MARCH MADNESS!

March has been a really exciting month. It has just flown by. The month started off a bit dreary, but is ending with SPRING making it's long awaited entrance!  Butler's basketball team played the "Sweet Sixteen" game in Utah and ended up making it to the FINAL FOUR which is here in Indianapolis. It has been really fun to see the school pride. News helicopters fly by in the day, the bookstore is sold out of everything, and news crews are everywhere on campus. Ty is excited that people might actually know where he went to school. Especially if they win! The Indianapolis Star Newspaper interviewed him today. :)  Unfortunately, Ty and most Butler students were unable to get tickets to the final four game. Everyone got really upset, so today they are resold them.  We tried and the student tickets sold in about 10 seconds.   Anyway, here are a ton of photos of the fun things we have been up too.

First off- Nana surprised Zoey and Zealand for a visit. Zoey thought we just went to the airport for an ice cream.  There was another little girl whose grandma came right before Nana showed up. Zoey got really sad and said "I wish my grandma would come" "I wanna go home to Utah" It was really nice to have mom here for a week.  We all needed a little boost.

She was so thrilled!                        St. Patricks day at the mall.

The Butterflies are out at the White River Botanical Gardens

This butterfly is called an owl.

This big ball makes marks in the sand.  They have one for each season. This was the SPRING one.

Zealand was a little nervous waiting for the zoo train. It was green so he thought it was Percy.

We got to watch Zoey at her gymnastics class.   The Easter bunny was at the mall on St. Patty's day.

Zealand loved the bunny!    Zoey woke up on her birthday to lots of fun things.

She wanted pink cupcakes.

Every year on her birthday she gets special strawberry pancakes.

She had lots of calls and birthday wishes from her family back home. This is her costume she will wear in Utah at her ballet performance this summer.  

She will be a jellyfish in the Little Mermaid.

She got to wear it to her ballet class. Then we let her pick where she wanted to eat lunch. 

STEAK N SHAKE

SHE LOVES THE KIDS MINI BURGERS

Her family back in Utah all sent her great gifts. She was thrilled they remembered. THANKS! 

She got a Zhu Zhu pet and pony from her little brother.

A new castle and Princess and the Frog.

We got her a guitar. She is trying to play like the BEATLES :)

Her Grandma Sherry made her a beautiful ball gown.

The day after her birthday was her part. She got to invite nine friends. She really missed her cousins but was thrilled to have so many nice friends come to celebrate her birthday.

I made the invites because I couldn't find anything western. They turned out cute.

The Round up was so much fun. We used a lot of things she already had for props. To make it a Rootin Tootin Good Time

She wanted a horse cake. This is not my best cake, but it she loved it. Plus, it was super easy at 11:00 at night.

We played lots of fun round up games

The kids favorite game was SNAKE IN THE BOOTS (inspired by Woody) 

I made little favor bags for the kids to take home. 

They got a squirt gun, horse, sheriffs badge, play doh, toy story snacks, & trail mix.

I really think with that pose and cheesy smile she might be Miss Rodeo Utah one day. Plus, her dad has promised a REAL horse someday. I think he and I need to talk. :)

Her sweet friends.

10 kids were a little wild and crazy, but so fun!

Horseshoes

Horse roping

She got so many really nice gifts. Thanks everyone!

Yummy cake and Ice Cream

The kids watched a little bit of Toy Story and had pop corn.

We got to watch Ty play in the championship basketball game at the famous Hinkle Fieldhouse (where Hooisers was filmed. It was Ty's dream come true!

 Go Flying Scalpels

Ty is the center

Ty #40

It was a little late so ZZ wore his pajamas

Sadly, they lost but it was a great game.

Getting ready to take Nana to the airport, Zoey was so heartbroken. She cried the whole way to and from the airport. Thankfully, Her Molly doll was on the front porch when we got home from the airport.

She has been saving her money for a while, and used some b-day money to buy Molly.

I'm not sure if I have set a very good example for Zoe. She wants to collect American Girl stuff too. 

AT LEAST....She is starting to learn about working hard and saving an money she gets.

The Butler Boys at the Broad Ripple Egg hunt.

