First Home Game!

Let's go, DC Chargers!!!
Friday evening, we loaded up the truck with our lawn chairs and headed to the first home game of the season at Maddie's school. Our boys didn't win but it was a gorgeous night and so much fun!

Maddie Appleseed!

Friday the 28th was "Dress like Johnny Appleseed" Day for the PK4 classes. The kids have been studying the life cycle of the apple, making apple sauce, reading about Johnny Appleseed, and all sorts of apple stuff! Here are some pictures of Maddie Appleseed before she went to school!


I used scrap fabric from my "stash" to make the vest and the seed bag.


The apples in her hair and on the vest are red and green felt...so pretty!


The flannel patches are from an ancient pair of Will's pj pants that had holes deluxe...they went to a great cause!


My and girl and me!

Dear Madeline

Dear Madeline,

This summer has been such an amazing experience for both of us! You have developed the most wonderful sense of humor:) This summer was pretty low-key for both of us most of the time...we loved sleeping late, picking out breakfast and playing outside! Most of our afternoons were spent with reading, coloring and playing together. This summer you took your first swim lessons and although it was shaky at first, you ended up doing beautifully. We also enjoyed many summer mornings playing in the sprinklers at Tanner's house...you are so tanned!!! All in all it was a mellow summer!

(WAIT!!!!)

Did I forget to mention the "ball-bearing" caper of 2009? Oh! Well let me remind you! This summer one of your favorite activities was creating and designing the most amazing marble runs. You really are into this right now! You love building them as high as you can...even having to use the step-stool to reach the tops! Because the marbles that came with the set are plastic and hollow and don't have enough density to pull them through the runs well, your dad and I decided to give you some of your great-grandfather's old ball-bearings. They are the perfect size and have the best heft!

A week and a half ago, you were sitting in the livingroom and you let out a horrible scream! When I got to the room, you were crying and coughing and looked so scared...I didn't know what to do! After you caught your breath you were able to tell me that you swallowed your marble.

Say what?!?!?

A marble you say??? Ok...I can handle this.

I count the marbles to be sure.

Yep! One's missing!

Ok...I call your daddy but no answer.

I call your Nonnie...she says "Take her to the urgent care!"

Your daddy calls, "Call her doctor", he says.

I call, they tell me to bring you in. We head to the doctor's office. He talks to you and checks you out. You were so upset about the whole thing and your cried every time one of the nurses askes you about it:( The doctor tells me that we have to wait it out and that I am on potty patrol.

Oh, yes! I am! Ewwww is all I can say.

This is on a Thursday and by Monday no marble. Your Nonnie takes you for an xray.....still in your stomach.

Tuesday, the doctor calls and says to call the GI specialist. They got us in that afternoon, we met with the doctor...she was so great! She tells us that the ball bearing will not pass because it is too heavy and schedules you for a 6:30 am procedure at the hospital. She will put under anesthesia and go in through your mouth!

As we are heading home and calling everyone, we decided to stop at chick-fil-a because you hadn't eaten all day! You ate and then played on the play equipment and then you ran out to tell me you needed to potty!

Guess what!?!?!?! The marble passed! It was a total God thing! Whew :) The Love of a mother is a powerful thing is all I can say!

Also this summer you started your new school. This year you are in PK4 in Mrs. Withrow's class at DC. You have had 2 days and are acting like you've never done anything else! You love it so far, are having fun, and already learning so many new things! I hope this year continues to be as amazing as our summer.

I love you so much...you are turning into such a wonderful little girl. I am looking forward to watching you grow into an amazing young lady:)








Love,

Your momma!!

P.S. Please don't ever put things into your mouth that aren't food!!!

I did the dresses

I think they turned out cute...can't wait to see the girls in them!!

Sewing Dilemma

I bought this really cute fabric at JoAnn's and I am not sure what to do with it!

Originally I planned to make Madeline and Cassie cute little pillowcase dresses...

photo credit:jen leheny.



But now I am thinking I need to make an adorable little skirt for me to wear!
photo credit: spool

Opinions?

From blogs to books?

