Verbally Expressive and Incoherent

Open wide

2012-01-24T19:28:00.001-05:00

Zoie had her first dentist appointment today. I was a little nervous about the whole thing for those of you who have heard my stories, she typically is afraid of new things. I wasn't sure how she would feel about people poking around in her mouth. But she did great, she was such a big girl. She opened her mouth nice, followed instructions on how to use the sucker thingy, and was just an all-around trouper.

I was very pleased. No cavities to report and she is doing great. Good job little girl!

(yes I'm the dorky mom who took pictures of them cleaning her teeth)

Staying Warm

2012-01-22T21:37:00.001-05:00

I know it has been some time since I posted anything. I just thought I'd post this cute picture of Zoie to add variety to the blog. Have a great day and stay warm!

Coming in June....

2011-11-27T22:18:00.001-05:00

Say 1 ...2...3....Laura's Pregnant

Do this and the above reaction is what you will receive. At least with my family. It's true, Zoie is going to be a big sister come the end of June 2012, Lord willing. We are very excited, despite all the people we apparently told we just wanted Zoie. While it's true we are very content with our little girl, we have been blessed by our siblings and felt Zoie would feel the same. It's just time to grow our little family.

My Little Flower

2011-11-03T10:59:00.003-04:00

Zoie was a flower this year. She loved going around from house to house knowing each time they opened the door she'd get candy. The last picture is what happens when you tell her no to her 6th piece of candy. The next step after that is a short nap for Zoie :).

California Vacation - San Francisco

2011-09-29T09:59:00.001-04:00

After we flew into Sacramento, we drove down to San Francisco for a long weekend. I loved San Francsico. It just is so unique in it's look, feel etc... We didn't do a quarter of the stuff we could have but I really enjoyed it. Here are a few pictures.

California Vacation - Wine Country

2011-09-22T23:02:00.000-04:00

Mark and I had a wonderful opportunity to go on a 5-year anniversary trip to California. I had a conference out there at the end of our trip. We started out in San Francisco (pics of that to come later) but early in the week we went to Napa and Sonoma valleys for a few days of wine tasting and a trip to a spa (no pictures of that). At one of the wineries they had a walking tour where you could sample the grapes. As it was just before harvest, they were perfect.

Then after that we headed up to the American River for a day of white-water rafting. I'm putting the activities of our trip in backwards order.

As a note the trip was absolutely fabulous and I'd highly recommend the area for a vacation. We loved it. For those who may be wondering, Zoie had a fun filled 10-days at my parents house. It was a long time to be gone from her but I think it worked out best for everyone this way. I missed her a bit but never enough to wish she was there :).

Pigtails

2011-08-31T16:15:00.001-04:00

Recently I have started trying to do more with Zoie's hair then just add a bow. She tolerates it pretty well and I think she's super cute.

Lincoln Museum

2011-08-18T22:51:00.005-04:00

We vactioned with my family this past July. On the way down, a few of us went to the Lincoln Museum in Springfield. Zoie had tons of fun in the Mary Todd Lincoln room where she could dress-up and play. It's a pretty neat museum. I'd recommend it.

Happy 2nd Birthday Zoie

2011-05-07T10:27:00.009-04:00

Time has flown but Zoie is now 2. Here are pictures from her first party at Papa & Ma-Ga (Grandma)'s house. We feel so blessed by the love of family

The girls playing on Zoie's new toy....who needs toys when you have boxes?

Go Princess!!

2011-04-20T22:16:00.006-04:00

Medieval Times was having a buy one get one free deal going on. Renea had wanted to take Matthew and I always love it, so we planned a fun Sunday after-church activity. I love Medieval Times, so I'm always up for it.

This was the first time we took Zoie. She loved it. The funny part is she would cheer for the Princess. The knights would be jousting etc... and she'd put her little fist in the air shouting "princess, princess"...then she'd point up to the princess who was "hosting" the feast.

We got there early so we had fabulous seats. Second row right in the middle. We had a wonderful time.

My French Fry

2011-04-03T22:07:00.003-04:00

Amanda is part of an international group at ISU. The other night they were supposed to come to the event representing their country. Amanda and her roommate Bethany decided to go as a hamburger and fries. They made these costumes out of boxes literally hours before the event. Quite impressive if you ask me. What do you think of their representation of the U.S. of A.?

Baby Jesse

2011-03-27T21:52:00.004-04:00

Zoie has a new cousin. Earlier this month Brian and Amber and big brother Braden welcome Jesse into their home. Everything went pretty well and he's a cutie. We love him. I was worried Zoie would have jealousy issues but no, she adores him. She thinks he is pretty neat. Here are some pictures so you can see how cute he is.

New Office

2011-02-20T21:17:00.002-05:00

One of the perks of a our new basement is my new office, it's working out great. Here are teh pictures. It's not totally done but it's close.

Georgia Trip Entry 1 - Our Little Traveler

2011-02-13T22:09:00.003-05:00

Last month we took a belated holiday down to Georgia. These first pictures are of Zoie during our travels. Zoie was a fabulous traveler. She did great on the flights, happy rode in the car, I was so pleased. More about our trip to come later...

Change and my Doll Baby

2011-02-02T09:02:00.006-05:00

I haven't blogged much in the past month primarily because we have had a lot going on. My head has been swimming a bit and blogging...well I thought about it many times but with so much happening I almost didn't know what to say. Now that things have slowed down (aka we are snowed in), I thought I'd drop a quick note.

The biggest change that has happened is Mark changed jobs. He left CAT and is now working as an accountant for Hyatt Corporation in downtown Chicago. So he takes the train in every morning, works in a professional office environment, and works in accounting. This job is a great opportunity and thus far has been going really well. Mark enjoys working downtown, the people he works with are very welcoming, and he's really made good use of the train ride.

The commute is long, so someday we may consider moving to a closer location to the city but for now, this is what we're going to do.

Since this update isn't very picture friendly, I thought I'd include some pictures of my doll baby. I like to dress her up and so far she seems to like it too. She asks for a bow every morning when I get her dressed :).

Church Dress (Is this the one you saw Mom Lindberg?)

