Madalyn's Christmas Concert 2009 and Some Pictures

Our Christmas tea party with our neighbor friends.


Madalyn and the set table all ready to go!


Decorating a gingerbread cookie and eating it while Connor colors. Poor Connor boy! Mommy is so mean.


Pictures with Santa. Connor had this same expression last year. He doesn't cry but is not real sure about what is going on.



A small clip of the song Madalyn's class sang. She keeps looking over to the right because there was a slide show of everyone in the classes' families going as they were singing. She told me later she was trying to see our picture. LOL

What We Have Been Up To

We have been goin and blowin but I don't have pictures of a lot of it so that means no blog post. Madalyn had a field trip to the Leighton Art Center that I went on and it was a lot of fun. I am glad I went on this one and not the Zoo! Much more my speed and style. Tell me if this is weird or if it is just me. Madalyn's teacher sent home a letter telling about the field trip and at the bottom their was a place to put your name and phone number if you were available to go. I never heard anything so I thought they didn't need me to go. Just to make sure the day before I asked her teacher and she said that yes she was counting on me to go and I had a group and everything. Don't you think she should have contacted me in some way? I found it bizarre and had to scramble to get a sitter for Connor but in the end I am glad I went and I know for next time! ;-)

Malcolm and I got to go to the Chris Tomlin concert last Friday night and it was such a wonderful night of worship! I LOVED it! I don't even like to call it a concert because it is so NOT a concert but a wonderful night of worship! It was just what I needed to come before the Lord and worship and set my eyes back on Him. The Lord has truly gifted him as a worship leader. I can say this because this is my blog but I think the Lord has gifted my husband in this way as well. :-) I did not get any pictures of Chris because my camera battery was DEAD! Ugh. Oh well. I have at least recorded the experience here.

Just a quick little up date. I must go get my sweet Connor. Thanks for stopping by!

Connor Singing......

......and other things! ;-) This video makes Madalyn just giggle every time she watches it which is so cute in and of itself! Enjoy!

A Few of Madalyn's Favorite Things

Madalyn - Age 6

Favorite color? Black and White and Pink

Favorite sport? Swimming and Art

Favorite food? Poppyseed Chicken Casserole and nectarines

Favorite Bible story/person? Mary

Favorite place to go? Mall and sleepovers

Favorite T.V. show? Toopy and Binoo

Favorite thing in bedroom? Bunny and my bed

Favorite outfit? Polka dot skirt and white shirt

Favorite song? Best of Both Worlds

Favorite thing to do with mommy? Go shopping

Favorite thing to do with daddy? Go get treats and go to someone's house

Favorite place to sit in the house? Connor's couch (she came up w/ this question)

What do you want to be when you grow up? Play actor, Shoe maker(designer)& Teacher

Do you ever get in trouble? sometimes Why? not listening

Who loves you? Mommy, Daddy and Connor

Who is your best friend? Kimmie and Bailey and Calyn and Ryleigh

What do you like best about first grade? Snack and when we went outside because of the gas leak

Was this fun? yes

Anything else? I can always be with Mommy and Daddy and have fun in grade one.

I asked her these same questions a little over a year ago and thought it would be fun to try and do it every year. Some of her answers stayed the same but quite a few of them changed. She really likes it too. I wonder how long that will last! Ha!

How am I doing so far?!

Obviously not very well! My goal is to post at least once a week. I missed last week but I am here this week so I guess that is progress since last time I went about 5 months between posts. Ha! I think the problem is that once I post my pictures to facebook I don't feel like posting them here too. I think I need to post them here first and then to facebook because over there I don't journal with it and update on the kids as much.

We had a really good weekend. We went to cousin Ronan's 4th birthday party in Medicine Hat. We have gone for the past two years and this made three so it has become a fun tradition. Bonnie and I were saying that for the past two years one of has been pregnant at his party and we are both happy not to be this year! ;-) I forgot to take my camera so I don't have any pictures. I was so sad. Nest year for his 5th I will be sure to bring it! :-)

We got home from The Hat around 8:30 Saturday night and then got up bright and early for church on Sunday morning. I loved and was so uplifted from the service. Billy wrapped up the series on Revelation and it was SO good! Malcolm sang a Jeremy Camp song called "There Will Be A Day" as a special music and did a great job. But I am not biased or anything. ;-) While he was singing Deanna danced and it was so moving to me and just made me long for Heaven. I am ready for the Not Yet! Aren't you?

