"I am a true Princesss"

My True Little Princess!

Singing, "I am a true Princess"

The girls learned a dance and the sign language to the song.

One of the crafts during the week was making an apron that read "Princess Madelyn" with her hand prints and lots of glitter, boas and ribbons. So very precious!

Making her grand entrance.

Practicing for the Royal Performance

Princess Madelyn

Brinley, Madelyn and Cara three adorable princess friends.

Practicing her new prayer..."Here's my crown I lay it down and before the king my Lord."

Madelyn's Holy unto the Lord Cowgirl Hat

Each Day had a craft that enhanced and went along with the Bible Point

Nickie and Madelyn after her Royal Performance

Me and my Princess

For the past several years, Prestonwood has hosted the Royal Princess Camp--What it means to be the daughter of the KING. Its an absolutely adorable week for the girls as they paint their nails, wear tiaras, dance, sing, watch princess skits, learn princess manners, and make cute, cute crafts. Most importantly, they learn a daily Bible verse that helps them learn that they are a precious gift from God and they a daughter of the KING acts and helps others. This was Madelyn third time to attending the camp, the really the first year she got to be in the room by herself. I volunteered the week in the crazy craft room and got to sneak peaks all day long how wonderful my princess was doing. It's bittersweet to know that your daughter is having a blast and being independent but doesn't always need you by her side. We now listen everyday to the True Princess CD and Madelyn knows every word and motion.Its great CD, but a little variety would be nice. She keeps talking about when she gets to go back to Princess Camp. It's hard to explain to a three year old that she has wait until the summertime to go back. Ahh a lesson in patience!

The Hot Hot Hot Forth Worth Zoo

Madelyn and Kaden riding together on the train

Kaden and April

My pinkened Maddie riding on the bench of the carousel because "all the other animals are too scary."

I think we probably picked the hottest day of the summer to go to the Forth Worth Zoo with my good friends from college April, Matt and their two kiddos Kaden and Aubrey. By 11 am that morning it had already reached 113. It was so hot that most of the animals were not even in their outdoor exhibits. Needless to say we took frequent cooling off breaks, and Madelyn didn't complain when I said she could have ice cream for her lunch. Madelyn and Kaden thoroughly enjoyed the train and carousel rides, and pretending to be the few animals we saw that day.

Monticello

Home of Thomas Jefferson in Charlottseville, Virginia
Look familiar its on the back of the nickel.


My Jeffersonian beauty


Me and Madelyn enjoying our annual photo on the lawn.

On the back steps of the house

Waiting in line for the house tour. I am so proud of Madelyn, she did fabulous during the tour and was actually able to point and identify a few major artifacts during the tour. It melts my heart that she will share the same love for history, as I do....like she has any choice with a history teacher for a mom.

Learning the fine art of writing with a Quill pen and an ink well.

It was messy but fun, but the girls learned something new.

Miss Independent wanted to do all by herself

Arianna and Madelyn hanging around a 300 year oak tree

Arianna, Gabriella and Maddie just relaxing in the shade

Enjoying the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains

Me and Mr. Jefferson

For the past eight years we have had our pictures taken on the back steps of the Monticello. I have myself from the single years, Michael and I when we were engaged, married and then Madelyn when she was only a month old. So every since then I have taken Madelyn's picture when we go to visit my dad. This year Michael came with us for a few days, but had to get back for school. So I took all the girls myself to Monticello and had an amazing time. The TJ foundation open a new and beautiful visitor's center with a great cafe. To enhance the tour for the young historians, a children's tour of the home was also added, and offers more hands on opportunities for the kids--highly recommended. I don't get to see the girls very often, so spending the day with my little sisters was important, fun and memorable. Not to mention we were in my own personal utopia and I was able to share the experience with Madelyn, who I hope one day will understand that Jefferson was responsible for helping to create many of the civil liberties that we Americans enjoy today.

Richmond's Children's Museum

Digging for Dinosaurs

Madelyn enjoyed making a splash at the water works

Gabriella and Madelyn

Gina teaching Madelyn how to milk a cow

Two monkey's just hanging around

Check out these Future Farmers of America

Gina was a super duper checker outer

Enjoying her view while driving the Ambulance

Mechanical Inclinations must come from her daddy

Madelyn telling us a mooooving story

My little ham stole the show! Can you tell how well she dressed for the part!

