Madi meets her new baby cousin!

Madi holding baby cousin Carter, she was so happy to get to hold him!

Auntie Lexie and Carter who's having a big stretch.

Auntie Erin, Carter and Madi.

Madi seeing Carter for the first time, I love the look on her face, she was so excited!


Madi got to meet her new baby cousin, Carter, for the first time last night. Here are a few pictures. She did a great job with him but when we asked her if she wanted a baby at our house she said very firmly, "NO." We were to happy to get to see Carter again, can't believe he's a week old already, he's such a cutie! Thanks Paul and Erin for sharing him with us for the evening!

Wisconsin Dells, Day 2

Dave, Madi and I along the riverwalk.
Madi showing Mommy the boat

This is what you get after swimming for close to 2 hours, one VERY tired little girl!

Madi on the cute little train.

Our happy little girl.

Madi and I next to the horses used to pull us through the "Lost Canyon"

The Lost Canyon

Daddy was swinging and Madi said, "Daddy you're getting high." It was super funny.

Our second day at the Dells was VERY eventful. We got up and had breakfast at Paul Bunyan's restaurant. After that we went and walked the streets with all the fun little shops until Madi insisted on "going home," which to her meant the hotel. She wanted to go back because she had gotten a toy earlier in the day that she couldn't wait to play with. So, we went back to the hotel and she played and then we went swimming for close to 2 hours. She had a blast and was very tired afterwards. Later on we went on a tour of the "Lost Canyon" which was very cool. After that we went to the riverwalk and enjoyed a great dinner right along the river. To end our night we attended the Tommy Bartlett Show which was very cool. On the way out Madi said, "that was my best (meaning that was her favorite thing) then she said, "give me high five." She is such a goof. We had a great time and Madi cried on the way home because she wanted to go back to the hotel. We spent the rest of our Memorial Day weekend having a cookout with family and then enjoying Madi's FINISHED play area.

A trip down memory lane...

Well, I have officially been off the dating market for 5 years now:) Dave and I were engaged 5 years ago yesterday, the 25th. Here's the story of our engagement, sorry if it bores anyone, I love remembering it:)

Dave and I had been officially dating for one day short of 5 months. We knew already at that time that we would one day get married but both of us were still in school and there was no money to buy a ring so we were content just knowing that someday it would happen. I was making dinner on May 25, 2004; just a simple dinner of brats; ironically the same thing we ate yesterday! I mentioned that I thought we needed a little something to go with our brats, something as simple as chips but I soon decided against it because I didn't want to go to the store. That must have been Dave's cue because he became obsessed with getting me the chips I wanted to go with dinner. I told him it was fine but he insisted on going to get them. So, he went to get some chips and I sat down to do some studying.

What I didn't know is that Dave was headed to his apartment where a package had been delivered earlier in the day for him...a package that contained my engagement ring, shipped from Green Bay, WI by his Grandma Reed. Dave is very close to his Grandma (as am I now) and in talking to her about me and about marrying me, she said she'd be happy to give up one of her rings to serve as an engagement ring for me.

Dave came back to my apartment a while later, with the chips he just had to go get and I didn't think anything of it. I was sitting on the couch reading and he came up to me and made me stand up. At this point I was just annoyed, "I'm studying, leave me alone." Pretty soon he got down on his knee and pulled this ring out of his pocket and asked me to marry him. The first thing I said to him was "shut up." I knew we didn't have any money so I couldn't figure out where he had gotten this ring from. His plan was to wait until the next day (our 5 month anniversary) but he just couldn't stand it. Of course I said yes and we then had a romantic dinner of brats to celebrate our engagement!

Wisconsin Dells, Day 1

Madi and Daddy at the Wisconsin Deer Park, this place was AMAZING!

At the deer park, the deer were just walking around freely and would walk right up to us, it was the coolest thing.

Madi petting a deer; she said she wants to take one home.

She was feeding them at one point and she told them to "sit," it was so cute.

Our little beach bum. She LOVES swimming. Today she was jumping in all by herself.

Madi and Mommy in front of one of the Duck Boats.

The tour on these boats/trucks was really cool.

Madi had fun on the boats too.

Here are just a few highlights of our great first day at the Dells. Today we went on a Duck Boat tour, went to the Wisconsin Deer Park, did some swimming and had an excellent dinner out. It was Dave's lucky night out eating; he ordered a pizza and on the way out, the waitress got bumped and one slice fell off. Soooo, they gave him another entire pizza for free in addition to the one that was missing a slice. Tomorrow's agenda includes breakfast at Paul Bunyan's, going to all the little gift shops (I know Dave loves me because he does things like this with me:) and then tomorrow night we will see the Tommy Bartlett show. We're looking forward to another great day with our little girl.

We have a new nephew!!!

Dave just called me to tell me we have a new nephew!!! Carter Paul Reed was born this morning at 9:11 am weighing 7lbs. 8oz. and 20 1/4 inches long. From what I hear everyone is doing great. I can't wait to meet him and hopefully I'll have some pictures soon!!!

New Swingset = one very happy little girl

This is her happy face, I told her to show me on her face how happy she was that her swing was finally done.

Still a little too small for this one but she had to at least try it out.

Having fun trying out each part of the swing-set.

Madi and Grandpa Reed

Daddy pushing Madi for the first time on her new swing set, I'm sure it will be the first push of MANY!!!

The (almost) final play area.

Play area before.

Madi has been waiting for this day to come for a long time. Madi got her swingset from Grandpa and Grandma Reed for her 2nd birthday. Since we were in the process of selling our house we didn't put it up at our old house and then we moved into the new house late in the fall so we didn't put it up here right away either. Daddy has been working hard to get the play area ready to go and tonight it was finally ready. With the help of Grandpa Reed they got the final load of gravel and got a great start on putting the swingset together. There are a few more parts to go on it; including a slide and teeter totter but Madi couldn't be happier with what they got done, she was screeching with delight, literally. She kept telling them thank you and that she was "so happy." We plan to put a sandbox in the play area as well and we can't wait to enjoy many evenings in our back yard that gets better everyday.

Events of the last week...

This was my garage on Friday. It is looking much better now after our rummage sale yesterday. We won't be having another rummage sale for a LONG time. It was alot of work.

Here are the 3 stooges, I mean the 3 turkey hunters; Doug, Dave and Paul. They look forward to turkey hunting all year long. They had fun but weren't able to bring home a big tom this year.
Here is Madi helping Daddy blow out the candle on his birthday rhubarb pie.

Here is Daddy and his new bow. He said he wanted a bow for his birthday so that's what he got:) He also got money to buy a new bow which he's been wanting for a long time, he can't wait to go shopping when it's for something he wants:)

This is Madi on Daddy's birthday, she got some cookies so she didn't feel left out with the presents. I think she was happy.

Here I am on Mother's Day with Dave's mom, Grandma and my little Madi of course. I had a nice mother's day and was spoiled as usual. I got a clothes line that I've been begging for for quite a while now from Dave. My parent's got me a two-person swing for in our backyard which I LOVE.

Last Saturday my baby sister went to the prom. She looked absolutely gorgeous

Happy Birthday to my hubby!

Just wanted to take a minute (though he deserves much more than a minute) to wish my hubby a very Happy Birthday!!! Dave turns the big 25 today. Dave is such a great husband and daddy, Madi and I are very lucky girls! He works so hard for our family and I couldn't be more proud to call him my husband! Happy Birthday Honey!