I don't have any pictures for this post but maybe next time. Have a great week!

I'm Still Alive!

I have not blogged since March for many different reasons but school is starting tomorrow so I thought now would be a great time to start again. New school year with new routines and this can be a part of mine so I remember these moments for years to come. I was reading some old posts and like having this journal to look back on and I am also feeling very sentimental because Madalyn is starting first grade tomorrow. I feel like it is the beginning of a new era for our family. School all day long and spending almost more time there than at home with us. I have teared up several times just thinking about it this week. I don't think anyone reads this anymore and that is fine with me! My goal is to blog about my kids and what they are up to and get one of those bound books someday. So let the back to blogging begin!

Lots Going On

I am still here! The past couple of weeks have been ? there are just no words to describe it really! I don't want to blog about the whole sorted story but it has just been a brutal couple of weeks. Our family is fine it involves some close friends and our church family and impacts Malcolm's job in a HUGE way. I am still trying to process it all and probably will be for a while! God has truly been with us and has provided so much love and encouragement which has helped a great deal. A long road of healing is ahead of us and Journey Church.

I have also been away because our computer died. We have had it for about six years with no problems at all and the fan went out last week. I love Macs! PCs don't last that long! We got an I-Mac in the midst of the storm last week on Saturday and Malcolm finally had time to set it up on Monday. Malcolm usually has it out of the box and set up right away but there was too much going on to get it done. Poor guy! Say a little prayer for him if you have a moment. :)

Sweet Connor boy started taking some steps this past Wednesday. Yay! He is so proud of himself and just smiles so big and claps with us! He is too cute. Everyday he goes a little further and will probably be going, going gone in a few days. I am ready or I should say my back is ready for him to be able to walk on his own (he is a heavy little guy) but I also don't know if I am ready for this next stage of freedom for him! If he walks as fast as he crawls I am in trouble. This also means that he is getting bigger and farther away from being my little baby! My last little baby! He got another haircut yesterday and looks like a little man now. He so needed it because he was looking mighty shaggy. His new do is really cute. I will take some pictures today and post them later.

Madalyn is still my little party planner. The other day she was planning a fiesta for her friends and she made confetti by cutting up some of our straws and found all of these cups, napkins and plates and had her daddy do the place cards. Then the other day she wants to have her friends over to watch Annie with her and she got the snacks, drinks (she put their initials on the cups with these foam letters), laid out some pillows and blankets and had to have it just so. I don't know where she got this from? :) Right now she is planning a picnic out side for her friends. She says, "It is the perfect day for a picnic outside. We are going to have grapes and apples and have a lovely time." I think it is really sweet! I wish I were more that way so I would not feel like such a downer mommy all the time! She says that she wants to be a dance teacher when she grows up and her first program will be a winter production. lol She thinks of details that I would never have thought of at her age or even today! She is lots of fun and always in the mood for a party. We still do not know for sure what we are going to do for her birthday. She has so many ideas she can't decide on one. The other day she said, "I guess I will just have a reglear (how she says regular) old party because I just can't decide." Too funny! Yesterday she was consistent in wanting a Hannah Montana party so I guess I had better get on that right away.

The other day in the car Madalyn says to me, "Mommy, you and I speak Nan's language but Daddy doesn't." I am not sure what Nan's language is but it gave me a good laugh. I am thinking it is the language known has Texan! :) Just wanted to record that because it is too funny to me. Nan's says that she needs to take her to Texas every summer so she doesn't loose it and so she won't think that just Nan talks that way. I hope we can get to Texas for a visit soon!!!! I am really missing it and all of my family down there. It has been way too long. We have not been back since we moved to Calgary almost four years ago. I need me so good Mexican food and right now some HOT weather! Although, it gets might hot down there in the summer but right now it sounds divine! I hope, hope, hope we can go in June!

I better go get some laundry on get ready for my night out with Heather. I am so looking forward to it! We live in the same city and hardly get to see each other so this is long overdue. I really need a night out with my hubby too. I will have to work on that for next week. :) Thanks for stopping by!

