Thursday, July 22, 2010

Birthday with Uncle Gavin



Kirk's brother, Gavin, and his family were able to come and spend the first couple weeks of July in Utah.  It worked out really well because Gavin and Zoe share a birthday, July 11th, so we were able to all get together and celebrate.  We went to Kirk's parents house and had dinner and cake.


Zoe with Uncle Gavin

While Robby, Elden, and Bennett were inside playing video games, and Kirk and his mom were finishing dinner, Grandpa, Gavin, Karena and I took Zoe and Keagan outside to play.  Grandpa brought out his big soccer ball.  Zoe had a blast playing in the grass, with the big soccer ball, and with Uncle Gavin.








Zoe also had a great time playing with Toby, Grandma and Grandpa's dog.  She loves Toby.  She is always trying to give him hugs and is always so excited to see him.  For the most part, he is really patient with her and they get along pretty well.


I love this picture of them.  They just look so content sitting there together.

When we went in the house, we had a great dinner and then very yummy birthday cake.  Kirk's mom makes a german chocolate cake for Gavin's birthday every year (if he gets to come home for his birthday.)  She makes a very tasty cake.



Zoe wasn't very interested in the cake.  She was much more excited about her new presents.

We had a great time spending the day with family.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Happy Birthday, Dear Zoe

I can't believe my little Zoe is two.  She is growing up so fast.


Here she is when we brought her home from the hospital at 2 days old, on her first birthday, and on her second birthday.

We had a birthday party for Zoe last Saturday.  It was a lot of fun.  All of our family was able to come; Grandma and Grandpa Atkinson, Aunt Emily, Grandma and Grandpa Lapray, and Uncle Gavin, Aunt Karena, and their boys.

Zoe was very opinionated about what she wanted for her birthday party.  She wanted a pink Tinkerbell cake, pink ice cream, and pink and purple balloons.  She is turning into such a girly girl.



She was so excited to blow her candles out.  She practiced all morning so that she could do it.  When it actually came time, she froze a little.  I think she was a little unsure about the fire on the candles.  It was so cute to watch her pucker her lips though and try to blow them out.


She loved eating the pink cake and ice creaam.


She was very spoiled and got a lot of great presents, which she really loved opening.


I think her favorite present was this drum from Aunt Emily.  She loves to play it.

All in all, she had a really great day.  She walked around all day singing happy birthday, and loved being the center of attention.

We love our birthday girl and are so thankful she is a part of our lives.

Friday, July 9, 2010

The End of Second Grade

I was just looking at some pictures on my camera and realized that I have a lot of catching up to do.


Robby had a great time in 2nd grade.  Miss Pugliano, his teacher, was wonderful.  He loved her and loved going to school everyday.  The end of the school year was truly bitter-sweet for him.  He had a great time with all the end of the year festivities, and he looked forward to summer vacation, but the thought of not being in Miss Pugliano's class anymore and of missing his school friends was a little sad.

I was able to go with him on his end of the year fieldtrip.  We went up in the canyon for a hike.  It was actually kind of a long hike and the kids were a little tired by the end, but Robby loved it.  He was smiling and excited the whole time.  At the end of the hike, we ate our lunch and then went to the Bean Museum.  It was a lot of fun.


Robby and his buddy Riley on the school bus on the way to the canyon.


At the Bean Museum.

The second graders also had an authors' day when families were able to go to the school and look at all the stories and papers the kids had written through the year.


This is one of my favorite pictures ever.  After we finished looking at Robby's writing portfolio, he went and found a book and was reading it to Zoe.  She was so excited to be at Robby's school.  I just love the look on her face.  You can just see how much she adores him.  He is such an amazing big brother.

I am glad that Robby had such a great year and that he enjoys and does well in school.