Wild bed head

Getting ready to go out in the cold

Cool Kid

Cute outfit from Aunt Diana

Cousin Love

2011-01-08T11:50:00.005-05:00

With the holidays etc....Zoie has had numerous opportunities to play with her cousins and she loves it. She is forver asking for "Brady (Braden), Emmett, Cara, or Cista (Calista). Here is some fun pictures of Zoie with her cousins.

Snow

2010-12-28T21:48:00.004-05:00

Last year I didn't really have Zoie go out in the snow because she was too little, not walking, and generally would consider it an awful idea. The first good snow I did take her out. At first she thought it was great, it was fun to be outside again.

Then she touched it...and it wasn't fun anymore. She wouldn't wear her gloves and the cold snow was something she didn't like. She'd get some on her and she'd say her classic "stuck, stuck" as she'd quickly try to wipe it off. She was content to just run up and down the freshly scooped sidewalk and driveway.

Interestingly enough, she hasn't asked to go outside since.

Zoie and her blocks

2010-12-17T23:24:00.002-05:00

Zoie loves her blocks. She loves build towers and plays with these a lot. She also plays with duplos and other blocks.

As you can see, she also likes to knock them down. This has caused a little tension in our house. I let her make quite a mess with blocks and even considered getting more. Mark would like to hide the blocks because they make such a mess. Let's just say since I'm the one picking them up 85% of the time...we still have them.

Baby it's cold outside

2010-11-25T00:53:00.001-05:00

But Zoie doesn't care. She still wants to go outside to play. So here is what we do so Zoie can enjoy the outside.

As a note, we even went swinging at the neighbors despite the fact it was 30 degrees and windy.

Visit from Uncle Nicholas and Aunt Diana

2010-11-14T15:43:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago my sister and brother-in-law came to visit. Diana had a baby shower for a friend in the city, so Nicholas hung out with us and then they both stayed to watch the Ohio game and have pizza. It was a lot of fun.

I don't get to see my sister nearly as often as I'd like, so I was so glad it worked out.

Zoie was too. When they first walked in the door, Zoie shouted "Nick" and ran to him with arms wide-open. He then carried her around for a while much to her delight

Later when Diana returned from the shower, the same big greeting with a "Da nana."

Come again to visit!

Cutest Giraffe Ever

2010-10-31T21:41:00.006-04:00

Here are some pictures from Zoie as a Giraffe this Halloween. She thought this was great. She got to wear a fun costume (which she loved) and she got a fun purple pumpkin that only got cooler when people started putting candy in it.

Just like mommy and daddy

2010-10-28T16:25:00.008-04:00

Wearing mommy's shoes

"Helping" push the cart

Dusting
(ok confession, Lorriane was actually the one cleaning)

Wearing mommy's head band

Bee Prepared...coming in March

2010-10-25T22:07:00.006-04:00

a new Vercler is on it's way.

Brian, Amber, and Braden had the best shirts on Sunday that showcased their coming arrival.

Let's just say Aunt Laura is really excited.

Joel-love

2010-10-16T15:52:00.001-04:00

We have been actively working to teach Zoie the names of her family. She does best with the shorter names. Here is her saying "Joel" with a little treat at the end.

Baking Bread

2010-10-09T00:17:00.004-04:00

My friend Kasey M. introduced me to a wonderful book, Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day. It is a great book that shows you how to make bread dough that you store in the fridge and only takes minutes to prepare fresh homemade bread. And it is FABULOUS!! I'm hooked.

I baked my first loaf today. We dipped it in Olive Oil and seasoning (which it hardly needed). Mark and Zoie agree...more tomorrow mom.

You can do all kinds of breads with it and it's so easy. Since you keep the dough in the fridge, it's easy to make it for dinner (not that our loaf made it that long).

My first loaf
Thanks Kasey for the tip...I think I'm the next unofficial member of the marketing team.

Drywall

2010-10-05T16:33:00.010-04:00

If you've talked with either Mark or I over the past year, you have undoubtedly heard about two things Zoie and our basement project. Well Zoie is just as cute as ever but the basement project took a massive step forward this week. We hired someone to come put up the drywall and paint our basement (normally we would do the paint ourselves but he offered us a pretty sweet deal, so we took him up on it).

The first picture is the basement living room in the "after state" the next 3 are "before" and the final 3 are "after"

Family room and kitchenette area

Family Room & kitchenette area

Office/bedroom

Bathroom

Family room

Office/bedroom

Bathroom

Her or the floor?

2010-09-30T22:53:00.003-04:00

My loving husband comes up to me with a slightly puke covered baby at church and asks ever so sweetly....her or the floor?

Zoie had not quite chewed up her entire last carrot. She of course gaged on it and hence gave us some of her lunch back. Thankfully she isn't sick or anything...just needs to chew and swallow her food before she plays.

I chose the floor.

4 years ago (and a couple days)

2010-09-27T11:22:00.002-04:00

Mark and I celebrated 4 years of wedded bliss on Friday. We had a wonderful day

I first got up with him in the morning before he left for work (he gets up at 4:30, so yes usually I stay in bed). Then Zoie and I met him at Jimmy John's for lunch. Finally, Brian and Amber watched Zoie while Mark and I went to the Melting Pot for a fabulous dinner. I of course took absolutley no pictures from the day...but it was wonderful.

Happy Anniversary baby! I love you.

Thanks Uncle Joel

2010-09-17T23:04:00.001-04:00

Zoie's Uncle Joel bought her this little black and white bear at the Gateway Woods Sale. Zoie is fortunate to have so many aunts and uncles who love her. We sent Joel a note to say thanks but thought we'd share here.

Yum Yum

2010-09-14T19:31:00.006-04:00

Probably the issue that I'm the most lax about that annoys Mark a bit is Zoie's neatness (or lack there of) when she is eating. Since I'm the one who would be most likely to spoon feed her, I pretty much let her go at whatever she is eating and figure I'll clean her up later. She can feed herself pretty well which allows me the pleasure of enjoying my meals warm.

