Happy Birthday Dad

On October 24, 2010 we decided to celebrate my Dad's Birthday. He would have been 61 this year! This is our first birthday with out him. Madison suggested that we sent him some balloons. So we bought navy blue and white balloons (dad's favorite Yankee colors) and sent them to him. This was a beautiful thing to watch as the kids talked to him, sang to him, and kissed him! They watched until they could see no more!

I was sad, but so happy that this was the first time that they let go of a helium balloon with out tears. They really believe that he got them. Tyler still looks outside and mentions the balloons often!

Enjoy some of my pictures!

2010 Christmas lists

I am going to start to write down our forever growing Christmas wish lists! The kids have been listing things for months, but I know if I do not write it down, forget it! I will add to this list often, so check back!


Madison:

itunes gift cards

Nintendo DSi games (age appropriate)

dress up clothes to fit a size 6. She really likes Tiana from the Disney store. The Disney store is the only place I see dress-up for bigger kids!

Anything to help her play school. Beckers has great stuff. Like posters, chalk, desk name plates, fun tack (blue), etc.

movie passes
DQ blizzard icecream maker


Savannah:

itunes gift cards

barbie

Toy Story 1, 2,

Disneys Tiana dress size 4/5

Movie Passes


Tyler:

Bog Foot Monster

Dinosaur Train DVD

Schleich animals (he does not have ANY but LOVES them... farm/zoo animals and marine life. But all are GREAT)

I think Schleich makes a barn too, but not sure if it is sturdy enough for Tyler??

A play mat for the floor for animals or cars!

Books about trains, planes, and trucks/cars! We sat in Barnes and Noble for quite a bit of time today and just looked at books! He would not put the big DK books down!

Mighy Beans


Jeff:

Eddie Bauer Gift cards

PS3 Games or Game Stop Gift Cards


Nikki:

itunes gift cards

electronic battleship (game)

Vera Bradley All in one Hello Dahlia pattern

Mini Hispster in very Berry paisley

Pandora

Disney Sing it for Wii (the one with ariel and other disney movies)

wii kareoke microphone

photoshop elements 9.0

canon powershot

docking station with speakers for my itouch

Let the fun begin......

So today the phone rings from the mother of one of the boys in Maddie's class. As a mother, it was my worst fear that her son and my daughter were having problems in school. NOPE... Mason wanted to talk to his friend Madison. So we put the two on the phone together and this is how the conversation went (note: Mason is a twin. Lucus is his brother and they are in the same class! And I only hear her side of the conversation)

Madison: Hello Mason. Why are you calling me? (Giggle giggle)

Madison: Where is Lucas, can I talk to him?

Madison: Hi Lucas. I don't like when you take my shoes off in school. Can you please stop doing that?

Madison: Can I talk to Mason?

Madison: Hi Mason. Thank you for taking me to the nurses office today!

Madison: Can I talk to your mom???

Madison: Hi, Lucas has been taking my shoes off in school and I don't really like it. And Mason was very nice today and took me to the nurses office when I hurt myself today!

I just about DIED!!! I don't think I will ever have to call a parent to handle a situation.. she will call the mother herself! So the mom gets on the phone and I talk to her briefly and she tells me that she will talk to Lucas! OMG!

So not only was a having a heart attack that BOYS are ALREADY calling my little girl... but then she tells the mother that she has an issue with her "other" son! I guess I should be proud of her! LOL! She really is making friends and has a better social life than me!

Maddie is a Kindergartener!

My baby has started Kindergarten! I have to say that the week leading up to the first day was stressing me out! They had a million papers to fill out, supplies to buy, clothes to buy, name tag to make, and much more! She was so excited and ready! I know that... but I have to say the bus thing was the hardest for me. I was so used to me taking her to school. Knowing just were I left her, how she go there and when she would be in my arms again. This was my job!!! I did not like the idea of her getting in the bus with someone I did not know who was driving, going on a path that I was not familiar with, and wondering how she would be getting into the school! I told myself I was not going to be THAT parent that followed the bus on the first day of school, but I must admit I might do it on Monday or Tuesday! I want to know where that thing goes! LOL!! Call me over protective, that is ok!

