Monday, April 15, 2013

First Trip to a Dairy Farm

I was raised on a farm in small-town North Carolina; one that actually backs up to a working dairy farm. Over the years we have enjoyed taking "city-friends" to the dairy farm, and I looked forward to the day when I could take my own children.

Caroline LOVES animals and I knew the cows would be a hit. She definitely enjoyed the experience, but did not want to leave our arms; she kept a death-grip on whoever was holding her for fear of being thrown in. The farm had two small babies and then a pasture of yearlings that we watched. She took it all in and was in heaven.




 


Bye-bye, cows!

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Caroline's Half-Birthday!

We were in Seattle for Caroline's half-birthday last year and while strolling through the market Tyler bought her one tulip to celebrate. Naturally, I had to keep up the tradition, so Caroline got two tulips this year because we're halfway to two. She loved them and chose to put them in her bedroom. Sweet girl looked at them and smiled quite often!





Easter Egg Hunt

Just before Easter, I invited a few of our new friends over for an Easter Egg hunt. Some friends had already begun their holiday travels, but some could come and we had a great time!!  It did not take long for Caroline to understand what to do or that you get special treats in the eggs.



Special treats?! I'm finished with finding eggs! haha.


Kiley helped Caroline understand the real importance of the hunt.


Sweet new friends and battle buddies.




Happy Easter!


**All photos courtesy of Ashley Holland**

Monday, April 8, 2013

Caroline Will Have A ...



A sweet sister, Emma Jane, will arrive in August. We are excited to begin preparing our hearts and home for sweet Emma, more pink, ruffles and bows. 
Tyler is in big trouble!



And just because I love her curls! There are becoming longer and longer each day!

Friday, April 5, 2013

Happy Easter!

Caroline and I spent Easter in Oxford with my parents. Although Saturday was pretty, Sunday was quite gloomy. Caroline awoke to a small basket from the Easter Bunny, we had breakfast and then we went to church. The women at church call Caroline the "Cookie Monster" because she steals other kids cookies when they walk away to the bathroom; they asked me if Caroline gets chocolate cookies very often .. haha!

I am quite thankful that I got to spend the day in my hometown at the church I was raised in. There is something so special about that church and I loved the music and good, good sermon from last week.

I apologize that Easter is a bit late on the blog, but you know where I've been and I don't feel bad for one second!! Have a great weekend! :)



Thursday, April 4, 2013

Where I've Been

Boy, oh boy, do we have lots to share. Caroline had a big weekend Easter weekend and I want to share it all, but this is where I've been:



I have been holding this sweet girl during all of her sleeping hours the last few days. At 18 months she has six teeth and I feel like the rest of them are popping through all at once!! Although she has wanted to sleep, she hasn't been able to get comfortable unless it was in my arms.

I truly loved the past few days when I would just hold her sleeping peacefully. I would rock, pray for her and just look at her beautiful face. Today, I am thankful for my ability to sit with her the last few naps and nights because today just as quickly as the pain came on, she is back in her crib asleep. This afternoon, for the first time in quite a few days, she got herself to sleep and is resting peacefully. Thank you, Lord!! I hate when she is hurting, but I do selfishly love to snuggle with her.

I'll fill you in on our Easter tomorrow! For now, I'm off to rest .. alone!

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

She's One-and-a-half!

My sweet, baby girl is a year-and-a-half .. and my heart breaks!! I'm not entirely sure how this happened, but she is more of a person than I ever dreamed a 1.5 year old to be. She is kind-hearted, strong-willed and beautiful. I love her smile, her laugh and her fearlessness. Most of the time she portrays a good balance of Tyler and me.

She only has six teeth, but they serve her well. Her favorite foods include broccoli, fruits of any kind, butter beans, carrots, pizza and she'll eat most anything else. The curls on her head are finally coming in, although we are still not quite sure what color they will be.

She loves music and she loves to dance. Mumford and Fun. are her favorites right now! Baby girl is smart and she loves to read. She loves to be outside and she most certainly loves her Bella girl .. all dogs for that matter.

