Lomshek Family

My Date with Ziga

2011-02-12T22:54:00.002-06:00

About a month ago I realized that Ziga and I had not been anywhere FUN together (excluding errands, which I try to make as fun as possible), just he and I, since Zala had been born. Since baby #3 is on the way in a few short weeks I have really been feeling the need to have some quality one-on-one with him. Today we spent the afternoon at Science City and Crown Center. The day did of course involve a lot of sugar. Back to reality tomorrow...oh, Valentine's Day is Monday. Back to reality Tuesday I mean. Anyway....I have such an awesome, fun-loving, curious, sweet little boy, and I am so grateful that I was able to focus on him and only him for a few hours today. I don't know when it will happen again, but I realized the importance of stealing little amounts of time with my individual kiddos. However...on the way home, he told me how much fun he had. He also said he wished Zala had been there with us. Sigh....is there anything more romantic, truly, than sibs that adore each other (most of the time)?

Bad Dream

2011-01-26T14:09:00.001-06:00

Around 5:00 this morning I heard Ziga crying in his room. I went in and told him everything was ok and he went back to sleep. This morning before school Janez and I asked him what the bad dream was about and he started smiling and said "naps." I guess some things are just truly dreadful to a 4-year-old ;)

Royals Fan Fest!

2011-01-22T22:03:00.002-06:00

Our plans to go to Pitt were put on hold (hope my sister-in-law's kiddies and Starata are feeling better soon!) but we had a fun day anyway. Took the kids to Royals Fan Fest which was very cool. The kid ran the bases, took a pic with Sluggerrr (sp? always confuses me....), and got to eat ballpark food.

Snow, snow, snow.......

2011-01-22T07:28:00.002-06:00

And more coming tonight---yikes!!

Ode to the Mini-Van

2011-01-19T15:09:00.003-06:00

We bought a mini-van on Sunday. A Chrysler Town and Country Touring. Highly anticipated purchase (I think Janez digs it, although he might not admit it....). I LOVE it...it is so roomy, the doors are automatic (well, one is, we are getting the other one fixed...but they took some $ off the ask price for that), and it is pretty clean for an '05. The kids sit up high and can see a ton. There is a DVD player in case they really CAN'T entertain themselves...with headphones for the kids so parents can rock out to whatever they want to. Navy blue with gray interior. In the shop right now to get a few things fixed--sliding door, brakes a tad squeaky. Note to those shopping for mini-vans--there is less demand this time of year for them (everyone wants 4WD) so try to shop when it is snowy. Next time we probably won't be taking the kids....but hopefully that won't be for a very long time!

First Day of Swim Lessons!

2011-01-11T21:07:00.002-06:00

Zala started lessons today---she has been soooooo excited to get in the water like her big brother. Ziga had a private lesson today, thanks to the snow and cold. They were both totally exhausted but had a ball.

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December 2010 Pics

2011-01-10T07:47:00.005-06:00

December was a great month! We had a few nice days, which means I got maybe one bag of our leaves raked (they are still out there, and covered with snow at the moment!) and the kids went with cousin Avery to see Santa with Grandpa and Gigi (that's when they were dressed up on the stairs). Christmas pics to follow in another album soon....

Ziga's Birthday 2010

2011-01-02T21:46:00.007-06:00

Ziga turned 4 on July 12th 2010. We were in Cincinnati visiting family, as my cousin had just gotten married a few days before in Kentucky. We had a wonderful trip! We had Ziga's party the following weekend, and Zala and I drove with Ty and Steve to Cincinnati again a day later to attend my grandmother's funeral. The hectic travel, an exhausting first trimester, and the start of a very busy photography season made this post incredibly late--but to my sweet Ziga, here it finally is--better late than never!

Actual birthday was spent in Cinci with fab cousins Maisie and Max. We had a great day at the water park, compliments of Gigi, and went back to Gigi and Dude's for a delicious cookie cake, specially made by Jenni!

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-02T21:39:00.002-06:00

1) Take more pictures of my amazing family and our everyday moments

2) Actually do something with those pics--post to blogger, start creating scrapbooks (digital is ok too)!

3) Post to the blog once a week....familiar resolution from 2010. Oops.

4) Remember every day that my little angels are only little once--and use good judgement setting boundaries with work and housework so that I can enjoy their sweet faces, beautiful voices, and be a part of their wondrous learning and growing every day

Zala's 2nd Birthday

2010-06-29T22:10:00.000-05:00

http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x141/ali_lomshek/Zala%20Turns%20Two/

I know, I know. It has been over 3 months. No good excuse, really, we have just been super-busy!

Questions, questions

2010-03-09T12:54:00.002-06:00

Ziga has been especially inquisitive and curious lately. Some of my favorite questions:

Is it dark in our tummies?

How do we talk?

Where is the hole that babies come out of? (Me: That's a really good question, Ziga. What do you think? Z: Oh, it's the belly button, yeah.)

Whew---I wasn't ready for that one!

The Story of Zala's Entrapment

2010-03-01T20:36:00.003-06:00

So, the big excitement at the Lomshek home today was Zala locking herself in one of the basement rooms. Ryan, our employee and friend, was kind enough to watch the kids while Janez and I ran over to Ziga's pre-school conference. When I came in the door, I yelled, "How's it going?" and Ryan, who is extremely laid back (and great with kids), yelled back, "NOT GOOD! Zala locked herself in this room!" Ryan felt bad, but keep in mind--this could have happened to any of us. Zala has been this close to being able to twist doorknobs and has been very fond lately of slamming doors in others' faces and saying "bye bye!" I guess has also been intrigued by the lock mechanism on doors as well.

As luck would have it--upon closer examination this room, where we keep a lot of our inventory in the basement, we discover that this door has a lock that requires a key. (Usually I just pick the locks if something like this happens....). We couldn't find a key that worked in the lock, and we couldn't coax Zala to unlock the door, so Janez had to bust the door in. He was quite the hero and Zala was very relieved to be in her mama's arms. Ziga of course was right there in the action and was very helpful in talking to Zala while she was behind the door.

So... we have a new repair to add to our list. Thankfully my wonderful husband came through again tonight and unclogged the disposal for me. Other news: After two days of being fever-free Ziga's fever appears to be back.

Good news--Ziga's conference went great and we are told he is very considerate of others and etc. etc. It sounds like he is doing great at his pre-school (which he loves, and we love)!

February

2010-02-28T17:04:00.004-06:00

We had a great month--but it's been busy, and I've been slacking on posts! I created a photo album. Photos are in no particular order. But--we had Janez's birthday, playtime with Avery, a good couple of hours outside when it warmed up a little, and other fun times with friends. February flew by--we're excited for more fun times in March!

From February 2010

Teamwork

2010-02-15T21:09:00.002-06:00

Ziga and Zala get along soooo well--and tonight they proved what a great team they are. While I was on the phone and doing dishes after dinner, Zala apparently told Ziga that she had to go to the bathroom (she has been sitting on the potty and doing something in there once or twice a day). When I hung up the phone I heard Ziga trying to lift something, and I went into the bathroom to discover that he had helped Zala onto the potty, by pulling her pants down, taking her diaper off, and lifting her up! Then he said, "there you go Zala." Just about melted my heart. And--bonus--she went in the potty! Awesome little people :)

This Morning....

2010-02-14T08:29:00.002-06:00

....I turn on the baby monitor, finally, at 8:15 just in case I can't hear Zala when she wakes up after all. And, I hear lots of strange noises and am wondering what she is doing in her crib to make those noises. So, Ziga and I start to go up the stairs to get her (he always wants to come with me), and I realize that I hear noises coming from her exer-saucer, which I store in a corner of her room. She had climbed out of her crib! It made sense to me in a way--she really fought her nap yesterday--when she usually is very good about going to sleep--and Grandma, who was nice enough to babysit for us last night, said she didn't think she needed to go to bed ("no nigh nigh!"). So--this marks Zala's first time climbing out of the crib. I am very interested to see if she does it again. Ziga did it only once when we lived out in CA. Time will tell!

