Happy 1st Birthday, Bryson!

Sunday Zoe and I joined the rest of my family at the St. Louis Zoo to celebrate my nephew's 1st Birthday! My step-sister Heather and her husband Marvin adopted Bryson and were there a year ago for his birth. What a blessing he is to our family! You'll never meet a sweeter, happier little guy.

It was a beautiful day - about 80 degrees - and the zoo was packed. In fact, it took us about an hour to find parking. That didn't stop us from having a wonderful time.

Zoe and Cousin Gracie patiently waiting to tour the Zoo!

Birthday Boy Bryson didn't know what to think of the fountains!

California Sea Lion

Zoe enjoying the carousel.

Cousins Bethanie & Blake

Birthday Boy Bryson, his mom Heather, & Cousin Zack

Cousin Courtney & Shelby (Zack's Girlfriend)

Cousins Gracie & Tanner

Zoe as a puppy dog.

Gracie as a scary lion.

Cousin Zack, Zoe, & Zack's Girlfriend Shelby!

 And, best of all................. look at the Birthday Boy playing in his birthday cake:

Is he not the cutest?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Bryson. We love you very much!!!!

Mising In Action

I apologize. It's been almost a year since I have updated this blog. No excuse. Busy like everybody else. So much has happened in the last year. It might take me several posts to get caught up, but I will try to do that. Unfortunately, I accidentally washed my camera's reader card with over 1,000 pictures on it. So, I will have to rely on my memory to get caught up.

In May of last year (2012) Zoe was asked to represent the state of Illinois in a Kick Start Gymnastics Competition in Michigan. Zoe, her friends Paris and Taylar, and myself made the trip to a small town outside of Detroit. We found out about 1 month & a half later that Zoe had indeed made the National Kick Start Team. Zoe continued her Kick Start training all summer & then Paul, Zoe, & I made the trip back to Michigan in September for Zoe to particpate in the National Kick Start Training Camp with Olympic Coaches, Marvin Sharp and Kathryn Geddert. It was an awesome camp with Zoe doing new skills such as Giants on the High Bar and Yurchenko vaults. She came home very excited to start a new type of training with her coach. (More on that later!)

Here are the pictures I took of Zoe at Kick Start Camp:

Zoe doing a dance after working with the ballet instructor.

Zoe waiting patiently for her turn.

Zoe & friend Lilly showing their certificates.



Zoe with Olympic Coaches Kathryn Geddert & Marvin Sharp.