Here are a few shots for fun

Ice Cream Snickers Bar

(yes she ate the entire thing)

Spaghetti and Green Beans

Getting the last of the spaghetti

I don't even know what she is eating here but she looked cute in the hat

Brownie bowl spoon

And the ever popular banana

Cousin Emmett Comes to Visit

2010-09-06T12:36:00.005-04:00

Matthew & Renae also came of course

Zoie is very excited that her cousin Emmett is going to live nearby as Matthew and Renae make their move north. While they were looking for houses and awaiting their move, they are spending some quality time at our house.

Zoie has had a few jealousy issues with the new baby around but she's doing better. Here are a few pictures of fun times with Cousin Emmett.

Unzicker Family Reunion

2010-08-31T19:05:00.010-04:00

Part of the Lindberg family visit was the Unzicker reunion. This is Grandma S. (Mark's mom's mom) family. Mark had to work so Grandma kindly picked Zoie and I up and off to Wisconsin we went. You know you have a great "in-law" family when they let you come to the reunion...sans the actual relative.

The reunion was at a resort with an indoor/outdoor waterpark in Wisconsin Dells. It was lots of fun. We stayed in this amazing condo which was the central hub for the activity...thanks Grandma.

Here is Grandma with most of her siblings (Dallas couldn't come)

Grandma and her kids (minus Joan)

The pool table in our condo

playing cards

On the bus to the waterpark

Our "room"

At the waterpark

Our little family

Happy Birthday Short Child- Brookfield Zoo

2010-08-26T00:24:00.010-04:00

To celebrate my sister Amanda's birthday, we spent the day with the "girls + Braden" at Brookfield Zoo. We then met up with Brian at Adoke, a Japanese Hibachi grill. It was a fabulous time but I think the pictures will demonstrate that.

The water/fountain play area was Zoie's highlight of the visit. I didn't know the thing existed so I wasn't exactly prepared. But we just stripped her down to her diaper and off she went. As you can see the look of happiness on her face, she loved it!

My lovely sisters and mom.

Aunt Amber loves Zoie enough to share her treat.

Dinner at the Adoke...lots of fun and yummy.

Lindberg Family Visit

2010-08-22T22:41:00.010-04:00

What a month August has been. I haven't posted much on the blog because of all the things we've been doing. I have a string of events to post about. I haven't really put all there was about South Carolina but we'll save that for another day.

Mark's family came to visit in the beginning of August. We met them at the Gateway Woods Sale. After an eventful long drive back to our house. Let's just say the van had some brake issues....issues that involved fire while we were in the middle of nowhere Indiana. Those bottles of water purchased at the gas station before we left Leo turned out to be a really great investment.

The family then stayed at our house (Ben and Joel went over to Brian and Amber's) for Saturday and Sunday night. It was a wonderful visit and a great opportunity for Zoie to get to know her Lindberg family a bit better.

Here are some of us waiting on the curb at this random gas station off of Route 30 while Mark drove my father-in-law to an auto parts store.

Zoie loved her aunts and uncles. By the end of the visit she had successfully said "Joel" and a version of "nana" aka Hannah.

Zoie snuggling with Aunt Lydia. She loved being carried around and played with.

Our kitchen isn't large enough for the entire family so we had to set a table up outside.

Here is Zoie enjoying her breakfast just before we went to the Gateway Woods Sale.

A fun shot of Joel.

We had a great time and hope they can visit again soon.

We love you!!!

S.C. Vacation - The Beach

2010-08-12T09:05:00.010-04:00

The house we rented was only about 2 blocks from a public access beach site. The beach was wonderful. It was definitely a warm week we were in South Carolina but it made it very comfortable to be out in the water. Zoie loved the beach. She would play and play with her sand toys. She liked being carried out into the water and playing with the waves. She didn't even cry if she got hit in the face (and yes that happened on occasion). Of course we were always holding her but she she loved it.

With her little sun-safe swimsuit, hat, and lots of sunscreen she never got burned but she spent a lot of time out on the beach. Besides eating a bit of sand, she did great. Here are a few pictures

Sweet Corn

2010-08-01T23:48:00.006-04:00

I was inspired by Sandra's post the other day to let Zoie try some sweet corn at dinner. Let's just say...she loved it.

Please

2010-07-28T12:52:00.002-04:00

Zoie has recently learned to say "please" when she wants somethng. Zoie also knows what dessert is and will likely show you how she can say "please" if you have some...as Amanda found out :)

South Carolina Vacation -The House

2010-07-27T10:46:00.010-04:00

My family (my parents, siblings, spouses etc...) took a family vacation to Surfside Beach S.C. last week. We had a fabulous time. My parents found a duplex about 2 blocks from the beach for us all to stay in. With 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, we had plenty of space. It also had it's own pool which was nice. Here are a few pictures.

Our family from the top balcony

View from the balcony

Our duplex...we were on the left side

The pool

Zoie relaxing with Brian in the living room

When we travel, we really enjoy getting a condo/house instead of hotel rooms. Here is a link to the property we stayed at http://www.vrbo.com/244670 called Katy's Dream. It was as wonderful as they said it was.

Lift Up In Prayer

2010-07-18T23:53:00.002-04:00

Please pray for the Schroeder's. Jordan (the husband and father) is seriously ill with cancer. They have a beautiful family and an amazing faith. They need fellow believers to lift them up in prayer.

To read their story
http://jkschroeder.blogspot.com/

Sweet little angel or...

2010-07-16T11:06:00.002-04:00

or a little girl with attitude?

As with most children, a bit of both. Zoie has been growing and changing so much the past few weeks. Unfortunately my photography frequency has not been keeping up. I'll try to do better.

I think I got this picture just because she wanted to touch my camera but it's fun either way.

VBS

2010-07-03T10:16:00.006-04:00

Mark and I had the privilege of serving on the Chicago VBS committee this year. Even though it was a little nutty since we just got back from Jamaica when it started, it was a wonderful time. Here are a few pictures to enjoy.

The Junior High class building chairs to donate to the Gateway Woods Sale

Braden and Alexa "doing their craft"

Julie reading to the youngest class

The Junior High class

The Youngest class

I have a picture of the middle class somewhere but can't seem to locate it now. I'll post it when I find it.

