The Zortman Family

Stinky Fish

2010-03-12T22:20:00.002-07:00

First let me preface this with...this is a poop story! HA! but it's worth the read! Today Tyson had to go to the bathroom so of course I took him in and set him on the toilet. When he got done, I got him off and he looked in the toilet and he said, "Look! It's a crocodile... or a frog... maybe even a fish! Mom, that's a stinky fish!" I laughed so hard! Gotta love that kid!

Garage Organization

2010-01-22T09:07:00.002-07:00

We've needed some shelves in our garage. My dad stopped by a business that was closing and they said he could have all the shelving if he hauled it out. So two weeks ago my mom and dad came over and helped us build shelves. The best part, besides the fact that it's organized, is that I can park in there again!!!

Josh, Tyson and Dad
after the first set was built.

Snow time!

2009-12-26T17:25:00.006-07:00

One December morning we woke up to this! LOTS OF SNOW! I was so excited!

Tyson and Dallin Sledding!
They loved it!

Our little family after setting up the Christmas tree!

Josh, Tyson and Uncle Ben reading stories before bed...
they're all in a single bed! (just a little squished)

Uncle Ben swinging Ty in my dad's coat.
Ty's legs are in the sleeves.

I'll get the Christmas pics up soon...hopefully!

School Time...he's only 2!

2009-11-18T18:16:00.003-07:00

Tonight Tyson put his shoes on all by himself and went to the door. When I asked him where he was going he said, "to school mom!" So I got some paper, pencil and he got a book. While we were using those, he announced, "it's time to paint!"

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T18:09:00.001-07:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Busy!?!

2009-07-13T15:37:00.002-06:00

Ayme is busy as all get out making cakes, so I (Josh) am going to post on the blog today. That's today's post!! Keep more current on Facebook (both of us are there) or on Twitter (twitter.com/gjjimmyz). That is all!!

Well Well Well...Look Who Decided To Post

2009-05-16T06:53:00.006-06:00

Yes, my name is Ayme and I'm a blog slacker! We have been so busy the past month I finally have time to post some pictures. We went to CA in April for Easter and for my niece Sarah's baptism. We also went to the Monterrey Aquarium. This was Tyson's first time there. I'm pretty sure he enjoyed himself (see pics below).

At the Aquarium they have a toddler area with a bunch of activities. Tyson LOVED the water coming out of the wall.

Good thing I brought a change of clothes! As Ty said, "I Wet." Our only response, "Yes you are." It was too cute!

The girls promised they wouldn't get "too wet". I guess getting your whole body wet doesn't fall under the category of "too wet."

Easter

Heather and Tyson

Tyson helping daddy mow the lawn

Sing with me!: Two little monkey's jumping on the bed!
One got the lip gloss and squeezed it on Tyson's head!

These pics are from Mother's Day.
Ty and Josh made me a "Mommy's Special Bath Towel"

A P.J. shirt with Ty's fabulous coloring abilities on it!

And a yummy cookie with Ty's hand print.

That's what Mother's Day is all about!

Ty and the neighbor boy running through the sprinklers!

Ty and Trent all wet! They had a great time!

Well, along with all of that, our little business took a turn south. In hard economic times when budgets need to get cut, companies cut the staffing companies. That's what happened to us anyway. So for now, Josh is being "Mr. Mom" and I went back to teaching. I've been subbing for the past month and a half. Josh has applied a few places so we'll see what happens. We have Faith that the Lord will work it out how he sees fit. It's the whole waiting and doing everything you can that makes it crazy. We just have to remember that it's in the Lord's time, not ours.

Anyway, Life if good. We're still kickin'. Tyson has been talking so much and it alway surprises me what comes out of his little mouth. We were driving the other day and he's groovin to the music and he says, "MOM!" I say, "what Tyson?" He says, "Nice Song!" and keeps dancing away!

Well I hope that catches everyone up for now!

Popcorn Popping

2009-03-30T22:39:00.004-06:00

Another Eventful Week

2009-03-22T12:44:00.001-06:00

Well, lately there doesn't seem to be a dull moment in our lives. I won't bore you with all of it but here are some highlights!
* Tyson had his first sleep over at Grandma and Grandpa Naccarato's house. He did great!
* The bathtub got done before we went to Denver.
* We went to Denver so I could get my rapid heart beats under control. Turns out I have an extra electrical pathway in my heart. It is fixed and I should no longer have issues with it. My mom went with us to watch Tyson.
* Tyson and Josh did lots of swimming while we were there.
*Josh took Tyson to a mall over in Denver to run around and they found an arcade. Josh spent $2.00 and won 2200 tickets. Then the guy behind him won 2500 tickets and gave them to Tyson. So they had 4700 tickets! Needless to say, Tyson got A LOT of stuff, but his favorite is a big blue ball!
*When we got home from Denver Josh's mom and sister Hillary and kids were staying at our house. Josh's grandparents had their 65th wedding anniversary so Tana and Hillary wanted to come visit. We're having the party to celebrate in June.
*Josh and my dad built Tyson an AWESOME sandbox! It's 8x8 and has 2 tons of sand! Tyson absolutely LOVES it! Tyson even helped put the washers on the bolts and handed them to my dad and Josh.

I think that about covers the past week and a half. A lot crammed into a little space in time. We enjoyed seeing all the family and friends! Enjoy the pics!

Exciting Times At Our House

2009-03-07T11:17:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks at our house have been completely nuts! We've been talking about getting an elliptical for over a year and finally did it. It's AWESOME! It's an Octane, like they have in some Gold's Gyms. So hopefully Josh and I can get in shape! That was exciting to get. However, our month was about to get even more exciting. I have been working at getting our food storage to a three month supply and through our church you can buy in bulk and then rent a canner to seal everything in #10 cans. So Josh had a Thursday off so we planned on doing it then...until our tub cracked in the master bathroom. When we moved in, it had a little crack but nothing that leaked. Well, now it leaks. So Josh's friend Matt came over and he and Josh ripped out the tub, on the day we were going to do canning. So Becky (Matt's wife) and I canned while Matt and Josh ripped out the bathroom. The boys went to the hardware store for some things and us girls were canning away, then, I wasn't paying attention and I sealed the can to the canner! It was hilarious! We got hammers and screwdrivers and were trying to chisel it off. We wanted to get it off before the guys got back. No such luck. Becky was chiseling away and Josh walked in. The look on Becky's face was as if she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar! Josh finally used brute force and noodles went flying! What a day!

