We Caught our Second Wind!

Boy, I must say 2013 was a tough year. I know I've said this before, but I really over-pushed my limits. 

I'm glad to say goodbye...

I had a nice, well-needed rest from it all. The holidays were very lovely and joyful.

 Now I'm ready to roll into the New Year

...like a boss!

{K} had his first basketball game last weekend and he did so well!!

We were THOSE parents yelling so loudly and over-doing it with cheers for ever bucket his team sunk...

Back to schooling...

I'm really looking forward to the last half of the year with the kiddos. I realize that even on the days when we don't seem to get anything accomplished , the children are still progressing at a rapid pace! 

I love love love being able to organize their curriculum. I also love the freedom that homeschooling gives us. 

Lately, I've been having to skip through lessons because I keep getting the response, "I already know this"...

I make them prove it every time, sure enough, we skip even more lessons....

I feel like that is something we struggled with a bit in public school, especially with the oldest...

Even if he knew it, he was still required to do it again. Don't get me wrong, repetition is very important for some things, but there is a point where boredom gets the best of us and does more than cause a little trouble.

I was looking through the pics in my camera and I was laughing so hard at the silly face poses...

         ^that's {J}'s silly face...ha!

My children really take their silly faces seriously. They give 100% effort in making a silly face, it almost looks painful...

So yeah, we've caught our second wind and are feeling like we're cruising right along merrily. 

We haven't been very social, but when the weather gets a bit nicer we'll be out more.

We're also looking for good book recommendations for {M}. She's read so many books already, but here's what she has left on her reading list for the rest of the year:

• The Phantom Toll Booth
• The Great Gilly Hopkins
• Because Of Winn-Dixie
• The Whipping Boy
• Caddie Woodlawn
• Anne of Green Gables
• Tuck Everlasting
• Sounder
• The Last Invisible Boy
• James and The Giant Peach
• Pippi Longstocking

Do you have any other awesome books around the same reading level that you highly recommend?

God Bless all of you and yours!

~The Zeres

Tis' the Season

Tis' the season for LOVE and JOY!

Even though the temperature outside (70 degrees right now) doesn't feel like Christmas, Love knows no season. 

We have really been soaking up the Holiday love around here.

Instead of snow-kissed noses, we have sun-kissed cheeks. Instead of  white-covered hills, we have green-tinted fields. I've come to learn that the Christmas cliche is not at all important to me. The Christmas miracle  that happened 2000 years ago is the most important thing, and without Him, Christmas doesn't exist. 

Where there are no snowflakes, we create them...

My lovely girl had a Christmas concert this past week and I couldn't be more proud of her. Her youth choral has been working so hard every week and they really blew our stockings off! 

They were AMAZING!! Not just because I'm MOM, but because the pieces of music they chose were incredibly challenging. They all put in 100% and it wouldn't have been possible without their directors. The directors put so much faith in these little people and they really knew what they were doing. I'm am wildly impressed!!

My little lovely really enjoyed raising her voice, and that big voice will resonate in many hearts for time to come. 

 I'm so so so proud of you little dear...we love you so!

 You have a heart of gold and you will touch so many people through your journey in life...

Thank you for always being you, and for all that you do!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good day!

PS.  Trees are not the only things we've been trimming around here. 

It took me a really really long time, but Oscar finally got a fur-cut!

He looks like a totally different dog...ha!

Daddy and Daughter Date Night...

Things are pretty fast-paced around here...

I have been really busy with a few projects including a new blog. I'm sure that most of you know about it.

If you haven't seen it you can see it here.

Yes, being really busy on top of losing so much daylight this time of year makes our days pass way too fast. Fortunately I've recorded most of those days in photos.

I had quite a scare a few days ago. I was downloading about a month's worth of photos and thought that I deleted them...ugh. I cried and got way too upset before figuring it all out...

I found them. Thank God!

I was mostly upset about losing these:

Danny and the girls had a Daddy/Daughter date night...

...awww it was so adorable...

They even got to ride in a fancy, white, limo!!

I love my beautifuls...

Happy 4th Birthday Lovely Lula

Yes, I know I can't believe it either...Lula is four years old.

Two is a milestone, three is leaving the baby stage and four is just plain BIG!!

Lula had a great birthday! It all started at Inflation Nation and it was a blast!! After climbing, jumping and running around these kids were so exhausted...

Next came ice cream cones with eyeballs :)

Need I say more about that...

 And finally the birthday party with great friends...

 ...and the poodle cake!

Happy Birthday my beautiful little princess. We love you!!