Who do I look like?

2010-06-05T10:34:00.006-04:00

Zoie here. From the time I was born people said I look like mommy. While that is undeniable, I think I may have a bit of my daddy too. Here are some pictures for comparison. Let me know what you think.

Zoie 9 Months

Daddy 9 Months

Zoie 1 Year

Mommy 19 Months

I want to know your thoughts! ~Zoie

Pomp and Circumstance

2010-06-01T11:08:00.003-04:00

My first "baby" (aka Amanda) graduated high school this weekend. We are very proud of her and love her sooooo much. She is a wonderful Aunt and great sister. Love you "short child."

Table Manners

2010-05-16T10:16:00.004-04:00

As you know, 1 year old children do not have table manners. Recently Zoie has found lots of fun finding food and eating it all by herself.

Zoie loves bananas. The other day she found one I had put in her diaper bag. I saw that she had it but hadn't worried about it too much. Well she was able to peel it by herself and proceeded to eat the entire thing. She was just so happy and content, I let her do it. Glad we have hardwood in the living room.

Friday she was playing in the kitchen. I could hear her and all of I sudden I could tell she had a spoon. She had pulled a half-eaten yogurt from breakfast off the table and the spoon. It was soon no longer half-eaten...and the spoon wasn't really necessary. Notice the yogurt all over her hair and clothes. She had another bath after that.

Zoie's Grandmas

2010-05-11T22:27:00.008-04:00

Zoie is very blessed to have so many Grandma's. As Mother's Day has just passed. I thought I'd acknowledge all the love of Zoie's Grandmas.

Below is my mom, Zoie's Grandma Sonia. Zoie probably knows her the best, as she is who we've spent the most time with. Zoie loves Grandma. Potentially because Grandma will ALWAYS pick her up when she wants to, gives her favorite foods, and just generally gives her lots of love. Either way, Mark thinks that Grandma Sonia ranks higher than he does some days.

The next is Grandma Lindberg. Zoie hasn't spent as much time with her but every time she has Zoie definitely loves her Grandma. She went to her right away when we landed in Georgia and had lots of fun playing with her. Grandma Lindberg knows lots about babies and how to love them.

Great-Grandma Kuntz is my mom's mother. Great-Grandma likes to come visit Zoie whenever she gets the chance. I have many fond memories with my Grandma.

This is Grandma-great Schumacher (I have the wording right, Grandma-great is the name Ali bestowed upon Grandma-great Schumacher to not mix it up with her other Grandma). Mark's mom's mom. We have spent more time with her and that side of the family since Grandpa went home to heaven earlier this year. Mark often talks of all the fun things he did with Grandma. We hope Zoie is able to have many memories just like her Daddy does.

This is Great-Grandma Vercler, my dad's mom. We've gone to visit her in the nursing home many times. Unfortunately her mind isn't very good. Sometimes she knows who we are and other times not.

Finally, we have Great-Grandma Lindberg. She is Mark's dad's mom. She is a very active busy lady, who can teach us a lot about strength of character. We love her very much and glad to live closer.

Mommy's Sidekick

2010-05-04T22:39:00.005-04:00

Today while we were out running errands, a lady asked Zoie if "she was mommy's sidekick for the day." I responded..."she's mommy's sidekick everyday."

As I left I thought about it a bit and really appreciated how much time Zoie and I spend together. While there are certainly times I need a break, I'm thankful I get to be with my little sidekick.

Guess who is 1

2010-04-26T22:37:00.017-04:00

ZOIE

It's hard to believe but a year has come and gone. Here are some pictures to enjoy.

Someone really happy about her cake.

11 months old

10 months

9 months

8 months

7 months

6 months

5 months

4 months

3 months

2 months

1 month

1st week home

Home Improvement Nuts

2010-04-24T14:24:00.009-04:00

Here are a few pictures of the work Mark has been doing on the basement. We had to cut a hole in the basement floor to put the plumbing in to add a bathroom. Now he is busy framing the walls. Are we a little nuts?

What it looked like 3 weeks ago

What it looked like 2 weeks ago

What it looks like today

Wedding and Chocolate Mousse

2010-04-14T16:01:00.005-04:00

Troy and Carrie's wedding was at the end of March. This is very exciting for the Chicago church as two of our wonderful young singles joined become a wonderful young couple (which also means they are not moving away).

Zoie enjoyed the wedding (my parents also attended). Visits with her grandparents and Grandpa feeding her chocolate mousse made for a wonderful day. Here are a few pictures.

Dessert with Grandpa

The happy couple

Touch the fishey

2010-04-02T00:23:00.006-04:00

On our trip to Georgia last month, we had the opportunity to go down to what I affectionately call the "hippie aquarium," otherwise known as the Gulf Sea Specimen Lab. This aquarium in Panacea, FL, is not like your typical aquarium. In one of the first buildings it has a series of "touch tanks" where you can pick up and touch the various sea creatures.

It takes a bit to work up the nerve to stick your hand in the tank...but it's very cool. They are currently redoing one of the buildings, so it's a little smaller than usual. Not that it is very big to begin with. It isn't fancy but I haven't found anything else quite like it. This was my fourth trip down. Mark never had the opportunity to go before, so we all went as a family. Here are some pictures from our recent trip.

Matthew getting Zoie to try it

Ben and the squirter...when you pick it up it squirts water at you. If you give it tiny squeeze, it makes a great squirt gun.

Me with the crab

The sign out front

Do you think she looks like me?

2010-03-27T15:16:00.003-04:00

Today Zoie is 11 months. We have recieved a variety of comments over the past months of how much she likes a Vercler or how much she looks like a Lindberg. I'll admit that most of the comments do to tend to favor toward her looking like my side of the family. Well my Aunt Donna posted some pictures from my first birthday party on Facebook recently. Let me know what you think...does she look like me?

Cousin Love

2010-03-23T22:55:00.003-04:00

In addition to her many aunts and uncles, Zoie has a few cousins. She hasn't met new cousin baby Emmett yet...but here she is with her other two cousins.

