Smithtopia

Happy Fourth of July (in August)!

2010-08-04T17:43:00.002-05:00

We had a great Independence Day this year. We had a big bash at my parents house with a lot of our extended family. There was yummy food, croquet death matches, fireworks, and games.

This sweet girl ran around all day screaming for the fireworks to start already.

Can you tell she loves her Grandma!

My loves!

The expression tells it all!

Preschool Graduation

2010-08-04T17:36:00.002-05:00

We were so very blessed to have Madison be able to attend SMPK this year. It was the most fantastic preschool ever. Her teacher, Miss Karlene, is an amazing woman who poured all her energy and love into her class. Madsion really blossomed and overcame a lot of fears and struggles during the school year.

These are just a few of the wonderful gifts the kids received for graduation

It was bittersweet to say goodbye to all her classmates!

We love you Miss Karlene!

Displaying just a few of her many works of art from SMPK.

Dr. Dan

2010-08-04T17:29:00.002-05:00

I am slowly (read turtle-like) getting caught up on my blogging. This post is amazingly past due. In May, my handsome, wonderful, brilliant husband graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science from Rice University. If you count his undergraduate work at BYU that is ten years of school finally under his belt. I can't even describe how proud I am of him and his dedication and endurance. Dan is the most amazing father and husband ever. He always found a way to balance his school, his family, and his church callings. I have to admit that I shed more than a few tears as I watched him walk across that stage. Congrats my love!

One Busy Lady

2010-07-16T15:51:00.004-05:00

Lest you think I spent my year in Georgia sitting on my porch sipping sweet tea, gossiping at the hair salon, and spying on my neighbors (okay one to many times watching Steel Magnolias). Here is the proof that I left my mark on this area.

Just call me Pastor Tara

Nothing like a strip mall to bring in a little cash on the side.

Why settle for one mall when you could have two...

or three....

The apartment homes were not worth it.

after the fourth mall I figured why not upgrade....

to an Inn...

or luxury apartment homes

at this point the fifth strip mall was easy cheesy

My husbands favorite was the Tara Tow Trucks. You may scoff but they were painted to the nines and bedazzled with gems on the hood - I am not kidding about the sparkles. I just want to take this opportunity to thank Georgia for all that they let me do.

Family Comes to Town

2010-07-16T15:47:00.004-05:00

In the midst of this (boxes, packing, head banging etc.) we were lucky enough to get to see these guys

Megan, James, Wes, Madison, and Matthew Smith

The Streets in our Neighborhood

2010-07-16T15:37:00.002-05:00

We had a bunch of streets in our neighborhood that made us laugh or reminded us of friends. The above should be self explanatory.

This goes out to Josh and Brooke.

Come on I know you think it is a little bit clever. My most "cheesy" friend Em will get a chuckle. You know I love your corny jokes.

To my dearest Heather - every time I saw this I missed my gangly wench!

Springtime?

2010-07-16T15:30:00.002-05:00

I know it is not Spring anymore and I am terribly late on my blogging. We spent a month in a hotel where we had no access to our pictures. Maddie and I then spent another month with my parents while Dan stayed in Atlanta. He had the computer and all the pictures. We are now living in our brand new home in Spanish Fork, Utah. We moved in two weeks ago and things are still in a bit of a whirl. So sit back and let time flow back to the cool months of Spring.

Spring in Atlanta was breathtakingly beautiful. If you have never seen it I highly recommend it.

Wisteria is everywhere and it is one of my favorites!

Opening Day

2010-07-16T15:18:00.002-05:00

My husband is a baseball fan. It doesn't really matter the team or the place he just loves the game. When we moved to Atlanta he made plans for us to attend opening day at Turner Field. To say he was like a kid in a candy shop is putting it mildly.

The game was fantastic as the Braves crushed Chicago. It is always nice when all the people you are crushed into the stadium with are in a good mood.

Madison was so excited to go to a baseball game with Daddy. Her excitement lasted about five minutes in the 90 degree 100% humidity heat (that was streaming directly into our non-shaded seats).

Some of her energy returned upon viewing and attempting to climb the massive baseballs at the exit gates.

A Good Reason

2010-04-29T20:25:00.003-05:00

I actually have a good reason for not blogging, not returning your phone calls, forgetting various parties/events, and not going to the RS activities I am in charge of....boxes. This is my life for the last couple of weeks. Movers come tomorrow and we will be temporarily relocated for a month or two and than on to our new house in good old UT.

