Happy New Year!

I told Madi she could stay up as late as she wanted tonight (great parenting, I know). I was in my room cleaning and came out to find her fast asleep in her color book:) What a sweetie she is!

I don't want to call any of these things resolutions because then I'd be more prone to break them, so I'll just stick with things:) In no particiular order...
1. Read more-I don't know the last time I actually finished a book that was not a kids book
2. Take time for me-I love my kids more than words can say but I need some me time
3. Take more time for Dave & I-we rarely go on dates, we hate leaving our girls:(
4. Lose those last few pounds before my brother's wedding
5. Spend more time talking with God and growing in my faith
6. Be more patient, especially when it comes to my kids
7. Give back in someway-I used to spend alot of time at the nursing home and I'd like to get back into that
8. DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF-the world will not end if the living room is not picked up every night before I go to bed

I'm looking forward to the New Year, 2010 was a year of a TON of change for us and I'm ready to slow down a bit. I can't wait for my brother's wedding, my sister's graduation (actually, I can wait, because it means she'll be going off to college:( and hopefully a trip to Evanston among other things:) Happy New Year!

Grace likes older men...

Helping Grandpa open his Christmas presents
Of course her eyes aren't open but cute anyway:) They're good buddies:)

He's only 80 years older but she surely has a good eye, what a handsome guy he is:) Grace LOVES her Grandpa Great, tonight she quickly crawled to the door when he came over and climed up to say hi and each night when he leaves she always has a kiss for him.

Because it has eyelashes...

Madi was playing with one of her dolls and pretending that she was at the hospital because she had just had the baby. I asked her if her new baby was a boy or a girl and she looked at it and said, "a girl, because it has eyelashes." I guess boys don't have eyelashes:)

God & Candy

Madisyn: "Mom, did God make everything?"
Me: "Yep."
Madisyn: "Did she make candy?"
Me: "Yep."
Madisyn: "Hmm, that's why it's so good."

Yes, Madi refers to God as she:)

Celebrating Monica...or should I say "Manukkah"

Who or what is Monica you're probably wondering??? I was equally confused until Madi gave us some insight. Tonight we were sitting at the dinner table and Madi started telling us about Monica and how Monica has candles. We listed and nodded, all while being super confused and wondering what the heck she was talking about. It all made sense when she finally said, "some people celebrate Monica." I asked her if she meant Hanukkah and she giggled and said yes, they had learned about it at school. Happy Manukkah:)

Happy Birthday Grandma Great

I thought of you
with love today,
But that is nothing new.
I thought of about you yesterday
And each day before that too.
I think of you in silence,
I often speak your name.
All I have are memories,
And pictures in a frame.
Your memory is my keepsake
With which I will never part.
God has you in His keeping,
But I have you in my heart.

The picture Madi colored for Grandma and the letter she wanted me to write, she said, "Dear Grandma, I love you and I hope you have good days. I hope you had good sleep last night. I will always be your little princess. I hope you have a good Christmas. I love you to the moon and back. Love, Madisyn"

Balloons for Grandma Great

Sending them off to heaven

On the way to Grandma

Happy Birthday Grandma, we miss you more than words can say. We sent you some balloons up to heaven today but I'm sure you already know that; Madi thinks that they should be there by now:) You should be here celebrating with us but I'm sure the celebration in heaven is more amazing than we could ever imagine. We love you.

Happy 18th Birthday to my baby sister!

Doug and I with Kaci on her 2 month birthday:)
I'm one day late getting this up but I just wanted to wish my baby sister a very Happy Birthday!!! Can't believe she's 18! Love you little sis!

Zoo Boo & Pumpkins too!

Grace trying to eat her pumpkin (and anything else she can get her hands on!)
Goof ball, the kid WILL NOT leave her eyes open for a picture!
Daddy & Madi scooping out the "guts"

Waiting in line for the carousel

Dorothy and the not so Cowardly Lion

Our little family this year

And us last year-we have grown by 1 and my belly has shrunk a little too!

