Madison's 1st Piano Recital

Madison's 1st piano recital. She played Skip to my Lou in front of about 75 - 100 people.

Our Newest Family Member

This is Trixie, our new Yorkie Poo. She was a birthday present for Madison's 8th birthday. She is 8 weeks old and so tiny and sweet. Madison is beyond thrilled to have a puppy.

T Ball Season

Madison just finished last season of T-Ball and loved it. She is getting pretty good and just loved having a real uniform. We are going tonight to the team party and she is so excited to get another trophy to put on her shelf. Next year she will be in the machine pitch division...she is not to sure about that, but we have plenty of time to practice.

Jack's 3 year old preschool pictures

Fall 2009 3 yr old picture




Winter 2009 3yr old picture

Spring 2010 recently turned 4 picture.

I don't know why they take so many pictures each year of the kids, but I feel like I have to buy them each time they do (guess I just answered my own question). Jack has also grown so much this year. Although he continues to go to speech therapy, he is very understandable now. He is so smart and can remember just about anything that he wants. For example, you know how some parents have their children memorize the US Presidents? Well we did not waste our time on that. We got right to the important stuff and Jack can tell you just about every NASCAR driver, their car number and sponser. We are so proud. He loves cars. He was a race car driver at Halloween and he loves to play with his cars and says all the time, when he grows up he wants to be a race car driver. Jack especially likes the "Jack" car, although he does not know it is actually the Jack Daniels car. He see's the big JACK across the hood and loves it.

What a Difference a Year Makes!

I cannot believe how different Madison looks in these two pictures. The first was taken at the beginning of first grade and the second was taken at the end of 1st grade.





What a sweet little girl who still has all her front teeth. Hair brushed and looking all cute.




Looks so grown up in this picture. Teeth missing but still cute. I sent her to school with her headband in her hair, but it was not there when I got this picture. I think she was playing with it at school so her teacher took it away and she didn't get back for the picture

Is Summer over already?

Terry, Madison and Jack working on their sand castle

Watching the waves

I think one of the reasons Madison liked Tennis

so much is because it is a sport she can play

while wearing a skirt.

This summer has just flown by! I cannot believe Madison will start 1st grade in just 2 days. After T-ball, where Madison's team place 3rd in the tournament, she went to Tennis camp for a week. She liked tennis, but does not want to play in the summer anymore unless we can find an indoor court. It was so hot that week.

Then off to swimming lessons for two weeks in the morning. I cannot believe how far she has come with the swimming. I think I saw some actual swimming this time around. She also enjoyed a week at VBS.

Then mid July we drove the 12 hours to NC. We stayed at the beach for a week and then with my parents for a week and just got back this weekend. Madison loved being in the ocean. I am glad that granddad and uncle Terry like going in the ocean, cause I just cannot enjoy myself in the ocean thinking about all the things that could be swimming around me that can bite or sting. Jack got to touch a baby shark that was caught by a man fishing nearby and thought that was so great, Madison on the other had thought it was to yucky to touch, and of course they like playing in the sand. We have had such a busy summer, but has enjoyed all of it.

Play Ball

This was Madison's first time at bat.


T-ball ready

Madison has been playing t-ball this spring and has had a lot of fun. We are playing thru the local parks and rec league and she is loving it. Madison's team is sponsored by the Fire Dept so they named themselves the fire girls. This is a girl's only league and each team is divided up by the local elementary schools. So half of the girls are in her class and the others she met on the playground at school so it is just one big party for the girls. I have found the secret to get Madison to play sports is to be on an all girls team. The end of season tournament is this Saturday and I think we may do ok. The team has come a long way. At the first game her team reminded me of the bad news bears. The girls did not even realize they had to run after they hit the ball. They got bored in the outfield and played in the dirt. But now, they pay attention and actually throw the ball to the correct base to try to get an out. You have never seen so many pink bats, cleats and gloves. One team even painted their bats pink and put flowers and butterflies on them.

Wish us luck this weekend. A full day of t-ball then off to tennis camp next week...

Happy 6th Birthday Madison

Madison had her birthday party at Chuck E Cheese's this year and she had so much fun with her friends. It snowed the morning of her party which I think kept a lot of non-birthday party people away so we practically had the place to ourselves that Saturday. Madison had fun dancing with Chuck E Cheese, playing games and of course opening all her gifts.

Pierced ears

For her birthday, which is coming up next Wed, Madison decided she wanted to get her ears pierced. We headed over to the mall and I fully expected her to back out especially after we found out that both ears could not be done at once since there was only one sales lady, but she wanted it done. She walked over, picked out her earrings, got in the chair and held on to the teddy bear. After the first ear was pierced, she looked like someone had punched her in the stomach and I thought she was going to cry, but she closed her eyes, sucked it up and got the other ear pierced. No tears! She is such a big girl and was so brave. I was so delightfully surprised there was no drama. Now if I can just survive the Chuck E Cheese party this weekend.