I DO have pictures on my camera!

The past few weeks I have been under the assumption that I did not have any pictures on my camera I could blog about. I looked the other day and I was so wrong! There have been Valentines Day gifts and cakes and friends over and just everyday cuteness of my kids on there all of this time. I knew I did not have pictures of the "bigger"events like Madalyn's school party so I have been neglecting the blog. So Sorry and here are some Valentines pictures of Madalyn and one of her in her butterfly dance outfit just for Auntie KK. :)

Butterfly dance outfit from Auntie KK, Uncle Lukie and Lilly

One of her V-Day presents


Cake we made together for Valentines Day since we did not make heart cookies. :( Too tempting for Mommy and Daddy who are trying to eat healthy.


Did you know that today is Ash Wednesday? I have never really fully participated in Lent before but I have decided to this year. I am not going to read any blogs for the 40 days. I have decided that I can update my own blog so I don't get so far behind but I am not going to sit in front of the computer and mindlessly read blogs for hours on end. I think this has sort of turned into an unhealthy habit for me. I am not saying reading blogs is bad at all. I love it and I think I will after Lent but I just felt lead to use this time to draw closer to God and give up something that means a lot to me right now. I am writing it on here and telling you so I can have some accountability. So, if you see or talk to me ask me how I am doing. :)

I have more cute pictures so I will update again soon.

Not So Grumpy Anymore

The verdict is still out on if I like my hair. It is VERY short in places so it is going to be this way for a while. I think i like it! :)

At the movie theatre on our Mommy and Daughter date to see High School Musical 3. We loved it and can't wait for it to come out on DVD. Madalyn already knew some of the songs and was just singing along. It was really cute.
Playing The Fancy Nancy Game with Grandma. Pinkie Up Darling! Or as Madalyn says like me and Nan -"Pinkie Up Darlin"! Grandma and Grandpa came for a quick visit and it was so nice to have them here. We just wish it could have been longer! While Grandma was here Madalyn was playing school with us and she was the teacher teaching us about farm safety. She had just had someone come to her class and talk about farm safety the other day. It was so cute. She would ask us if we had any questions and so we would ask one and she would say, "that is a very good question". It made me laugh.

Madalyn is always creating or fixing up something and I can barely keep up! On this day she was making her little desk so that she could do her math problems. :)
She did not want me to take a picture but I got a couple anyway! ;)


Connor's playing with his birthday present from grandma and grandpa.

It's COOOLD Outside! and I am a little grumpy :-(

We have not had a whole lot going on lately so I don't have very many pictures on my camera right now. I think I have been a little depressed. I am tired of winter but I think we have many more days to go until Spring though. We had some gloriously nice days last week but as much as I loved them it was just a teaser because now it is deathly cold again. :-( I am trying to have a better attitude but I don't know how successful I have been the past couple of days. Just ask Malcolm. I would not be surprised if at these times he wonders what he has got himself into marrying a girl from Texas and Washington who is very whiny about the cold. :-{

Can has got me very irritated as well! I need/want my part-time job and they are driving me CRAZY! I am not from some remote country! Just the neighbors down below! Hello! I think I need a break from life. Sorry, I guess I am not in the best mood right now. I think you are getting a glimpse of a down, trying day. See I have them too!
I HAVE had a good day today. I got up and went to tap class and actually did pretty well. We are meeting on Saturday mornings at 8:30 in addition to our Tuesday night class and it is really helping. After tap we went to IKEA to meet some friends for breakfast and then some shopping. It was a fun morning. Now I feel better. Just needed a little perspective and typing this out helped. How about some pictures of my sweet kids to continue to end this post on a positive note. Hope you have a good weekend so far.



Last Saturday we had a mini tea party with the neighbor girls. I think Madalyn really liked it. I guess I should start planning our Valentines tea party. lol Too many parties for this Mommy.

Happy Birthday Papa

Today is my Dad's birthday and I want to wish him a very special day. I wish we lived close enough that we could celebrate with him. We did have a fun (but not long enough) time when we lived in Abilene and they were living in Dallas that we could go for the weekend to celebrate with him and could see them quite often. I am glad that we had that time.