Zoie and Braden

Zoie and Cara

Aunt and Uncle Love

2010-03-19T00:08:00.007-04:00

Zoie is blessed with many aunts and uncles who love her very much. On our recent trip to Georgia, she got to spend some quality time with more of her Lindberg aunts and uncles.

I was very pleased that she took to them right away. She loved all the attention she was getting. I think she was a little bored the next week with only mommy to play with. Here are some pics..

Low Country Boil

2010-03-16T01:23:00.004-04:00

The first installment about our trip to Georgia....

One of my favorite southern meals is a low country boil. I had the great opportunity to partake again on our trip to Georgia. Now there are a variety of ways to make it.

Lindberg family tradition is carrots, small red potatoes, an onion in small pieces, sweet corn cut into thirds, smoked sausage cut into bite size pieces, and fresh shrimp. All this is added in the previous order at specific time intervals to a boiling pot of water that contains a crab boil spice bag. Afterwards, you drain the water and then dump the entire pot onto a newspaper and parchment paper covered table. Everyone gets a fork, a small bowl of garlic butter for dipping (usually 2 people share this) and there is a shared bowl for scraps (corn cobs, shrimp shells etc...).

Of course it is always best served with fresh sweet tea. (For all you northern Yankees, this is very different than sweetened tea, McDonald's now as a good approximation, but it still is different down south. Good sweet tea is best served fresh, so just recently cooled from boiling over ice).

I always loved making in Georgia because good fresh sweet corn and shrimp were to be found most of the year. I've done it a few times since returning North but there is nothing like a full Lindberg family low country boil as the shear amount of food on the table is inspiring. If you want though, let me know and this summer I'd be happy to have you over for a good boil.

The first time we did this, Joel thought I had lost my mind when I suggested we dump it on the table. He's into it now though.

Here is a picture of our most recent boil

First Flight

2010-03-11T20:39:00.003-05:00

Zoie had her first experience flying on our recent trip to Georgia (more about that to come). I'm happy to report her previous status as a superb traveler held up. She slept most of all four flights (2 there and 2 home), plus just was generally content in the airports etc...

She didn't seem bothered by the pressure changes. She loved all the attention people around her gave and was always looking for a new friend. I'm very thankful that all our flights were on-time and smooth. It was a piece of travel bliss.

10 months old

2010-03-02T11:15:00.012-05:00

Zoie turned 10 months old on Saturday. It's amazing how quick the time has flown yet I hardley can imagine life without my little munchkin. She is such a good girl. Here are some pictures from the last 10 months

10 months

9 months

8 months

7 months

6 months

5 months

4 months

3 months

2 months

1 month

brand new

Jealousy

2010-02-27T01:36:00.006-05:00

Zoie loves her Daddy and does not particularly care to share him. The first incident happened at Christmas. When Mark picked up Cara, Zoie made a beeline for him and started crying. My dad (grandpa) picked her up but she wasn't very satisfied until she got her dad back. After which she cuddled right in and was very lovey.

These pictures are from a recent trip down to baby-sit Cara for Josh's b-day. She gets over it reasonably quickly but she definitely shares her opinion of the situation.

Funny thing is...she does not care in the slightest if I hold another baby. She'll gladly share mom. All babies beware...stay away from her Daddy.

Cheerios all over my floor and I do a load of pinks

2010-02-20T13:02:00.007-05:00

The title just hints at a few of the adjustments Zoie has brought to our lives. I was thinking the other day how much one little person can change your life. I knew it would...but I understand it differently now. Outsiders may just see a lot of work and stress, but the love that she brings to our lives is indescribable. As she is growing up, she getting even more fun. She says "dada" and "mama" now (I'll admit she says "dada" more often) and claps for herself regularly, we enjoy watching her develop. We love you Zoie Jean!

The Tradition Continues

2010-02-14T10:29:00.003-05:00

I have no romantic associations with Valentine's Day. When we celebrated our first Valentine's day as a couple, I was horridly sick in bed with the flu. Instead of flowers, I got DayQuil. Since then, I haven't been real into the holiday. I don't remember if we did anything for our second one, last year I was really big pregnant, and now again this year Zoie and I are under the weather. Nothing terrible, but Zoie threw-up last night and again on me this morning. She otherwise acts fine. I'll spare you the details of my current condition.

To top it off, Mark shot a nail through his hand yesterday with his nail gun. Praise the Lord it was just through the fleshy skin and he is up to date on his tetanus. We cleaned it out and he is doing fine.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Leave that Kind of Legacy

2010-02-06T08:04:00.006-05:00

I was thinking about the song "Legacy" by Nicole Nordeman...the chours goes

I want to leave a legacy How will they remember me? Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough To make a mark on things. I want to leave an offering. A child of mercy and grace. Who blessed Your name unapologetically And leave that kind of legacy

As it's been quickly closing in on a month since Grandpa Schumacher passed away, I've been contemplating his legacy. The days surrounding the funeral and visitation opened my eyes to the legacy that Grandpa left. I always loved and respected him. His love for and pride in Mark and our little family was obvious.

Mark has many wonderful memories of his Grandpa. He learned many things from him. I think though the thing that impacted Mark the most was not the things Grandpa taught him but the way he taught him. Mark learned how to teach people in a way that made them feel valued and capable. Grandpa had incredible patience and kindness. When he showed Mark how to do something or when Mark would make a mistake, he never made him feel incompetent or foolish. I'm sure Grandpa could have done a lot of those things faster and better, but he wanted the boys to learn. Grandpa understood that it was more important that they learn than the job be done quickly or perfectly. Mark has that same quality about him...and for that I'm forever grateful.

Grandpa loved his grandchildren and he showed that same love to many other people. Bob and Charlene's house (Grandpa's brother and sister-in-law) was filled with people who loved him and I got to hear many different stories and memories. I found the time the family and friends spent together there one of the healthiest grieving experiences I've ever had. There was a long line at visitation and a large crowd at the funeral. We helped Grandma put together thank-yous using a spreadsheet, she had almost 200 individual families to thank for their gifts of love.

The other personal tribute to Grandpa was the sign posted up at the Car Wash where he worked. "We'll miss you Jerry." On the day of the funeral, over 100 cars went through that car wash in his honor. The Woodford County Journal did an article about it.

