Thursday, December 1, 2011

Thanksgiving with Some of the Zajicek Clan

I say "some" because there was unfortunate sickness that kept some family from getting together...but as big as our family is, well, it was still a big affair!  :)

We had gorgeous weather that allowed the kids to play at the park, good food and good times with family, and even got some shopping in that wasn't too terribly crazy despite the Black Friday weekend. 

We even got to squeeze in a special trip to the Firehouse where my brother Jon works so Elena could see the firetrucks and more...I'll have to get those photos from mom and Eric.  :)

Thank you, fam, for a great weekend, for Santa Monkey Memories, and all the love!  Miss You!









We also had Christmas for the kids and fam as well since we're all going to be a bit scattered this year...fun!!

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas...







Seems we start decorating earlier and earlier...but it's fun.  We started before we left for Thanksgiving so we could come home to some festivity!!!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Halloween is SUPER!

Elena decided the theme for this year's Halloween would be around Super Girl - so she was Super Girl, Eric was Clark Kent turning into Superman, I was Lois Lane, and Diva was dressed in a green coat, disguised as Kryptonite!  We have going out with our neighbors from small group. Anna was Wonder Woman and Joshua was Darth Vadar.  The Super Heroes led the Rebellion on the candy raid, with Darth closing in...finishing the afternoon with hot cocoa and candy at the Goles' house.  Good times! 






Also added the photos of "Jack" that Eric and Elena worked on the night before.  ;)

Monday, November 7, 2011

Happy and Blessed Fall!

Ecclesiastes 3:11
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."


Halloween Party



Eric and I were in charge of the first grade Halloween crafts and games for Elena's class...we chose to make mini pumpkins, decorate masks, Halloween Bozo Bucket game, and Make Me a Mummy!  Good times...

Elena was very excited for us to be there, which is a nice reprieve considering she is usually not wanting us there because she is afraid she has to go home too soon...  :) 

Note that one, folks...wonder how long it will be before she is begging us to keep her from school!

She also had fun ( and felt quite important) passing out the party favors and getting to be a helper.  :) 

Enjoy!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

"I'm a Little Ghost...I say Boo!"






Elena had her Halloween school program recently, and it was so fun to get to see her along with many, many other students excited to sing and perform.  I think my favorite is still the song about the black cat who hates Halloween...very funny!  Elena has been practicing and Eric has been joining in the singing as well...those two are a pair.  I think they should take their act on the road!  ;)

Really...I am so Tired...


Photo speaks for itself...it's rough being the dog...

Thursday, October 13, 2011

10 Years Ago Today

I married my best friend...my partner, my co-hort, my go-to-guy, my life here on earth thanks to God...it has been the best day of my life, leading to the best parts of my life.

I had prayed for no rain because I wanted to have these beautiful outdoor photos at the reception.  The trees and landscapes were amazing, and our photographer had gone to great lengths to find us some amazing shots...

It didn't happen though, because I had wanted something else a lot more, and thought I just wasn't going to have it...a candle light ceremony.  I'd dreamt of how romantic it would be...but our church had events the evening we had decided on, and so Eric did everything he could - making the wooden pedestals for the candles on the aisles, etc to create the mood.  God saw to it to give me that candle light ceremony by giving us rain...and a lot of it.  It was dark and cozy and romantic, down to the wood burning fire place at our reception...perfect...

I'd given Eric a gift of two things...a watch - to tell time, to know I would love him for all time, to think of our time together...and one other.  A hand written note I'd written long before we were together of my "hopes and dreams of a husband" list. He met them all when we talked about different things except for one, and then the one part we didn't talk about but did happen on it's own.  I wanted my husband to read me Song of Solomon from the bible as a romantic gesture...I never told him that in my list, and one night when he'd called me, he started to without warning...I will never forget how much I cried that night in happiness and content. This is the man for me.  I knew at 10 years old when I'd seen him for the  first time, and I knew it now, so many years later. Song of Solomon is engraved into both the insides of our wedding rings...the verse that is about my Lover is mine and I am his...





His gift to me for our wedding day were diamond and pearl earrings and necklace to match, so sweet and pure.  He was a darling about giving them to me, too.

Eric worked very hard on creating our wedding invites and programs, our wedding videos and music...my favorite movie for the longest time has been "Father of the Bride" and I really loved the music in it, so Eric made sure to put the soundtrack into our wedding through out!  It was so loving and made it all the more precious to me.
I think of the different people there...Kelly, whom we laughed together on different things and getting rid of my jitters in being the perfect bride...Jeana making me laugh, smile, and making my undergarments the way they should be...yeah, that's a story in itself...stupid, naive me...geeze!  Jaimie, seeing me cry for the "ump-teenth" time, decided to play a certain game that consisted of beating each other out of who would chicken out being the loudest...began with the letter "P"...Sally, giggling, then saying"GIRLS!"...stopping before we went to go down the aisle to pray...my dad came up to break the silence because honestly I think he was afraid I would cry the whole time, which I would have had it not been for his jokes down the aisle. And knowing me, I didn't want to be a blubbering mess, and he is so good at making that better!

I think of the time during our wedding, after our vows, Eric joking, laughing and trying to keep things light, not only to keep me from crying  - yet again (yes, I have Kirkhart in me, all my mother, grandmother's side cry so easily...we're very tender-hearted!  ;)  ) - or still - but to make me smile, talking about how we should make a run for it during one of the songs...let's go babe!  We're set!

I loved leaving as people threw rose petals as we ran from the church to the car...I love how we were greeted by the warmth of the open, two-sided fire place to our reception along with the gathering of people thrilled for us.  I loved the beautiful, rich fall colors coming in on our reception through the giant windows behind us...it was a good day, a good night, and it has been a good life...

I can't wait for the rest...

Harvest Days and Nights









Yes, Elena is reading the paper...there were some stats in baseball that had ERA in it..I didn't know what that meant when she asked me...sorry...any takers? You'll have to click on some of the pictures to get the full view...

More Kohler Pictures







Special Note...someone else was getting married...so sweet to see...and Elena, so tired from all the playing and running, gave us a private date night without knowing it...

Happy Anniversary Weekend

Eric took us to Kohler...where it all began...for our early 10 year anniversary celebration.  We enjoyed Harvest Fest which included Corn Mazes and Hay Forts, our usual visit to the Kohler Design Center (which Elena was pushing for, I might add...that's our girl!), and a relaxing stay at the beautiful American Club.

I was also surprised by some sweet cards, gifts, some - a-hem - upgrades that far surpassed my dreams, all Eric's work in making the weekend even sweeter.  But the best was just having that family time, having Eric as my husband, and having the life I have because of him. 





God is good, all the time.