Madelyn turns 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our precious little girl is growing up. I am so amazed at what a great young lady she is becoming. She makes us laugh and gives us so much joy. Our kids are the greatest things we have ever done.


My girl on her first birthday

Birthday number 2
And now she's three!!! OMG

One of the favorite presents of the night!!

Ooooo...present time

Great Grandpa

Great Aunt Deb and Grandma Kate

Beautiful Karter

Kids beading at the table

My Sweet Boy!!!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!!!

Big girl gets her hair did

The Scholls Country Festival

What an amazing event. We spent the day at the Scholls Country Festival. It is amazing to me that such a little school like Groner can accomplish such a huge and successful event. It goes to show what dedicated and wonderful parents and volunteers our community has. It was a fun day full of fun activites put on by each classroom (only one per grade) and face painting and food and balloons...fun, fun, fun


Dylan and his balloon hat

Jeremy was recruited to be the chaperone at the bounce house.

Madelyn's hat. What a goof ball

Dylan doing a little pumpkin bowling at the kindergarten booth

Madelyn takes a turn at soccer

We couldn't pass up the piggies!!!

The covered hay maze was so cool, but a back-breaker for the grown-ups.

Madelyn got a little lost

Fun

A few pictures of my baby girl

Madelyn is growing up before our very eyes. She is such an amazing little girl. I can't believe what an outstanding person she is becoming.

Here she is after she smelled a candle. She stuck her face a little too far in, wouldn't ya say?

My precious angel

Woo-hoo...her hair is growing. It's long enough to put in braids.

Soccer

What an awesome end to a great day!! Along with the first day of school, Carson had his first soccer game tonight. He was so excited, as was I, to go to his game and play a real game. He had only played in soccer camps and summer parks and rec activities for the last three years and he was amped to play an actual game. He kept saying all day "I can't believe I get to play a real game today". It was so much fun getting him into his uniform (he is number 5) and getting his cleats on and going to the soccer field.

When we got to the soccer fields at the fairgrounds, we met up with his coach, Coach Able, the team manager, Lori and the rest of his teammates--the "Green Pythons". After a little bit of chit chat and getting things going the game got on it's way. Jeremy, Grandma Kate, Madelyn and I were there to cheer on Carson and the team. I found myself on the sidelines cheering and chanting like crazy (soccer mom in training). The team consists of 6 players. Each team member gets an equal amount of play time by switching out players every quarter. There are no goalies. They have a hard enough time aiming the ball into the goal without them. I think Carson's team won by a couple goals, but who knows...no one was keeping score. Love That!!

We are so proud of him and I am so glad that he has found something that makes him so happy. I can see what a good thing this is going to be for him. His eyes sparkle when he is called onto the field to play. His whole attitude changes when he gets a soccer ball in his hands, or feet as the rules go, and I can watch his confidence build and build. He is so positive and easygoing when he's playing or even talking about soccer. It is just such an good thing for him.

I don't know what this new 'cool dude' smirk is lately, but I love it. Here he is ready and waiting to go to the game.

What a good pose--this was his idea.

Here we are at the soccer fields--let's go play!!

Nice steal!!
Go Green Pythons Go
run, run
Look at all those little legs
Way to keep on the ball
Just kicked it into the goal----SCORE!!!

First Day of School

What a big day!! Carson and Madelyn had their first days of school today. It was a busy morning with Carson having to catch the bus by 7:30am (oops, we missed it). and Madelyn starting at 9am across town. We drove Carson to school and got him settled into his classroom. He is lucky to already have a good friend and neighbor, Dylan, in his class to make the transition a bit easier. We watched him get started on his coloring project and and then it was a quick hug, kiss and goodbye. Then we were off to take Maddy to school at Valley Christian. She was excited to go until I told her that Mom wasn't staying. Broke my heart to see that smile turn to a frown so fast. She quickly got over it when she learned that she was going to paint....woo hoo painting!!! Bye-bye Mom!!! Then it was a quick trip to the gym for Mom and a race against the clock to get back home before the bus drops Carson off at 10:50. I made it. It was so cute to see his little head poking just above the window on the bus and smile as he saw me waiting for him in the driveway. He had a great day and said he made a lot of new friends. Recess was his favorite part-surprise, surprise. Then we had to rush back to Madelyn's school to pick her up by 11:45. She was busy playing with Flubber. For those of you who don't know what flubber is it is a weird wet, but not wet, plastic-y, Glue-y, substance that the kids just love. After coaxing her out of the classroom, we stopped at McDonald's for lunch and home for a nap before Carson's soccer game tonight. Whew....busy day. It has been a blast so far. What amazing little kids we have. I just can't believe I have two kids in school already.
She's all ready to go. She was ready before Carson even got out of bed!

Too cool for school, mom.
Our little students
Carson waiting in the gym to go to his classroom
"24 Crayons" He was excited to see a brand new box.
His buddy, Dylan is quick to get started.
Busy at his new seat Madelyn cutting the flubber

Here she is with her teacher, Miss Maggie, making her famous picture face. Love it!!

My big girl

Bye-Bye Binky!! She did it. Last night was the first night without a binky. I was bracing myself for a sleepless night with a sobbing little girl, but it was a breeze. She started the day by coloring and decorating an envelope to send to the "binky fairy" and then we walked out to the mailbox and sent it. Then she went to bed that night with some whining and asking for the bink, but went to sleep after a couple minutes. Only one wake-up in the night about 2am. Mommy laid with her for a couple minutes and she calmed down and fell back to sleep. She did it!! She woke up this morning to presents and balloons and cupcakes from the binky fairy and was elated. It went so well. Good job Madders!!!!

Enjoying a breakfast cupcake from the binky fairy
yum yum!!

The Technology is Back

We've moved!! It finally happened a year after the foundation was dug. We are so excited to get to know our new rural life. We are camping out in a trailer and joke about being 'trailer trash'. We are using our house for everything but sleeping. Oh how I miss my bed. I finally had the internet/tv/phone hooked up in our house late last week!! I felt so out of touch and a bit lost without the computer. Sad, I know. I don't know how the Amish do it. And without my babysitter (the TV) I don't get a spare moment to do much of anything--haha. We have had a lot going on since our last post, so I will just put them all together here.

Carpet in the office was installedThe stairs and the rest of the house were carpeted...oooh soft
How we livin'--or sleeping really. Nice, huh?

We had our annual Allen family picnic last Saturday. It was a great time
Carson found a soccer ball and practiced his skills

Madelyn discovered a new 'hang out' at the house. Oh the things that will get thrown over the railing. I am praying no people do :)

We took a walk to the river behind our house to throw rocks.

Jeremy loves it out here.
Carson is scoping out where to throw the next pebble

On the way back we saw our deer. She is around almost daily eating apples that fall from the apple tree in our back yard. That is our house in the background.

You can barely see the deer in at the top of the hill, but Carson was loving watching her, as were we all.