Grandpa wasn't rich, wasn't famous, wasn't a powerful man but the legacy he left is one that any Christain should rejoice at leaving behind. It will be there for many years to come.

I haven't seen my husband cry very many times during our marriage but he definitely shed some tears as we said good-bye to Grandpa (and of I course I promptly joined him, I'm actually crying a bit now as I finish this tribute). We cry not for Grandpa, as he is rejoicing with the angels, but cry for our loss as we remain behind. May his love live in us as a tribute to his legacy.

Here is a link to the song

9-month check-up

2010-02-03T14:00:00.003-05:00

Zoie had her 9 month check-up yesterday. She is doing very well. She is almost 29 inches tall and weights 20lbs 2 oz. So she is in the 95th percentile for height and the 75th percentile for weight. She had to get a shot yesterday which she didn't appreciate very much but she was done crying by the time we left the room and seemed to be fine the rest of the day. If you want to see her in action, you can check her out on my facebook page. I have a great video of her playing with my mom.

Back to Work

2010-01-20T22:30:00.003-05:00

For those of you who weren't aware, Mark was laid off from CAT for 9 months out of 2009. He was called back to CAT in early December. While being laid off often comes with many stresses, God blessed us abundantly during that time. I am thankful that it happened.

Mark was able to complete his degree and sit for 3 of his 4 CPA exams. In addition, he was there during the early months of Zoie's life. We got to spend a lot of quality family time together. He also completed several big projects on our house including (but not limited to) a new roof and installing an exit window in the basement.

Mark definitely made the most of his lay-off time. We grew closer in our relationship and I enjoyed having him around everyday. Zoie and I do miss him when he goes off to work but we are thankful that he is now the first shift supervisor (he was on 3rd shift when he was laid-off). I praise God for the strength and provision he provided both of us during that time.

Here is a picture of Zoie in her CAT shirt from Daddy.

Good-bye Grandpa "Shoe"

2010-01-12T11:43:00.004-05:00

Mark's Grandpa passed away unexpectedly last night. While we rejoice that he is with the Lord, we grieve for our loss. He was a wonderful caring man who we loved very much. Please pray for God's strength and comfort for the family (especially Grandma) as we live on.

Teeth

2010-01-07T10:42:00.002-05:00

Just before Christmas Zoie got her first two teeth. I had been trying to get a picture but hadn't had much success until yesterday. Here is my big girl.

8 months old

2009-12-28T21:58:00.012-05:00

Zoie is growing up so fast. She is now 8 months old. I was reminiscing with my mother-in-law today. I thought I'd share these pictures as a look back over the past 8 months.

8 months

7 months

6 months

5 months

4 months

3 months

2 months

1 month

first week home

Brand New

Growing up = lowering the crib

2009-12-21T13:01:00.005-05:00

When I went in to pick Zoie up from her nap, this is what I found. Time to lower the crib. She greeted me with a huge "I'm really proud of myself" smile. Fortunately, I had my camera sitting on the dresser in her room to capture the moment. The only thing missing is the surprised look on my face.

Pretty Dresses

2009-12-14T21:22:00.003-05:00

Part of the fun having a baby girl is the pretty baby girl clothes. Here are pictures of Zoie's Christmas dresses. The red one is from my mom. The pink I got from once upon a child. She is just so fun to dress up and of course top it off with a bow.

Ray of Sunshine

2009-12-09T17:05:00.005-05:00

When it's cold, snowy and icky out. All you want is a little sunshine. So I dressed mine up in a cute outfit complete with a huge flower. Thought you might enjoy a little sunshine in your day too.

This is the current look outside of our house. It's definitely winter.

Little Family

2009-12-02T23:42:00.002-05:00

I just thought I'd share this recent picture of our little family. Thanks Nelson for taking it for us at church on Sunday. My mom wanted one of us dressed up nice for her Christmas card. It's difficult to use a self-timer with a 7-month old so we had Nelson take it for us. Mission accomplished.

New Window

2009-11-28T16:37:00.003-05:00

Mark recently installed a new window and window well in our basement so that we have an exit when we refinish it. Here are some pictures.

Zoie "helping" Daddy with his big hole in the wall

From outside above the new window well

The handy man proud of his work

Crying Over Carrots

2009-11-24T10:17:00.003-05:00

When we first introduced Zoie to solid foods, she wasn't overly impressed. She'd eat her cereal ok but nothing compared to the drama of carrots. When we'd try to give her carrots she would just sob. It'd almost make you feel bad (obviously not bad enough to forgo taking a picture).

This past week though she has decided she loves her food. She now lunges for it a bit and happily downs her carrots and other vegetables. Glad she is over the initial hysteria.

Gush, Gush, Gush

2009-11-17T14:07:00.005-05:00

Last week, Mark was moving a water line so we could install an egress window as an exit when we refinish the basement.

In the late morning Mark comes upstairs with a very worried look and said "I need the phone number for the emergency shut-off for our water." As he is finishing the sentence, I hear the gush gush gush of gallons of water pouring into my basement.

When Mark was moving the line, the main relief valve fell off the wall. We had to have the utility people come and shut the water off from outside our house.

Mark then set off to fix it. After seeking the advice from our Dads and our friend Randy, he got a new valve installed and the pipes put in...at 11 that night, we called to have the water company turn on our water.

When they did, we realized there were a few things that still needed adjusted. The water guy, Steve, only responsibility was to turn the water off or on. But he thought our baby Zoie was too cute to go without water. So he helped us for the next hour correct the issues. He even brought a new valve from his house to put on.

We offered to compensate him but all he asked is that we tell that baby of ours that "Steve said hey." Well anyway...thanks Steve...you were amazingly helpful.

So all is cleaned up, the water is on, and the pipes don't leak. Praise the Lord for our Dads, Randy, and Steve who all contributed to its success.

Here are some pictures of the initial damage.

Bows Bows Bows

2009-11-03T21:33:00.008-05:00

Anybody who knows me, knows that I love to put pretty bows on my beautiful baby's head. I have several bows from my dear friend Deanne. She makes some fabulous and very creative things. Here is a link to her blog and her website. Below is Zoie modeling a few of Deanne's creations that I own.

