Photos | CKZCJ

Blown Away in Port O

The first weekend in November is traditionally Casey’s guys only camping trip. No guys under 18 allowed so it’s a me and the boys only weekend. The boys already had Friday off school since it was the end of the first grading period, but Wednesday night and into Thursday morning we had about 15 inches of rain fall. Which led to flooding (not us, we live on top of a hill) and school cancellations. Introducing a four day weekend for the boys. We had already planned to head south towards the coast and go fishing with my folks so we headed out Friday afternoon in the Jeep, just the three of us. We arrived in Port O’Connor around 6:30pm or so and the water was as smooth as glass. No wind, no breeze, just quiet. Finally for once, we were at the coast and it wasn’t windy. Mother nature sure fooled us. By midnight I could hear the wind howling outside as I slept on a slightly deflating air mattress with my 5 foot, 125 pound 11 year old who likes to sleep way up in my personal space. No point in waking up early to go fishing.

After some breakfast we decided to hop in the boat and head down the canal to see if maybe we could try some fishing. First clue should have been all the barges stopped in the canal, angled into the sand bars and not going anywhere. We headed to a flats area to try a drift (lots of duck hunters were out there) and as I stood up on the bow and cast out a few times my shirt whipped into the wind making me feel like I was part of a sail on a boat. No luck. Thanks for trying though dad. We spent the rest of the weekend at home with my folks hanging out, cooking some good bacon wrapped shrimp. Always good to breathe some sea air in though.

The first weekend in November is traditionally Casey's guys only camping trip. No guys under 18 allowed so it's a me and...

zncjmom November 08, 2013 No Comments 0 General, Photos, Travel

Being in gymnastics

Let me tell you a gymnastics gym is a completely different type of gym than I am used to. I spent most of my junior high and high school years in a gymnasium playing basketball. My 9yr old spends one hour a week (for now) in a gym full of trampolines, padded floors, rings and beams. No sounds of squeaking shoes or bouncing balls here either, just thumping of feet and springing bounces. He’s getting pretty strong but most important for now is he’s having fun.

Last night one parent was allowed on the floor to take photos and observe up close. I’m not very good in low light with my big camera so I decided to put my new phone to the test. I took all the photos with my Samsung S III as well as video. Yes, the feet in the photos actually do belong to my 9yr old, they’re huge!

First we stretch-

Then we bounce, flip, jump, etc…

But we always hold on tight.

Let me tell you a gymnastics gym is a completely different type of gym than I am used to. I spent most of my junior high...

zncjmom December 20, 2012 No Comments 0 Casey J, General, Photos

Dads

Providers, Heros, Role Models, Play Mates, Friends, Dads. When you think about that title really encompasses a lot, or at least it should. I know that I still feel pretty darn safe when my dad’s around, he can take care of anything. I’m secure knowing he’ll protect me if anything bad happens to happen. Just like my boys feel safe with their daddy. To quote Z “everything’s just better with dad. He’s like the best man I ever met.” So this post is to honor all the dad’s I know and a few who are pretty special.

Clearly you can see that these boys love their daddy. So much that they both pooled their allowance to buy him a lifetime membership to an online game that they play so that he can play with them. It’s mostly the thought that counts.

My dad, who is also mostly known now as Grandpa or Pa. One of my favorite things in the world to do – go fishing with my dad. Don’t think he ever missed a single athletic competition of mine ever. From junior high to high school.

My Popa, my boys great-grandpa, and my dad’s dad. The one who slid down water slides with me as a child during our summer vacations to Port Aransas. I am still making fond memories with my Popa. Love him so much!

My mom’s dad. Raised and supported ten kids. I think by the time he got to us grand kids it was just time to spoil us. He always took us to play video games and eat pizza as soon as we would arrive. A highly devoted man to both his family and his church. I only wish he would’ve told us more of his childhood. Miss him so much.

My two brothers. Oh how cute they were back then. They aren’t anymore. Not really. 🙂 But their little babies are. One boy and one girl with another girl on the way. My youngest brother got the little boy everyone who ever knew him wanted him to have. One little cute stinker, just like him. And my other brother (the one who suffers from middle child syndrome) has a beautiful little girl with another girl on the way. He is so doomed, I told him to just hand over his man card.

So for all the dads out there and all the men who stepped up to be a daddy, keep it up. These little people really look up to you.

Providers, Heros, Role Models, Play Mates, Friends, Dads. When you think about that title really encompasses a lot, or a...

zncjmom June 19, 2011 No Comments 0 Family History, Mom's Journal, Photos

Snow and Ice

You know what’s a lot of fun, driving to town in the rain only to have it turn to ice on the wind shield. What’s even more fun is not being tall enough to see over all the ice that’s accumulating, being a chicken and pulling over so you husband can drive. I left my big girl underwear at home today. It barely got above freezing today and last week was full of fun too.