Batteries

2010-02-09T20:46:00.003-06:00

So---I know I am neglecting the blog as usual, and this little story actually happened last week. Anyone who knows Ziga knows that he is very concerned when things don't "work" and will jump at an opportunity to find batteries, unscrew the battery cover, and make it work again. So, this was an interesting conversation.

Z: Mommy, do we have batteries?

Me(distracted): Yeah, Ziga, we have some, I don't know what size though, only double
A...what do you need them for?!

Z: No, Mommy, do we have batteries?

Me: Oh, like, in our bodies?

Z: Yeah, yeah! Like, so we can think.

Me: Well, Ziga, we don't have batteries because we are people, but this is how our bodies work (and then I launched into what I am sure was a confusing explanation of the heart and the brain--but I kept it as simple as I could. He was satisfied, in any case).

Zala's New Look

2010-01-30T14:53:00.003-06:00

I feel pretty bad that part of Zala's little baby tooth is missing--but at least it is just a baby tooth!

TGIF

2010-01-29T14:49:00.002-06:00

What a week! Janez got food poisoning on Wed and is just now feeling back to normal. Miss Zala fell on Steve's driveway Wednesday night and broke her front top tooth. Yesterday morning I took her into the dentist and she ended up having to have a Pulpotomy--a procedure that probably took about 15/20 minutes but seemed like an hour while she was screaming--to help her tooth heal. She'll have a chunk out of it unless we decide to do something further. At the moment, between her tooth and her scraped up lip, she is looking a little sad! Ziga was there during the procedure and was very good. In any case--I think we've had our fill of drama this week. I'm done until next month at least.

Eyelashes

2010-01-25T20:15:00.001-06:00

I think I finally got a picture that does justice to Ziga's ridiculously long eyelashes. On my photo blog:

amlphotography.wordpress.com

Zala Tutu Pics

2010-01-23T22:14:00.001-06:00

Pics of Zala in her new tutu (thanks Grandma!) are on my photography blog:

www.amlphotography.wordpress.com

Pigtails!

2010-01-09T22:52:00.003-06:00

It appears that Zala's hair is finally long enough for me to put in some 'tails--she was very cooperative and even said "pretty" as she touched them. I think she is so darn cute with them in that she may just get away with quite a bit....

Holy Big

2010-01-09T14:52:00.002-06:00

Ziga has been describing things as "really" big, small, etc. lately. Except, he says "holy" instead of "really". I could probably correct him more often but I think it's so darn cute and innocent and I know his language will only get more and more mature. So, for now, I'll just enjoy it.

It's Frickin' Freezing, Mr. Bigglesworth

2010-01-05T23:24:00.005-06:00

So....we are staying inside, again. I was fortunate to get out for a few hours because I had a session, but the poor kiddos have been cooped up. Today was pretty good though. We colored, did a floor puzzle, and Ziga watched "The Land Before Time". Dinner, baths, and bed...now, bed for me!

Slide Show--Christmas Pics

2010-01-03T23:52:00.002-06:00

Christmas 2009 (Better Late than Never!)

2010-01-03T21:58:00.010-06:00

We had a fantabulous Christmas this year! First of all--there's no beating a white Christmas. It was so beautiful! What am I talking about---it is still so beautiful, and will probably be so beautiful for another two weeks!

We celebrated Christmas Eve at my mom's with my brother Ty. It was great to see him! Ziga and Zala got awesome PJ's and various other things. Zala got a frilly tutu and didn't want to take it off to get into the car. Janez and I got some new dishes from my mom, which were badly needed and came in very handy for serving Christmas dinner the next day.

Ziga was pretty psyched to open his stocking and was happy with his hot wheels and Playmobil Pirate Ship. Zala got a music set and some bristle blocks, among other things. She was really excited about Ziga's gifts though.

Janez got a BB gun to kill the squirrels that steal our tomatoes every year. Ziga has somehow gotten the idea that we will be eating a lot of chipmunk, squirrel, and rabbit soon.

I was very very happy to receive the Wii Fit and Jillian Michaels Wii game. Janez was not supposed to but he did. He knows how much nicer I am when I exercise ;) We have been loving the Wii and watching Ziga box and do the balance games is entertainment in it's purest form. I must say some of those games really are a great workout.

We did have a small obstacle (read--350 pound)on Christmas morning, because a spring broke on our garage door Christmas Eve around 1:00 AM while we were wrapping presents. Since we needed to make it to mass at 11:00 Janez and I were huffing and puffing to get the garage door up in order to get our car out. Thank goodness we have some kind of 4 x 4 function on the Beemer--we managed to get out of our extremely un-plowed neighborhood and made it to mass on time. We were lucky enough that once again, the Lomshek/Kalan clan traveled up from their respective homes in Southeast Kansas. They sure did brave some tough weather to get here! We were joined by my mom as well and it was a great day, despite the snow! Our guests began arriving around noon and by the time we got around to opening presents a few people were ready to get on the road (before dark). So, present-opening was a little chaotic.

My Dad came by a few days ago and brought a great gift for the kids--a portable DVD player---badly needed, actually, since the powercords to our other one mysteriously disappeared (where does stuff GO in this house? I'm sure I'll find them in the back of some obscure cabinet in a month or two). He and Jolene got us a heated mattress cover. Can I just tell you--I think that may be the best invention....um.....ever. We are loving it!

It was a great Christmas, and we feel so truly blessed to have such wonderful family. :)

View below link for photos.

My Baby is 18 months!

2009-12-30T23:21:00.004-06:00

So---I'm getting a head start on my New Year's Resolution to post more frequently to the blog (sound familiar? As in, I posted something about blogging more often back in January...). I know I've been slacking. No good excuse, really, just being a little lazy.

Christmas pics are on the way. However--I thought I would post some good ones I took of Zala the other day. She is 18 months going on....? She loves to sit on the potty and sometimes stuff ends up in there. She decided this week that she is done with her high chair, thank you very much so I had to bust out the booster seat. She can walk down the stairs by herself (if I would let her) and likes to play with Ziga's cars. She is eager to learn and has more and more words every day--it is so fun to know she understands us! She does get Santa sounds (ho ho ho) confused with dog sounds--but hey, we're getting the hang of all those animals etc.

Ziga-isms

2009-11-03T20:06:00.003-06:00

Ziga is cracking me up lately. Here are some of my favorites:

"I think Zala has a baby in her belly." (It really looks like she does. She rubs it and everything. It's hilarious.)

"I want to buy one of those." (cars, toilets, whatever Ziga thinks is "nice". Last night, it was the bathroom at the Blue Moose).

"I have a lot of money!" (When I remind him that cars cost a lot of money).

And, I just have to say, I am really enjoying my time with both of them right now. They have an absolute blast together playing and chasing each other around the house. Ziga is an amazing and caring big brother. Zala is just---funny. She has us all laughing so much of the time. Life is really, really good :)

Halloween and Family Update

2009-11-01T20:58:00.004-06:00

Well, it's been a while since I've posted, but I have drafted a few posts that don't go through because the pics attached were too large. So......since I was feeling lazy I didn't resize them. Really going to try to get better at this. The kids are doing great. Ziga is enjoying pre-school immensely and we are having fun at playdates. The kids helped me rake today. Ziga is really into his Halloween candy. Specifically, he enjoys choosing pieces for each member of the family (Mama, you get this one" etc etc). Zala is talking quite a bit. Her favorite word is "baby". She is officially bi-lingual with two words: "baby" and more often, "no". I have also heard "mine" a lot lately. Hmmmmmm. Here are a few pics.

