Some days your toddler will yell at you about everything. Some days your toddler won’t want to eat lunch. And some days the only way to get your toddler to eat lunch is to give in and let them hold their doll so they will at least eat strawberries for lunch. And the Cabbage Patch Kid was mine. Her name is (amusingly) “Maddie Jeanie.” ...

Last night we met for book club. The book we read was Sarah’s Key. It seemed to be a big hit with everyone. Here is a summary. Paris, July 1942: Sarah, a ten year-old girl, is brutally arrested with her family by the French police in the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup, but not before she locks her younger brother in a cupboard in the family’s apartment, thinking that she will be back within a few hours. Paris, May 2002: On Vel’... Read More Read More ...

Chuck’s wonderful mother, Linda, tackled another project I have wanted done. We went to a friends’ house one night and they have this HUGE pillow on the floor for their kids to play on. She sent me the information on it and I knew I was too cheap to pay for something like that. So I wrangled Linda’s help. We picked out the material and she went to work! Last weekend, I brought over the stuffing for it and we... Read More Read More ...

We just went to Maddie’s 15 month check up. The doctor was quite impressed by her. (I’m happy even if the doctor tells that to everyone!) She was 32” tall (long?) and weighed 19 pounds 7.5 ounces. She’s just a tiny little thing. Well, tall and tiny. It’s a challenge to find pants. She is long, but her waist is small. Maybe she would fatten up a little if she ever stopped moving.   Maddie has learned to climb on... Read More Read More ...

I just thought these pictures were cute. She was playing with the blocks and a blanket. Then she put the blanket inside the block. She also appears to be talking (or yelling at the blocks). My favorite picture She was very into something on tv. ...

Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful moms and moms-to-be! I traced Maddie’s hand and then had her do some coloring for her Mother’s Day cards. They turned out really cute! We did make some small step while coloring. Maddie usually likes to eat the crayons. This time she just licked them and then tried to apply them like lipstick. There’s some nice blue crayon around her mouth. Baby steps, I suppose!   ...

Maddie likes to put things on her head. Toys, jackets, baskets. Blankets. Blocks. Buckets (sorry, bad pictures). Seriously. I think the girl could use some hats. ...

As a follow up to yesterday’s picture, I thought I should also share this one. Yep. Maddie has found her nose and it’s apparently lots of fun to stick her finger in it. I’m not sure if you can tell, but she has a HUGE smile on her face because she is so proud of herself. She left her finger in there, laughing at herself, long enough for me to find my phone and take a picture of her. That... Read More Read More ...

I just love her! ...

Last weekend, we started cleaning out my craft room. Which has really turned into the room I throw anything I don’t want to deal with at the moment. So I lovingly call it my “Crap Room.” Before too long, we would like to move Maddie into that room. She hasn’t slept over night anywhere but her bed since she was born. And we have a couple multiple night stays out of town this year. So we thought it wouldn’t hurt... Read More Read More ...

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A while back, I bought Maddie a chair she could sit on in the porch or driveway with us. She loves it! She sits in it all the time and pushes it around. These pictures were from quite a while ago when she was playing outside on a chilly afternoon while Chuck was building the porch furniture. Maddie loved “helping” dad! We thought we would put her in one of the boxes. She looked interested in it. And yes, of... Read More Read More ...

I found this quote and thought that everyone out there has had a day that wasn’t great. But sometimes you need to look at the bright side. Have a fabulous day and look for those good things every day! ...

On Thursday, April 26th at 2:07 pm, Chuck became an uncle, I became an aunt and Maddie became a cousin! Chuck’s sister, Paige and her husband, Brian welcomed their little bundle of joy into the world! She weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces and was 19 inches long. She is the most precious little thing. When we saw her on Thursday night, she was wide-eyed and curious about the world! She also as the cutest little dimples! She’s so tiny and... Read More Read More ...

Chuck found a game that Maddie can’t get enough of! It’s called Baby Smash. Basically, the kids play with a keyboard and the program says letter names and shapes and colors depending on what button the press. Seriously, it’s like toddler crack! Maddie just can’t get enough. We downloaded it on an old laptop for Maddie. Then the other night, Chuck hooked up a laptop to the tv so Maddie could play it on a bigger screen! She laughs and... Read More Read More ...

This is the most recent book we picked for book club! We are meeting tonight to discuss it. I came across this book as a book I could get for free through Amazon Prime. They have a lending library where, if you have a Prime account, you can borrow one eligible book a month for free. It was a really good book. Here’s a description. In 1837, Lisbeth Wainwright is born to the white mistress of a sprawling Virginia plantation.... Read More Read More ...

Yesterday Maddie and I went to the Mall of America with our friends Trisha and Chelsea! The girls were having a great time handing toys back and forth between the strollers and laughing at each other while they ate their McDonald’s lunch! They are going to be great friends! Trisha took this picture of the girlsand yes, it is in a restroom!   I love that Maddie is hamming it up for the camera. Such a silly girl! Can’t wait... Read More Read More ...

We finally found some porch furniture that we liked. A couple weekends ago, Chuck took multiple trip to the store to pick the pieces up and then put them all together. I couldn’t be happier with how it looks! We got a loveseat, two chairs, a chaise lounge, end table and eating table. I got a few pillows and a couple little lanterns for the table. All we have left to purchase is a rug. We just haven’t found on... Read More Read More ...

A couple weeks ago, Maddie and I went to the zoo then lunch at the mall with Trisha and her daughter Chelsea. (The girls had a great time at the zoo. Maddie showed Chelsea the ropes as she followed Maddie around!) After lunch and walking around the mall a little more, Maddie took out all of her veggie straws and put them in the try on her stroller. She was so proud of herself. She did eventually share some with... Read More Read More ...

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, my daughter is a strange one. Here are some pictures of her putting a basket on her head. She does this ALL the time. Yup.that’s our girl. She giggles the whole time. She also likes to put a bucket on her head as well as a plastic toy pot from her kitchen. Oh, and she was wearing a colander as a hat the other day, too. Love her! ...