The cold began Wednesday morning when at 6am we lost power. We got the boys up, dressed and fed by candle light and little LED head lamps before we lost too much heat. Thursday the boys had a non uniform day so they could dress warm and as we pulled up to drop them off the teachers were going car to car saying the water froze at the main and school was canceled. Yeah! A fun day at the office with the boys. They were pretty good about it though and due to the repairs needed to the water lines school was also canceled for Friday. Good thing because when it got light enough to see Friday morning we had a nice blanket of white everywhere. That’s right folks, it snowed, right here in central Texas. I woke the boys up and helped them with jackets and out they went to play.

Big C decided he was still going to work and headed out in his Jeep for the 25 mile trip to town. The boys and I took pictures and came inside to warm up and eat breakfast, got clothes on and went back out to play. We found our green saucers from White Sands in New Mexico and did some fun sliding around. The boys played until their fingers froze and then we played games inside and I made some yummy broccoli cheese soup for lunch, we stayed warm by keeping the fire place stoked all day long. By lunch any snow in the path of the sun was quickly melting away. It was all gone by the next day. We’ve had quite a long few days of cold and wind, the wind making it that much colder. I think most of my family likes the cold weather except when it forces us to spend many days stuck inside together! See all my photos here.

You know what's a lot of fun, driving to town in the rain only to have it turn to ice on the wind shield. What's even mo...

zncjmom February 09, 2011 No Comments 0 Mom's Journal, Photos

Christmas

Christmas certainly pulled a ninja on me this year. It’s here and I’m so far behind and unprepared. Luckily the boys have been reminding me of the daily progress towards the day marked 25 on our calendar. They asked to “camp out” on the living room floor tomorrow night to wait for Santa. I had to remind them he’ll only come if they are sleeping in their own beds. I rushed to send out a few Christmas Cards this year but we have something we’d like to share digitally with all of our family and friends. Each month at school the boys memorize a Bible verse, a poem, and sometimes a song. We’d like to share their verses for this month with you. When it comes to CaseyJ I think he gives Linus in the Charlie Brown Christmas Special a serious run for his money! Just click on the play button below each picture to start the audio…

[audio:http://www.ckzcj.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/zluke.mp3|titles=Zach Recites Luke 1: 26-31]

[audio:http://www.ckzcj.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/cjluke2.mp3|titles=Casey John Recites Luke 2:10-12]

From our family to yours we wish you a very Blessed and Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year!!

Christmas certainly pulled a ninja on me this year. It's here and I'm so far behind and unprepared. Luckily the boys hav...

zncjmom December 23, 2010 No Comments 0 Casey J, Photos, The Things They Say, Z Man

Daddy, Dad, Pa, Grandpa

He goes by many names but to me it’s dad. Today is his birthday. I’m sure he could care less if I told you how old he was but I won’t. He’s a nice even number this year and was just shy of 26 years old when I was born. He lives “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime” and made sure to pass it on to all of us. I remember thinking if the world did get all messed up we’d be okay because we could feed ourselves, or if the world flooded we had a boat to float in. I had a wandering mind even as a child. The one time the boat almost sank because someone forgot to put the plugs in I knew things would be okay because my dad was there and he could fix it. Turns out HE was the one who forgot the plugs and I didn’t panic too much because it was only 3 feet deep…. After that he bought a boat that didn’t need plugs….

My dad taught me to make friends with strangers, not to be afraid to try new things, to help everyone even if it’s not exactly convenient for you, and to work hard then play hard. I try each day to pass along the important things that he has taught me to my boys. Yes, even how to hold the football right or how to hook their bait (girls can do that stuff too). I know that sometimes he secretly watches episodes of Spongebob on his phone. Maybe it makes him think of his grandkids but I think he finds it so stupid it’s funny. He can sit and look up at the stars for hours, mix a mean Bloody Mary (too much *sneeze* pepper), and cook a mean rack of ribs. When I was in high school he never missed a single sporting event (as to which I am sure he did a lot of speeding to catch up with the bus sometimes) and was my biggest supporter. I never thought then that as I got older we’d become such good friends. Buddies who like to hang out together, but he will always be my daddy. Happy Birthday Easy Dad!

He goes by many names but to me it's dad. Today is his birthday. I'm sure he could care less if I told you how old he wa...

zncjmom November 11, 2010 No Comments 0 Family History, Photos

Twitter

Find Me

Twitter

Find Me

Category: Photos

Blown Away in Port O

Being in gymnastics

Dads

Snow and Ice

Christmas

Daddy, Dad, Pa, Grandpa