Then I had the Relief Society Birthday Party coming up that I did a slide show and made the cake for. This last week was filled up with that. It turned out very nice. Our theme was Relief Society Around the World. Sisters brought food from different countries, the slide show had pictures of travels from around the world then we finished with a pinata that had a message for everyone to take home. It was a very nice evening. Check out the cake at:

www.aymescakes.blogspot.com

Tyson is hilarious as ever! He's into calling Josh "Josh" instead of Daddy. He says mom about 5 times when he's going to sleep, then I say what and he does a raspberry and starts giggling. He loves Elmo and Dinosaurs. He loves to play outside and run around. He loves going to the park and going down the slides! We have a lot of fun! Oh, he recently has started playing golf in my parents with my dad. Enjoy the pics.

The old Tub

The hole

Installing the new tub! It's a jacuzzi! Wahooo!

Mom's Birthday

2009-02-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my Mom's 60th birthday today. He birthday was on the 4th but she was in Salida. To see her cake click:

www.aymescakes.blogspot.com

A Fun Day at the Park

2009-02-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a beautiful 52 degrees so we went to the park with Becky, Abby and Dallin.

Abby and Tyson off to play.

Ty LOVES the slide!

Ty and Dallin (with static hair!)

They were trying to climb up the slide but were not successful.

So, Have you ever split you pants...in public?

2009-02-03T15:19:00.000-07:00

Tyson and I went to Kidz Plex today for play day. I wore my favorite pair of jeans (you know the kind...extremely worn in) . We got in the balls and I hear a "rip." Yep, my pants split right down my backside! It was a beautiful day today so I didn't have a jacket. I thought I had one in the car though, turns out I didn't. So Tyson and I went to JC Penny to find a pair of jeans. My shirt did not cover the rip (it was a good 12 inches) so I took off Tysons vest and tucked it in my back pocket to cover my butt. I'm positive no one would want to see that! So I found some jeans and put them on and wore them to the checkout. I told the lady I was wearing the jeans that I needed to buy and took the tags off infront of her just to make sure I covered my bases. I wouldn't want them to think I was trying to steal them or something. I told her what happened and she laughed. It was pretty funny. This is not the first time I have worn out my jeans to the point that they split. It has happened not once, but twice before. However, in both those instances I had a jacket to wrap around my waist. Just so you know, I do have other jeans. Matter of fact I just bought 3 new pair. However, they are not as broke in as the pair I started off in today. So I hope you get a kick out of this. I did.

Too Cute

2009-01-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share this cute picture of Tyson! He now says mom, daddy, eeth (teeth), doggie, momo (elmo), bubble, yes, wa wa (water) and cheese. He loves to dance! It is so funny to watch him. He bounces up and down then lays on his back and the best way I can discribe it is break dancing. I'll have to video it. He is VERY into climbing everything. He is so fun!

There is a new cake on the cake page. Check it out!

http://www.aymescakes.blogspot.com/

AZ Trip

2009-01-06T22:34:00.001-07:00

Photobucket Album

Click on the picture and it will take you to Photobucket where the rest of the pictures are!

It's about time

2009-01-06T15:27:00.000-07:00

Well, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year a little late to everyone. Thank you to all that sent Christmas cards, we love them. I didn't get a chance to get cards out this year. So consider this entry your Christmas card. Lame, I know.

We spent Christmas and New Years in Arizona with Josh's family. It was a lot of fun! We flew to Phoenix and finally got there a few hours late because of weather delays in the Northwest. But Tyson did very well and he was keeping people smiling in the airport.

On Monday, Dec 22, my awesome sister-in-law Hillary took her mom-in-law, mom and me to see Michael McLean's "Forgotten Carols." All I can say is "WOW!" It was amazing. Just what I needed to put me in the right frame of mind for the season. If you haven't seen the play, you need to. It was very touching.

The next day we went to see the Mesa Temple lights. They were beautiful. There is nothing like walking around the Temple grounds at Christmas time. Then we went to "Christmas Street." It is a neighborhood where everyone totally decks-out their house with lights and you walk through the neighborhood. One family decorates their backyard like Bethlehem and you walk through and listen to a message about Christ. If I remember correctly it was a Baptist family that did it and it was beautifully done.

Christmas Eve was spent at Hillary's mom-in-law's house. Mariah played the piano and Chandler and Mariah sang a few songs. Then Ben (Hillary's Husband) read a story about the meaning of the symbols of Christmas. Very nice. The next day was Christmas, of course. We stayed with Josh's mom and so everyone came over for Monkey Bread, applesauce, deviled eggs and hot chocolate (Zortman tradition). Tyson had fun opening his presents and playing with his cousins. Lunch was at Hillary's. She went off the beaten path of traditional turkey and mashed potatoes. We had pork salad instead...very very very good. New Years was full of games and laughing. We watched the ball drop, then went to bed.

We went to the Phoenix Zoo and to Tucson to see Chris (Josh's brother). There's pics below of both. We also saw a friend of mine from Pueblo that I haven't seen in I think about 12 years. They have three little girls. Tyson was shy at first, then after about five minutes he acted like he owned the place. We also went to see my cousin Jason and his family. Mandy made a great split pea soup. I had never had Split pea soup before, it was very good. We had a nice visit with them. The last time I saw them was at their wedding. Now they have a very cute little girl named Savannah. Now, complements of Tyson, she has a goose egg on her head. Sorry Savannah!

This year has been full of ups and downs. Sometimes it felt like more downs than ups. We miss Josh's Dad, but we are grateful that we have the knowledge that we are an Eternal Family and we will see and be with him again someday. We are grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice. We are grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who gave his Son so that we can all return to Him someday.

We love our family and friends and are grateful for all the love and support that everyone gives us. May 2009 be full of fun, love and happiness.