Adventures in European Vacation

2009-09-21T15:55:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we left Slovenia and drove a few hours to iSteindorf, Austria to visit some more relatives. We had a great time at Jerry's cousin's (2nd perhaps, once removed? I'm not sure--I'm trying to get the hang of it) home. This morning we had coffee with another relative in that family and then headed to Spittal to see Janez's great-aunt. Then, we took off for Milan. The drive was pretty uneventful, even if Ziga did tantrum in the back for 20 minutes. We stopped about halfway (total drive time, about 4 hours) to get a quick little dinner. Ziga had a huge bottle of juice so of course he had to pee big-time a short while later. He had to go so bad that he honestly could not wait (rarely does this happen). Janez found a spot to pull over on the highway so Ziga could pee. In the US this wouldn't be a big deal but since it is not unusual for people to drive 100 mph here it was a little challenging. Janez was cracking up because Ziga had no embarassment about dropping his drawers right there on the highway in Italy. Now, there is something that has been going on since we arrived in Europe that I don't want to forget, which is Ziga's fascination with the endless array of toilets. I have to agree, there is quite a variety in toilet shape/size/some have a shelf, why, I do not know, it is just plain wrong/flush methods, such as push a huge button above the toilet, a small button on the toilet tank, or pull a string above the toilet. As you can imagine this fascination has led Ziga to take many trips to the bathroom, which means that he has visited just about every single bathroom in every single location since this trip began. I was just telling him to wait but due to the amount of juice he has consumed I have been thinking it wise just to let him go.
Tomorrow we drive to Zurich and stay the night, and fly out Wed. morning. I will try to post some more pics but it may not happen until we get back to the states. Ciao!

Slovenia Update

2009-09-18T14:02:00.002-05:00

I am pretty behind on pics but I'll give you an idea of what we've been up to. On Monday we did laundry and went to Gabriel and Stanka's home. We've been really fortunate because every home we've gone to the people there 1) love playing with our kids 2) might have kids of their own 3) are not distressed by Zala's screaming or Ziga's whining. All in all, our kids are hanging in there pretty well, even if the question has been raised more than once if Ziga is a Mama's Boy. Anyway, on Monday we had a really nice visit with Gabriel Erzen and family. I got to know his daughters better, they are sweet as can be. Mateja even hooked me up with Salon Priceska in Skofja Loka so I could get my hair done. Tuesday morning Zala and I went in for our new 'do's (don't worry Mom, she only got a very small trim!). Then, around 11:30 we met our friends Jean and Arnie and Dorothy from California for lunch. They will be traveling in Slovenia for a few weeks as well. It was really great to catch up with them! After that we drove to Senicno and spent some time with Gregor's sister Ana and her little girl Kaja, as well as Gregor's brother Luka, wife Ursa, and sons Ziga (Kalan! Kalan!) and Matic (sp?). The kids ran around and played and had a pretty good time, but of course ours were pretty worn out. Ziga and Ziga were fighting over toys but got to know each other a little better. Wednesday we drove to Maribor, which is about an hour and a half away. The kids slept the whole time (thank God) and we got to check out this town, which is the second oldest in Slovenia. Jerry hit the library to do some family history research and Janez and I and the kids ate at McDonald's and walked around Maribor. Janez and Ziga got very inexpensive haircuts and they were CHEAP! We drove to the town of Celje for dinner. Beautiful, old town. Thursday we decided to work off all of the meat, cheese, bread, and chocolate (oh, and beer, and juice) and go for a little hike. Ziga did great AGAIN and took a nap in a bed for the first time on this trip. He was feeling so much better and was in a great mood the rest of the day. In the afternoon we went to Ursa (formerly Erzen)'s home for a playdate with her kids. We met Gorazd, Luka and Ursa and Family, and Ana in Kranj for a little bowling later that evening. Everyone had a fantastic time, and I think the Zigas will be good friends. Today is Friday.....this morning we saw Francelj and Ivanka, and then we saw Teta Anica in Kranj for a bit. We then drove to Ljubljana and walked around and had dinner. Very cool city. Got in the car, kids crashed out by 7:00 PM, and in bed.....hopefully they won't be up at 5:00 tomorrow morning! Will do laundry tonight and work on pics. We are all doing well and are having a great time, even if Ziga got his first spanking due to carrying on ridiculously about things such as ice cream. Zala has held up better than I expected. I'm hoping Ziga sleeps 13 hours without moving tonight. He did great today walking around the city, and has been very good overall.

more pics

2009-09-16T15:48:00.001-05:00

are on facebook. I had a whole elaborate post typed out on blogger but it didn't post. grrrr. lahko noc!

pics

2009-09-13T16:42:00.000-05:00

Pics from our first few days in Slovenia are on Facebook. Stay tuned for pics from yesterday (we hiked Bohinj, totally beautiful), and today (saw some relatives of Jerry's and had a wonderful visit with them).

Slovenia!!!

2009-09-11T15:39:00.004-05:00

Last Tuesday the Lomshek family embarked on a much-anticipated trip to the country of
Slovenia. With the help of Grandma, we made it to the airport by 5:00 AM to get on our first flight to Chicago. After a 4 hour layover in Chicago, we flew to New York. Ziga slept almost the entire flight. Then.....we had the long flight from New York to Zurich. I was pretty sure, since the kids got up early that morning, that they would crash on the flight to Zurich. So, I left the Benadryl at home. I think Janez would agree-----that flight was about the longest night of our lives. Zala, unfortunately, had a hard time settling down and did some of her lovely screaming thing. Strangers gave us their keys to let her play with. Ziga had a hard time settling down and kept kicking us. I probably would pay for a seat for Zala next time. The kids finally fell asleep probably around 10:00 or so our time, a few hours before we landed. Janez and I---a couple of hours of sleep the night before we left was about all we got. 4 people in 3 coach seats was definitely a crowd. But---no delays, we made it in to Zurich and all of our luggage made it and that was a positive. We got our rental car and strapped in the 300 pound Britax carseats to find that whoever had to sit in the back would be pretty crunched. Oh well, not worth another $400 for a minivan. When Jerry, Janez's dad got in, we took off for the beautiful country of Lichtenstein. The kids slept the entire way. I cannot even tell you what a beautiful day it was to drive. It made me (kind of, not really) forget about the horrible flight over from New York. I was wedged between the kids in the back and alternately dozed/took in the green mountains and sunshine. We spent some time in Lichtenstein at a little kid festival they were having and got some lunch. Then, we started heading down to Slovenia. Janez drove, then Jerry drove. Then, I got a little iced coffee in a can (love Europe) and drove on the Autobahn. So fun! We drove down to the Slovenian coastal town of Portoroz and checked into our hotel, Hotel Lucia, around midnight. The kids were so, so good. On Wednesday we got up at 12:30 and spent the afternoon in the neighboring coastal town of Piran, which is an older town with Venetian style architecture. It was a beautiful day, a little overcast at first but then sunny. We dipped our feet in the Adriatic and had lunch, and then walked around all the alleys. Wednesday night we discovered that "we (read: Ali)" forgot the adaptor, which we would need to get on-line, charge camera battery, etc. American adaptors aren't that easy to come by, so we were quite relieved to find one before we left Portoroz on Thursday. Thursday we checked out of our hotel and headed to a nearby town to see the famous painting "Dance of Death" (to symbolize that death touches everyone, despite rank/age/etc.). Then, more driving to the town of Lipica, which is the original breeding location of Lipizza horses, which perform worldwide. We went on a little tour there (camera battery died). Then.....we drove up to Postojnska Jama, a huge cave. Camera battery still dead. It was freezing cold during the train ride and tour but the kids had coats and loved every minute of it. Then, we drove to Lusa, outside of Skofja Loka, to begin our stay at Lojza's Bed and Breakfast, up in the mountains. It is so beautiful here--green, green mountains, deer, wildflowers. We hiked up Lubnik today and Ziga did great. We carried Zala a borrowed backpack. At the top we had some sauerkraut soup, Kielbasa, and streudel. On the way back down, Zala fell asleep in the backpack. Tonight we check out a Slovenian music festival in Skofja Loka. Then, we put our exhausted, overstimulated children to bed. We're having a blast but we might have a little more down time tomorrow. I have taken a zillion pics but need to re-size them all, and really need to get to bed to get on Slovenian time. Ciao!!!

