Pumpkin Patch

All smiles in the petting zoo.


They don't call it the Big Organge Pumpkin Patch for nothing.

Going on a hay ride.

Matthew sees the farmer in the haystacks.

This is a Madelyn's new "cute pose"

Learning how to rope.

I'm going to rope me some cute husband!

Matthew and Madelyn on the train giving Michael "Gig'Em"

The evening sun did not make picture taking any easier for Madelyn. But she is still my "little pumpkin."

The Big Orange Pumpkin patch in Celina, TX proved this year to be more of mud patch than pumpkin. We tried twice unsuccessfully before this visit, but each time we were rained out or it was too muddy to walk around. But as always the pumpkin patch is fun and provided us with a ton cute pictures. Anne Marie and Matthew also join us again this year as we feed the animals, rode on the hay ride, picked out our perfect pumpkin, and even did some Rope'n in the corral.

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.