I woke up this morning around 3:00 am with a random thought in my head. I think I remember someone telling be about a program or company that will take your blog and publish the posts into a book. Does anyone know anything about this? Was it reality or just a random product of my imagination?

Say what???

This afternoon Will and I ventured out with Madeline to the uniform store. I had explained to her that we were going to shop for new school clothes. She asked if she was going to get to pick some things out and I told her that the school had already picked her clothes out...that they were the school clothes. AS our drive continued Madeline became very quiet. After a while she asked me this question, "Momma, do I have to go to my new school naked?" Huh??? She was really worried that the clothes belonged to the school and had to stay at the school! Whew...I guess I need to make my explanations a little clearer!!

Thanks Kara!! :)

Because of a post written by my wonderful sister-in-law Kara (aka...the crazy lady that actually married my middle brother) I have been watching Jon and Kate Plus 8 reruns with Madeline. She always makes a comment about all those brothers and sisters! Now she is praying every meal and before bedtime for God to bring her a baby brother and a baby sister. So...well....ok then! I guess we aren't watching anymore of that show together :)

Hope the weekend is good to you!

P.S. - Here's a few pictures of Madeline and her friend Tanner playing with the waterhose today! What simple fun!!!

Pretty Produce!

Pretty produce from the garden!
I usually pick the garden each evening when it cools down...here's what we picked tonight.


The heat has been pretty high and I didn't go into the garden the last two nights. Here is what I found tonight! Look at those okra! They are enormous!!! I am sure they will be pretty tough but we'll see.
Here are two okra side by side for comparison!

Banana pepper...we've had several of these and they are so tasty!
Look! A baby cantaloupe!
Two little cucumbers
1 lonely jalepeno pepper
1 lonely bell pepper turning red finally! Sorry it is a little fuzzy!
Budding photographer
This is what the garden looked like towards the beginning

This is what the garden looks like now!
Happy Farmer Will!

Yummy Dessert

I recently came across this recipe and though I would give it a try. It was called Easy Cobbler but I am not sure the texture is really like a cobbler. We really liked it and I am sure I will be using it again!

2 cans fruit pie filling ( I used Lucky Leaf Premium Cherry)
1 yellow or white cake mix ( I use Duncan Hines)
1 stick of butter

Pour the fruit into a 9x12 dish.
pour the cake mix on top of the fruit.
Slice the butter into thin pats and dot across the top of the mix.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes. I took ours out after 30 minutes and wish I had let it cook a little longer. The edges were crispy and bubbly but the center was a little softer. There aren't any eggs in this so it's ok if it softer. I think it is just a preference!

***I made this tonight and actually cut it in half because I only had one can of pie filling. I used 1/2 the cake mix and 1/2 the butter. I put into a glass pie plate and because it was so rich I imagine that I will do this again***

If you give this a try, let me know! It was super tasty!

Conversation with Maddie

Maddie: "Yea!!! Chicken for dinner!!!"

Will: (teasingly) "Oops! They didn't give us any chicken legs!"

Maddie: "What? Huh? No legs??"

Will: "Nope, but they did give us chicken hands."

Maddie: (laughing) "Daddy...chickens don't have hands!"

Me: "They don't have hands???"

Maddie: "Nope! No hands, but they DO have fingers!"


(Get it? Chicken fingers???lol!!!!!)

We took Maddie to the pizza buffet a few weeks ago and the manager let her toss the pizza dough. Pretty good try!!

Learn to swim???

What have we been up to this week?
Swim Lessons!!
This is Madeline's first time to take swim lessons, her Nonnie and Pops gave them to her for her birthday. We love her instructor, Ms. Carol...she great!

She isn't afraid of the water but she pretty much refuses to open her eyes under water right now. Ms. Carol keeps calling her the blind swimmer!


As long as her head is above water she's good to go!




Here she is telling Ms. Carol, " No thanks! I don't really want to open my eyes under the water."

All the kiddos just waiting for their class to start.


Face in the water and moving along, but those eyes are clamped shut.




Before she jumped inito the water to Ms. Carol


Jumping into the water for Ms. Carol


Look Kara! She has a cone named Mr. Bob!