Ode to Mothers

We got this video from a friend. Truer words were never sung.

Life is good!

You know, sometimes I feel like our lives are pretty repetitive and unexciting. But then I take a step back and realize how incredibly blessed I am! Mike loves to be silly and he and makes me laugh every day (Maddie too... obviously she loves him). And I get to be home and take care of our beautiful daughter! I know she is all we ever talk about, but she is the star of our world! I love seeing things through her eyes. For example she loves to be outside. She loves the breeze and looking up at the leaves on trees and watching cars go by. She loves the baby swings at the park and squeals delightedly when you push her. Today we discovered that she loves fresh peaches! I was eating one and she thinks she needs to part of whatever I am doing. Since she is trying more solids lately I thought it couldn't hurt to let her try it, so I put a little nibble in her mouth. She couldn't get enough!

She also loves playing with her puzzles. Yesterday I was laying on my bed reading a book and she was sitting against me playing quietly. I would look over at her and she would look up and smile lopsidedly and keep playing. I thought it was so cute that she just sat there and put pieces on my back and all over the bed. She brings me so much joy! I found a quote today that makes my daily life very meaningful: "Remember, a loving Father in heaven sent some of his own for you to care for. Children are not a gift to us, but a precious loan, a priceless loan to be returned—returned more valuable than when we received them, understanding more, better prepared to return to him who lent them to us. The charge is ours to increase their worth." (Bishop H. Burke Peterson) Life is good, after all!

Play time!

Maddie was feeling playful before church today. When she is tired (she needed a nap) she gets really hyper and silly.

This is a little video of Rolly Polly Maddie!

This is where she ended up before she ran into the wall and couldn't go any further!

Mike wants to post a slide show of other silly Maddie pics... coming soon! I know you can't wait.

Little Niblet

There really isn't anything new to report around here but we took some fun pictures of Maddie over the weekend. They illustrate two things Mike loves to do--play with Maddie, and take pictures of playing with Maddie!

Look at that killer green bean mustache! (obviously created just for the picture) Maddie loves green beans and peas!

Have you ever seen such a cute pouty face? Mike had her wrapped in some of the cardboard packaging from her new high chair, but she didn't think it was very fun.
Her new puzzles are fun though! She always grabs the ladybug first! I think we have her brainwashed....

Mike took Maddie down all the slides at this fun park.

“Hey, who pulled the gravity switch? I’m suddenly feeling weightless . . .Uh oh . . . .Incoming!!!!”

(Un)interesting Me

My friend Kendra tagged me to write 7 interesting things about myself, and since I promised her I would, despite my uninterestingness, here goes.

1. I love to read. I got it from my bookworm Mom. She always has her nose in a book. I think she read every book I ever brought home from school, and as I got older I read all of her books. She introduced me to the classics: Anne of Green Gables, Gone With the Wind, Little Women, etc. She also always read bedtime stories. So it is undeniable that my love for reading came from her! Some books I have read in the past year are: The Poisonwood Bible, Pennies from Heaven, a biography of Hyrum Smith, The Bruce R. McConkie Story, baby/parenting books (Baby Wise, The Baby Whisperer, Nursing Your Baby), The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Seabiscuit, Love Comes Softly, A Disciple's Life (biography of Neal A. Maxwell), Harry Potter 7, No One Can Take Your Place (Sheri Dew), Rough Stone Rolling (biography of Joseph Smith), and Twilight (New Moon and Eclipse soon!!) That's all I can think of right now. I love all kinds of books--fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, biographies, I am not picky. I just love getting caught up in a story that stimulates my brain and makes me a more interesting person!

2. I want to learn how to make wheat bread. From scratch. My Christmas wish is a wheat grinder and anyone that has a good wheat bread recipe needs to give it to me!!!

3. I have reeeeeeeeeeally crazy dreams. It is not uncommon for me to tell Mike about them in the morning. Some recently have involved Elder Maxwell, Mike's old boss in Orem (who was a villain), Mike's cell phone that he left at work one night, an airline that served dinner banquet style, me finding an infant abandoned in a public restroom (more gory details than you want to know, but she was okay in the end), and usually Mike and Maddie. I should write them down more often, they could be good entertainment. The only problem is they make absolutely NO SENSE!!!

WARNING: Mike got ahold of this list when I wasn't looking and I just have to publish it because it's so funny (and endearing).

4. I'm sexy hot . . .
5. In another life, I danced . . .
6. I love flowers and plants . . .
7. I'm too legit to quit . . .
8. My husband and Maddie would die w/o me . . .
9. I'm scrup-didly-uptious . . .
10. Family. . . What else can I say
11. I like budgeting. . . (yeah right Mike!)
12. I love the beauties of the earth . . .
13. Mitt Romney for President . . .
14. My car has a name and therefore I am more likely to have road rage . . .
15. I am very giving . . .
16. I love to decorate . . .
17. I'm a righteous dude (dudette?) . . .
18. I'm a fantastic cook . . .
19. Holidays are my favorite time of year. Especially Christmas.
20. My kisses are usually juicy . . .
21. I'm having company for dinner . . .

P.S. The star of the show, little Maddie, is taking a vacation from the spotlight, but we took some funny pictures today so she'll be back soon!

P.P.S. I now TAG the Seven Spuds to write 7 interesting things about themselves (yes, all of you!) But since I am one of them that only makes 6, so I also tag Jeanie! ;)

Happy 1/2 year birthday Maddie!