I look forward to who she becomes. She has brought so much joy in the last 18 months, and I cannot imagine how that will continue to grow over time. My heart is so full of love, yet each day I love her more. She is loved, she is loved, she is loved. And she knows it!!














Monday, March 25, 2013

Dying Easter Eggs

Caroline and I went to my parent's house last weekend, and while we were there we dyed Easter Eggs. This was Caroline's first experience and she loved it. She loved to dip her hands in the water, stir each cup and then dip her hands again. Although she most likely did not grasp what she was doing, it was very fun to watch her experiment with new materials. I love the tradition of dying Easter Eggs and I look forward to watching the wonder on her face change from year to year.

Caroline and Susee.

Stirring away.

Exploring.

Not sure of the colored hype!

Caroline did not like to be dirty .. the dripping water on her legs was completely unacceptable!

Quite proud of herself!



The wonder of a child.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Spring is here...

... Hopefully the weather will soon follow!




Monday, March 18, 2013

BOOM Goes the Artillery

When Tyler and I moved to Fort Bragg we struggled with living on-post or off. Ultimately we decided to live off-post in a quiet neighborhood in the historic district of Fayetteville. We love our little home, but at times there are definitely things I miss about being on-post. I miss not hearing the PT cadences as the troops run in the morning and the bugle calls at 5 pm every afternoon, but lately I have gotten my fair share of Army noises in the form of artillery.



Clearly, the Army does not use or support the cannon seen above, but it will make the point. I can tell that summer is approaching and training season is here because I hear loud booms, my house shakes and my windows rattle at all hours of the day. Imagine having rolling thunder at any time of the day, without the wind, lightning and the rain, some that lasts for mere seconds and some that rolls on for hours on end.

The other night as I laid in bed, holding my sleeping, teething toddler, listening to the booms and rumbles from post, I wondered if this is what women in war-torn countries feel. Did the women during the Civil War hold their babies and pray that the troops wouldn't come any closer? Did Korean women or Afghan women do the same in more recent times? And then I stop .. and I just praise the good Lord that I don't know what that is like. My heart does not know what it is like to have my home, my family, my life endanger on it's own turf. I have the privilege and confidence that these booms and rumbles will not approach my home, that they are simply practice for our troops.

The last few days and weeks have been full of budget-cuts and news articles defining the military member's lives as "lavish," but I think we so often forget that as Americans, ALL AMERICANS, we have it so well. What a lavish benefit to not worry that cannons and tanks will roll onto your front lawn and begin to destroy everything you know and love. What a privilege that you, my fellow American, do not have to serve in the military between high school and college because there are others who will graciously volunteer.

My family was called to serve. The Lord knew before Tyler and I were born that this would be our life, and we are honored to serve in this capacity. But before you are quick to revoke benefits, question whether or not troops are still away from home or complain that the Department of Defense has too "lavish" a budget ... think of the privileges bestowed on you and your loved ones in the form of no draft, no "must-serve" commitment, and most certainly no war on your precious doorsteps.          

** Caveat .. this is not intended to be a public battle, just thoughts that have swirled through my head recently. I genuinely believe there is fat to be trimmed in the Dept. of Defense and our government as a whole; I would be the first with a red pen on the budget if they'd let me.** 

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

We're Alive!

Hello, everyone!! Life has really changed for the Van Zandts since August, that's for sure! Tyler graduated from school, we moved, we celebrated the holidays with our family, announced that we're expecting again and Tyler has deployed for the next few months

I had grand plans of posting a message or at least picture a day during the deployment; however, I simply put one foot in front of the other in February trying to survive. We had to say good-bye to Tyler not once, not twice, but three times, Caroline and I traveled three weekends, Caroline was sick for a week and we got an entire new duct system and heating unit in the house.Quite the month!! 

We've completed one month of deployment and we're rocking our way through the second. Here are a few pictures of my sweet girl ... I'll be back more frequently than the last few months.

The last picture as a three-some.

My sweet girl after she got over her sickness.

Bella girl hanging in.

Always moving and LOVING the sunshine!