Another House Update

2010-04-19T08:51:00.002-05:00

Holy Smokes! I just got these pictures from my Momma and I about fell off the couch. Can you believe how fast things are moving? Not long now...

Easter in Smithtopia

2010-04-05T08:25:00.002-05:00

Leaving a snack for the Easter Bunny

Eating the Easter Bunny's snack

The smile is not for me. The smile is the anticipation of the chocolate bunny that she has prayed (she really has prayed) the Bunny will bring her.

Easter Morning

The Loot

We played with all her new stuff and colored Easter eggs.

This face is a combination of too much sugar, too many pictures, and not enough glitter in her sparkle egg kit.

The Easter Feast. I need to express gratitude for my parents. They are the most amazing examples of selflessness and faith that I have ever known. I am so grateful for their love and their patience with me. Thank you for continuing to answer the phone, call after call, after call as I attempted this culinary masterpiece.

Preschool Easter Festivities

2010-04-05T08:19:00.003-05:00

Maddie's Preschool Posse

Madison and her best friend Callie

Collecting those Eggs

"Mom, get the picture stuff over with, I have eggs waiting for me!"

On the hunt

Bugz Musical

2010-04-05T08:14:00.002-05:00

Madison's preschool class at the Bugz Musical

Some of the bigger bugz

Singing the Ladybug song

The kids did a great job. The musical was really cute and the kids really knew their songs and speaking parts. I am so grateful for the terrific opportunities Maddie has had to grow and shine in her preschool. Thanks SMPK!

Happy Birthday

2010-04-05T08:10:00.002-05:00

It's good to be 21 (again?) I love the Maddie's homemade wrapping paper.

Dan and Maddie made me a great cake and we were able to go out to dinner and shopping together. It was a great day!

House Update

2010-04-05T07:18:00.003-05:00

Here is the house as it is being framed.

All framed up.

We are getting so excited!

Dan's Adventures in England

2010-03-25T09:03:00.000-05:00

Dan spent a week in Oxford, England for a conference. Here are some of the photos he took of his adventures there. He also got to spend a little time in London on his way back home. I will try and get him to blog in more detail.

I always wondered how she would look.....

2010-03-25T08:50:00.003-05:00

I was doing my hair with my straightener and Maddie wanted her hair done too. I was hesitant to flatten her beautiful curls but I wondered what she would like with straight hair.

Maddie says that she looks more like a princess with her hair straight. What do you think?

Snow Day?

2010-03-25T08:39:00.002-05:00

We live in the South- you know heat, humidity, mosquitos, spiders, fried chicken, grits, and confederate flags. It's not supposed to snow in the South. So we were mildly surprised when we woke up to this.

We figured we should enjoy the few little flakes before they melted away.

A few little flakes turned into our house looking like a Christmas postcard.

Our backyard looking like this.....

and well when all was said and done we had more than a little snow.

Valentine's Day

2010-03-25T08:26:00.002-05:00

Madison all ready for Pink and Red Day at school.

My Mom gave us the most amazing present for Christmas. It was a huge tote full of monthly craft activities for Family Home Evening. Each month has a bag full of supplies, instructions, and fun activities. February's craft was homemade valentine covers for lollipops. We made one for all the kids and teachers in Maddie's preschool class. Thanks Mom-You are one fantastic lady!

Maddie got this little pink and white kitty for Valentines Day.

The New Construction Pictures-see last post

2010-03-20T09:59:00.002-05:00

Can you believe the view! A deck in our backyard so we can sit and stare at those mountains is high on my priority list.

Okay, I realize that none of you really care about a picture of my pipes in the basement, but it sure excites me!

Pictures courtesy of my fantastic parents.

Catching Up

2010-03-20T09:27:00.002-05:00

I need to do some catch up with the happenings here in Smithtopia. Make sure you scroll down for the picture posts below.

When we moved to Atlanta almost a year ago Dan was still finishing up his graduate studies and was working part time with his new job. He is now working full time and still polishing off his PHD stuff in the evenings. Between his four callings and two jobs we don't see him as much as we would like to. However, the finish line is in sight. He will be doing his defense mid April and will graduate in May. After 6 years, 5 moves, 10 + callings, 4 wards, and 1 monkey girl we are ready to settle down for good.