A Nice Sunday Afternoon

2008-12-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

I was driving past the cemetary on my way to Ayme's parent's house and saw that some nice person had place a fresh wreath on every headstone. The whole place was also covered with a fresh 5 inch layer of snow. Deciding I would have none of the fresh snow bit, I stomped through it to bring all of you this nice picture.

Actually, I couldn't pass up this chance to capture such a meaningful picture.

Words cannot explain the feelings I felt on this;

A Nice Sunday Afternoon

18 months and growing

2008-12-08T13:16:00.001-07:00

I can hardly believe Tyson is 18 months. At church he got to go to Nursery for the first time, by himself. He cried when we left. I was told he eventually stopped. I refuse to check on him every 5 or 10 minutes like some parents. If they settle down, then the parent peeks their head in the door, the crying starts all over. He'll get used to it. We have an AMAZING Nursery Teacher in our ward. All of the kids have their own placemat with their picture on it. Sister Patterson has made each of the kids sock puppets and is VERY organized. I know he'll have alot of fun. I took this picture real quick before we left for church.

Parade of Lights

2008-12-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday we took Tyson and my mom to the Parade of Lights downtown. Finding a place to park was nuts, however, my brilliant husband saw two big mounds of dirt in a parking lot and parked between them. Tyson wasn't sure what to think of it at first but we told him to wave and wave he did. He waved for the next 45 minutes. I think he actually enjoyed it. He clapped for a few floats too.

Thanksgiving...

2008-12-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know Thanksgiving was 2 1/2 weeks ago. We've been busy. We had Thanksgiving at my parents house this year. Josh's sister Heather and her family came over, and my brother and a friend came home from SLC. The guys went out in the morning and shot trap. I didn't get to go. I had the realization that I am now an adult, with a kid, so I get to stay home and cook. Who made that rule? Oh well, in a few years Ty can go shooting then I can go too! Anyway, we had a nice day and have so many things to be thankful for. I am thankful that I have a loving husband that is my best friend. He is a great provider for our family and it's fun to watch him with Tyson. I am greatful to have my little boy. He cracks us up. He is 99% of the time a happy kid. Even last night he was asleep and laughing, it was too cute. I'm greatful for our parents, friends and extended family. We are very blessed to have so many great people in our lives.

Below are pictures of the table. For some wierd reason I like to set the table all fancy for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. A friend of mine made these little turkeys for our music makers class. She got the idea off of someone else blog. So whoever that is...Thanks!

Turkey Bowling

2008-11-22T21:18:00.000-07:00

In our house, we play with our food.

Tip-toe through the Tulips

2008-11-19T19:08:00.000-07:00

Well, before you tip-toe you have to plant them. That's what Grandpa Tom and Tyson did today. My dad said that after throwing the first four, Tyson learned to throw the tulip bulb in the hole then they covered them up with dirt. They planted about 50 bulbs and had a lot of fun!

Ground Check.

Throwing the bulb in the hole.

Covering it up with dirt.

Mr. Destructo

2008-11-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

We were at Khols tonight and Josh was holding Tyson. Tyson wanted down. Josh put him down and went to look at some stuff. I was watching Ty and he was trying to take his coat off. So being the good mom that I am, ha ha, I took it off of him. As soon as the jacket was off, he ran to some very cute snowman ceramic bowls and before I could do anything he picked up a bowl and threw it. Yep...it shattered. So we picked up all the pieces we could and told an associate they needed the vacuum and we proceeded to the checkout with our broken bowl. We go up to the checkout and placed our bowl on the counter and paid $5 for a broken bowl we had the clerk throw away. What a kid! He throws EVERYTHING! I have to admit, Josh and I tried to keep from laughing. We knew we shouldn't laugh, but we were so shocked that he actually threw the bowl. Anyway, that is the story of Mr. Destructo.

UT, CA, & Halloween Pics

2008-11-03T13:39:00.000-07:00

High School Musical 3

2008-10-24T09:03:00.000-06:00

Some of you know that I am in California visiting my sister. Last night, actually, VERY early this morning, 12:01 am to be exact, we took the girls to see High School Musical 3 in the theater. Heidi and I took Taylor, Sarah and Brooke. Heidi's friend brought her 4 kids too. It was actually Heidi's friends idea that we do this. We got the kids to bed early and then woke them up at 11:30pm and took them to the show. Yes, they did have school this morning. The show was actually pretty good. The girls loved it. I must say there were also some high school kids there that were totally in to it. At the end of the movie (don't worry I won't give anything away to any of you dying to see it) one of the charaters announces what college he is going to and this girl infront of us started cheering and screeming, like the character is REALLY going to this school! It was so funny! Anyway, take your kids, it was cute. Oh, the girls weren't happy this morning like they promised, but Heidi said they were pretty good. I didn't see them because I was still SLEEPING!

"Doggie"

2008-10-17T19:22:00.001-06:00

He did it! Tyson said his first word. Well, he says mama and da, but "Doggie"... that is more than just a sound, it is an actual word! We always joke that doggie would be his first word, and it was! That's my boy!

I'm a Shrimp!

2008-10-15T12:25:00.000-06:00

Tyson started "swim lessons" yesterday. He is in the Shrimp class. He was so funny. The teacher passed us a ball and we said our names, then we had to pass the ball back, and it went on around the circle. Well, Ty has a deep love for balls. The teacher was trying to move on to something else and Ty just wanted to play with the ball. She finally had to remove the ball from the pool. That's my boy! We worked on floating on their tummies and backs and holding onto the wall. He had a lot of fun.

The Great Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-12T21:45:00.000-06:00

Tyson got to experience his first pumpkin patch. Honestly, I think it was mine too. It was soooo cold so we didn't stay very long. Tyson prefered riding in the wagon with the pumpkins rather than walking around. We had a fun time.

Mom and Ty
Ty picking his first pumpkin.
Ty happy to be in the wagon with the pumpkins.

Baby Shower

2008-10-11T18:50:00.000-06:00

I did a baby shower for a friend of mine today. Her little boy is 5 weeks but she wanted to wait until after the baby came because they didn't know what they were having. They had a little boy and his name is Jaxton. He is very cute. We had a nice time.

