thanksgiving part 1....

This holiday season has begun with a bang in the Duncan home! On Friday, my dad and step-mom came into town for the weekend. Maddie was so excited when she saw them she, powered by the energy only a sugar-filled cupcake and no nap can provide, ran around the house in circles just laughing and screaming! It was hilarious and madness all at the same time. So Saturday, Will and dad went outside and started cooking and hanging Christmas lights. The morning was so pretty, so Denise and Madeline and I celebrated by hitting the mall! lol! We had a great time shopping together and having lunch...such a girly time:) We went home and put Maddie down for a late nap and we got dinner finished up. We had game hens on the grill, confetti corn casserole, and brussel sprouts with green beans. It was a very colorful meal. It was just the 5 of us and we had a really fun time. Dessert was of course, white chocolate ambrosia...we all loved it! Sadly they had to leave on Sunday and they took Madeline with them to Odessa. According to my dad she was a quiet as a mouse in the truck on the way back, but we all know that he's a "little" hard of hearing! :) They dropped her off at Bill and Kathy's house for a few days and then she came home with Kathy on Tuesday.

Starting our Thanksgiving meal.

Maddie wanted to take a picture of Oma and Gdaddy:)
She does a pretty good job!!

Maddie and Oma!

Looks like Maddie was having fun with Gdaddy's computer!

Just like a Browning:)

Busy!

It seems that times flies by so quickly!

Here are some pictures of what we have been up to!

Maddie's ready to go to school!

Playing at the park

Daddy and Maddie on the slide!


Wearing the turkey hat from school!

Momma and Maddie:)

DC in our future?

Tuesday Will and I attended Fall Preview at Dallas Christian School. For a few years we have been worrying about Madeline starting kindergarten soon because our local ISD seems to be struggling and with both of us working so far from our neighborhood our options for after school care are very limited. After much research we began to toy with the idea of private school rather than public for many reasons. After attending the tour, Will and I both fell in love with the campus and staff members we met at DC and we have submitted our application for Madeline to attend in the Fall of 2009. She will be in a K4 classroom and proceed from there to kindergarten.

Dallas Christian is located in Mesquite north of I30 and east of 635 and is 12 miles from down-town Dallas. I drive by it daily on my way to school and it super easy for Will to get to anf from as well. The campus is approximately 60 acres of land and offers grades PK3 - 12th grade. They are a member of TOPS and have a highly acclaimed academic program. In addition to these things they have a very strong Christian approach to the students education with daily bible classes and weekly chapel.

While we have not given up on the hope of selling the house and moving to a more convenient location for both mine and Will's jobs, right now doesn't seem to be the time for us to move. We are so excited about this prospect for Maddie. The opening date for new applications is December 1st but because we have already submitted our paperwork we should hear something about our status in early December. From there Madeline will have an informal evaluation with DC teachers in the spring and we should know something before summer. We have been praying for God to show us his plan for our family with regards to our house and the community we live in and know that He will lead us in the direction He has chosen for us...we just have to be patient. LOL! Like I am ever patient??

the kindness of strangers

"I've always relied on the kindness of strangers." Scarlett O'Hara

This weekend Will and his dad went hunting which left the girls at home together. Today we got up and had breakfast and then set out for a morning of errands and shopping! We first went to pick up some stuff for me and then went to Target. Madeline and I go shopping alone all the time but today we crammed lots into one morning. After roaming around Target we were checking out and Maddie announces that she needs to go to the restroom. Uhhhh...ok? I have a basket full of stuff and a dancing 3-yr old who needs to potty NOW. I head towards the restrooms and stop to ask the security guard if I can leave my basket and bags somewhere safe. She smiles and says oh just take it with you. uhhhh....ok? So I take the whole basket and Maddie and go right into the restroom and there were no accidents and no one stopped me. Interesting!

After Target we headed to PetSmart to buy light bulbs for the fish tank. Maddie loves to watch the fish, find the crabs, talk to the kitties and talk to the doggies (from afar that is!). I love taking her to the pet store because she loves it so much! Just as we are getting in line, a dog on a leash barks at Maddie, startles her and next ting I know the light bulbs have hit the floor with a crash and are in a million pieces! The lady in front of us was shocked but only had sweet things to Maddie who was up set about the accident. One of the employees hurried over to clean it up and she actually brought us another package!

Now it is time for lunch and we are headed to Panera. We order and head to a table, I get her set up and ready and realize I have no silverware or drinks.....hmmm, now what? I look around and know that I can walk the 15 yards to the service station but what about Maddie and our stuff? I finally broke down and asked two ladies seated next to us if they would help me keep an eye on Maddie and they were so nice about it! We are halfway through our food and again we have to head for the restroom. I again ask the young couple with a baby if they minded guarding our lunch while we went to the bathroom and the were so willing to help!

I know that if you are still reading this you are wondering where I am going with this. Well here I am! The human race is extremely selfish and self-serving and hurtful towards each other. We have become a cynical society and I must count myself in the category at times. Today though was one of those times where I still see the sense of community and concern for the fellow man.

Thanks to those that help complete strangers and when it's your turn...make an effort...you never know how appreciated it might be:)

BTW....10-0!!!! Let's go Raiders!!!!!!

Let's Go Raiders!!!

For those of you that do not follow football, November 1st was a historic day for Texas Tech football! We went up against the #1 ranked UT and won the game by 1 touchdown with 1 second left in the game!!!!!! Will's mom and dad were here for the weekend and we invited our friends the Dixons to cookout and watch some football. Maddie really got into the spirit and was cheering along with everyone else. She's quite a football fan...just like her momma and daddy!

Raider Up!

Long Live the Matador!!

Will lighting the tiki torch so the mesquitos

wouldn't carry us away!

Maddie

Bill and Kathy

Future Red Raider!

Yum! Cookout goodness

Football fan!

Watching the game

2bits 4bits 6bits a dollar!

Shiver me timbers!!!!!

Here are some pictures of Madeline in her halloween costume. This year she decided to be a pirate! Where do they come up with their ideas? I think that maybe because she has more friends that are boys they were an influence??

Instead of trick or treatinf this year we decided to attend the fall festival @ FBC Mesquite. Bill and Kathy drove up for the weekend and we all headed off to the church. There were games for the little kids and of course the bouncy house and we capped off our night with a hay ride around the church. Maddie was such a good sport and had a great time!

Madeline and Pops on the way to the festival!

Playing a game

Mr. Potato Head Race!

Bounce House Fun

chasing mr. alligator

5 little moneys swinging in the tree

chasing mr. alligator, "can't catch me!"

"can't catch me!"

along comes mr. alligator quiet as can be,

and he SNAPPED that monkey right out of that tree!



The other day Madeline and I were at the fabric shop looking for some fabric. It was after school and the store was pretty empty. I was pushing the cart and all of a sudden Maddie started singing that song and as she counted down the monkeys she became more and more animated! It was so funny and she had everyone around us smiling and giggling. This was one of those "ah ha" moments of being a mom that I look forward to!



Yes, I have decided to start an online journal to help me remind myself of the good times and crazy times of raising Madeline:)