That can be a birthday, can't it? We thought so. We sang happy birthday to Maddie at dinner last night and she seemed to really enjoy it, although she enjoys pretty much any singing and antics we perform. It is really unbelieveable that we have a daughter halfway to 1 year! I never imagined past the newborn stage. Good thing because she's better than anything I could have imagined!

Along with her 6 month mark came another doctor's appointment and shots. Maddie now weighs a whoppin' 16 lbs 11 oz and is 26 3/4" long! She has more than doubled her birth weight, although she is only in the 50-75% now instead of 75-90%. Other developments include 2 more bottom teeth popping through for a total of 4 teeth! I have had a horrible time getting pictures of them, but I think this kind of works...

Fall is in the air

I know that seems like a weird thing to say when the high is still 102 degrees, but I can sense that summer is winding down. Maybe it's the kids getting off the school bus with their new backpacks, or the subtle difference in angle of the sun coming in our windows, or possibly the cinnamon in the zucchini bread I made last week. I love harvest time when all the produce is so fresh and yummy. I finally canned some of our peaches on Wednesday... but lest you develop any awe for my domestic skills, it was HARD! I wanted to do two batches (12 quarts) but I only did one batch because by the time I was done I was flushed, sweating, and my back and feet were screaming! Plus I still had to wash all those pots required for the process, and I just couldn't imagine repeating the whole ordeal the next day. I sound like a wimp, don't I? I'm sure experienced canners can whip 'em out. I think I'll freeze the rest.

There is one sure sign of fall: BYU FOOTBALL!!! Mike bought Maddie a baby cougar t-shirt and we watched the game online yesterday. Go Cougs!

A few of my favorite things...

Our trip to Utah was fantastic! We experienced two things that make me blissfully happy: time with family & friends and fresh produce! We have SOOO many pictures to share (big surprise) that I will just have to tell the story chronologically... (P.S. Mike wrote all the captions... he is more creative.)

Friday was spent with Dana & Landon in Draper. They kindly gave us a comfy mattress in their cute new apartment. Dana had a hay day dressing Maddie and giving her loves. We shopped, ate hot dogs at IKEA, and shopped some more! If there was one person in the world I would take with me to choose good items and find bargains, it's Dana! Landon and Noelle joined us later and we went to the driving range and then to Rumbi for dinner. I wish we had taken a picture, but I had a lemon in my water and my sisters convinced me to let Maddie try it. Amazingly, she seemed to like it!

Here's a picture of Miss Madison in a new outfit. She could double as a barber pole!

I have a mean slice but thanks to a few tips from Landon, I might
be able to out-smart that crazy ball with its 336 dimples.
This drive was at least 325 yards.
It took off like a rocket . . . (yeah right, I think I missed!)
Tiger started young so I figure by the time Maddie is 14,
she'll make the step to the pro world of the LPGA.

Saturday we drove down to Payson in the morning and Mike gave Maddie a full tour of the Nelson Ranch. Maddie is going to narrate this batch:

"Dad, can I get a cute lab when I grow up?

Mercy, this horsey is alot bigger than I remember it being in my story books!
Hush little horsey don't say a word, Maddie's gonna buy you a bale of hay. If that bale of hay tastes funny, we're gonna blame it on the barnyard chickens, if them barnyard chickens . . .

Madison is a brave soul. She could have lost a finger during this experiment.

"Hey little chickens. Dr Seuss says:
Did the chicken cross the road?
Did he cross it with a toad?
Yes, the chicken crossed the road,
But why it crossed, I've not been told!"

Later that afternoon Mike went to the BYU game with his bro (Go Cougars!!!) and Maddie and I reunited with 3 of my favorite roomies and all the babies we have produced since our college days! It's a shame we didn't get a picture all together. The end of the night brought us back to Draper where Emily came and completed the sister togetherness! Where Maddie is, people will come.

Well believe it or not we are only halfway done... Sunday was a day of rest but Monday was pretty crazy! Dana, Landon, and Emily obliged our need for family pictures and pulled lots of funny faces to make Maddie smile.

"Watch! For my next trick I will slowly bend these two steel poles into a couple of pretzels."

"Careful mom! This looks steep."

"I don't even have to look. I know my dad is being crazy. I just hope nap time comes soon."

"You may think I have a far-off look in my eyes. I'm really trying to figure out how I can take the Maddie(TM) brand global and pay for my college education while I'm at it."

(Please sing along)
"Ladybug, here’s what we can do.
We can count the spots on you!"

After all the ladybug fuss in Maddie's nursery, we finally got the real deal!

And finally we enjoyed a Labor Day shin-dig-ity with Mike's family! We love getting together at a park and playing the day away. Maddie enjoyed being around all her cousins. It was great to see everybody!

A proud grandpa with his little girl!

Playtime with the cousins.

Boys will be boys. That's Mike at the very top.

The spectacular full rainbow.

On our way home we stopped at a fruit stand and got a box of peaches. They filled the car with a heavenly aroma! (I am excited to try canning some tomorrow.) Our trip was topped off with the most beautiful rainbow we have ever seen. We could see both ends fading into the ground! No gold or leprechauns though. Sorry, if you have read this far you really deserve some gold! :) Thanks for keepin' up with us!