The cupcakes

I stole this idea from my sister-in-law...THANKS HILL!

However, I don't have a cool mantel like she does so I had to use the window!

We kept it simple with little cakes, fruit, fruit dip and nuts.

I stole this idea from my sister...THANKS HEIDI!

Mommy's Little Helper

2008-09-26T15:18:00.000-06:00

When it is Tyson's laundry day, he likes to push his laundry basket to the laundry room. After I put it in the washer he crawls in his laundry basket, grabs onto the sides and gets to go on a ride back to his room. I just hope in a few years and when his a teenager that he will still want to help. I won't hold my breath!

Life of a 1 year old

2008-09-20T23:03:00.000-06:00

I was thinking today...and yes, it hurt, Tyson is so funny when he learns something new, discovers, tastes something new, etc... Well, about a month ago he boycotted his crib and started sleeping his the single bed in his room. Yesterday, Josh and I took down the crib and put it away. My little baby is still little, but not a baby. He feeds himself, walks, points to whatever he wants, knows how to get me to give him what he wants, he's just growing up.

Friday, Josh introduced Ty to Oreo Cakesters. Josh gave it to Ty in my car driving home from the store. What a MESS! Josh has created a monster. Josh bought more to show me how Ty could devour them. (See picture)

Then we went to the car races. It was just street legal cars so it wasn't too loud for his ears. He clapped and like to watch the cars. Josh held him and told him about the cars. It was cute. Josh liked going to the races with his dad. I'm glad he can share that with Ty. I just wish Grandpa could be there too. I know Josh does.

Today he got to pick apples (he stood on the ladder for a minute) from a friend of my parents orchard. But he was more interested in their black lab and throwing an apple for her to fetch.

Then tonight, yet another Cakester. He inhaled them and it's hilarious because he gets so excited. Anyway, it's fun to watch him learn about new things. He makes us laugh. We are so blessed to have him.

Pro Apple Bobber...In Training

2008-09-11T18:41:00.001-06:00

Tyson loves to play with balls. He picks up all balls with his hands...except this particular one, he picks up with his mouth. It is so funny to watch. It's like he is copying the dogs when they play fetch. He throws the ball, runs after it, picks it up (in his mouth) then throws it again. We didn't get the entire thing on video, but here is a little bit.

Posted by Tana New Flowers

2008-09-09T16:42:00.000-06:00

Hi, Thought you would like to see the new flowers I put up for Jack. The others weren't bad but I wanted to get some fall done, as it is getting to be fall here. The work I did at the flower shop many moons ago is helping to make me feel good about the arrangements that I do. The feild in the picture is to the side of the cemetery there in the evening you can see the deer grazing! It's pretty impressive. I am going to try to get my own blog someday but until then I have an excuse to come and use Ayme's. Enjoy!

No Double Chippin'

2008-09-09T11:58:00.000-06:00

Last night Josh was eating chips and salsa watching the Bronco game. Tyson went and sat next to Josh and dug his hand into the chips. Tyson would take a bite of a chip and then put the chip back in the bag and get another chip out so Josh told him "No Double Chippin'!" Ty would just laugh and get another chip, dip it in the salsa, take a bite then put the chip back in the bag. It was hilarious! I went to get my camera to take a picture but my battery was dead.

Ty also had his 15 month check up today. He weighs 21 lbs 9 3/4 oz (13th percentile). 31 1/2 inches tall (64 percentile). He got two shots so he wasn't too thrilled with that. But he is a healthy little guy.

Josh is still working his tail off. However he is going to take a three day weekend this week!!! So we'll have to so something fun! YEAH!!!

The House Guest

2008-08-29T22:12:00.000-06:00

We have a little house guest. She is 10 years old and her name is Peaches. She is a toy poodle. My mom's friend is in Oregon so Peaches is staying with us. Tyson LOVES her. He loves to throw the ball for her and this morning was so funny because Ty was chasing her around the house and Peaches tolerates him. He gets so excited when she chases the ball or when she licks his hand. Here is a little video. I wish I could get it when he is walking around with her giggling, but whenever I pull out camera, his focus shifts to me.

Pictures from August

2008-08-24T22:28:00.000-06:00

There are more pics of the cake I did this weekend on the Ayme's Cakes page. (Link on the right)

It's been awhile...

2008-08-22T17:43:00.000-06:00

It has been awhile since my last post. This month has just flown by. Here is a recap of our crazy month. First off, we hired 3 employees for our business. Josh has been working his tail off trying to train. He has been working 6 days a week, 10-14 hour days. I keep telling him it'll be worth it. I'm not sure he believes me.

Josh and I both had birthdays. I turned the dreaded 30 and Josh is a wee lass at 29. Josh got me an airbrush for cake decorating and I got Josh a fire pit for the backyard. We had, what is turning into our annual birthday BBQ and had fun.

Tyson is walking (more than just 6 steps). He is going all over the place. It is so fun to watch him grow. However he got his first bruise on his forhead. He and the entertainment center had a discussion and the entertainment center won. He also tripped on a kitchen chain and cut his lip with his top tooth and got his first fat lip. (That was two days ago after discovering he has a double ear infection). It's been a rough couple of days. Oh, and at the beginning of the month he cut two new top teeth. The total is now up to 8!

Last weekend we went down to Salida for my cousin Megan's wedding. It was so good to see everyone. My cousin Gina and her husband were there with there new little boy Dillon. He is 9 months. I haven't seen Gina in probably 5 years. Check out Gina and Anthony's Blog. Cute family.

My mom, my mom-in-law, my sister-in-law, Ty and I all went to Ridgeway one Saturday for the Arts and Crafts show that my friend Erica was in. I am so proud of her. She is an amazing artist. Check out her web site. http://www.ericaesser.com/ She is amazing. And today is her birthday! Happy Birthday Woman!

Lastly, I have a new calling at church. I am now the 1st Counselor in the Relief Society. I am very excited about it actually. For those of you who are for familiar with our Church, the Relief Society is an organization for women 18 and older.