Zoie wearing a mini-korker

Zoie with a pink double ruffle ribbon (I get lots of compliments on this one). I included 2 pictures with this one, as the first Zoie looks much happier, but the second shows the bow a bit better.

Zoie sporting a Marabou Puff and wearing a pink nylon headband

I have several others, all of which Zoie wears regularly. Thanks Deanne!

Little Leopard

2009-11-01T21:52:00.005-05:00

For Halloween I dressed up Zoie as a little leopard. She helped me handout candy. Actually I just carried her to the door with me when we had trick-or-treaters...she was probably more work than help but she was awful cute. I wouldn't have probably spent the money to buy her a costume but I found this one at a garage sale this summer for a dime. Hope you had a Happy Halloween.

Bowling in South Bend

2009-10-30T14:08:00.005-04:00

On a recent trip (ok so it's been like a month ago but anyway) I had a bowling outing with some of my co-workers from my division. Mark and Zoie came with me to South Bend and were able to join in the bowling fun. Zoie did very good, was held by lots of people, and was a hit as usual. Here are some pictures.

Mommy & Zoie

Watching from the side

Mark with my boss

This is where Zoie spent some of the evening

Zoie sitting with Lisa

I didn't bowl very well but I didn't completely embarrass myself either. We had a nice time and my co-workers got to know my family a bit better.

What does Zoie do all day?

2009-10-22T11:17:00.008-04:00

As I'm currently working from home, the common question is what does Zoie do all day. I thought I'd give you a few pictures to illustrate.

Yes she does take naps in her bed, this just sometimes happens when she gets really tired. She is actually a very good napper, which is when it is the easiest to work. She usually takes 2 2-4 hour naps everyday.

She is ok with the jumperoo. She is a bigger fan of the swing...I just couldn't find a good picture of that right now.

She plays a lot on her activity mat. She really likes the toys.

This is her moving away from the play mat. For a child who doensn't officially "crawl" yet, she gets around.

She also likes to sit on our futon to play. She is looking at books here. She probably tries to "eat" the books versus "read" them.

Before and After

2009-10-14T21:09:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago Mark and his brother Ben put a new roof on our house. Since we changed the shingle color, we changed the shutters as well. Here are the before and after pictures.

First Foods

2009-10-05T14:16:00.009-04:00

At Zoie's 4 month doctor appointment (which yes was well over a month ago), he suggested we start her on some solid foods. Thus far I've only ventured into rice cereal. She was not initially impressed. Here are some pictures

Daddy thought it might be funny a few days before to give her an apple. Don't worry, all she could do was gum it.

By the second feeding, she was all about her rice cereal. If you are too slow, she lets you know it. We are hoping to start vegetables soon.

3 Years!

2009-09-24T09:18:00.005-04:00

Happy Anniversary Mark! It's been 3 wonderful and exciting years with lots of changes. I pray we'll have many more together. I love you!

TV junkie

2009-09-14T17:35:00.004-04:00

Zoie loves to watch TV (this is going to likely cause us problems later on). She'll just sit and stare at it, she's been doing this since she was 2 months. We're definitely going to need time limits on TV time in the years ahead.

Zoie's Fan Club

2009-09-04T11:51:00.010-04:00

Zoie has many members to her fan club. Here though are pics with a few of her biggest fans.

Visitors

2009-08-31T17:19:00.008-04:00

We have had a few visitors to our house recently. Yesterday evening Hannah, Ben, and Mom L. arrived. Mom and Hannah are helping Josh and Bethany with their new baby and Ben is helping Mark put a new roof on our house. The Grandma's came up to pick up Mom and Hannah this morning.

My aunt Donna stopped by on her way home from Chicago a few weeks ago. She is a "great" aunt and glad she could finally make it to our place. Aunt Donna is the relative you call when you need random assistance and she is always willing to help (my sister Diana has some noted experience with this).

Finally, my mom had to come get a Zoie fix.

We always love visitors, so come by and see us.

Mommy Jinxed It

2009-08-19T09:57:00.007-04:00

So yesterday Mommy shared what a good baby I am (See Baby Lottery). While that's still true, I decided to be a bit ornery last night. I waited until after 11 to go to bed and then I woke up at 5 for a snack. Now I wasn't too bad as I just ate and went right back to sleep...but Mommy better careful what she says next time. Lots of love ~Zoie

Baby Lottery

2009-08-18T13:45:00.006-04:00

My sister commented the other day "You really won the baby lottery with Zoie." The more I think about it, the more I conclude she is right. Now I am Zoie's mom, so that makes me a little biased which I ask you to forgive. A few highlights though

1. She's totally cute and adorable (pictures below to prove my point).

2. She has been sleeping through the night since she was 6 weeks old. I'm talking always at least 8 hours and up to 11. When she first came home from the hospital she'd go to bed at night, sleep 4 hours, eat, and go right back to sleep. She was only "up" in the day time.

3.She is growing and healthy

4. She is very interactive. Unless she's grumpy, you can count on a smile if you talk to her. She especially likes older women, which makes her a hit at the nursing home when we visit my grandparents.

5. She is a good traveler. We've been all over since she was born (Georgia, Michigan, Indiana, and more times to Central Illinois then I care to count). Overall she's pretty content in the car seat once we get moving and she's been fed. She doesn't always like to be put in it and sometimes she's had enough...but overall pretty good. She also is able to sleep in her pack n play just as well as her crib.

6. She can calm herself and put herself to sleep. Sometimes she'll be mad in the carseat for a minute or two and then just be done with it. I think she knows her parents aren't giving in :). Also, if she is tired, if I just lay her in bed, she may fuss for a couple of minutes but pretty soon she'll just go to sleep. A lot of times, she doesn't fuss at all.

Many of the things that make Zoie especially easy as a baby are just a result of her being her. Mark and I are NOT wonderfully gifted parents. There are many wonderful parents whose babies are no less wonderful, just more work. We're just taking it day by day, learning how to care and love our little girl.

