Wishing You a...

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From our house to yours;

Have a wonderful

Christmas Day!!

Love,

Marcus, Jackie

Zachary & Kali

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Even FUNNIER Friday!!

For a little holiday fun, click on the links below. If they doesn't work the first time, keep trying, it's WORTH IT!

Cosmo the Elf
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Cosmo's Dad
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Cosmo's Mom
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Funny Friday

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Dinner with the Ladies

On Monday, Zach and I had dinner with some lovely ladies. We met Aunt Julie, Karla, Nathan, Gracie and Julie Schmidt at the Cheesecake Factory (yummm)! Julie has never met Zachary, and we all had not been together for a REALLY long time, so it was a great evening, and I had tons of fun!

Thanks to Gracie, I have some pictures from dinner. Thanks, Grace Ann!!


Zachary and Aunt Julie

Gracie and Cosmo

Zachary's found a new friend in Julie.

Karla and Nathan

Julie and Me

The OTHER Julie and Me

Nathan's Little Buddy

Zachary is Lovin' the Ladies...
Thanks for coming to dinner, everyone! We had a great time!!


Here's the adorable outfit Julie Schmidt got Zach...
We thought she bought it big (6-9 months)...
We were wrong!

Some Pictures

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... If you're in FLORIDA! We are experiencing record warmth these days, and I'm kinda bummed. A little dusting of snow, and a bite in the air would be nice...! I have a snowsuit for Zachary that, at this rate, he will grow out of before it actually snows!!

Everyone in our house is now healthy, and ready for a vacation! Just one more week, and we can relax and enjoy the Season! I was supposed to babysit Lehna today, but plans changed, and even though I was a little bummed about it, I did get to spend some much-needed one-on-one time with my little man. Marcus finished his last final on Friday, and now has a final paper to complete before Wednesday. Then he will officially have ONE MORE SEMESTER to go!!! Woooo-hoooo! (I think I may be more excited than he is!)

Here are just a few pictures from a lazy Friday and an even LAZIER Saturday.


Watching Friday Night Sci-Fi with Dad!

Buff Baby after Dinner

I got a LOT of Christmas cards completed this afternoon...
Can you tell?!!?

Still working on the tummy-time!!
(He had his first band-aided boo-boo today.)

Oh, my gosh!!
Is that a SMILE during tummy-time?!!?
It's about as close as we're gonna get!!!
Have a GREAT week!!!
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Funny Friday

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Have a GREAT weekend!

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Sometimes it's SCARY...

A lot of my blog readers know my friend Karla. We've been friends since high school, and while we are different in some ways... in others... well, it's kinda scary, really. We have a lot of the same tastes (I mean 'cummon, look at our husbands! When Marcus and I went to visit Nathan when he was born, the nurse thought they were brothers!), she even told me she was thinking about naming Nathan, Zachary.

Anyway, this is just another funny example of our similar tastes... Here are the boys' Christmas outfits. We did not go shopping together or discuss the outfit, and yet, here they are!


Nathan & Zachary
Yep, they're wearing the same sweater
and though you can't see it; identical cords.
All I can say is Karla has FABULOUS taste!!

4 Month Check-Up

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Weight: 16 lbs., 8 oz. -- 81st Percentile
(He lost weight this week because he was sick...)

Length: 27 inches -- Off the chart!
This past week, Zachary visited the doctor twice. Once, because he is sick AGAIN; and the other was his regular check-up. On Monday, my sister Julie took him in because I was at the hospital, under anesthesia, for a medical proceedure. Don't remember much at all... just flashes of conciousness.

Anyway, the little guy has an ear infection and Bronchiolitis, and up until very recently, has been pretty miserable. He has been coughing and unable to keep anything down. That's no fun... But he's beginning to do better this evening, finally! He still coughs quite a bit, but he seemed to be in a much better mood before he went to bed, so that's encouraging.


Our little sicky this week.
In other news, Marcus had his last class and first final of the semester this past week. ONLY ONE MORE SEMESTER TO GO!!!! It's amazing how happy that makes me!! He is almost done.

As for me, I'm fine... we are going through a re-org at work, so THAT makes me a little nervous, but hopefully everything will turn out okay for everyone at the foundation.

I'm anticipating Christmas with a renewed excitement that I guess stems from motherhood. I know he's still too young for me to really start any traditions, but I'm enjoying it none the less. One tradition I CAN start this year, is getting Zachary a new ornament every year to reflect his personality, activites, etc. from the past year. This is obviously his first Christmas, so that was easy; but I also found an ornament that has zoo animals all over it, just like his room. Perfect!


Zachary's 1st ornament
We also got our Christmas pictures back this week. He had such great faces! Here are a few shots...


Knotts Family 2006

"Ahhh... Christmastime!"

LOVE that smile!

The Chunky Monkey

Sorry I missed "Funny Friday" last week, with Lil' Z so miserable, I just didn't have time to do much. Anyway, have a great week, and come back soon!

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Another Christmas in Heaven

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'Tis Christmas in heaven, what a beautiful sight!
And I want you to know everything is right.
I've met all our dear ones who preceded us here,
The reunion was lovely, an event full of cheer.
And soon we'll all gather, in reverence we'll kneel,
For the babe in the cradle, up in heaven is real!
I think of my family that I left behind,
And I pray that your Christmas is as blessed as mine.
Please shed no more tears for my soul is at rest,
Just love one another and live life to its best.
Yes, it's Christmas in heaven, so I've heard them say.
Yet, Christmas in heaven happens every day!
-Author Unknown




Ten years ago today, my mom's kind voice fell silent. Her smile would no longer brighten our days, her touch of comfort was lost to us forever. Even now, I still struggle with moments of sadness and anger. I find myself hurt that she never met Marcus, and that she could not sit next to my father at my wedding. I'm sad that my sister and brother have now spent almost half of their lives without her, and because my dad never deserved to be alone. I continue to struggle with the fact that she was not there to share in my pregnancy, and that she never got to hold and cuddle her first grandson. My heart breaks even more this year, knowing that Zachary will never truly know her.

As I write this, I'm finding it is very easy to wallow is self-pity when I think of all of the things that we have missed out on now that she is gone. But that is not what I need to focus on as this dreaded anniversary rolls around once again. Her strength inspired so many, and her kindness touched even more. Her influence and her heart continues on with all of us that were lucky enough to have been warmed by her love. I was so blessed that I was loved by her and raised by her. It is my hope that I am as good of a mother to Zachary as she was to me.

Some comfort is found when I think about something I told Stephanie after my father-in-law died. Everything that made her weak, and sick, and frail has died. She is free of hurt and pain; and I sincerely believe that she continues to watch over us because she can. She watched as Dad said good-bye to Danny in Texas, she was with Julie when Dan proposed. She was in the delivery room and celebrated little Zachary. Even though I can't see her, that love just doesn't go away.








We love and miss you, Mom. Continue to watch over us, and wait patiently for that first Christmas we are all together again. In the meantime, I will tell Zachary all about you, and try to honor your memory by being the person you raised me to be.





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