I think that catches us up. I'll try to get some pics up. I'm doing a wedding cake this weekend so I probably won't get them up until next week!

Oh I almost forgot. Tyson has also discoved unrolling the toilet paper and throwing things in the toilet! It's been fun at my house!!!

Gone Fishing

2008-07-31T00:19:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine called today and asked if I would do a cake for her husband...for tomorrow. He likes fishing so this is what I came up with. I had an idea in my head but I wasn't sure how it would come out and this is what I got. I think it turned out pretty good.

Silly Girls

2008-07-27T21:18:00.000-06:00

This past week my sister was in town with her five girls. I was so glad that they came out. We had a lot of fun this week. On Tuesday we took them bowling then Wednesday we left for Salida. We took the girls to see Grandma Flower and the rest of the family down there. We took them swimming and Tyson and Riley (they are 1 month apart) had a blast playing in the little fountains in the pool. Tyson did really well in the car due to the fact that he had cousins as entertainment. The girls kept him laughing the whole way. I guess there was one exception on the way down. He cried for the last hour of the trip. We came back on Friday night and on Saturday we took them to the dinosaur museum in Fruita. My friend Becky and her kids went with us. Then, Saturday night...the BIG event...the Miley Cyrus / Hannah Montana Concert on the Disney channel. We pulled the big screen down and had a party. It was actually pretty fun to watch the girls. Brooke and Sarah spent the night and we took them back to my parents house on Sunday.

So today Heidi was outside and found a little toad and brought in the house. She put it on Riley's head and on her back. Riley didn't seem to mind. We played with the little toad for awhile inside then the girls took it outside and helped it slide down the slide into the pool. By help I mean, put it in a cup of water and dump it on the slide. After a while we did give the poor little toad a break and put him in the garden.

They are leaving in the morning and I am sad to see them go. I don't get to see my sisters family all that much, usually about once a year...and it stinks. We wish they were closer, but what can you do? Tomorrow they are going to see my brother and grandma in SLC. Ben is going to take the girls to see East High School where High School Musical is filmed and he got them cast t-shirts. He will be in High School Musical 3 as a teacher. I guess Charpae (sp?) walks by him or something. Anyway, enjoy some pics from the week.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Another post for Pops!! (Another post from Josh)

2008-07-22T22:51:00.000-06:00

This is the headstone that we picked out for Pops. I was so happy that it is finally in place. I try to make it out to see him once a week and have been doing pretty good. So, imagine my surprise when mom called and said the stone was up. I was just there 4 days previously and no stone. I went out to see it on my lunch break today, and even though all the stones in the park are made identical, Pops' looked so nice. What made it even more special was that the little flag Tyson got him on the 4th is still there along with a coloring page left by one of the other grandchildren. They were his true joy in life. Give them all a big hug from Pops!!
This stone marks the final resting place of a man who most deserved the rest!!

Stolworthy Reunion

2008-07-20T23:08:00.000-06:00

This weekend we went to southern Idaho for the Stolworthy Reunion. This reunion was celebrating my Great-grandparents (on my mom's side) 100th wedding anniversary. We drove up on Thursday and on the way stopped and saw our friend Kristy and her little girl Payton and our friends Zack, Erica and their new little baby Owen. Tyson got a little jealous when I held Owen. Ty didn't think that was too cool. We really enjoyed our visits and wish we could have stayed longer but it was on to Idaho!

First I have to say that I have some of the most talented family members. They always impress me. Below is our "Family Tree." My Uncle Carl painted the tree. It was probably 6 1/2 feet tall. Then my amazing Aunt Bonnie made every family member an apple to go on the tree. Each family is color coded and the kids are all linked to their parents. There are 427 apples on this tree. My great-grandparents, William and Martha Stolworthy had six children: Rowdon, Dean, Gordon (my grandpa), Elaine, Geneil, and Fern. From these six children it is amazing to me that there are 427 people (not including spouses). Josh and I were on the same apple.

We went went swimming, played games, shot the BB Gun, had a little "fish pond" for the little kids, our family auction and just got the chance to visit with cousins that I haven't seen in a long time. We had a really nice time.

My Family's Apples

Ty in the pool.

Cousins Jackie and Shawna

Just hanging out.

I think there was something like 120 people there. A big thank you to everyone that put this together. We had a nice time.

When we were driving home, my sister Heidi called and said that she and her girls were at my parents house. She lives in California and was going to surprise my parents. Well, mission accomplished. We got there and Heidi and the girls were hiding in the back bedroom. We got my dad in and sitting on the couch and my mom was in the kitchen. The girls all ran out and yelled "SURPRISE!" I am just glad we set my dad down. He was in total shock. He said it was the best surprise he has every received. So now we will have a fun week with the girls.
The fun never ends!

Happy Birthday Pops!!

2008-07-07T23:06:00.000-06:00

I (Josh) don't write in here much. But today is special because it's Pop's birthday, so all readers get to hear from me. Mom, Matt, Veronica, Ayme, and I (and all the kids of course) went out to the cemetery and let off a bunch of helium balloons with little notes attached. At the same time Heather and her family in Delta did the same, and Hillary and her family in Chandler, AZ did the same, and Chris and his family in Tuscan, AZ did the same. While we were out there a deer came walking across the field, it really let me know that Pops was there with us to join in the festivities. It was really nice to be together even though we're hundreds of miles apart. It's nice to know that we can all share in such a special memory of Pops. He left a true legacy and such a strong spirit within all of us. I'm happy we get to celebrate such a great man!! We love you lots Pops!!
(Hey Hill, check out the pics and vids)

Happy 4th Of July!!!

2008-07-04T23:26:00.000-06:00

We hope everyone had a safe a Happy Independence Day! We did! We took flowers to Josh's dad's grave. It always feels peaceful, and still a little sad when we go there. Then we went up to my parents house for a BBQ, Botcci Ball (it was me and Josh against my parents and well, we won't mention the score. My dad is still bragging!) and of course FIREWORKS! Let me just say how cute my little Tyson is! He LOVED the fireworks. He clapped and squealed and laughed. It was so cute. Then Josh lit some of those ones that look like a strobe lights and he put his hands over his eyes and turned away. The way he did it was, well, you guessed it...cute! He had a lot of fun. Josh and I were not sure how he was going to handle the noise and everything that goes along with fireworks since Josh was afraid of them until he was about 6 or 7 and I was afraid of them up until (ashamed to admit this) about 4 or 5 years ago.