Where the Shrimp Live

2009-09-04T21:28:00.002-05:00

Where did August go? I have been totally neglecting the blog, mostly due to working on my photography business, and I hope to get up and running again soon on the Lomshek Family Blog. Tonight we did have one very blog-worthy moment.

Our dinner was carry-out from Talk of the Town. As Janez was eating his fried shrimp things, he and Ziga were having a conversation about shrimp. Janez asked Ziga where the shrimp live, and Ziga stated very enthusiastically, "At the Bar!" You probably had to kind of be there---but, it was pretty hilarious!

Movin' on Up

2009-07-29T16:29:00.002-05:00

Zala moved up to a convertible this week, which meant that Ziga got a new 5-point harness booster carseat. Zala was just laughing, getting a kick out of being able to see a lot more!

Just loungin'. That's my girl.

Ziga, about 2 years ago, was rear-facing when he started out. I think he was still under a year.

Chicken Run

2009-07-27T21:27:00.005-05:00

Saturday was the Deanna Rose Chicken Run for kids. It was SO much fun and the kids had a blast. It was WELL worth the $15. The goodie bag was awesome and who wouldn't want to support Deanna Rose. We met the Jenny & Mike and the fam there and Ziga and Jack buddied up (but ran different races). Ziga had this excited look on his face the whole time he was running, like he didn't really know what was going on but was swept up in it all the same. I actually got a little tear in my eye watching him race! Maggie, Ziga, and Jack all ran 1/8 mile!

Getting pumped up

Making their way to the start--what anticipation!

Miss Maggie was the first to race!

Go Ziga Go!

Jack is FAST

Daddy's girl, all the way!

Well, I tried anyway.

Something's changed......

2009-07-26T11:15:00.003-05:00

I finally put my finger on it this morning. Within the last week, Zala has transitioned from baby to......toddler! (although of course she is still a baby). If she wants to get somewhere, she walks, and she is getting more and more steady (and fast!) every day. Her communication skills are pretty good, just ask anyone who has heard her ear-splitting screeching. In all seriousness though, she can say "this", "that", "hi" (her new favorite), "bye-bye", "uh-oh", "all done", "books", and more. Last week she also started laying down on the floor if she doesn't like something--the beginnings of tantrumming, I am sure. Here goes, it's toddler time!

Cousin Time

2009-07-23T12:18:00.002-05:00

We have seen a lot of the Kalan cousins lately! Here are a few pics from last weekend. Janez and I took the boys to the Royals game and Jasna watched the girls for us.

Now THAT'S What I'm Talking About

2009-07-16T12:45:00.005-05:00

Natural light in Steve's new dining room

And, a few of my Zala goofing around when she should have been napping yesterday!

Ziga's Birthday and Deanna Rose Pics

2009-07-15T22:13:00.004-05:00

Ziga and Zala have had a great week. First, there was Ziga's birthday on Sunday, which was just a huge party as usual. Then, Monday morning, we got to meet up with friends Kohen, Emily, Conrad, Jonas, and little Maryn at Deanna Rose! Every time we go to Deanna Rose I ask myself why we're not there more often. I think I'm going to make it a weekly thing, it is so close and so great for the kids.

Ziga Birthday and Deanna Rose

Ziga's Birthday....

2009-07-13T22:40:00.002-05:00

was yesterday, July 12th. We had a great day with the cousins, family, and friends! I don't have pics uploaded to our PC yet---it takes quite a while and I had to spend some time taking some other files off my camera today. However, I will leave you to ponder this conversation I had with Ziga this morning at breakfast:

Ziga: Mama, I three now.

Me: I know Ziga, you are so big!

Ziga: I want to drive now. Now I can drive--I three.

Me: No Ziga, you can't drive until you're sixteen. That's a long time away.

Ziga: Ohhhhhh!!! (like he's never heard this before).

Let's hope it does go slow......I'm just not ready for my oldest to ever be behind the wheel!

4th of July

2009-07-05T22:08:00.007-05:00

We had a great 4th of July! In the morning, our neighborhood had a little parade for the kids and a party at the park nearby after the parade. Ziga stuffed his face full of dessert and both kids took great naps. After naps we headed up to Lawrence and spent the evening with our friends Larisa and Eric, and their kids Gabe and Morgan. It was so fun! First the kids shot off some fireworks at Larisa & Eric's house. Whenever Zala gets old enough to throw snaps, she's going to love them. Eric helped Ziga run around with a sparkler, and he thought those and the tanks were great. Then, we headed to Watson Park to hear a little music and get some food. We had great weather and all the kids ran around and played, and were in general troopers and really hung in there until the fireworks started. I wasn't sure how Zala would do but she seemed to sense that it was worth staying up. She LOVED the fireworks and kept trying to reach for them and saying "this"! It was so cute. Ziga thought they were pretty great, too.
We didn't get home until after 11:00 (of course both kids fell asleep in the car). A great, great day.

1st Annual Family Picnic Slideshow

2009-06-25T22:13:00.002-05:00

1st Annual Family Picnic

What a week! Or two......

2009-06-25T21:53:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure where all the time has gone, but we have had a wonderful last week or two here. Since Zala's birthday bash we had a very fun playdate at a sprayground/wading pool in North KC, a very fun Family Picnic at Leawood City Park with some friends, and visits from Uncle Scott, Uncle Ty & Hannah, as well as Father's Day Festivities. I'm just going to plop in a few slideshows.

June Photos

Zala is 1 !!!

2009-06-15T22:34:00.002-05:00

Zala is one! Her birthday festivities began on Saturday, when we had family over to grill and otherwise hang out. Zala is a very blessed little girl--everyone was able to come, and Zala got some very cute and very thoughtful gifts. Today was her actual birthday. I took she and Ziga to Antioch Park and we ate some lunch, played, and walked around. Tonight, we went to On the Border for some dinner, and came home and played some more outside. All in all, a wonderful birthday celebration!

Zala's First Birthday

Playdate at Arboretum

2009-06-14T22:26:00.003-05:00

We had a great get-together on Friday with Ziga's friends Sam & Ella, who we met at last fall's PAT playgroup. We went to the Arboretum, one of our FAVORITE places. I mean, what's not to like. It's pretty and it's free, and the trails are great! Anyway, the kids did a lot of running around and I believe everyone took good naps that day!

Visit with Lindsay & Avery

2009-06-09T19:12:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, cousin Avery and Lindsay paid us a visit! Ziga and Zala and I had a blast hanging out with them. Avery is getting to be such a big girl--sitting up, rolling all over the place, and I think she and Zala will be good buds soon!

Random Stuff & the Pool

2009-06-07T22:43:00.003-05:00

Here's some pics! We had the first family trip to the pool last night. We had a great time!

All the way in!

Zala loved the zero entry part of the pool

I've been working on my natural light shots....

Ziga braving the water.....

I made large black backdrop on Fri. night--this is testing it out.

She was making Ziga and I laugh a lot with this one....

Sunday

2009-06-01T16:45:00.006-05:00

We had the Sykes family over for an expertly grilled (not) dinner last night. Here are a few pics.

The boys played baseball

Who's that sneaking a bite of brownie to Zala?

She's bold.......

she's fearless........

she's...........Maggie Sykes!!!