My dad is such a giving and loving person. He is always using his gifts to bless and encourage others. Whenever I call their house these days he is always out to lunch with someone being a listening ear. I have watched and learned from him what service to others is by all of the time, love and energy both of my parents have given to the youth groups in our church. Thank you for showing me how to love others and be Jesus' hands and feet!

Dad, you are such a great Papa and my kids are so blessed to have you. I am thankful for the way that you play with them and make them feel so special. I love how you notice all of the cute, funny things that they do and laugh and think that they are they cutest, smartest kids ever. Which they are! Ha! Ha! :) I have been so blessed to have you as my Dad! I love you!

Suzanne

Some Pictures and Update on my Sweet One Year Old!

Sweet Connor turned one on December 28th! We had a little party with Lilly, Auntie KK, Nan and Papa had a great time. I don't think I ever put down on here that when we lit the candle on the cupcake Connor swiped his hand through it and burned it a little bit. He cried for a little while but i think it scared him more than hurt him. It never got really red or anything and he was using it pretty soon afterward. I am planning a little family party for him while Grandma and Grandpa are here so that should be fun too!

I took him for his shots last week and he did really well! I don't know why but they don't do them in the leg after they turn one. He does great when done int he leg because his thighs are so thick he does not even feel them. He did great with them in the arm too but I could tell it hurt him a little more. :( He weights 25 pounds and I can't remember his height at the moment but he is in the 50%tile. He is in the 80%tile in weight and 60%tile for head size. All in all she said he is doing well and she does not have any concerns. Connor likes to eat and he loves bananas, carrots, peas, apple sauce, yogurt, avacados, and my pancakes with no syrup. He is jabbering up a storm these days and even if he is not in his rocking chair he will just randomly start rocking back and forth singing the Rocking song. SO Sweet! He is understanding the word no when we tell him not to crawl up the stairs. He has learned to go down them backwards (which is really cute) but it makes me really nervous with our steep stairs and tile at the bottom. He will start to cry but will come down. He doesn't like it but he listens and obeys. Welcome to dealing with this for the rest of your life! :) Wow! Submitting our will happens from the very beginning! I really learn a lot as a parent about my relationship with God. He still says Daddy the most and mama sometimes. He really is just a happy, easy going little boy.

Our sweet girl is such a great big sister and it is so fun watching them kind of start playing together. She just updated Madalyn.com with a craft idea so go check it out. That's all for now.

Introducing Madalyn.com and Connor Singing Rocking

Okay, so it is very embarrassing to post this video of Connor but it is the best one I have of him singing this little song. I can't seem to remember that when I am using the camera for movies that I should not turn it this way. lol Malcolm just shakes his head! :) I have tried maybe 4 or 5 times since taking this one to get a better one where I have not made this silly mistake but to no avail! The grandparents REALLY need to appreciate this one! :) I walk around singing awking, awking now. He is really starting to just jabber away all day. So sweet! Enjoy!



Now, this video I don't even know what to say! Madalyn loves her Fancy Nancy books and she also loves her Gigi books that are kind of like Fancy Nancy but she talks about being God's little princess. They are great books! I think our girl has been playing on Barbie.com a little too much lately as well. All of these together have inspired Madalyn.com. She is just so imaginative and creative and thinks that life is a party! I would say that almost everyday she wants to throw some grand tea party and invite all of her friends. This Saturday we are suppose to be having a Ba Ba Butterfly tea party and she wants to invite six of her friends. I have been trying to tell her that this Saturday it will only work to invite the neighbor girls and have a low key tea party and hopefully in February we can have a grand tea party and give out invitations to our guests. Whew! I don't want to be a downer and dampen her spirits but it is hard for a mommy to throw a grand tea party every other day. :) She is quite the little entrepreneur (like her Papa) with the whole selling her DVDs at Wal-Mart. She is so fun and I think that I need to stop "trying to get stuff done" and stop to have more fun with her in my day. She is such a blessing! We created her Madalyn.com website as a blog and the address is madalyncom.blogspot.com if you would like to check it out. :)

Christmas 2008 - My Longest Post Ever!