Arianna, Madelyn, Gabriella and Gina taking a ride on a dinosaur

Such cute little chick-a-dies

What to do on a rainy afternoon? While the Richmond's Children's Museum proved to provide hours of fun and make believe for the girls. Madelyn loved the farm, the climbing tree top adventures, the shopping market and the water works. I think the best part for Madelyn was having built in playmates with all her aunts there to play with her.

Horse Back Riding on Graves Mountain

Yes, I know I am a dork, but you should have seen the full get up. I had on firework/sparkler headbands, American flag necklace and cool Star and Stripes socks--- I was being patriotic! But I also knew that I didn't to scare the horse, so left most of my get up in the car, except the groovy sun glasses. This was the first time in fifteen years I had gone horse back riding and was so excited and scared at the same time. Excited when the land was flat, but as the name implies--Graves Mountain-- we took some steep trail paths. And according to Sir Issac Newton what goes up, must come down. And down we did! There were a few points were I wanted to close my eyes, but thankful that my horse did not. But an hour into the ride, with a numb butt and sore thighs, I was having a blast and wanted to keep going, but I also wanted to get back to Madelyn and Michael. I can't wait till she is old enough for some active equine adventures.


Daneen's horse was a bit to spirited for me--she liked to take off in trot-a lot!

Gina rode a horse that stopped to eat EVERY weed we past.

Me and Big Brown Mouse-- she was a good horse!

The Three City Slickers--ahhh I, mean the Three Amigo's

Madelyn, Gina and me-- I see the resemblance, but I think that Gina and Vanessa look much more alike.

My sweet baby girl was tuckered out from the long hike.

Madelyn really wanted to swim in the river, but her change of clothes were at the top of the mountain.

Madelyn's first funnel cake--apparently she really like it!

Gabriella, Madelyn, myself and Michael appreciating the beautiful view of the river.

Graves Mountain, Virginia

Madelyn and Arianna enjoying the view from the main lodge porch.


Nonno, Arianna and Madelyn starting their hike

Wild Raspberries were a delicious treat along the path.

I just love how Madelyn's walking stick is bigger than her.

A beautiful view from the top of Graves Mountain.

Arianna, Gabriella and Madelyn

That's one big rock! I sure hope that Michael, Madelyn and Arianna can keep Gabriella's rock from rolling down the hill.

Madelyn getting some sweet loving from her aunt Gina.

Nonno, Gina, Madelyn making a wish from the bridge.

I am pretty sure that "Dorkness" must run in the family. But hey, at least we got spirit!

Enjoying some sparklingly good sparkler fun!

For Fourth of July, my took the entire family up to Graves Mountain, Virginia for the day. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, every angel is a spectacular view. The resort town reminds me of the place from Dirty Dancing--cabins sprawled through out the woods and plenty of activities of the family to partake. Michael and Madelyn went hiking up the trails with my dad, Arrianna and Gabriella; while I went horse back riding with Daneen and Gina--just wait for those pictures. We relaxed by the river and watched some crazy people do tricycle races down the side of the mountain, before going to clean up for dinner and fire works. It was so peaceful and green there, that I spent a good time of the afternoon trying to convince Michael that we didn't want to leave this serene beauty for the burning Texas heat.

One, Little Two, Litttle Three Litttle "Tosi"es

Madelyn and her Bis Nonna (Great Grandma)

Four Generations of Tosis'

The Tosi Clan Left to right

Front row: Gina, Arianna, Gabriella, Nonna Trudy, Valerie, Madelyn, Daneen

Top Row: Gino, Amadio, Nick, Vince, and uncle Gino's Russian friends.

Mount Vernon

The girls hanging out with G.W himself

The front of Mount Vernon. I wish I could have had an unobstructed view but they were setting up for a naturalization ceremony that took place on the Fourth of July.

Gina, Gabriella, and Madelyn in the Pleasure Garden.

The Fleur-de-lies shrubs show the French influence the Custis family had on the area.

Slave Quarters

The view of the Potomac River from the Back of the house.

We were loving the cooler Virginia weather!

We are in the circle drive in front of the main house.

The separate main house kitchen.

Washington/Custis Family Tomb. Its actually Washington's second tomb, his body was moved from the decaying cellar like tomb on the grounds and moved to a more scenic and grandiose tomb where his son lays in rest next to him.