Buds Jack and Ziga

Zala's 3rd Word

2009-05-31T22:28:00.000-05:00

Zala started saying "mama" a few months ago and I believe has been saying "Ziga" recently as well. A few days ago, she learned "uh-oh". I think it's because she has a big brother :)

Funny Hair

2009-05-29T21:11:00.002-05:00

Zala woke up with the cutest hair this morning--I just had to snap a few.

Playdate at Schoneman's

2009-05-27T21:46:00.002-05:00

I took the kids over to Heather's (and Emily's, and Mark's) today for a playdate. The kids got along great, despite Ziga accidentally slamming the door on Emily's foot 2 minutes after we arrived. Zala put everything she could think of in her mouth and I am praying that nobody catches her annoying cold virus. We had a great time--thanks Heather for lunch and a great day!

Playdate at Schoneman Home

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-25T22:25:00.003-05:00

We had a pretty low-key weekend. We went down to Pittsburg for the day on Saturday but since the kids were feeling pretty yucky we didn't spend the night. It was great to see everyone though! They napped most of the day on Sunday and today Janez came home from work and worked some more, on our pond. More on that later. Pain in the you-know-what.

My cutie-pie nephew Matevz

#Tailgating

Matevz checking out Teta's new Smart Car

Zala hanging out with Christian

Getting some fresh air on the porch

Metal-detecting. Didn't find money, but did find a doorknob.

Busted!

Poor Janez and the never-ending Pond Project. Ziga did a great job supervising.

Our garden, that Janez planted 2 weeks ago, is already sprouting lettuce! And yes, that is an Elmo scarecrow against the fence. Janez's ability to think outside the box never ceases to amaze me!

Ziga's First Fishing Trip

2009-05-13T23:42:00.005-05:00

Janez and the kids and I headed up to Parkville last night to pick Scott up and bring him back down south. For the next week or so, Scott will be held hostage in our home as Ziga monitors his every move. Apparently, 5 + months is too long to be separated from an uncle figure. Janez took the opportunity to take Ziga fishing at my Dad's yesterday--they had a great time, and Ziga finally touched a fish and helped throw one back in the pond.

Goofing around in the tunnel this morning

Ziga caught a lot of fish--and finally touched one!

Zala loved riding on Grandpa's shoulders...she also loved playing his head like a drum, pinching his ears and neck, and pretending that she was riding a horse.

My Ziga

2009-05-03T22:22:00.006-05:00

Van Morrison....

2009-05-02T22:13:00.003-05:00

.....is the new music of choice at our house! Here's a pic of Ziga & Zala "dancing" to "Brown-eyed Girl". Zala is crawling now--not exactly all over the place but if she really wants to get somewhere, like her mama's arms, she goes!

Zala's 10-month Studio Portrait Session

2009-05-01T21:22:00.003-05:00

aka....makeshift studio in our guest bedroom. Finally, I got some slightly decent shots using natural light.

Pretty Things

2009-04-30T18:37:00.005-05:00

thank goodness for replays!!!

2009-04-30T18:14:00.001-05:00

Royals game will be re-played! Woohoo!!!

awww, man!!!

2009-04-30T17:18:00.001-05:00

That's one of Ziga's favorite new things to say. And, what I was thinking to myself as I tried to pull up my recording of today's Royals game, to find out it had been cut off at 3:45. Shawn and Janez took Ziga to today's game and apparently not only were they on the Jumbotron (sp?) but they were also on TV!!----at 4:30 or so. Guess I won't be seeing this one!

Baby Girl Miller

2009-04-28T10:41:00.006-05:00

Jamie was nice enough to let me come up and practice on the Miller family's
newest little angel, born April 27th!

The Swing

2009-04-26T21:05:00.002-05:00

Lately, Ziga prefers to be pushed on the big-kid swing on our playset out back. He is thrilled when I push him higher, and higher...always demanding a "big push!" Tonight, I was pushing him and he said, "I need to go there, up into the tree, the clouds--my get stuck!" I'm hearing things like that a lot lately--"I want to go there" (a place he sees on TV) or "I want to get in that" (a picture of an ATV in one of his books). Here we go! A new stage of independence.....

New Camera!

2009-04-26T14:46:00.000-05:00

I looooooooooooove it!!!!

April 2009

Best Friend

2009-04-20T22:09:00.001-05:00

Best moment ever: Ziga, with his mouth full of bagel, leaning over to give me a hug and telling me, as he pats me on the back, "My bess fwen."

Emily's Birthday Party

2009-04-19T13:37:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we went to a very fun birthday celebration for Ziga's friend Emily! Heather put together a great slideshow, below is the link to her blog post. There's a funny pic of Ziga towards the end with cupcake on his face. Thanks for the great party, Heather & Mark!

http://heatherhusker-dailysmiles.blogspot.com/2009/04/hip-hip-horray-its-gymboree-b-day.html

Deanna Rose

2009-04-16T22:44:00.002-05:00

Today we went with our next-door-neighbors and good friends Reid, Riley, and their mom Nancy, as well as Nancy's mom, to Deanna Rose for the first time since it's opening earlier this month. Ziga and Reid and Riley had a great time running around, even if the construction was a little loud! Suffice it to say--I think all 4 kids will be sleeping very soundly tonight!

Deanna Rose-1st Trip of 2009!

Habits

2009-04-15T22:08:00.004-05:00

Every time Ziga gets sick we end up having him visit our room frequently at night. He's pretty warm and cuddly and it's kind of nice at first.....but no one ends up sleeping very well. Since he has made a full recovery Janez and I told him in no uncertain terms that Monday night was IT. He did stay in his bed all night--although I did have to bribe him with chocolate!

At 8:00 AM, I told my night owl(s) it was time to rise & shine! This is how they responded.

After I opened the blinds..........loudly. And pulled the covers off.

After I dried my hair with the bathroom door open. I give up!!!

Bugs 'n Stuff (Warning--not for arachnophobics!)

2009-04-14T22:07:00.005-05:00

I was a little worried that Ziga would be scared of bugs. I really try to control my reactions to large, furry insects, but hey--I'm only human. Fortunately there are some uncle figures that are not scared of bugs/worms/etc. and view these as learning opportunities for kids. Here are some of Ziga's recent encounters, and he has been nothing short of fascinated.

This lovely, unidentifiable (scary when Jurij & Mel can't figure out what it is) specimen was found near Teta & Jimmy's home. Fortunately he was DOA, allowing for closer examination.

Roly-polys in the garage yesterday. Lots of roly-poly carcasses vacuumed up today in the basement. Loads of fun for Ziga, who also is fascinated by the vacuum.

Poor l'il roly poly...

Very excited about the worms!

Easter Festivities

2009-04-13T14:15:00.003-05:00

Easter began last week at our house and ended.....well, it hasn't really ended because Ziga is still demanding candy every half hour but that's part of the fun! We celebrated Ziga recovering from his trio of illnesses last Wednesday by making cupcakes and decorating them with ridiculously fun Easter sprinkles. On Thursday, we had a combo playdate with the Terrific Two-year-olds and the Babies of 2008. Emily, Kohen and Ziga colored eggs and Zala, Conrad, and Jonas cooed at each other. Lots of fun! On Saturday, we hosted the neighborhood Easter egg hunt in our back yard. It was a blast! Ziga was a little bit overwhelmed by the 25 or so kids in his backyard, but Grandma helped him navigate the situation and find some eggs. Zala napped through the entire thing.