We hope everyone remembers why we have this important holiday to celebrate our nation and all that it stands for. We are so blessed to be Americans. We have so many rights and privileges that other countries don't have. GOD BLESS AMERICA, MY HOME SWEET HOME!!!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

On the Move!

2008-06-28T11:19:00.000-06:00

Tyson is starting to walk and stand up on his own. He gets so excited for himself.

Here is a little video.

Zortman Family Reunion

2008-06-25T09:18:00.000-06:00

This weekend we went to Denver for the Zortman Family Reunion. Josh's cousin Katey set us up in the Marriot in Broomfield where she works. THANK YOU KATEY! It was perfect. Pretty much all of the out-of-town family stayed there so we had some fun pool parties. On Saturday everyone went to Josh's cousin Kim's house for lunch, dinner and we can't forget the Zortman Family Olympics. Thank you Kim, Michelle, Deana and families for all your hard work. Cousin Joe organized the Olympics. There were many rounds of sack races, three-legged races, the sponge relay and a fun little craft that we built to represent our families.

On Monday we went to Water World. I was going to take my camera in but forgot it in the car so I don't have any pics, which I'm pretty bumbed about. Tyson had so much fun! He loved going down the waterslides! He clapped and laughed. It was fun to watch him. He also enjoyed the little kids part. It was even better because they pump WARM water in the kids areas. Tyson even went on the big family tube slide with me, Josh and Josh's brother Chris. At first he was a little scared but then we all started clapping and saying "yeah" so then he stared clapping and laughing.

Here are some pics from the Zortman Family Olympics! Enjoy!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Tyson's 1st Birthday Party

2008-06-08T12:45:00.000-06:00

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

2008-06-07T20:35:00.001-06:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Tyson's 1st Birthday

2008-06-07T19:28:00.001-06:00

Well it's been a year in the making...Tyson had his 1st Birthday today. We had some family and friends over for tacos and of course cake and ice cream. I have to admit, I got a little choked up when everone sang "Happy Birthday." Tyson was so good. He laughed and played and enjoyed his cake. He also loved all the boxes that his presents came in! (ha ha!) Here are a few pictures from our day. Once I figure out how to do a slide show I'll put more up.

The imfamous Giraffe Cake. It stands about 3 feet tall.

Our little family.

Did I mention it was windy...oh, I didn't...well, it was, hence the fabulous hair I have.

The Birthday Boy!

MMMM...Cake!

In Honor of Grandpa Jack

2008-05-29T22:21:00.000-06:00

Last Thursday, May 22, 2008, Josh's dad returned to his Father in Heaven. He had fought diabetes for a long time. He passed away at home and we were blessed to be with him during his last days on this earth. Today was his funeral. It was beautiful. He is a retired State Trooper so fellow Troopers were there to honor him. One of his brothers spoke, a fellow Trooper spoke as well as a family friend. They all did a great job.

He was laid to rest at the Veterans Memorial Park here in Junction. He was honored with a 21 gun salute as well as words from fellow Veterans. Josh's mom was then presented with the American Flag.

We are so blessed to have had Grandpa Jack in our lives. I know Josh misses his dad. But as he said, "It's harder to watch him suffer every day. Now I know he is at peace."

So, rest now Dad. You fought a good fight.

We Love You!

Tyson and Grandpa Jack

2008-05-18T10:49:00.001-06:00

This is Tyson and his Grandpa (Josh's dad) yesterday at our nephews birthday party. Josh's dad has been on dialysis for 4 years and is tired. He has decided to stop dialysis and rest. He has fought a good fight with diabetes. It is his time...and he is at peace with his decision. We love our Grandpa Jack!

New Cakes

2008-05-17T00:20:00.001-06:00

Check out the new cakes on the "Ayme's cake" page.

Ribbit!

2008-05-14T11:56:00.001-06:00

Here is the newest cake. This was for my friend Becky's mom. She LOVES frogs. Becky made 3 round cakes then I carved them out to make a frog, covered it it fondant and this is what we got. I was pleasantly surprised how it turned out. I am doing a baby shower cake for tomorrow, then another frog on Saturday for a friend's little boy that is turning 1. So I'll post those when they are complete.

What A Week!

2008-05-10T21:53:00.000-06:00

Well, they are all finished. This has been a crazy week. On Monday I made 4 carrot cakes for the actual wedding cake, on Tuesday I made sure I had enough fondant and edible pearls. I realized I didn't so I put in a rush order. On Wednesday morning I started covering the cupcakes that I had previously made, cut and put in the freezer. Then I realized I needed some help so I called my mom and she saved my little tooshie. We continued on Thursday. On Friday we catered a dinner for a different wedding, and the rest of my supplies courtesy of the Brown Santa (UPS Man). On Saturday kept plugging along and finally finished at 3:30! What I week I am exhausted! But it was fun and a little stressful at times getting all of it done. The Bride and Groom loved the cupcakes and that's what counts. Diana (the bride) said that they were exactly what she wanted. So that made me feel good. Below are the pictures of how the tables were set up. So the final stats on the cakes: 200 cupcakes, 20 lbs of fondant, 6400 edible pearls...and a bunch of other stuff!

The picture of Tyson in the sink was at the church when we were catering on Friday. He enjoyed sitting in the sink so he could see me. He started leaning over and getting potatoes out of the sink next to him and giving them to me! What a good little helper!

Wedding Cakes

2008-05-09T13:55:00.000-06:00

These are wedding cupcakes that I (with help from my mom) am making for a friends wedding on Saturday. Josh wanted me to post a pic so he could show everyone in Steamboat. There are 100 with purple fondant and 100 with white fondant. I'll put up more pics tomorrow when everything is completed.

April Shower brings May SNOW!