Dan's company will allow us to live wherever we want (hurray). After much prayer and thought we have decided to move to Happy Valley (Utah). While we were in Utah over the Christmas break we did some serious house shopping. We decided to build a home. We found a great builder and a lot that is a mere 7 minutes from my parents house. We are so excited to be close to family. We have sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins on both sides of our family super close. After 6 years in the South with no relatives around it will be so great to be with family again. Our house will be done in June of this year and we can't wait to settle in.

I will be posting some pictures of our house as it gets built soon. I just have to thank my fantastic parents who are watching over the construction of our house and taking care of all our stuff in Utah. I love you guys!

Beautiful Girls

2010-03-20T09:17:00.002-05:00

Maddie with her Ludlow cousins - some serious blond beauties.

Collages

2010-03-20T09:15:00.003-05:00

If you click on the collage you can see the pictures in a larger format.

Madison Turns 4

2010-03-20T09:14:00.000-05:00

I can't believe the little monkey is four years old. This year is the first year that she has got to celebrate her birthday with Papa and Grandma. Dan was at home in Atlanta working like a dog and we were up in Utah with my parents. Maddie wanted pizza, balloons, and a kitty cake. We skipped the big party with friends this year because we are planning a trip to Disney with the family as a birthday present. We actually flew home the evening of her birthday and we got to celebrate again with Daddy. Happy Birthday Sweet Pea!

What We Did at Christmas

2010-03-20T08:43:00.000-05:00

So as usual I am so behind on blogging. I am going to create a few collages in an attempt to get caught up. Enjoy a few visual memories of our Christmas time activities.

November and December Happenings

2009-12-14T08:16:00.005-06:00

I am not very good at blogging. I constantly find myself looking at least a months happenings and feeling overwhelmed by the fact that I have blogged nothing. It is feast or famine with me. Anyways, Madison and I are taking off for Happy Valley tomorrow and this is my last chance to get caught up so here we go!

Meet Thomas the Turkey! It is a tradition in our house that at the beginning of the month of November we make a turkey and than spend the month feeding him with our grateful thoughts. We stuff him with little papers filled with gratitude and than on Thanksgiving we carve him and read all the wonderful thoughts. This is one great tradition for which I give thanks to my fantastic mother-in-law Gaylene.

This is the pathetic little pile of leaves that our one tree gave us this year. Maddie has been waiting with high anticipation for them to fall off the tree so she could do this.........

and

this!

This is Madison's sweet, fantastic, and very lovely preschool teacher Ms. Karlene. This was taken at the preschools' wonderful Thanksgiving dinner where we all stuffed ourselves with some Southern Thanksgiving food.

So I have always had a bit of a fascination for Gone With the Wind(I was Scarlett for Halloween when I was sixteen-hoop skirt and all). Although my Mother will probably deny it I do believe that is where the inspiration for my name Tara Shannon came from. While Dan's parents were visiting we went to the Margaret Mitchell Museum in Atlanta and learned more about her life and writings.

Cute Smith Family

This year we decided to shake things up a bit and make a Gingerbread Train.

It was a big hit (although a tad bit more complicated to keep together)!

Ta-Da

We also put up our tree a couple of days before Thanksgiving (interject gasp of horror). Maddie really wanted to have Grandparents there when we did it and we were going to be in Alabama for Thanksgiving-hence the tree.

Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain GA

Madison was not feeling the camera.

I love this picture. We sure are going to miss you guys while you are serving your mission.

Really cool bird show with owls, vultures, and hawks that flew over your head quite close.

I loved this poinsettia tree that Callaway Gardens had on display

The gardens puts on a Light show that is without a doubt the most incredible thing I have ever seen. An hour trolley ride filled with caroling and narration through their insanely large gardens. The lights are amazing and filled with all sorts of stories and moving light displays.

Their Nativity was beautiful and very touching. If you can ever go to this you should-it was a perfect way to bring in the Christmas Season.

Playing dress-up at her cousins house in Alabama.

Still in Love

Painting Ms. Karlene's Christmas present

Puddle Jumping

Singing in her Preschools' Christmas Musical and Nativity.

Which Creeps You Out More?