Sunday started bright and early (a little too early--I had to wake Ziga up--I'm getting many clues lately that he is not so much a morning person)--and we headed to church for 8:00 Easter mass. The kids were perfectly behaved (even if I did have to bribe with Cheerios) and Ziga only told me once in his normal volume voice that it was time to go home. We then met my mom and headed to Talk for brunch. Zala ate her weight in food and then we drove down to Pittsburg for an afternoon dinner and egg hunt at Teta & Jimmy's home. Ziga had a blast with his cousins and actually ate his second healthy meal of the day, and kept the sugar to a minimum. If you look closely you can see the melted chocolate on his white oxford. It would be Easter without melted chocolate! Zala had a great day as well, eating strawberry shortcake, green beans, and mashed potatoes. She loved being held by everyone and I can't say for sure, but even though she was really slippery in her slightly-over-the-top dress, I may get her another one like that for next year. It was really fun having her all dressed up!

From Easter Week

Neglecting the Blog

2009-04-13T11:29:00.003-05:00

Well, I don't really have any good excuses--but it has been a little busier around here lately, with my time on the computer being more focused on the e-retail business. Here is a little slideshow from March--nothing spectacular. April and Easter pics to follow shortly......

From Random March Pics

Spring

2009-03-10T14:51:00.002-05:00

Can I just tell you how much I love Photoshop?

"I Need Work"

2009-03-10T14:29:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, the kids and I were driving back from Sherwin Williams and Home Depot (yes, more painting is in my future, it would seem). Ziga asked if we were going to see Oce (Janez) when we got home and I explained that we would see him later tonight because Oce was working. Since Janez started working outside of the home again (he has always worked inside the home) Ziga has been adjusting well but still expects Janez to be here most of the day. I explained that moms and dads need to work to help their families. Ziga then said, "I need some work!" which made me laugh. So, I put him to work painting. Just kidding. He wanted to help (shocker) but since he had to help RIGHT THIS MINUTE I just had him strip down to his undies for a few minutes.

Hands on hips, checkin' out the work. Uncle Shawn told Ziga on Friday: "You can bake, but you can't bake and stand with your hands on your hips."

Arboretum

2009-03-07T13:55:00.002-06:00

Since it was GORGEOUS weather yesterday I took the kids to the OP Arboretum. A swarm of mosquitoes chowed on my little boy's delicious legs, but other than that we had a great time walking around. It was very exciting to see the first buds of Spring, and there are already some flowers planted there (I had some more fun with Photoshop, as you will see). I can't wait to go back there in a few weeks.....

Dance Party

2009-03-03T22:17:00.003-06:00

Polona and Anamarija paid a visit to our house while Jasna had lunch with some friends on Sunday. Ziga and Polona got along pretty well, unless they were playing with Play-doh. For a little while we turned on some music and Ziga and Polona got busy dancing!

Two's a Crowd?

2009-03-01T19:42:00.003-06:00

A few weeks ago, I started putting Ziga and Zala in the tub together. So many advantages-they keep each other entertained and it cuts down on bath time! The video is of Zala getting the giggles in the tub with Ziga. A little story, not for those easily grossed out....On Friday night, I had them in the tub together and.....Ziga saw something that alarmed him. Then, I lifted Zala up and we saw more. Poop. In the tub. Ziga was screaming and thought the floaters were chasing him. I was holding Zala, who was laughing, and could not pick Ziga up to lift him out and had to wait for Janez to come up to get him out. I was cracking up, I was so surprised at Ziga's reaction. He has been known to go in the tub a few times. He was still so freaked out that at midnight we played musical beds for an hour and a half.

2009-02-17T21:49:00.002-06:00

Ziga, Zala and I met Jamie, Kohen, Heather, and Emily at Kaleidoscope yesterday. It was BUSY and Zala was completely overstimulated but the kids had a pretty good time. I am definitely taking Ziga back there! Afterwards we ate at Fritz's then went to let the kids play near the fountain at the Westin. They had a blast!

A Week in Photos

2009-02-11T21:27:00.004-06:00

This is a first--Ziga totally sacked out on the couch while I was right next to him talking on the phone. I guess that fresh air did the trick! Or, maybe he finally crashed from his sugar high (he was very sneaky and ate about half a pound of M & M's yesterday morning while I was in the shower. I honestly didn't think he could reach where I had them).

This pic was taken today. Notice that Ziga is in Zala's exersaucer. Is it Spring yet?

See that fabulous haircut? I know, I know. You want bangs just like Ziga's!

We played outside three times yesterday. This is #3 at the park. Zala loves the swing! Can you see her FOUR bottom teeth?

What a beautiful day, in Feburary!

My serious little Zala

Lovin' that sunshine!

So, it's been a little while since I posted, but it's for a good reason. I've been learning a little more about Photoshop and have had a great time taking pics of the kids and messing around with the editing. Obviously--I have a lot to learn, but it's been enjoyable. Here are a few pictures from the week. Zala is about to cut tooth #8. She is such a trooper! Ziga is a little bored I think but luckily we have playdates tomorrow and Friday. I cut his hair yesterday and.....I probably should have left it to a professional but it could definitely be worse.

Kansas City Zoo

2009-02-02T08:39:00.004-06:00

Lately Ziga has a fascination with covering Zala up with blankets, including when she's in her high chair. She's been a pretty good sport about it.

Modeling a hat from the business

Sea Otters

Walking with Oce

Ducks & Birds at the zoo

I think there was a blue frog in this one. Too cool!

Helping Zala with her water

I think someone is missing baby days.....

They're baaaaaaaack......Cheerios!!!

"Sensory Play" with shave cream (our PAT Parent Educator suggested it--he loves it!)

Saturday we made a spontaneous trip to the Kansas City Zoo. The weather was beautiful and the kids were great. Ziga talked later that day about being scared of the ghosts (goats) and the Llama llama red pajama. I included a few other pics from the weekend.

GOAL!!!!!!!!

2009-01-29T22:21:00.007-06:00

I bribed with M & M's for this pose.

Ziga loves to twist up the chains and let go. To think, I taught him how to do that!

We've been doing a lot with dominoes this week.

Somebody is tired......

Ziga and I took advantage of the thrilling rise in temperature today to head outside and get a little Vitamin D & fresh air. Grandma had gotten him an ESPN soccer goal that yells "GOAL!" every time you kick the ball in. I also included some other pics from earlier this week. Other news: after consulting with our Parent Educator I decided we are going to cut out Ziga's naps for the time being. He just doesn't need that much sleep and he is raring to go at 9:30 PM if he takes a nap. This was day one, and he went down without a fight at 8:30 sharp. It was a beautiful thing.

Bro & Sis cuddle time

2009-01-24T20:12:00.005-06:00

Zala enjoyed her apples & cherries

Ziga got pancakes for breakfast for staying in his bed ALL NIGHT!

Ziga & Zala play great together.

Can't Stop this Train

2009-01-23T08:54:00.003-06:00

"I'm stuck!"---Ziga, while climbing into Zala's crib.

Lately, Ziga's vocabulary and language skills and overall independence are blowing my mind. Everyday, several times a day, I am amazed at how he is maturing. I am amazed, proud, and.....a little panicked. Time is going by waaaaaay too fast. I'm going to take the lead from Jamie and Heather and start posting the more about what Ziga is saying and doing, things I'm afraid I'm going to forget.

So: the last two weeks, these are words/phrases that Ziga has learned to say, clearly, with the correct meaning: "maybe, a little bit", "maybe, later (said when I asked him if he was ready to clean up play-doh and take a bath)", "sometimes", "comin' right up!" (learned this from Grandpa perhaps?), "dinosaurs/monsters/ghosts are comin'!"(followed by door slam), "Oce's workin' downstairs in basement", and other sentences that seem way too long for my little guy to be saying. He plays hide and seek with Janez and understand how the furnace makes air warm and pushes it out through the vents around our house. He picks out his own outfits, and most of the time I would let him out of the house in what he picks out.

Other accomplisments: toilet training is complete. It is very rare that Ziga has an accident now, and he is able to go into the bathroom by himself, take his pants down, get on the potty, and sometimes wipe if the situation calls for it. He is so proud of himself--"I can DO it!" he says. He can. He can do a lot. And he'll keep doing more, at alarming rates, and I'm not complaining. We're so blessed to have such healthy, beautiful kids. And as much as I miss working, I wouldn't trade staying at home for the world. And I know I can't freeze time. And, I can take comfort because I will get to re-live the baby days through Zala, who is also getting so big, so fast.

