Copy Cat

Madison put her baby on the stump the other day and had backed away a few feet and was saying, "now, say sorry. Say sorry." I then asked her what baby did and she said, "she hit." I said, "Well, then she needs to say sorry." Madison then went over to her and talked in a whisper before saying, "she said sorry."

I then turn around to see Madison taking the baby's temperature with a stick in her bottom. Well, I guess we did do that to her when she had a febrile UTI when Abby was born. The things they remember.

It's an eye opener as to how much she really listens and understands. It's cute to see her play with her baby the way we do with her and Abby.

Well, I ran three miles today which is the good news. The bad news is it took me 36 minutes!!! I guess I run a 12 minute mile:-) At least I could run that long. I will just focus on the time thing and not the miles:-) I am just grateful I have a friend who will watch my kids so I can run four times a week. What a blessing that has been. It's the most consistent I have been since having Madison. The Lord is truly watching out for me:-)

These two love to sit together and Madison just smothers Abby with love. She is such a good big sister. If this keeps up they will be the best of friends.









This is how Madison left the house one day to go shopping I believe. It all came with us in the car. Today she said, "I love shopping. go that store." She would shop all day if I let her. She's definitely my girl!

Memory Fun!!!

I got this idea off my sister-in-law Lacey Jay's blog... Might be fun!

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Which fish looks bigger? Seth and CL are having a contest and these are from two different years...ok, so CL made me shrink Seth's fish and make his look bigger. It was a joke and I thought I should post it. The real pictures make it hard to see which one is bigger...this makes CL the winner!!! I did this for you Sethy!




This was from my families hiking expedition...It's just funny...The sign to the left says "Closed due to mosquitos"...

Madison Quotes

"Abby say I funny. ha ha ha."
During our scripture study Madison said, "I love God."
She tells Abby these phrases all the time:

"Don't cry Abby."
"I coming Abby."
"Abby, I love you."
"Just a minute Abby. I be right back. Ok?"
"Abby Sweeping (sleeping) SHHHHHH." (holding her finger to her lips)

Whenever I say something or say oh no, Madison is right there, "What happen mommy?" "What?" She says this over and over again as I explain over and over again what happened.

Madison and her freind...

Madison misses our neighbors and goes and knocks at their door frequently. Here she is trying the breaking and entering tactic. Madison and her friend were picking berries and saying, "Those for the birds. Birds eat them." They carried their babies all over the yard and carted them around by holding them by an appendage. It's no wonder we don't let Madison carry Abby around. They are so cute...every time we pulled out the stroller to go on a walk it would start raining and so they ended up sitting in the double stroller outside our door while eating a snack. Whatever makes them happy right?

Bad Luck or just Craziness?

So, here is the culprit and the damage it did! More explanation comes later on down the page!

Accident #3

Brian and I came home from our wonderful date Friday to find our second car (not the one we hit the deer with) with a cracked windshield, dented roof and fender. I just can't believe our luck. We just got the tire unseized on this car. The drum had rusted and wouldn't move!!! So, I told my mom all this and she said that I should write it all down. I'm just not in the mood to laugh about it yet. My dad said, "If you didn't have bad luck, you wouldn't have any luck at all." Well, the story doesn't end there...I pulled out of our parking space yesterday and heard a weird sound. I thought to myself, "I know that sound." It was a flat tire. We ran over a rock (which I am sure everyone does), but this rock punctured our tire and decided to hang out there. So, breaking it down we have managed to cause roughly 4,643 dollars in car repair (new car seats) in the last three weeks. At this rate we will be paying more for our cars than Brian's schooling:-) We just have to smile and go on. At least no one has gotten hurt. It's really not our money anyway (in more ways than one:-)

Friends at the Beach!

Beach Time!

Madison loved the Mascoma Beach. Brian got to come with us since he is on break for a week. It's been so fun having him home. Madison has been loving it. He took her to the pool the other day and she cried when they had to leave and today at the beach her took her out to the platform and they would jump in together. Madison only did it once and got scared. She sinks a bit in her muscleman suit:-) She is fearless though. She would walk out in the water, when she didn't even have a life vest, and wade up to her chin and then start jumping up and down. I won't be going alone to the pool that is for sure! The other pictures are of some of her friends.

Big and Little Sister!

Madison loves her little sister. She is always saying "I love you Abby". Today she got a new carseat and kept saying, "look Abby, I new carseat." She loves her sister and can't wait to see her in the morning.



Madison is such a good big sister and is always concerned when Abby is crying. She always lets us know and goes downstairs to comfort her. She always thinks the binky will do the trick. I guess it works for Madison so it should for Abby right?