Madi and Daddy 2010

Madi and Daddy 2009

Tonight we took the girls to Zoo Boo and as usual it was so much fun. We were eating dinner when we got home and Madi said, "Mommy, that you for taking me to Zoo Boo tonight." She had a blast and got some great candy! We came home and worked on some pumpkins, I forgot to get a picture of Madi's (or should I say Daddy's) finished product, it's a princess castle. And tomorrow is finally the main event, Trick-or-Treating!!!

Jeff

Madisyn just informed Dave and I that her boyfriend's name is Jeff. Dave asked her if Jeff knew that her daddy had alot of guns. She said that he did, "he goes hunting all the time.":) She said that since there is a storm coming that Jeff had to spend the night here and that he would leave after lunch time tomorrow. Then she proceeds to tell us that they were kissing! Where does this kid get this stuff??? We'll just hope that her boyfriends remain imaginary for a very long time:)

All in a week???

Miss Grace enjoying "real" food-she loves her bananas
This has nothing to do with Grace being 9 months old but it's worth including it anyway. Dave has had quite a week-he went in last Friday morning with a sore throat and was diagnosed with Strep Throat. By Friday night he had a huge lump on the underside of his neck/chin and was having trouble breathing so he went to the emergency room around midnight. By around 3am they were admitting him to ICU (and I was panicking). They got him on some aggressive antibiotics, steroids and pain meds and moved him to a regular floor on Saturday morning sometime and he was diagnosed with epiglotitis. He came home on Sunday morning and went to work on Monday, woke up Tuesday morning and the swelling was back so went back to the hospital, had a CAT scan and they decided he had developed an abscess due to infection from Strep Throat so he was scheduled for surgery Tuesday night to drain the abscess. He was able to come home Tuesday night and went to work Wednesday afternoon. Needless to say, it's been an exhausting week!

Yesterday our little Gracie girl turned 9 months old! So crazy how fast the time has gone. Grace had her check-up today and weighs 20 lbs. 10 oz (Madi was 24 lbs. 7oz) and is 29 1/4 inches long (Madi was 29). Grace gets into EVERYTHING. She is crawling all over the place and pulls herself up to standing and is a little climber! She says, mama, dada, Bear, yum yum, ma (Madi), waves (and says) bye-bye and barks & pants like a dog-it is adorable!

We are looking forward to a weekend of Halloween activities so be watching for pics-I'll give you a hint for our costumes..."There's no place like home."

It's been a while...

Daddy and his girls.

Man do I love these two little cuties!

Grace is now climbing on EVERYTHING!

And standing!

Madi still LOVES school and started Sunday school as well, she just can't get enough of it:)

Hard to believe it's been almost a month since I last posted anything and even harder to believe that Grandma Reed has been gone for almost a month already. Doesn't seem like we've been up to much lately yet I always feel like we're busy. Dave started his new job on the 4th of October so he's been working some long days as he gets in the swing of things there. Madi is still loving school and looks forward to Tuesdays, Thursdays and now Sundays for Sunday school. Grace is our little wild child; she is so much different than Madi was. Grace is adventerous and gets into EVERYTHING and climbs on EVERYTHING. She keeps me on my toes big time. Next week she will be 9 months old!! We're looking forward to some fun Halloween activities coming up in the next couple weeks so more exciting posts will come then:)

Loved you yesterday, Love you still, Always have, Always will

My girls with their Great Grandma Reed who got her angel wings September 22, 2010

"Oh I believe there are angels among us
Sent down to us from somewhere up above
They come to you and me in our darkest hours
To show us how to live
To teach us how to give
To guide us with a light of love"

We miss you already. So blessed to have been part of your life and have you as part of ours, so lucky to have our very own angel watching over us in heaven. We love you more than words can say.

Happy Birthday to my sweet Madisyn

Madisyn with her birthday muffins for breakfast; yes, she does have chocolate on her face and yes, I did say breakfast...it's her birthday, I let her lick the spoon from the brownies we were baking for her to take to school tomorrow.
My sweet baby 4 years ago.