With this good baby, Mark is especially nervous about even the thought of a #2. He doesn't think you can gamble and do this good twice :).

College Grad and A Visit From Amanda

2009-08-11T11:15:00.007-04:00

As I hear Pomp and Circumstance in my head, it's with great pleasure I salute this family's newest college graduate. Mark completed his B.S. in Accounting from the University of Phoenix this summer. It's been a long road but he has done very well. I'm amazed at the diligence he has shown to reach this accomplishment.

He also was recently approved by the Illinois Board of Examiners to sit for the CPA exam. It's a 4-part exam and he sits for the first test at the end of August. So the studying isn't quite over, but he keeps making progress.

Last week Aunt Amanda came to get her Zoie fix. We had lots of fun shopping for Amanda's birthday which was yesterday. Happy 18th! I can't believe my "short-child" is already a legal adult.

Zoie August 2009 1 (39 photos), by Laura Lindberg

2009-08-11T11:09:00.002-04:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you.

Lindberg Visit

2009-08-05T22:06:00.004-04:00

I'm a little behind here but a few weeks ago the Lindberg's came to visit. It was wonderful to see them. Since the first week they were here it was the last week of my maternity leave, we got to spend a lot of time together. A little perk of Zoie coming a week late.

Here are a few random pictures.

3 Months Old

2009-07-27T11:36:00.005-04:00

My little Zoie is 3 months old today. Below are pictures taken right around the time of the milestones. 3 months, 2 months, 1 month, and brand-new. It's amazing how she grows and changes so fast.

Boat ride

2009-07-20T12:46:00.011-04:00

My parent's friend Barb has a pontoon boat on Lake Bloomington that she said we were always welcome to use. Mom and Dad had Braden last weeks, so they decided to take her up on this offer. We took out the boat for a beautiful evening on the Lake. Here are some pictures

Michigan Vacation

2009-07-13T23:54:00.010-04:00

Mark, Zoie, & I took our first family vacation last week. We had a wonderful time. It was a very successful considering we took a 2 month old infant. She did very well. It was a wonderful week of wine tasting, visiting the beach, and just some general relaxation. We stayed in a small condo in Douglas, MI not far from Oval Beach. Here are a few good picture highlights

2 months old

2009-06-30T18:04:00.006-04:00

Our little Zoie is 2 months old as of Saturday. She keeps getting bigger and bigger everyday. We sure love our little girl.

My Brother's Wedding

2009-06-24T14:27:00.008-04:00

This spring/summer brought a lot of changes to my family. Our last big family event was my brother's wedding. He and his new wife Amber had a beautiful wedding (pictures below). We are excited to welcome her and Braden (her 8 year old son) into our family. I always wanted my brother to marry some one who is fun and caring person. She is all that and so much more.

Congrats to the very happy couple.

hickey

2009-06-19T23:26:00.003-04:00

Zoie has been making many attempts to suck her thumb/hand. She doesn't have the motor control to quite do it yet but she certainly tries. A while back she got a good latch on her arm giving herself her first hickey. I was glad I was there to watch her do it otherwise I would have worried she really did something to bruise herself.

Smiles

2009-06-14T23:33:00.005-04:00

Don't you just love these grins??

Baby Gear

2009-06-12T10:35:00.004-04:00

As we've now made it over 6 weeks with our little one. There are several pieces of baby gear I'm really glad we have.

The first one is our baby monitor. Our baby monitor is one that not only provides sound so we can hear her cry, it monitors her breathing. It has a little pad you put under the mattress. After you lay her down, you turn that part on and it senses her breathing. If it doesn't feel any movement for 40 seconds, an alarm goes off. This monitor has given me such peace of mind. I don't get up in the middle of the night to see if she is breathing.

The second piece of equipment is the baby swing. Zoie loves her swing and so does mommy. This piece of equipment is great when she is semi-sleepy but too fidgety to go right to sleep. Sometimes she isn't a fan but most times she is very content here. We got this Nature's Touch one off of Craigslist. A little more pricey than some swings but it goes both front-to-back and side to side. She prefers the side to side motion and seems the most entertained by the nature sounds versus the music. The way it is shaped makes it great for sleeping. I'm very glad I searched long and hard to find this swing.

Our Trip to Georgia

2009-06-10T18:08:00.007-04:00

We had a wonderful trip to Georgia right at the end of May. We ventured down to the deep South to introduce Zoie to her family there. She of course was wildly popular. Here are a fe pictures from our trip

A Family Shot

Mark's trip with Dad and Caleb fishing in the Gulf

Zoie and Caleb

Zoie and Joel

My Little Chunk

2009-06-02T23:10:00.005-04:00

We had Zoie's 1 month visit to the doctor today. We confirmed she is an excellent eater. She has grown 1 1/2 inches to be at 23 inches. She is also weighing in at 11 lbs 15 oz. I love my little chunk.

Here are a couple recent pictures Renae took while we were in Georgia.

In Georgia Now

2009-05-26T10:19:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone.

I haven't downloaded recent pictures off my camera yet, but will do so soon. We're in Georgia right now visiting Mark's family. This is the their first opportunity to meet Zoie. She was a wonderful traveler (we are very thankful for this). She was a bit fussy after we arrived yesterday but after 6 hours of straight sleep :)...everyone is feeling better.

Here is a picture of our little traveler

Shout out

2009-05-12T10:59:00.005-04:00

Greetings from the new parents.

We are doing well. Our little princess is doing great. She has already gained 1lb 4 oz since birth. She is now 9lb 14oz. I can definitely see her face filling out and her sleepers aren't so puffy on her.

She is very alert. She's also very Lindberg because when she is asleep...she's out. She already sleeps great waking up usually just once at night to eat...so I'm actually getting some decent rest.

Here are a couple of pictures.

Baby Love

2009-05-02T11:22:00.006-04:00

It's official, Mark is in love with another girl. Fortunately it's our daughter and there is plently of love for the both of us. Life here is definitely different but we wouldn't change it for anything. Zoie is a very happy baby thus far. We had her first doctor visit today and everything looks good, we're very thankful for our healthy little girl.
Here are a few pictures of us at home