Madison's phrases

Madison: "Don't say to daddy." (she meant, "don't talk to daddy")
Mommy: "Why can't I talk to daddy?"
Madison: "He sad."
Mommy: "Why is daddy sad?"
Madison: "cause, cause, cause, he whinning."

"I have watch on. I go to work at opital (hospital). I be back ok? See you later."

Madison: "Abbie crying. Go get her."
Mommy: "We are going to let her cry for 15 minutes because she's really tired."
Madison: "No, four minutes."

The cutest thing is to watch her while we bless the food. She closes her eyes and keeps them closed while she feels around for her food, grabs it or stabs it with a fork, and puts it in her mouth. She sometimes even keeps one arm folded and her head bowed.

We've been invaded!

When Brian got home from being in Utah, he was opening the fridge and right in front of him was a squirrel! In our house! It comes in every now and then for a snack and then leaves. After some talk we decided he was an uninvited guest and pulled out the universal fix-up-everything DUCK TAPE and put it over the window and AC unit where he was coming in and wrote "Do not enter" in big letters and three different languages (just kidding about the words:-). He didn't mind the makeshift attempt to keep him out and chewed right through the tape, window, and part of the AC unit. He's a menace! We are just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what to do? We are currently sitting in a hot, humid house because we took the AC out until we have a solution. HELP!!!!!

Biker Babe :P

Madison has wanted a bike ever since she saw the big kids ride bikes around the playground. We have looked at garage sales and hadn't found one yet until Saturday night driving by a house there was this blue bike in the garbage in perfectly good condition...so we thought. We pulled it out of the garbage and threw it in the trunk. When we got home, we adjusted the training wheels with our nifty tool set I got Brian for Father's day last year that he has never used. (I bought it for me under the fabulous holiday of Father's day. Tools are on sale then:-) Then we put the little bugger on and let her ride. It was perfect, except for the chain that kept slipping...maybe that's why it was in the garbage:-0 Well, we put it upside down and Madison and I took a look. She was squatting by the bike, holding a tool, and whacking and turning the bolt. We fixed it up like new. She pulls it around as you see in the picture and then climbs up on the training wheels to get on. She loves it! Our next purchase is a helmet. Watch out, she is growing up!

"Deer in the headlights"

You know the phrase, "knocked the snot out him"? Well, Friday night we knocked the poop out of a poor, innocent deer that jumped into the side of our car. We were not hurt, but is scared the bejeebees out of me:-) Brian was driving, it was night, and we were headed home from the airport...lets just say we are totally blessed in that our car was still drivable and we were able to drive home, our insurance covers it without the premium going up, and we get new car seats out of the deal. I guess it was a blessing in disguise. We both felt horrible for the deer and went back to make sure it was dead and not still alive. For you animal lovers like myself, it was killed instantly as far as we could see and it was on the shoulder so no one else would hit it or run over it. the poor car has seen its problems...as you can see from the hood, it also suffers from leprosy.

Home and Homesick!

So, we arrived home, but miss home and family already. We were spoiled with outings, cabin time, chats, dinners, no grocery shopping, shopping trips, mommy breaks, movies, etc. the list goes on. We saw Seth and Lacey, hung out with Lael, Melissa, Emily, C.L., V.V. and the whole Evans Clan. Madison asks about Mesia and we have to tell her she is in Utah. She said the other day while in Utah, "I want to go home. See freinds. Kambrie, Mesia..." We miss you all and hope to see you soon! Thanks for taking time to see us, entertain us, and spend time with us. It meant a lot. We know some had to sacrifice and we thank you over and over and over again.

Airport Madness!

I made it! I flew home by myself with two children...I know those of you who have more are thinking 'way to go...I've done it with ten all under the age of five without a stroller:-)'. Some of my favorite comments were:

"Are you flying alone (look of exasperation)? I remember those days."

"Are these both yours? You are a rich woman."

"That isn't a stroller. That's a Cadillac!"

"Do you need help?"

"I'm sorry, we can't help you. You will just have to find a passenger to help you."

"Oh, HE is so cute." (Said to Abi)

We made it and that's all that matters. On the way home we hit a deer...ok, so the deer came flying out of the woods and jumped into our car. It was so sad and a bit unnerving. We are all safe, but the car took a hit...what's one more dent after the tire flew off last year on Brian on his way to his first day of rotations for third year. He just left the car, tireless I might add, and hitched a ride to the hospital. The car was towed before I got there and I ended up repairing it...I hadn't tightened the lug nuts from my previous job. Well, it used to be the nice car:-)

Beautiful Children!

I got to follow my sister in law on one of her shoots and I fell in love with the kids. I had met them before, but there is something about taking pictures of them that brings out their personalities. What a fun talent photography is. What other profession allows you to get so personal with people and really get to know them and their children:-) I love what I do!