Zoe Photography

So, my child has decided that she loves to take photographs and has asked for a camera for Christmas.  In the meantime, she grabbed my camera the other day and took quite a few pics so I made a collage of her masterpiece......

I'm even diggin' how she posed her babydoll!  Ha!

The Hunger Games

My bestie Shelley and I are huge fans of this series.  Anyway, this is obviously meant to tease you, but I seriously can't wait for this movie to come out!

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music

I Am......

This guy at our church can sing like there's no tomorrow. Anyway, he sang this song again today at church and Mark and I just love him. Mark said, "If I could sing like him for one day I'd never shut up for the entire day!" Ha! Check this out:

The Wilson County Fair - 2011

I know I say it every year, but everyone who gets the opportunity should really go to the Wilson County Fair.  It's awesome and the best fair in the state of Tennessee and it's almost one of the top ten fairs in the country.  It's HUGE and is so much fun.  Of course, it's expensive and we spend way too much money, but it's once per year so why not?  

And one really funny memory from this year?  Zoe actually rode the ferris wheel for the first time ever.  She rode with her Daddy since Mommy doesn't exactly like heights.  Anyway, I could hear Mark laughing so hard  - even from way up at the top of the ferris wheel.  Come to find out, there were some Hispanic workers there and every time they passed through the bottom, Zoe tried speaking in Spanish to them.  Ha!  My girl has a great sense of humor!

First Day of Kindergarten

Zoe's first official day of Kindergarten was on August 8, 2011.  Where has the time gone?  How is my baby already going to Kindergarten?  I simply can't believe, but I held it together because I didn't want my girl to see me upset.  She was so excited to be there and ready to start this next phase in her life.  Check out my precious girl:

Check out her hands in her pockets

Zoe wanted to do a funny pose

Another cute pose

Mommy, can I do one more funny pose?

Daddy wanted a better picture that was close up

How cute is this?

Zoe and her buddy Dane

Zoe's first drink out of the water fountain

Ready to get started!

Swim Lessons with Mr. Brendan

I know I've talked on here before about swim lessons with Mr. Brendan and I wanted to shoot some video so you could see first hand just how much our child has improved with swimming.  When we came to Mr. Brendan, we had paid for 8 months of swim lessons with Centennial Sports Plex and our child was terrified of the water.  She refused to let go of us in the pool and we felt like if she fell into a pool or another body of water, she would definitely drown.  So, we started lessons with Mr. Brendan and the results are amazing.  She had one week of lessons (which consists of 5 consecutive days for one hour each day) last Summer and then she had six winter maintenance sessions (which consisted of six one hour lessons....three in October, one in November and two in March).  She has also had three weeks of swim lessons this Summer, which included two in June and one in August this past week.  You can check out the results for yourself....they are simply amazing!

Mr. Brendan

Zoe Patiently Waiting for Her Turn

There is no greater lesson in swimming than being able to roll over to your back and save your life should you fall into a body of water.  Check out Zoe rolling to her back when she jumps in:

Zoe doing her back stroke across the pool.

Zoe going off the slide and swimming across the pool.  Not too shabby for a child who was so fearful of the water that she refused to turn loose of Mark or I while in the pool!

I have to brag on Mr. Brendan for a minute.  This man, his family and his team of coaches are simply amazing.  He has made it his mission in life to teach children to be able to save themselves in a swimming pool and you can't put a price on that.  He is so passionate and it literally kills a piece of his soul whenever he hears that a child (or an adult for that matter) has drowned.  We owe a lot to Mr.Brendan and we will continue to pay whatever amount is necessary as he helps our daughter continue to learn to swim!  Thank you Mr. Brendan!  We love you and think you're the greatest!

Hello Kindergarten

Kindergarten - Phase In Day

I can't believe we've actually reached this point!  How is my child old enough to start attending Kindergarten?!?  Today was Zoe's "Phase In" day for Kindergarten at her new elementary school.  The way her school works is that during the first official week of school, only four from each Kindergarten class come on each day in order to give them some one on one time with their teacher and for them to learn the ropes.  Zoe's day was today and she woke up ready to go.  Daddy got up and fixed her breakfast and she had her clothes picked out the night before.  She absolutely loved her first day and was so excited to be there.  Plus, she has Mrs. Brader for a teacher and had gotten to know her a little over the summer during Kids Club.  I have to say that we love Mrs. Brader and think she will be wonderful for Zoe.  When I picked her up today she said she loved it and couldn't wait to go back!  Check it out: