!!! Parks had a blast making snowballs to throw at us, making snow angels, building and talking to his snowman, Harold (yeah...that's what he named him...not sure where that came from???), eating the snow (yuck, but couldn't stop him!!!), sledding with Daddy, pulling the sled around ("come on, sled!!!"), riding the "gon-go-la", and just hanging out with his fam:)

No more diapers...its POTTY TIME!

2008-02-16T13:46:00.000-08:00

Look at my BIG BOY!! Its all about potty time right now at our house. We jumped right in about 2 weeks ago...all was going well, but we all got side-lined with a stomach virus and then went skiing. It was back to diapers for a bit, but now full-steam ahead with the potty training! If Daniel and I (mostly me!!!) are vigilant, we are almost 100%, but Parks has not yet been consistent with asking to go...hopefully that will kick in soon! Doing good, big guy...Momma's proud! Thanks to Aunt Frannie for the big boy undies:)

OK...I'm in!

2008-02-16T13:26:00.000-08:00

I remember the days when I used to roll my eyes at the very thought of people posting pics and entries into their blogs...(blog...what's that?!?!) Fast forward a couple of years and here I am ~ the self-proclaimed techno-idiot diving into modern technology! I must admit that I stalk the blogs of my few friends that have them, and I REALLY like knowing what is going on with them. Life is just too hurried these days, and I feel that this keeps me up to date with the lives of those I care about. Now that I have Parks (2 1/2) and Davis (5 months...how can that be already?!?!), I find that I have NO time to document all of the wonderous and fun things my boys are doing each day...much less find time to send out emails and pics to my friends and family that ask about them all of the time. So...here is my conclusion: posting the goings-on and pics from life in the Zunker household and having them out there for all who cares to read covers me. Friends and family can check in when they want to, I get to show off my boys (CUTE, CUTE, CUTE!!! bit biased, maybe??), and I can copy Nicole's idea of printing out the entries and putting them in a scrapbook to keep as my own personal journal! I'm pretty excited:) Now, here is the catch...if I'm as good with keeping this blog updated as I am with my scrapbooking, you can expect to read this entry and then another around next Christmas:) Kidding...I hope!!