Happy Birthday to my sweet little girl. The last four years have flown by and I can't believe she is four already. I love her so much I can't even put it into words. She has had quite a year of changes; becoming a big sister and going to school and she has done great with everything, we are so proud of her. Happy Birthday to our sweet little girl, we love you more than words can say!

Madisyn's First Day of Preschool

Ready for her 1st day!

Modeling her backpack

Madi with her Tinkerbell backpack

Trying to get a pic with big sis before school-as usual Grace wasn't having it but I love the look on her face:)

Better, but Grace cannot keep her eyes open for a picture to save herself! She gets that from the Hoverson side of the family; I come from a long line of eye closers;)

Madi was super excited to start her 1st day of preschool today, so much so that she woke up at 5am and said, "I have to go to school in a couple minutes." She was also very worried about knowing her ABCs this morning and thought maybe she should practice more before she headed to school. She did fine when I took her in, only looking a little nervous but they took her in right away and told her how pretty her dress was and wanted to see her twirl in it so she was hooked:) The entire experience was harder on me no doubt. I held it together for the most part, just got a little teary eyed walking to the car, but then when I got home to my very quiet house (Grace was sleeping) it really sunk in. I can't believe how fast she is growing up. I will update later on as to how the 1st day went!

Beach Bums

Grace and I on her 1st boat ride, she loved it

(even though it may not look that way from the picture:)
My babies

Does this kid look happy or what???

Madi with the fish she caught, the look on her face is priceless; she was scared of it...go figure!

Our Godson Carter enjoying his treat from Uncle Dave:)

We had a great weekend with our cute little Godson, oh, and his mom and dad too of course at their cottage. We spent Saturday afternoon at the beach then enjoyed dinner with them and a campfire. Sunday we all went to church and out to breakfast at everyone's favorite "Up North" restaurant, the "Blue Place" and finished off our wekend with another trip to the beach and a little boating. Our girls (and Dave and I) are worn out and will surely sleep good tonight (we can dream right?) Have a great week!

Packer season has begun!

Me and my Gracie girl! Madi had to take a picture and I thought she didn't do too bad:) I have to support my fellow Evanston High School graduate and current Packer player, Brady Poppinga or, as Madi says, Brady Flaminga:)
Madi all decked out!

Grace in her onesie from Ga and Papa-for those of you who don't get it, it's Curly Lambeau, as in Lambeau field.

My two favorite little ladies!

Botanical Gardens

Grace and Papa
My two little cuties

Madi and Ga

Madi by the Fairy Garden

Grace enjoying the ride

Today we spent the afternoon with my mom and dad at the Green Bay Botanical Gardens. It was a beautiful day to go along with all the beautiful flowers. Thanks mom and dad for a great afternoon!

The best plan I never made...

Dave and I on our 1st anniversary.
5 years ago!

Five years ago tomorrow Dave and I were married. It was an absolutely perfect day and it's so hard to believe that it's been that long already. When we got married, we had a "plan." It started as a five year plan which included both of us working and focusing on our careers so we could save up some money before we had kids. Well, our plan got off track pretty early on when we found out we were expecting Madisyn in early January of 2006. Our 5 year plan had quickly turned in to a 5 month plan. We couldn't have been happier that our "plan" didn't quite go as expected. Now here we are, at the 5 year mark and our lives look nothing like our "plan," it's even better than we could've ever imagined. We are very much in love, we have the two most amazing daughters and a beautiful home; we simply couldn't have planned it better. Happy Anniversary to my wonderful husband, I love you!

6 Month Stats

Madisyn at 6 monthsGrace at 6 months
Today we took Grace in for her 6 month check up. She now weighs 18 lbs. 4oz (Madi was 22 lbs. 13 oz.) and is 27 3/4 inches long (Madi was 27). I can't believe how fast my baby is growing. She had 3 shots today along with one oral immunization and she was a champ. She is tired today and won't take a bottle but she, along with big sis and I, is fighting a yucky summer cold:(