The Bare Family

So.. it's been about a week since introducing Peyton to her potty so I figured I'd do a little update.  She wears pull ups during the day now vs diapers since momma isn't quite ready to place her in just panties... to be honest I'm not sure she's quite ready either.  She tells us after she pees in her pull up that she needs to go and immediately goes to her potty, lifts the lid and sits for a while.  So she's getting the concept but we aren't quite there yet.  Maybe momma will put her brave face on and try her in panties one day next week and see just how that goes.... seeing that's how Zane finally got serious {and it actually took him about 4 days to have an accident in them!}

Today the kids and I headed to the Oklahoma City Zoo.  I was excited after going through their website and looking at pics and reviewing what there was and what not.  On top of the fact that they're doing FREE monday's through sometime in Feb.  I was throughly disappointed once we arrived.  They has posted what rides would be open and most where closed but I figured we could just do what was open.. NOT!  The only thing that ended up being open was the carousel.  The animals were suppose to be out if the temperature was over 55.. it was 72 today and the only animals that were out for us to see were elephants {who actually looked sickly},   monkeys, a lion and the giraffes.. which they closed the feeding for today.  The birds that were indoors were also cooped with the rhinos, which were literally panting because they had the heat CRANKED!  I didn't know if I was going to pass out from the heat or the stink first.  And if that all wasn't e...

I know I'll never forget my daddy but here are just a few pics from the last year with him...  Still can't believe that 11pm on this very night last year I got the call that he was gone.  I remember my visit with him as well as family that day.   It was also the day that we let Zane record a message saying good bye to Grandpa because we didn't want him to see him in the state he was in and remember him that way.  We just wanted him to remember Grandpa playing trains with him.. chasing him and Bayley around in the house... playing outside with the four wheeler, his little car, kites...  His message to Grandpa.. "We'll be ok Grandpa, I love you, go be with Jesus."   We had explained our very best to him that Grandpa was very very sick and the drs couldn't fix him.  That the only way for Grandpa to feel good again and not be sick was for him to go to heaven and let Jesus heal him.  And when he did leave that we wouldn't get to see him again till it w...

Today was SUPER windy around here.  Though any day here in Texas is windy and a good kite day.  The kids had a blast as did Dean and I.  We started out with 3 kites... by the time we headed home we only left with 1! HA!  Dean had hooked all three kites together and Zane was flying them... and then they slipped from Zane's hands.  Well at the time only Peyton's kite got stuck in the tree... Dean then got the idea to get his wrapped around hers and pull it down.  Umm, didn't work.. he ended up getting his SUPER stuck.  Funniest part?  When we did finally leave.. Peyton's was STILL flying!

I'm sadly not alone in the journey of missing a parent and while I wish I didn't share this experience I'm glad that I'm married to someone who completely understands.  Today marks 12 years since Dean's daddy went to heaven.  I'm sad that I never got to really meet him.. Dean and I started dating just months after he had passed.  It's another one of those moments that I hate because the kids will never know the great man everyone speaks of.. though both kids were bless with his red hair.  I know he would have loved his grandkids just as much as we all do and would have enjoyed every moment he got with them.

Well we hadn't planned on going to the park and letting Zane practice his tball since it was so cold.  But that's where we ended up this afternoon and of course without my camera!  So here is a cell pic of Zane practicing for the first time. He did pretty well hitting and throwing... though using his glove to catch still needs quite a bit of work. He seemed to really like it though!  Can't wait to get home so that he can really practice and learn.

Today marks Dean's one year in the air force!  Who knew last year what this first year would be for us as a whole?  We thought we did.  It's certainly put a new perspective on things.  Speaking on my half I'm so thrilled with all the women I've met {moms, girlfriends.. now some that are fiancés.. other wives} I'm thankful to know {even though it was most def a struggle} that I can make it through just about anything.  Above all I'm so thankful for the man that I married, he's beyond a great father and husband.  We've def been put in some stressful situations for both of us and we've always made it through.  This year has just been another one of those stressful moments that we've learned from. Congrats Dean on your first year! 1-26-2012.. The day Dean swore in....

The next few days post may be a little mooshie  :)

That's the best way to describe how I'm feeling.  I still can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that my daddy is actually gone.  It's just not fair.  I have found myself reliving this week of last year... I'm questioning my decisions on things, as to whether I jumped to quickly on some things... as to whether or not I made the best decisions on others.  It hurts to think about how the last conversation with my daddy went {though he at that time I believe was already gone}.  My heart is just completely broken.  I can't believe it's already a year since that whirlwind but I've been wrapped in another whirlwind that's had me so occupied there really hasn't been time to think about anything.  I feel like I just ran into a brick wall.... it's def all hitting, just sucks that it's hitting when there is no one really here and that it took a full year to hit.  I think at times I truly believed that this was all a horrid dream and that I'...

So.. after a few days of showing MUCH interest in the potty and telling us every time she has went potty in her diaper... We decided to go ahead and introduce her to the potty that she keeps talking about using.  Guess we'll see just how ready she is very shortly!!  I can't believe she's 20 months and she's talking about using the potty and telling us when she needs a new diaper!!  Zane didn't do that till a little before she was born at almost 2.5!  I don't think momma is quite ready for this step just yet, though I am over diapers! ha!

They are just like any other siblings... they fight and argue and have their moments of playing and getting along.  This morning though they completely melted me with just how they interacted with each other.  They played.. sharing and exchanging toys without hesitation.  They sat with each other watching tv, Zane actually pulling Peyton into his lap at one point.  Hugs and kisses were volunteered by each at separate times. "I love you's" were exchanged as well.  I LOVE moments like these!!  I wish it was like this all the time.  I hope they as they grow they remember the love for each other and they're always there for each other. {Since my big camera wasn't close and I didn't want to draw attention to the fact I was snapping pics of them, here are a few I did manage to grab with my phone}

Well... we had planned on going to a nature center here in town today but we ended up deciding to stay at the warm apartment today and be lazy instead.  a little laundry, cleaning the kids car seats, a few errands for me, homework and studying for dean... just a hang around not do much kind of day.  Dean and I did go out for separate runs.. .umm.. mine.. not so much!  Mine was quite quick and not so great.. I can NOT run in cold!  Dean ran to Wichita Lake and showed of by texting me a pic, ha!  I must admit, there really is nothing like a lazy day!

We had planned on getting up super early so that we could be at the zoo when it opened this morning.. but yeah... that didn't happen!  Better late than never though!  We really had a great time today!  I must say I LOVE the dallas zoo!!  We have to go back before leaving because we didn't get  a chance to do everything.. most importantly we didn't get to do the monorail... YES! they have a monorail!!!  Def one of the cleanest zoos we've been to and HUGE!!  We did have to kinda rush though since we got there a bit late but I'm happy that we'll be going back so that we can see a little more.