2008-05-01T09:00:00.000-06:00

This is what we woke up to today...guess we're not going to the park!
The flakes are really big and it's coming down at about a 45 degree angle! YAHOOO! Josh just LOVES the snow! (sarcasm intended) But I think it is beautiful, as long as the roads are cleared tomorrow night.

Fun at the park!

2008-04-30T18:40:00.001-06:00

Since Josh didn't have to go to work until 11:30 today we all went down to the park. Tyson loves to swing and go down the slide. I usually lay him down to slide but he sat up all the way down today! Then we walked over to the river and threw rocks in. Ty liked to see the water splash when the rock hit. Yesterday while Tyson and I were at the park a train engine when by the the conductor waved and Tyson waved back. He is such a fun little kid. Oh yeah, he cut his third tooth on Saturday morning.

The Moose are Loose

2008-04-30T18:26:00.000-06:00

Today there were three moose that hung around the condo today. Josh noticed them when he went to work at 11:30 and they were still there at 4:00 when he came home for his break. We took Tyson out to see them (keeping a safe distance of course). He waved and clapped for the moose, it was cute. Then about 10 minutes ago I was making some frosting flowers and I look up and there is a moose standing less than 15 feet from the side door. I didn't want to scare it so I didn't open the door to get a picture. However, the flash was on (I didn't know this) and I got a nice picture of glare off the door. Then all three trotted off by the neighboring condos. I've never seen a moose that close before. We have seen them at Yellowstone, but not that close!

It's Sticking!

2008-04-24T21:06:00.000-06:00

After snowing all day it started to stick tonight. Here's a couple of pictures of the white stuff that Josh LOVES so much! (Josh is so tired of the snow he is ready to move to Arizona! Don't get your hopes up Hillary!)

Steamboat

2008-04-24T17:23:00.000-06:00

Monday morning we left for Steamboat and when I got Tyson up his little eyes were so swollen that he could barely open them. I think my boy has allergies...yippee! He also has a cough and a runny nose so this week has been very fun!
This picture was taken in the car his eyes are still a little swollen in this picture.

Since Josh is working up here for three weeks we rented a condo from a pharmacist that Josh works with. It sure beats sitting in a hotel room. There is a living room, dining room, kitchen two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It's really nice.

This whole week has been beautiful, around 60-65 degrees. Today started off with blue, sunny skies, then it SNOWED! And it is still snowing. Nothing is sticking to the ground, but it is snowing. I tried to take a picture but you can't really see the snow coming down very well.

Baby Mozart

2008-04-10T12:38:00.000-06:00

Julliard, Here I Come!!!

A Good Combo!

2008-04-03T15:27:00.001-06:00

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Family reunion - Free genealogy

All Done!

2008-04-02T15:35:00.000-06:00

Well, I did it. I turned in my letter of resignation to the school district. I am no longer an employed teacher. I have to admit it was wierd. I am so greatful that I get to stay home with Tyson. I am so blessed that Josh has a great job that allows me to stay home. But it is still wierd. I have been employed since I was 16. But more than that, it's turning my kids at school over to someone else. I love my job. I love my students. I like the way one teacher at school simply said it, "there will always be kids to teach." So for now, and hopefully until my kids are grown and on there own, I'm a mom...And I am VERY excited about that!

Music

2008-03-31T22:46:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone, this is Josh checkin' back in to the blogisphere. Ayme is the greatest blogger ever, she hooked our blog up with a music player. I'm hoping to sell this blog for a few million dollars, so the player will increase the value significantly. Anyhow, enjoy the tunes. (If you really like it, e-mail Ayme. I bet she will show you how to add a player to your blog.....for a price.) We try to accommodate all requests. If you were old enough to vote for Carter, just turn the volume down on your computer.

Reading the Standard Works

2008-03-31T08:19:00.000-06:00

In January my friend Brad created a blog about reading all the Standard Works in 2008. He lists weekly readings and the pages that you should be on. If you started in January, you would only have to read 7 pages a day with 13 skip days. Anyway, I am WAY behind. But I am going to try to catch up. As Brad says, it's not to late to start. Click on the link on the right and start reading! I'm going to do my best!

Not Gonna Do It!

2008-03-30T17:08:00.000-06:00

I think getting in the carseat is turning into a game for Tyson. He is not a fan of the car seat and lately when I try to sit him down he gets stiff and laughs at me!

Easter Again

2008-03-30T16:53:00.001-06:00

Well, last week I didn't get a picture of Tyson in his Easter outfit because he did what he does best and spit up all over it. So we tried again today and here is our cute little guy.

The Compound Has Been Secured

2008-03-27T21:31:00.000-06:00

WE HAVE A FENCE!!! The guys came back today to finish the job. It took three guys about 4 hours to put up 294 feet of 4' chain link (so we can still see the horses and have our view of the Colorado National Monument), one 10' double swing gate (in 6' cedar), one 5' single swing gate (in 6' cedar) and an 11' stretch of 6' cedar with a 4' gate. YAHOOO!

Josh asked me why I was excited about the fence and I said that kids can go play and I don't have to worry about them touching the electric fence. I asked Josh why he was excited and he said that now it is clearly marked what his territory is (now maybe he'll quit peeing around the yard! HA! HA!). Ah, the difference between men and women!

MMMMMM...PEEPS!

2008-03-23T22:59:00.000-06:00

The Easter Bunny left Tyson some blue PEEPS. The following are the events that took place shortly after Tyson looked at it.

Tyson: "Hmm...something new, I think I'll put it in my mouth."

"What is this blue squishy treat?"

"I don't know...but I LIKE IT!!!"

Happy Easter!

2008-03-22T22:27:00.000-06:00

We would like to wish all of our friends and family a very Happy Easter. I took Ty to see the Easter Bunny and he just looked at it like "What in the world are you suppoesed to be and why am I sitting on your lap?" He didn't cry at all, just looked confused.

We're getting a Fence!

2008-03-19T14:16:00.000-06:00

The guys came out today and put up the post for our new fence. I never thought I'd be excited about a fence, but oddly enough, I am! The cement has to set for 8-10 days, then they will be back, depending on weather, and finish it up! Now kids can play in the back yard and I don't have to worry about them going in the canal or getting shocked by the electric fence that keeps the neighbors horses in their field!