2009-11-18T21:17:00.002-06:00

I have lived in the South for the last six years. There are a few things that are true about the South. First, the Confederate Flag does still fly. Second, if it came down to chocolate or crisco-crisco would win hands down. Thirdly, roaches and spiders are a part of life.

In our last place of residence the roaches were the big winners. In fact I still feel like passing out when I remember the time I woke up 7 1/2 months pregnant with a huge cockroach inside my ear. No amount of cleanliness can save you from those dirty little devils. I hate them-I know they have a purpose here on Earth-but I swear the purpose it to make me a little insane.

When we moved I was so excited to escape from the creepy little suckers. In our new place it is spiders. No big deal right? I was more than happy to trade one for the other-until tonight. I opened up the (VERY CLEAN) cupboard under my sink to see the biggest spider I have ever seen outside of a zoo. We are talking huge and creepy and ....you get the picture. Luckily, Dan was home and he could tell by my white face and the way I was slowly walking backwards brandishing a knife that something was wrong. The body of the nasty thing was the size of a golf ball-now add some legs and it was a mutant monster.

So, I ask all of you out there in blogland- which creeps you out more? YUCK!

P.S. I think I am feeling a little biased right now and will make a final decision at a later date.

Spiritual Conversation

2009-11-13T19:51:00.002-06:00

I needed to record this cute conversation that Maddie and I had during scripture study tonight.

M- Momma is Heavenly Father like a person ( she is confused about him being our Father when she already has one)?

Me- Yes, He is a person and He is the Father of our Spirits.

(Maddie gives me blank look)

Me- We have our bodies on the outside and inside of us is our spirit.......

M-(Gives me a look like boy aren't you stupid) Momma, we have bones in our bodies and their is a skeleton inside us too.

Me- Your right there is a skeleton of bones inside us.

At this point she folds her arms and begins to pray. Small steps....

Trick or Treating!

2009-11-09T09:51:00.004-06:00

It was so fun to get to attend our old ward's trunk or treat. It was great to see so many people that we love and have missed.

They are ready to go get some candy!

Cute Cook Cowboys

Lumpy and her peanuts

The Fab Four

My BFF's-I miss you ladies so much I can hardly stand it!

Goofing off

The munchkins all spent out after trick or treating .

The Halloween Party

2009-11-09T09:40:00.003-06:00

I love Halloween! It is without a doubt one of my favorite holidays. In Houston we always had so many parties and events that the week was crazy, exciting , and fun! My favorite event was the Halloween party that my friend Susannah and I put on every year. The thought of missing it this year was tragic. So, when an opportunity to go to Houston with Dan while he finished some stuff up at Rice University came up we planned it for the week of Halloween.

Summer the (good) witch

Madsion as Lumpy

Princess Rebekah

Kate and Sawyer as Snow White and Dopey

Leia trying to escape from the clutches of Darth Vader

Brookie and Isaac

Ring around the Mummies

Craft Time

It was fantastic and I am so glad that I got to be there!

Heffridge Trumpler Bumpridge the III (Lumpy)

2009-11-09T09:36:00.002-06:00

After much pleading I gave in and made Maddie the costume she wanted for Halloween. I would just like to say that this was the most insane piece of sewing madness that I have ever undertaken. However, it was so worth it when I saw her face light up when she got to put it on!

Preschool Pumpkin Patch

2009-11-09T09:27:00.002-06:00

Madison goes to a wonderful preschool. I am constantly impressed with her sweet teacher and the fun activities that they get to do. The preschool put together a pumpkin patch right on the school grounds. We got to come and pick a free pumpkin with her and the rest of her class.

Her favorite pumpkin.

Maddie and Callie

Her preschool class

Their pumpkin picks!

My sweet little pumpkin!

Happy 30th Birthday!

2009-11-09T09:09:00.002-06:00

The trip we took was what Dan wanted for his 30th birthday. However, I couldn't let the actual day pass without some fanfare.

He opened his package to find the best present in the world-The Hannah Montana Movie. There has to be some kind of gag gift for the big 30. After assurances that we would be returning the "movie" his smile found a way back to the table.

He loved the peanut M & M's and the Wii points, with which he promptly bought Zelda 3.

My favorite part was watching them read the cards Maddie and I had made. Madison was really proud of the birthday picture she had drawn and she even wrote out the words Happy Birthday.

Love you a million zillion babe!