Maddie was told to make a name tag for school. All of the other teachers supplied the name tags for the kids but not ours! Although this was an easy task, we had a great idea! (we know how to make things complicated! ) I made her an ID badge! It was so simple and easy and Jeff had it printed at work! She loved it, I loved it... (See below!)

Overall, she had a great first day and is excited to go back again on Monday! I am still getting used to her being gone! Still miss her when she is not here... but I am sure that will wear off soon!

So Proud of Maddie!

So this post comes with mixed emotions, my baby is growing up! Although I love her independance, I do not like that I am loosing my baby.

A few weeks ago Madison's friend had a party to celebrate that she is sleeping in her bed all night. I thought it was a great idea on the parents part, so I asked Maddie the same. If she sleeps in her bed for 30 consecutive nights I would throw her a party of her choice. She wanted nothing to do with it! My mom tried with a reward of 5 pairs of shoes. She LOVED that idea, but she did not like the 30 days part. So i decided to change the reward to every 7 days she got a pair of shoes until she got all 5. Which was a practical reward for me, she needs all new shoes for school!

When we came home from vacation she told me she was ready to sleep in her bed all night! So we started the process. And like a lightbulb went off she realized that she feels better the next day when she is in her bed all night. As of today she has slept in her bed 16 nights! And with this she no longer takes a cup to bed with her. This is a HUGE thing here too. I have been trying to take a sippy cup of milk away from her until she was 2. Now, we have a glass of milk in the kitchen before bed and that is it. Being she shares a room with Savannah she is fine with this as well! YEAH!

Like I said in the beginning, she is growing up and i don't like it! I am not ready to have my little girl grow up! She is going to Kindergarten, starting girl scouts, ready to explore new things! I am excited for her but for me I am a bit sad! But all in all I am SO PROUD of her for getting over these 2 hurdles in life!

Saw my dad last night.....

So I was at a wedding last night, Congrats to Chrissy and Jack McGuire, and there was a man there that looked like my dad. I am not kidding you, he was my dad! It freaked me out for a few seconds, text my sister to ask her if it would be weird if I asked this random man for a hug. She responded no, as long as you are not drunk and make a fool of yourself.

So, after a few hours of staring at him, I bumped into him at the bar and he approached me first to ask me if he knew me. So much like my dad he was trying to pick me up until I told him, NO he does not know know me, but I know him... I told him the story of my dad and showed him a picture of dad. He was a bit freaked out. So much that he had us show the picture to his WHOLE family! He was a nice guy and asked me a lot about dad. He was so much like him it was scary. And the only thing I could say about it was... IT WAS A GOD THING!

Love you and miss you DAD! See pics below!

Dear Sainta Elaina,

AFTER

Today's post is for you Aunt Elaine. For everything that was done at the Cottage this weekend was in your honor! Reed, Jeff and Harland replaced the shower at the cottage this weekend. The shower at the cottage was first put in over 30 years ago and grandpa tells the story over and over again that his daughter, Elaine, was the one who helped carry the concrete slab (which was VERY heavy) up the step to the cottage. He never mentions anyone else who helped in that large job. So we always refer to her as Santa Elaina. Well, I am so sorry Aunt Elaine, you have been over thrown from your petestal. We all thought that you should have been here to remove the concrete slab... we know you could have done it ALONE! But we know you were not able to make it (nor wanted too!). So in your honor we have a beautiful new shower. It is a little larger than the last and SOOOOOO much better than the last! Dont worry Elaine, we are confident that the shower floor which had to be removed in pieces will be there for your viewing pleasure next time you venture to the cottage. But this time it is in the bottom of the river!

BEFORE:

Thank you Mom and Dad for suppling this for us. And thank you Jeff, Harland, and Dad who put it all in.