So, I have that John Mayer song in my head "Can't stop this train......I can't take the speed it's movin' in...I know I can, 'cause now I see, I'll never stop this train."

Wintertime Fun

2009-01-18T09:04:00.010-06:00

Zala is loving her exersaucer

Lindsay got Ziga a Play-Doh Activity Center for Christmas--he loves it!

Lindsay and Avery came over for a visit on Friday. Avery is getting so big and SMILES!! Janez and I agree it is like we are looking at a little Steve.

Ziga enjoyed his first hot cocoa after our brief time playing outside.

Hmm. It's just not the same with snow and below freezing temperatures. Let's go inside.

All bundled up! What do we do now?

Ok, well, not everyone would call 20 degrees FUN, but we have been trying to make the best of our first winter back. The cold spell last week sent some snow our way and we decided to put Ziga's new snowsuit (thanks Dad & Jolene!) to use. On Saturday, we met Jamie & Kohen, Heather & Emily, & Gina, Lyndon, and Amelia at Wonderscope in Shawnee. I forgot my camera that day but Jamie posted some pics to her blog. Follow the link: http://millerfamilymissouri.blogspot.com/2009/01/wonderscope.html

Random pics

2009-01-13T15:24:00.003-06:00

Ziga loves to model the Sporting Up apparell, esp. the stocking caps.

I always thought Ziga resembled Steve in some way and just couldn't put my finger on it. In this pic, I think he looks so much like him, esp. with the beenie on!

Ziga's first video game--Janez dug out Super Mario Brothers. Guess what song I had in my head ALL DAY LONG????????

We went to Emporia on Sunday to celebrate Polona's 3rd birthday party--had a fanstastic time!

Anxiously awaiting the cake....

Princess Polona thanking Ziga for her gift

Matevz is so silly with a balloon in his shirt!

Photo art: That bright orange zig zag on the left was the moon as we were driving back from Emporia on Sunday night. It was HUGE and orange. And it was small and white by the time we got home. Too cool.

So, after several weeks worth of Ziga not sleeping well (and thus, no one sleeping well), but otherwise acting totally normal, I took him to get his cough checked out today. Sounds like he has a bit of a sinus infection. I finally bought some over-the-counter cough medicine--FYI, Mucinex for kids you can give to kids 2 and up. Let's hope it works for his cough tonight. I am TIRED. Zala continues her marathon teeth-cutting, with no tooth apparent yet. I'm hoping she wakes up tomorrow with a tooth that magically appears!

New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-08T22:23:00.001-06:00

Ziga appears to be going through a "shy" phase which includes not talking to anyone on the phone, and disliking having his handiwork photographed. Pictured above his Play-Doh toast. It looks purple because white and brown have been so well mixed together than an entirely new color was formed. The Play-Doh kitchen set was a fantastic gift from Janez's parents. HOURS of entertainment. Highly recommended.

The kids and I were in pajamas until noon on Monday. It was fun, and Ziga played with Zala really well in his new favorite place, his parents' bed.

Smiley and content.

Like I said, Ziga's new favorite place. I am betting on a 4:00AM visit.

So, Santa brought Ziga this fantastic tunnel/tent ensemble. Later on Christmas day some uncle figures who shall remain nameless taught Ziga how to walk around while inside the tunnel. So, while he does not care to crawl inside the tunnel, he does walk around the kitchen in the morning, inside the tunnel, and tries to scare Zala (she just laughs) by telling her that "dinosaurs are coming!"

A New Year for the blog! Yes, folks, that's right, my plan is to post about 3 times a week. I know you're all thinking, "Ali, it's late, you need to go to bed. Obviously you're speaking from exhaustion, because you haven't posted since NOVEMBER!!!" True, my friends. But--New Year, New Me. I will be wearing my retainer. Going to the gym. Eating my broccoli. Answering emails in a timely fashion (try not to laugh at that one). And, posting to the blog regularly. To kick off the new year (yeah, I know, I know-- I'm already a little tardy, since it is already January 8th) I'm going to post some pics I took of the kids. I welcome harassment, subtle, and not-so, about posting more regularly, so feel free to er, comment.

Toddler Time

2008-11-14T16:51:00.005-06:00

Ziga's Horse

After baking chocolate chip cookies

The morning after

Brushing teeth

Zala thinks Ziga is hilarious. He gets more laughs out of her than Janez and I combined. Enjoy the video!!!

Polona spent the night at our house last Friday, and she and Ziga had so much fun! They stayed up WAAAYYY past their bedtime and got up WAAAAYYY too early the next morning. As Polona says, they are "best friends." Zala is getting more animated by the day. The video will be one of my favorites forever.

Back Up & Running!!!

2008-11-14T07:40:00.004-06:00

Who says it can't be 70 degrees in KS in November??

Grandma's Birthday

Taking a nap with Oce after the KU/KState Football Game

Grandma & Zala

Ziga's yellow crocs have been the best investment!

Gotta love this pic of Zala dressed as a flower for her first Halloween

We had a great day in Emporia at the end of October to celebrate Janko's SIXTH birthday!!! Where does the time go????

Zala started solids towards the end of October.
Welcome to the world of Rice Cereal, Princess Zala.

Due to my discovery of facebook approximately 2 months ago, as well as various computer and camera issues, the blog suffered a great deal. We are finally back on-line, although at the moment I appear to be having camera battery issues. Here are some pics of the last few months. I have some fun videos and pics of the kids that I will upload when I figure out my next technical challenge.

Big Boy Bed

2008-09-10T09:54:00.005-05:00

Ziga holding Zala. Not so sure about this apparently.

A sweet reward for taking his first nap in the new bed--a Berry Sunday from Costco!

Ready for bed (kind of--in an hour or so)!

Checking out the mattress w/sheets

What a little helper!

Is it a jungle gym or a bed frame???

Mattress approval

We picked our first watermelon on Monday! It is DELICIOUS.

Monday evening Janez assembled Ziga's new bed. We didn't get it finished until 10:00PM (why do those things always seems so simple, but take forever?) and by the time Ziga wound down, it was 11:00 PM. Naptime was kind of tough the next day but Janez was able to get him to sleep. Last night was a cinch--Janez put Elmo in bed and that's all it took. Let's hope the next few days go smoothly!

Ziga's First KU Game

2008-09-07T21:25:00.003-05:00

Sharing Popcorn

That is actually the popcorn container. I guess it doubled as a telescope. It looks like Jack was a good sport with Ziga's toddler ways!

After a Kansas interception

Janez and Ziga went to the Kansas Football game on Sunday with Jack and Mike. The boys had a great time eating popcorn and cheering for the Jayhawks. Janez reported that Ziga actually sat the entire time they were there (why can't he do that at church?), although they didn't stay for the whole game due to the rain and Jack's sister Maggie being sick :(

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-05T22:14:00.005-05:00

I love this one of Matevz riding his new bike! Yea, Matevz!

Zala driving the tractor. Learning early!

Janez got some great pics of the boys hoisting Ziga into the bed of the truck. Too cute.

Ziga and Polona sharing once again--this time in the bath!

I know monkeys shouldn't jump on beds but they were just having too much fun. For how wound up they were, they were actually quite careful about not flinging themselves off the bed. Ziga was in heaven.

Despite all-around sleep deprivation (and Gregor did his first century that morning-hooray!) a big first---the six of us went out for a drink after the kids went to bed on Saturday. Thanks Anna & Jerry for hanging with the kiddos and handling a fussy Zala!

My prediction is that Matevz and Zala will be good buds. He was incredibly sweet with her.

