BEAUTY AND... WELL, I'M NOT REALLY SURE

MOUNTAIN LIFE

IF YOU AREN'T CRASHING, YOU AREN'T SKIING

My babies skied for the first time last week. Miraculous.

They had such a wonderful time that I'll be going with them next time.

Have a look:



Madigan in motion:



Levi loving every minute:



Looks fun, doesn't it?

THIS BOY'S LIFE

Levi is 7 years old. The night before the half week of celebrations I told him the story of the day he came to our family. How Maddy had an overnight with Zac and Dad and I went to the hospital. How Levi finally came ( after WAY too long) and Marianne held him while I fell asleep sitting up. How she and Daddy were crying and I was falling asleep some more. How G came to the hospital to meet him even though she had a cold so she chose to wear a hospital mask.

It really was beautiful. Even if you can't tell from this recounting.

Have a look at the boy and his peeps:

DISNEY-FIED

We return triumphant! Disneyland was our playground this past week. Delighted and exhausted kids are lazing about the house today, looking forward to another week of vacation.



Happy New Year to everyone!

X-DAY PREPARATIONS

With Pop, G and Bumper. Have a look!

FESTIVITY AND ARTISTRY COME TOGETHER

Tonight we decorated Christmas cookies! Here you will also see a couple of pics from tree cutting and decorating last weekend.




The tree now has a small stack of presents below it and the cookies are drying and getting ready to be packaged. Today we finalized our menu for Christmas Dinner at our home (only the second time in history that we are hosting Christmas Dinner - it's the big time over here).

Life is rather good today.

Merry Christmas.

A PIGS TALE

My baby girl was in her first play. Charlotte's Web. She shone like the tiny little star she is. I could not possibly be more proud and she could not possibly have been more tired at the end of her opening weekend. And closing weekend. Four shows in 3 days. She is amazing.

Have a look:



Madigan (butterfly), Tessa (Wilber), Cali (Charolette), Montana (owl).


Maddy Pierce (fair goer), Madigan (butterfly), Montana (owl) and Jaina (bat).

What a big girl.

LITTLE RUNNING MAN

Here is the little man running in his first 5K race.

Heavens to Betsy! Isn't that just amazing!

BACK IN THE DAY - WHEN KIDDOS WERE BABIES

Seems so long ago and yet just yesterday.

READING A BOOK OR TWO

Levi is learning to read. Actually, he's reading. It is amazing. We spend a lot of time doing this:

PUMPKIN PANCAKES WITH MADDY

They were delicious...

MY SON

Words fail me.

ALL SAINTS DAY

We're having a lovely day after Halloween. Last night was magical. For the first time in these kids lives we got to trick or treat in the mountains. And by "trick or treat" I mean schlep all over hill and dale in the pitch black of night to collect about a pound of candy. We all earned our extra calories last night!

Hope your holiday was safe and fun.

SO I'LL UNPACK MY ADJECTIVES

Our family got the complete Schoolhouse Rock collection. SO FUN!

It was a hairy bear, it was a scary bear. We beat a a hasty retreat from its lair.




INTERJECTIONS! Show excitement or emotion and are generally set apart from a sentence by an exclamation point or by a comma when the feeling is not as strong.




Verb - you're what's happening. Seriously.



Rufus Xavier Sasparilla




Rube's favorite. I think because it has football in it. Whatever, three really is a magic number.




My personal favorite! "We the people, in order to form a more perfect union..."

THESE KIDS ARE BORING

OK, they aren't really. I am just saying that because I feel awful about not writing anything about them for so long.

There is actually a lot of news. For starters, Levi made a goal in his game last Saturday! He is the second person on his team to make a goal this season. He's the man!


We don't have any photos of that. Of course. But we do have a picture of Madigan's New Halloween costume!

This costume thing has been a bit of a complete nightmare. If you mention "Costumes Express" or any of their affiliate companies to me in passing conversation my head is likely to blow off. Just so you know.

Wednesday was an inspiration very late in the game. Guess who suggested it. Oh, that's right. Me.

Won't she look good? I think so too!

Also, my kids took some scary photos:




Maddy, with her best scary look!



Levi's giving it a shot.



Oh, this is better. I think the snot helps.

Watch out Halloween freaks! This year the Zamoras intend to bring the scary!

Mwaaahhhhh!

LABOR DAY KID SOUP

On labor day weekend we spent a lovely day with our friends at their beautiful beach house in Pajaro Dunes. My camera ran out of batteries, but our lovely host sent me some of her amazing pics. Have a look:


The view from the house.



At the end of a long day chillin' at the beach the kids really need to relax. Thank god for the hot tub.

Maddy and Davin sneaking in a hug.


WHEEEE!


Levi is ready for a nap in the car on our drive home.

Here we have two, count them two, Levis. Sweet.

MAXIN AND CHILLAXIN

Here is my Maddy Girl in her new bankie, made special for her with the snazzy "Dance" theme by my mom's friend.

Levi's new bankie is a wonderful baseball theme. Perfect for this boy with the amazing pitching arm.

They are the perfect size for cuddling up on the sofa.

Or, as we like to say - chillaxin. Cause we are very street and cool.

WE ALL HAVE TO GROW UP SOMETIME

Lisa, Tammy and I are friends. For more than a dozen years. And now we are big girls with families and stunningly beautiful children. No, really, totally beautiful children abound in our presence.

Don't take my word for it. Have a look:



Lisa and Ryan, her youngest.



Tammy's daughter Emily and husband Steve.


Tammy's youngest, Meg. With a delicious sticky face!



My mom, Tammy, Meg and Steve's mom take a rest. Wrangling kids can be exhausting!



Lisa's older son Jack and Levi.


Oh, yeah. You know what time it is. That's right. It's hat time. Here is Emily in a sparkly cap.


Maddy looks hungry. Or something else. I'm not really sure what that look says.


Jack is under that football hat. I swear.

Ah, the old basketball and hoop hat. Slimming.


Is it Howdy Doody Time?

What's this?


Pizza Hat, DUH!

See what I mean? Beauty abounds. It's hard to be us. But, clearly, someone's gotta do it...

IF THEY WEREN'T SO CUTE...

Here is a happy picture from rehearsal:



And here is Levi, looking on:



These two kids. These kids right here. They barely survived this morning.

Sakes alive.