Most people assume that George Washington was a rich and famous General. Although he was a brilliant military leader, he was broke when he married Martha Custis Washington, who happened to be the richest family in the colonies at the time. It was the Custis family who owned Mount Vernon and maintained its up keep.

I just love taking Madelyn to as many historical sites as we can visit. It maybe the history nerd in me but we had a blast taking my sisters out for a fun outing, although there was a three hour wait for the house tour, we all had fun strolling around the beautiful grounds enjoying some cooler weather.

Angela's Wedding

Madelyn had so much fun being the "Flower girl"--well that's what she called herself. Thanks Christina for indulging her fantasy.

Waiting for the wedding ceremony to begin at the Botanical Gardens in Fairfax Virginia.


Angela and Uncle Gino

Mr. & Mrs. Wes Morrison

Michael show off his artistic skills.

Tosi Family

Uncle Gino and myself

All of the Tosi in once place!

My cousins- Angela and Christina

Checking out the Koi pond, she wanted to "swim with the fishes"

Uncle Gino dancing with all the Madelyn, Gabriella, and Arianna.

Daddy Daughter Dance

Uncle Nick and Madelyn boogie'n down on the dance floor

Look at that handsome little brother of mine!

After two days of traveling and enduring the plot from Trains, Planes, Automobiles, we flew into Virgina just in time to change and make it to the wedding of my cousin Angela Tosi to Wes Morrison at the Botanical Gardens in Fairfax Virgina. Beautiful as you can see from the pictures. It was was so excited to see my cousins, Angela and Christina! The last time I saw either one of them was right after Madelyn was born. And this was the first time that my Uncle Gino or Aunt Greta had ever meet Madelyn. It was so much visiting with them and show off my precious pride and joy. But the dance floor proved to provide the most entertainment as Madelyn hardly ever wanted to leave the floor except to go look for the fish. She loves to dance and had fun playing with my sisters as well.

Best Wishes, Angela and Wes!

Stranded in Atlanta

Downtown Atlanta


The Jazz Festival "Winedown Wednesdays" in Centennial Park


In the CNN Plaza


We never had any intentions of spending a few days in Atlanta Georgia, but Delta Airlines had a different itinerary in mind. Michael, myself, and Madelyn were en route to Washington D.C and Virginia for my cousin's Angela's wedding. We happily left Dallas with our boarding passes ready or our lay over in Atlanta. It was not until we arrived in Atlanta did Delta decide to cancel the flight due to a lack of passengers to Charlottesville, VA. They automatically rebooked us for two days later, putting all of us on three different flights. Yeah, like that's going work for a three year old, yet alone making it to the wedding the next day. It took four hours in line with the customer care representative just to get us rebooked for the next morning. Oh did I mention that they were not going to provide a hotel room. By this point I was anything but polite and much more in the pissy mood. I do have to say its funny now that Michael, kept telling me to "Get, EM", as he stood behind me as I negotiated with the service agents! Finally after waiting another hour and demanding to speak to the manager did we get a crummy hotel room and meal vouchers.....and now the kicker...They LOST OF OUR LUGGAGE! So were stranded in Atlanta with no luggage for two days in a crummy smelly hotel room with a cranky sleep deprived three year old. So what else do you do with nothing to do......sight see! After pouting and realizing all the screaming and yelling was not going to get me there that evening, but it did make me feel better, I decide that it was better to make lemonade with the lemons that Delta delt us.


I wish that we had gotten out to see more earlier in the day, since many sights like the Cola-Cola Museum close at 5pm. We took the cheap sight seeing tour the MARTA (aka, the subway) into downtown and walked around and saw many of the downtown attractions like the Underground and the CNN towers & museum and even enjoyed a Jazz Festival happening in Centennial Park.

Luckily I packed extra clothes for Madelyn in my carry on, so she was just fine with this new hotel adventure. To ease our inconvenience's, Delta gave us a toiletry bag and a size medium tee-shirt to change into--yeah like that did any good for us. We finally made it into Charlottesville the next morning and I was ready to blow a gasket when our bags weren't there. Almost in tears I go up the baggage claim counter to file a missing bag report, when the nice guy says oh wait, I have your bags here, they flew them specially last night. Relived, but almost even more upset, because it they can fly our luggage the night before, why could they fly us with our bags.

Morale of the story: Avoid Delta Airlines!!!!

PS. Our return flight was delayed three hours because they forgot to schedule a pilot...arg!