Watch out, Polona is behind the wheel!

We had a great time visiting Stara Mama & Stara Ata in Pittsburg last weekend. The cousins were there as well as Jurij and Melissa. Gregor rode in his first century that morning. I am bummed I don't have any pics but we are so proud of him! The kids had a blast and I am just so glad Ziga is getting to know his cousins better.

How A Week Flies.......

2008-08-25T21:30:00.005-05:00

A view from our seats. It was our first time to the Sprint Center--pretty nice!

This one's for you, Janez ;) If you look really close, you can see two band members playing accordions.

Yes, I was a total dork and took pictures of the
TV from our last row (but still fantastic) seats.

BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE!!!!! (I know I'll probably never hear the end of it, but I didn't realize until the end of the show that he wasn't being booed. I must say I was a little confused as to why people were booing Bruce. BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE just kind of sounds like BOOOOOOOOOOO in a huge stadium!!! Janez has been very nice not to bring it up again). Janez and I left the kiddos with Grandpa (thanks Dad!) on Sunday night and headed to Sprint Center with Jenny and Mike for the concert. It was the first time we have left both kids with someone else. In true Rock Star fashion Bruce didn't come on until 9:00 PM but put on a spectacular 3 hour 10 minute show. I didn't know 90% of the songs and didn't care one bit. Worth every penny, and worth getting home at 1:30 AM. Thanks so much Ty for properly preparing us for the show!

Adventures in Potty Training. Ziga sat on it exactly three times:
Once for grapes, twice for M & M's.
Ever since he caught me sneaking M & M's it hasn't been the same.

I finally put some bubbles in the bubble mower--what a fantastic toy! Ziga is all over the yard with this thing. Thanks Jasna & Gregor! :)

Kind of a rare pic of me with the kiddos.

Adventures in Bottle Feeding. Pictured above: the $13 "breast-like" baby bottle.
Did Zala take it? Never for Janez and I, but she did for Grandpa on Sunday night.

Zala wearing another frilly dress (This one's from Dina, too!). I must say it is quite fun now that she is getting big enough to fit into the cute things people have so generously given to her.

Well, I certainly have been slacking on the blog. A few highlights from the week:

A Video Makes the Blog!!!

2008-08-17T22:07:00.006-05:00

Ziga, Polona and Matevz hanging out on the coffee table.

Nope, it's not California beach--just the sand volleyball court at the Aquatic Center.

Little Miss is getting bright-eyed! Thanks for the cute outfit, Dina!!!

Ziga checking out his passport at the Ethnic Enrichment Festival. He had a blast getting stamps from all of the country booths featured there.

Getting passport stamped from the Ukraine booth.

Check out Ziga's fly dance moves in this video! Sorry, you'll have to turn your necks to watch.

We had a fun weekend with a visit from the cousins and the neighborhood block party on Saturday. On Sunday afternoon we went to the Ethnic Enrichment Festival at Swope Park.

Enjoying the Backyard

2008-08-13T22:01:00.005-05:00

We have FOUR watermelons!

.....and today we picked our first tomato!

I would turn this around but it appears I accidentally deleted the file :(

We continue to enjoy the mild weather....lots more time outside, etc. Zala is smiley and cooing--lots of fun.

Pics From This Week

2008-08-08T12:56:00.000-05:00

Like Father Like Son

Ziga, Heather, Emily, Jamie, and Kohen at Winstead's on Wednesday
after our trip to the Toy & Miniature Museum

I took the kids to the Arborteum on Thursday--great place! Ziga loved the butterflies and all of the colorful flowers. We'll be back for sure. (You're not really allowed to take pics there, tho.....)

Ziga helping me make granola bars. He loves to "help" (do it himself).

Sticker Reward System

2008-08-05T14:54:00.000-05:00

Yeah......enough said. (It didn't bother her, I promise.)

A Visit From the Cousins

2008-08-05T10:55:00.000-05:00

The kiddos love Teta Melissa!

Gregor & Polona

Zala smiles for Stara Ata

Watermelon update as of 8/3. Stay tuned!

"Ana!" --asking for more ice cream

Janko getting ready for a big swim

Little Miss Polonca with her bikini and pierced ears

Gregor and a smiling Ana

Stric Janni really got Matevz!

The cousins from Emporia came to visit on Sunday, and we had a great time! Stara Mama, Stara Ata, and Teta Melissa visited from Pittsburg, too. We were so glad everyone could come! Here are some pics...

A Hot One

2008-08-03T08:42:00.001-05:00

Drowning the ant colony Janez discovered

Adding water to the fish pond

Helping Oce drain the pool

"Gotcha!"

That cold water felt great! (not that I got wet ;)

Yesterday (like everyone else) we were really feeling the heat---low motivation to do just about anything. Finally, after a day consisting of 4 hours of Noggin and one trip to Costco, Janez decided he would take Ziga outside to do the only thing you can do outside when it is this hot--get WET!

End of July

2008-08-01T13:29:00.000-05:00

Ziga's Fave--watermelon. I can't wait for these to come up.

"Take that!" Zala learns some defense moves. Hey, you've got to toughen up with a two-year-old in the house ;)

I forgot how much I LOVE the first smiles!

The picture above this was 5 minutes before this one. Two-year-olds
must feel like they are on a constant emotional roller-coaster!

I can't believe it is August already. This summer is flying by, and it just seems like there is more and more to look forward to. My very multi-talented husband is great with the garden--Ziga loves to hang out with him while he inspects our tomato, pepper, and watermelon plants. Surely they would not be alive (or planted in the first place) if it wasn't for Janez. Ziga continues to adjust to life with his new baby sister. He is so patient with her and does extremely well with dealing with less attention. We are really blessed with our kiddos and our health.

Little Girl Smiles & Ty & Hannah's Visit

2008-07-28T13:35:00.000-05:00

Hangin' with the uncles--Steve & Ty

Zala was a bit overstimulated last night at Grandpa's--
but slept a 5 1/2 hour stretch! Hallelujah!

My fave pic of these two so far

More smiles....

Zala loves having Ziga close by

Smiley Girl

Ziga can get in and out of his own carseat now, but if we're not fast enough, this is what happens...

Zala started socially smiling last week, which has been pretty fun. Ziga is enjoying her more now that she seems to respond to him. I have a feeling they are going to get along great. Saturday Ty & Hannah visited from St. Louis. I don't know why I didn't get any pics of Hannah--I will next time! She is almost 15 now and just got her braces off. She is beautiful and intelligent, and I am proud to call her my niece!

Royals Game

2008-07-25T09:16:00.001-05:00

Zala's first baseball game!

Ziga had a great time dancing and people-watching.

Oh yeah, another reason he screamed on the way home. He wanted to have the bottle of water I had in the car all to himself. SO independent!

Very serious stuff, guys.

"Go home?"--Ziga was ready at inning 7. Probably why he screamed on the way home.

Janez got free tix to the Royals/Tigers game on Wednesday. Ziga was fantastic considering he didn't have a nap. He thoroughly enjoyed his first frosty malt, and kept his Royals baseball cap on most of the game. Zala slept through almost the whole thing. Both screamed on the way home. The car next to us on the highway could even hear Ziga when we had the window open for a minute. Overall, a success!

Life As 4

2008-07-25T09:04:00.001-05:00

We are adjusting to life as a family of four. I can kind of understand now why parents of 3 feel outnumbered....and Zala isn't even mobile yet! We have our moments, for sure, but
life as 4 is good......

Ziga loves to push Zala in her swing (very gently, of course).

Zala is getting bigger every day!

Brother & Sis weighed in at the doctor this week at 34 lbs. and 10 lbs 4 oz. Ziga is 35 3/4 inches. How has my first-born become almost 3 feet tall already?! As my co-worker Dina once said,
"If you feed 'em, they grow!"