So, you are going to have to scroll down to the bottom and read up if you want hear about our holidays in chronological order. I decided to do one massive post with my pictures so I could get it all done at once so get ready for a long one. :) We had a great time, fit lots of stuff in (including getting sick) to our two weeks and still did not get to see everyone and do everything I wanted to. Oh Well! I guess we will just have to go back this summer! :)



Connor with Brenda. We got to have lunch with our friends Kevin and Brenda. They are such a blessing and encouragement to us!

Mom and Dad at the party. These are the only pictures I took! :(

More decor

Table decorations for the anniversary party. I think the place looked really cute and western!

Nan, Madalyn and Lilly having a tea party. Guess who's idea this was and set it all up?

Connor getting frosting everywhere! He really liked his first cupcake! Surprise, Surprise!

Auntie KK and Lilly

Love them in their hats! Couldn't resist! :) They had on their hats but were in their own little world talking and catching up. It was so great seeing our friends Kirk and Nat!

Connor did not like his hat!

Me and Connor with Red Robin. I look pregnant. Thankfully, I am not but sad that it looks that way! :) I wish we had a Red Robin in Calgary!

Anutie KK and Lilly with Red Robin

Sweet one year old boy! I have decided that I each year for Connor's birthday I will have his party on Jan. 28th with his friends. It will give it a little space between Christmas and give us something to look forward to so be looking for an invitation if you live close.

Opening a present

They were singing to the birthday boy and girl

Chloe, Madalyn and Camille - These girls play so well together and Madalyn loves them!

Birthday party at Red Robin for Connor and Lilly. Nat, KK and Lilly

I have to talk about what we did on Monday after "the sickness" passed because it was one of my favorite days of the trip. My mom and dad have some really good friends, Barbara and Kerry, and Kerry works for Columbia Sportswear. Columbia has an employee store that is so much fun to go to because the prices are so great. Malcolm got a 200.00 jacket for 90.00 and it's Columbia! Employees can put some of their friends on a list to be able to go to the store and my mom and dad made the list and are able to bring some friends as well. Yay! So, Monday we all got to go on a little shopping spree at the store and then ended the day eating dinner at P.F. Chang's (my fav Chinese restaurant). It was the perfect day and I did not take one picture!

Bath time! He is just too cute!

Remember on my Thanksgiving post I talked about the horrible apple pie I made Malcolm. Well I made him one to redeem myself and I think it looks pretty good. Malcolm got to have a piece a couple of days later after "the sickness" and I did not have one bite of it and I think we threw more than half of it away! Oh well! I should confess that it was a combined effort in the making of the pie. My Mom did most of the crust and my dad peeled the apples for me! Thank you!

Before the sickness! We worked so hard all day long on this meal and in the end it was for nothing. We did not even get to have dessert before it struck!

Funny Connor boy

Malcolm's new golf bag

Connor and Papa - He wouldn't sit still for long!

Nan's present - a digital frame

A flurry of activity. I think we all got sufficiently spoiled!

Nan opening a present

Sweet Lilly girl

Auntie KK and Madalyn

Nachos anyone? I think I had too many of these so I did not have room for the great dessert below. I thought we would get to bring it home but we didn't which was probably for the best! :)

Nan and her sopapilla cheesecake for dessert. Very good and I did not get any that day!

Fiesta Dinner on Christmas day. My mom and dad have some friends who invited us over for mexican food and it was so good. I could get use to that tradition! Especially since we all got sick after our turkey dinner! :{

We finally got to be with sweet Lilly girl again! She is too precious and Madalyn LOVED her so much!

Listening to music with Nan

Madalyn and her MP3 player which she calls an ipod. :) Santa brought her a Hannah Montana one but we could not figure that one out so she ended up with a pink disney one. When we told her we had to get her a different one she could not understand how Santa brought her one that did not work.

Sweet Connor and some of his stocking stuffers

Papa, Madalyn and Connor on Christmas morning. I am glad that Santa knew where to find us!

Cookies and milk for Santa. Santa got his favorite chocolate chip made that night. Lucky guy! ;)

Beautiful drive but horrible roads!

Connor and his new front facing car seat. He loved it and smiled almost the whole way!

The cute little log hotel in Bonners Ferry that we stayed at on the way. It is so cute and at a great price too!

The gingerbread house our family made at our care group the Friday before we left. This years was the best one I think we have made since we started making them a few years ago.