West Texas Fair and Rodeo

These goats were ready to eat anything...include Maddie as a snack.

Look at the cute "kids"

Madelyn did not enjoy the forced torture of going down the slide. To her credit, it was pretty fast.

We went to Abilene to visit Michael's family and celebrate birthdays. While we were there the whole family went for a visit to the fair and rodeo. It's the same fair that Michael grew up going to each year; and he is pretty sure that the rides we rode were the same original rides. All day long to talked and salivated about getting Texas A&M fries. What the heck is that I asked? The Ag school has a contract that they are the only vendors of french fries at the fair, as fundraiser for the school. I must say that at least they lived up to all of Michael's hype. Madelyn had a good time at the petting zoo, but I was miserable. With 500 feet of these darn animals I could not stop sneezing and spent the rest of the night with a Kleenex in hand. Small sacrifice for the amusement of your kid.

Mackenzie, Jonathan and Madelyn riding a ladybug.

Madelyn's first roller coaster ride. If you can see her hunched besides me. She really did enjoy about 90% of the ride and even put hands up on the first hill. But she was not very keen on the hairpin turn.

I wish I could get the picture bigger, but this Madelyn and Jonathan crusin together.

Bouncing good time with Grammie

Dear Grammie,
Thank you for always taking the time to play and do fun stuff with me. You are the best Grammie ever!
-Love Madelyn

Kid workshops

Our carpenter in training.

Watch your fingers Daddy


I have a hammer and I know how to use it.

AHHHHHH!

Peek-a-booo I see Madelyn

Grammie and Madelyn showing off her finished creation.

We have become big fans of the Saturday Kids workshop at Home Depot. Its fun to watch Madelyn and other kids attempt to create their masterpiece, while their dad's try to supervise without taking over. Madelyn loves her "kid size" apron and is very proud of her merit pins she has earned. And not to mention, the girl has a mean and swift hammer swing, and is very "Hammer Happy." Ahh free family together.

My Little Fish

Madelyn took quite an interest in swimming this summer, that I didn't want her momentum to slow. So I signed Maddie up for once a week swim lessons at the Emler Swim school. I taught mom and me swim classes for years and have truly enjoyed teaching Madelyn the basics. But we have finally reached a point where she needed someone other than mom to teach her. Maddie was thrilled to swim there, but I was a little apprehensive since I wasn't sure this was going to be worth our money. But boy was I wrong. Madelyn is loving this and doing AMAZING! Before we started she could swim about five feet by herself. Now she can swim about fifteen feet, float on her back, and can safely climb out of the pool on her own. And if you ask Madelyn what she is most proud of achieving, she would quickly tell you the BIG water slide. As a reward at the end of class they can go down the water slide, and she loves it!

I wish I had better pictures of her actually swimming, but right now those are on my phone camera and I still need to transfer them. But don't worry this proud momma will eventually get those posted. Plus its hard to seek on the deck to get pictures without interrupting the lesson.

Thyroid Problems

I went to the doctor over the summer to have my regular scheduled blood work done. The results were puzzling for the doctor, who then sent me to have a sonogram on my thyroid. The sonogram revealed that I had two nodules on the ride side of the thyroid, the first about 2cm and the other 3.5 cm. That prompted a visit to an ENT surgeon, who ordered a biopsy of both tumors. I have to say that was probably one of the scariest and unnerving procedure I have endured. My favorite line from the doctor was, "Don't move I don't want to pierce your trachea". That was in September and my thyroid is still swollen at the biopsy site. I have since then meet my new Endocrinologist who has done all sorts of blood work, CT and sonograms and has given me a diagnose of Hoshimoto Thyroiditis. Meaning that my body is attacking my thyroid and as a result these two tumors have manifested. I swear I am not making up the name. When I told my mom the diagnoses, she asked me if I had eaten too much sushi.

The ENT wants to remove the right side of the thyroid, because the largest of the nodules is growing too close to my voice box, but before they operate they want to see if hormone therapy can skrink the nodule. I have my follow up appointment next week, so we will see what the Endocrinologist will say. But I do want to thank those wonderful friends who have been praying and constantly checking up on my status. Your prayers are certainly appreciated and felt!

Picture Hodge Podge

"Gig Em"


I saw my two favorite professors from Austin College, Victoria and Light Cummins for lunch at Spoons in downtown McKinney. I am not sure where Madelyn will go to college, but my only hope for her is is that she will have wonderful professors like I did, who still make an effort to keep in contact with former students.


Maddie enjoying playing with a few more caserones in the backyard.



Jen, my college roommate and most wonderful and bestest friend took me on an adventure for my birthday to a Murder Mystery dinner theatre in Fair Park. It was hoot! As everyone there has a part in the production-whether you knew or not. It was so much fun trying to figure out "who dunnit".

Madelyn and Kaelin enjoy a fun afternoon together at Hawaiian Falls and had a blast.

"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.