Happy Easter!

Ty only has about one month left of school and he will have his first year of PA school under his belt.

He will start his year of rotations May 1, 2011 back in Utah. We can't believe how fast time is flying.  

It makes us enjoy our time here in Indiana even more, when we know how soon 

we will be back in O-town.

This month has also brought a sorrow. Ty's cousin, Jon Unander passed 

away last week from cancer. 

He leaves behind a wife and two cute kids the same ages as ours.  We wished so much we could have been there for his services in Utah. We are thankful for the knowledge that Heavenly Father has a plan for us.  Jon will be with his sweet family again for time and eternity.  

Our thoughts and love goes out to his wife, kids, and extended family.  

With this Easter falling on General Conference weekend, our hearts are so full of the 

love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

We hope you feel of his spirit too where ever you are.

Love, Zara and the fam

A Year Ago... WOW! How things change!

Ty and I have been thinking a lot about where we were one year ago. It is crazy how much has changed. 

This is our beautiful view from old little house we sold in Ogden.  We have so many happy memories there, even though it was only 750 square feet. We feel very blessed that we were able to sell it by owner in only 8 days!  It has been been a huge change moving so far away from family and friends. But... we are so happy we have met many new friends and are enjoying our time in Indy.

We do miss our view of the mountains EVERYDAY!  It's funny how you take them for granted when they are so big and beautiful!

Our cozy family room.

Our tiny bedroom.  Plus, we had Zealand's crib in there.  He was 8 months old!  AHHH not fun! Zealand officially did not let me sleep through the night for 8 months! I still feel like I am catching up on sleep even though he does great now. :) 

I loved my kitchen!  It was so fun because we remolded it completely. A little cramped though. Annie loved to sit in the hallway and watch me cook. I really miss all of my Fiesta dishes.  I have over 35 place settings all in different colors.  I didn't bring them to Indy, because I didn't want them to get broken.

This is our great neighbor Pam.  Zoey loved to help her do yard work.   

Annie waiting in the back yard for me.      Zealand and Pop reading.

Going for lunch with Grandpa Jon.          We took Zoey to Disney Princess on Ice.

We had so much fun!  She was in heaven!   It is weird to think last year it was warm enough to go hiking up by mom and dad's.   

Zealand loved to ride on daddy!

Babe, Annie, and Zoey love to explore

I just love his little chubby baby cheeks! 

Ty and I flew to Indianapolis exactly a year ago today.  He had his big interview for  PA school on that Saturday.  It was fun (and way scary) being in a new city with so much riding on the interview.  Plus, it was the FIRST time we had every left both kids overnight. I am glad I came with Ty though, I almost didn't...  Zealand was sick with RSV, and I was nursing him, so it was REALLY hard to leave them for 4 days.  They did fine with Nana, and I am so glad I got to see where we would be living for the next few years. When we flew in to Indianapolis the stewardess said over the income "Welcome Home."  

I just had the strongest feeling that Indiana would be our home in the near future. 

It is strange now to think about walking around campus that day, when now we walk over there almost everyday.  This photo of Tyrone was before the interview, with our rental car.

Here is Tyrone after his big interview.  He thought it went really well, and IT DID! Now here we are living in Indianapolis and he is almost finished with his FIRST year!

I need to give Bubba a haircut, but I love it too much!  I made this church dress for Zoey. It turned out alright, for $6.00 :)  

I really enjoying making clothes for Zoey's American Girl dolls.(Emily&Ruthie were very good models)

I made the apron and levis.  Someday I think it would be fun to try to sell them at a boutique. Real American Girl clothes are quite expensive.  It would be fun for girls to be able to get them for around $8.00

These flannel PJ's are my favorite.  

 Matching aprons for two of Zoey's little friends. 

I have enjoyed having some projects this long long winter. But... looking back ...

I can't believe where the time has gone.

Everyday, I remind myself to enjoy the ride.  Life goes by so fast and it is tempting to always want to be in the next stage of life.  Yet, I don't think I would trade these simple days at home for anything.

 Our Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us.  I am thankful for all the experiences that have brought us where we are today.  We are so blessed. - Zara