That's one HOT Potato

2008-03-16T13:48:00.001-06:00

So my mom was making dinner the other night and she was washing the potato's and looked down and saw this one that looked like it had a butt. So what does my mom do? She gets some ribbon and puts a skirt on it! Silly Mom!

Tall and Lean

2008-03-14T12:25:00.000-06:00

Tyson turned 9 months old on March 7th. I can hardly believe it! He had his 9 month check up today and he is 30 inches tall which puts him in the 90th percentile for his age. He weighs 18.1 pounds which puts him in the 9th percentile for his ages. He is tall and lean and cute as ever. The Healthy Steps lady (we talk about develpoment) said he is on track with everything and asked if he was doing any other "tricks." I told her that he like to kick the ball. She was kind of shocked until I took out Tyson's ball and he showed her. She said that kicking is more of an 18 month accomplishment rather than a 9 month accomplishment. She was impressed. So really I have a tall, lean, and SMART little man. Oh and we can add very happy to that list. Josh and I are very lucky to have such a happy guy.

He also started army crawling 3 days ago. He can only go a few feet before he put his head down on the floor and wants to be saved!

Seriously...

2008-03-04T22:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, for those of you who haven't seen "The Serious Face" here it is. He hasn't been doing it as much as he used to or holding the face as long, but it is still very cute. Enjoy!

(The best faces are at 15 seconds and 48 seconds.)

This one was in the tub the other night. His face is too cute. I know...first time mom, lots of pictures, but hey, I've waited a long time for this and you poor people are subject to all my pictures and videos! Aren't you lucky!

There are also new cakes on the Ayme's Cakes link if you want to check those out.

Let's Go Swimmin'

2008-02-26T21:29:00.001-07:00

As I promised. Here's some pics of Josh and Tyson swimming. I have to admit, it took Josh a little longer to get wet from the waist up...what a chicken. Josh just said, "this is a picture of Tyson riding a whale at Sea World!" Tyson has a silly daddy!

Here are my cute boys!
They both have on camo swim trunks!

We're in Steamboat...Bring on the SNOW!!!

2008-02-25T18:06:00.000-07:00

We are on the first floor of the hotel. I'd say there is about a foot and a half of snow out the window.

Josh is working in Steamboat this week so Tyson and I came with him. Tyson went swimming for the first time today. The hotel has an indoor pool (last time we came up the hotel we stayed at had an outdoor pool) so we could actually swim. I took one of Tyson's rings and I'd throw it and Tyson would "swim" to get it. (By "swim" I mean I would hold him, of course, and he'd kick his feet because he was so excited.) By the time we got to the ring he would be giggling. He had a very good time! That took up about a half hour of our eight hour day in the hotel. The rest of the time we played and he took naps. We didn't go outside because I'd guess it's maybe 20 degrees and it is snowing pretty good. According to ABC news we should get 10-20 inches of snow and according to NBC news we should get 8-10 inches. Nonetheless...it's snowing. Luckily I have Josh's new laptop to keep me entertained while Tyson is sleeping. I was going to bring my cake decorating stuff to practicing making flowers but me being the genius that I am...I forgot it. Anyway, if Josh gets the chance to go swimming with us I'll take the camera and take some pictures.

Tyson's First Tie

2008-02-16T18:23:00.001-07:00

What A Handsome Little Man!

Nice Day For A Walk...41 degrees!

2008-02-16T18:09:00.000-07:00

Today Tyson and I went up to my parents house and my mom and I took Grandma and Ty for a walk. On my way up there I was talking to my sister and I told her that it was going to be a warm 41 degrees and she started laughing. I guess in California it was 59 degrees and her husband Josh was wearing shorts. Anyway, our walk lasted one time around the block. It was still a little chilly for Tyson and Grandma. But here's some pictures none the less.

I Can Walk! (with a little help)

2008-02-09T22:25:00.000-07:00

This was up at my mom's house on Friday. Tyson has no interest in crawling but he is really enjoying walking.

A New Beginning...

2008-02-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

Here's the family (Checking on Pops) in AZ.

The Hays Hooligans visiting with Pops in the hospital.

Tyson having fun while Pops is under the knife.

Lil Jack trying to fill the shoes of Big Jack!!

Ayme started this blog 4 months ago and; well..... she got busy with Tyson. I found the blog and edited the post she started and posted it; so this is the second post of the day!! Lucky You!! I'll include up to date pics of Tys and maybe put some fun captions with them. I hope to make these posts a regular event. My sis is awesome with hers, so I have to keep up. Check her out @ whatthehaysfam, it's the second best blog out there. Anyhow, I digress. Check out these pics from our life (and maybe a few of the Hays Fam!!).

Diet Dr. Pepper Dreams and Homemade Cheese Ball Wishes!! (Thanks Robin Leach)

Tyson hangin with Pops in the Chandler, AZ Hospital

Josh

We're all pulling for you Pops!!!

Eight Months of Tyson; Four Months of pics

2007-10-08T14:26:00.000-06:00

Hello to Everyone!

I'm finally going to do a Blog page on our family. Hopefully I'll keep up on it. Well the past eight months have been everything we could have hoped for with our new little guy. He has been so fun! And for only being eight months old he has certainly done some traveling. He has been to Salida, California, Utah, Arizona, Steamboat Springs and Silverthorn/Dillion.

He rolled over for the first time when were were in California (he was 2 months old). He has discovered his feet...talk about cheep entertainment! He likes to do "rasberries" and get drool everywhere.

He is not a fan of the car, but that's getting a little better.

So here are some pictures of the past few months.

Tyson is 1 day old here. We were getting ready to leave the hospital.

He was blessed by his daddy on July 1, 2007.

Grandma Linda made his blessing outfit and Grandma Tana made his blessing blanket.

This one is just cute.

"MOM I'm done with my shower"

Tyson's first trip to Marine World in California.

Tyson playing with his daddy.

Tyson trying to fill his daddy's shoes!