When Dad is Away. . . .

The girls will play! With Pat in CA this week, Maddie and I have been hanging out and having a good time this week! I have had to work at the Y a bit this week, but otherwise we have been bonding!

The stroller has been gaining dust each and every day with this darn cold weather! But, we managed to have a good time and laugh at one another!

We hang out in our pjs all morning - because we hav no where to be!

We play in boxes. . . .because we can!

We wrestle - those blue adidas pants would be mine!

We have a couple drinks. . . .dont worry that is juice in her cup!

And we talk about boys. . . .can you guess who she talked about?

We also hit the Y up yesterday and went swimming but Maddie insisted on no pictures! She feels she is too white yet! The week has gone well! A big thank you to my Aunt Terri and Cousin Erin for watching Maddie for me this week when I had to work! I have the best family!! Maddie is snoozing a bit before we hit up the mall !!

I hope everyone is having a good week!

An Angel Went Home

This week our family has to say goodbye to a beautiful loving Aunt that was taken Home on Wednesday this week. Although we know she is now free of the illness she suffered here on earth it doesn't make the reality that we are all faced with any easier. We will come together like the family always does and we will console each other. It is God's love that keeps us strong and together as much as we are. And for that all I can say is, "Thank You!".

Words can't express the feelings at this time. However, I found a poem that was fitting.

~God looked around his garden and found an empty place. He then looked down upon the earth and saw your tired face. He put his arms around you and lifted you to rest. God's garden must be beautiful, He always takes the best. He saw the road was getting rough and the hills were hard to climb, so He closed your weary eyelids and whispered "Peace be Thine". It broke our hearts to lose you but you didn't go alone, for part of us went with you the day that God called you home.

Love,
patrick

Easter Easter Easter!

Morning -

As you can see, my time on the blog has been quite less lately, but can you blame me with this beautiful weather!?!?! Maddie and I have a very busy outdoor schedule that we need to take advantage of when we can! The stroller is back out in full force getting about 6 miles a day! The fresh air takes a lot out of Miss Maddie which is fine by me - better naps!

Not much to report on our end. We are still getting use to our new schedule with Pat at the new job. This week the gals are on their own as Pat zips over to good old Cali! My fingers are crossed that we can continue with this warm weather so that we can be outside as much as we can!

We wanted to take time to enjoy this past weekend with Pat leaving, and we did, but with many stops along the way! Our Easter weekend was packed with lots of family. . . .and lots of Easter baskets for Maddie - 6 to be exact!!!!!! Yes, you are reading that correctly, 6 Easter baskets for this little one!!

Maddie colored an Easter Egg at the YMCA last week! Adorable!

Good Friday was spent at the park. . . .wearing a SUN DRESS none the less!

Down the slide with Aunt Kari

Maddie checking out Easter Basket #3

Maddie playing with a tractor the Easter Bunny got her

Dressed for Sunday Church with Nana & Papa

Easter egg hunt after church!

Wnjoying treats out of our last easter basket. . . .at home with mom and dad!

Look at all of this stuff - 6 baskets total! Wow!

Miss Maddie is such a lucky girl to be showered with love and gifts from so many family members! Thank you to each and every one of you for making this Easter weekend so special. We love you all very much!!

Jamie

A Taste of Spring!!!

What a beautiful week last week!!! It was so refreshing to have the warm weather so that we could be outside enjoying it!!! I remember last spring and summer. . . . . .Maddie and I were outside as much as we possibly could be! I am so excited to be outside with her again this year! We got tons of walks in and took in the warmth and sunshine! Now that she is facing forward and looking at everything she was pointing at all of the dogs, birds, kids, etc etc etc - so that was fun!

It was Pat's first week at his new job which was an adjustment for everyone! We survived - as we knew we would!! This week is another adjustment for us - his first trip! So, Maddie and I are flying solo this week and have a lot of fun stuff packed into this week!

For awhile now she has been mostly eating table food instead of baby food. Well, she tried a few new things over the weekend. We went out for fish on Friday night and she got her first sampling of fish. . . . .AND LOVED IT!! Pat gave her some and she bit his finger - so funny! She also had some baked potato. . . .and a choc shake! Wow, I have never seen her hold onto a straw for dear life! It was cute!

We do have a few new tricks. . . . .

#1) If you even mention the word DOG. . . .she will start panting like one

#2) She likes to crawl into her wagon and wait for someone to pull her around

#3) Now that she knows where the garbage is in the kitchen, she likes to throw things away when we are not looking . . . .couch covers, magnets, toys, pretty much anything she can get her hands on!

Here is Miss Sassy-Pants herself. . . so glad Pat taught her that one!

Busted for snatching a magnet off the fridge!

Rough housing with Pat - we have a tom boy on our hands!

Learning about life jackets in swim class!

Look mom, I got in all by myself! Gotta love the head tilt. . .

Im sure I will have plenty of great adventures to report this week as dad is in MN for work!

Role Swap!

Wow, it has been 2 weeks since my last post!!! Oops! Well, needless to say, it has been a busy few weeks around here! (I feel like I always say that!) Anyway, last week was a change of pace for both Pat and I. I was the full time worker and he was the stay at home parent!!! Normally I put in about 15-20 hours at the Y a week and last week I was at about 35!!! Pat got the chance to experience the joys and challenges of being at home while I dealt with being at work. Needless to say, we both have a further appreciation of what the other deals with on a daily basis. Why was Pat home all week???? Well, he took a week off before starting his new job this week. He has been busting his tail to find a new opportunity, and he finally found it! I am so proud of his determination and cant wait for him to come home and tell me about his first day!!!






While home with Maddie all week, he got to take her on walks, teach hew new tricks, and soak up all of her precious little noises and faces as his schedule will be different with this new job. We are approaching this the same way we approach everything else. . . .one day at a time - TOGETHER!

As the week came to an end we were getting geared up for a Froh wedding!! Pat and I both had a role in the wedding so our weekend was dedicated to that! Once again. . . .this was a beautiful display of how a family can come together with little notice and make a day wonderful!!!

What will a week with dad teach you??

How to stick your tongue out of course!

Pat and I at the wedding

Happy Birthday Dad (Grandpa)!!!

Well, today is my dad's birthday and there is no way to call him to wish him a happy birthday because he is on a cruise right now!!! So, this is our only attempt to send him our birthday wishes as they have internet on the ship!!! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Maddie's Many Faces!

Hi -

Well, our crazy weekend ended with Maddie's 1yr photo shoot in Hartford with the Spottswoods! It is hard to believe that a year ago she was there as a tiny little newborn peeing and pooping on us during the shoot. This time around she was our sassy and funny little 1 year old! She pulled out all of the stops at this shoot. . . .giggles, big teeth smiles, goofy poses, and the list goes on. Here is a link to a sample of her 1 year photos. . . . .

http://www.spottswoodphotography.com/wordpress/2010/03/02/madeline-4/

I cannot stress enough how wonderful Sarah and Steve are to work with! If you have any special moments in your life that you want captured - they are the ones to do it for you!! We have enjoyed working with them so much that we plan to set up shoots this summer and winter with them!

Enjoy Maddie's photo shoot. . . .