Days 6-7 Genealogy Scramble

2009-11-08T13:24:00.007-06:00

I will forewarn you that this post is more for family and journaling purposes. Since we were going to be in the area where my maternal grandparents were born and raised, we thought it would be fun to do a little exploring of cemeteries. I know it sounds boring, but we did have quite a few crazy moments (and I am serious about the crazy part) in our Family History Adventure.

This is the house where my great great Grandmother Margaret May Mitch lived (Columbus, Ohio). This is also the house where my Grandpa and Grandma Fish first came to live after they got married. It is part of a historical district where all the houses have been kept up in the styles of the time. They still have the cobblestone streets and charm of the early 1920's.

My great grandfather Joseph Pierce

My great great great grandfather Henry Stith

My great great grandmother Margaret May Mitch

This was an unexpected find. Edward Thurman Pierce is my great great grandfather's (Pierce) cousin.

Middleport Ohio Cemetery

This place was one crazy adventure. First of all just to get here we had to try to find a series of unmarked roads and 4 X4 in our Honda. It was in the middle of the wilderness on a road that really could not be called a road-just a series of huge ruts and holes in some dirt and mud uphill. We were a little nervous to say the least.
This is the hill we hiked to get to the cemetery. It is bigger and steeper than it looks here -trust me! We get to the top and the cemetery is completely overgrown. We are talking weeds the size of trees, brambles(I can know personally attest to the difficulty and pain of thick thorny brambles), thorns, briars, snakes, mosquitos. I would have given any amount of money for a machete. We made our way through the craziness without finding anything. We were a little disappointed considering we had spent over an hour trying to make our way through the forest of scariness. Dan has Maddie on his shoulders for most of the time and he noticed something at the back of the cemetery in the distance. The cemetery didn't end where we thought it would. The first forest was just a teaser and back in the darkness there were more headstones. I was already pretty banged up, stung by a bee, blood running down my legs from various cuts, (yes I was wearing a skirt and sandals) and had run from a slithering snake-what else could possibly happen? We set off and I searched with no results until I heard Dan yell from the deepest, dankest part of the forest that he had found the headstones.
He had seen the Summerfield family plot. It was at this point that Dan put Maddie down and swishing her "sword" (a feather) she looked around and yelled, "I need a real prince to save me." She was done with crazy parents dragging her around crazy places and had realized that Daddy was not a real prince after all. Surely, Prince Charming would save her as he had saved Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.

We pulled and tugged out a lot of the overgrowth and found six different headstones.

My great great aunt Ruth G Summerfield (great grandma Shirley's sister)

My great great aunt Maymie Barker Summerfield (great grandma Shirley's sister)

There was also two headstones that simply said mother and father within the Summerfield plot next to the ladies. We think than that those are the headstones for my great great grandparents Lewis Henry Summerfield and Cynthia Jane Collins.

It was an amazing adventure that morning and it made me feel so very close to my ancestors. I loved getting to know more about their lives and the places where they lived and died.

The last place that we went to visit was Dunlap Chapel in the wilds of West Virginia. It was another crazy trek through twisty mountain passes, gravel and dirt roads, unnamed roads, and back country. This time however we encountered a very small and well kept cemetery. It only had about 30 headstones and half of them belonged to my Fish family ancestors.

This is the headstone of William and Mary Fish. They are my great great great grandparents.

This is Thomas D. Fish, who is the brother of Clarence Fish my great grandfather. He died before reaching his first birthday and he was great great Uncle John's twin.

This is Mabel Fish. She was born second right after my great grandfather Clarence and also lived less than a year before she died.

We think this was an older relative as well but don't have any real documentation yet.

This is John Clemard Fish. He is My great great grandfather and was married to Addie Henson. I am very grateful to my wonderful husband who inspired this trip and did all the work and research. I thought he was a little crazy for putting all this effort in for my family line but as usual he was right. I still get emotional when I think of the knowledge and connections I now feel for these people that I could have cared less about before. I feel blessed to know more about their lives and to have had this wonderful adventure.

Days 4-5 Cleveland

2009-09-30T09:37:00.005-05:00

On our way to Cleveland to see family, we made a small detour to the monument for United flight 93 in Pennsylvania.

It is a small monument that is made of of contributions from all over the world. They are planning a permanent monument sometime in the future. I have to say that this monument was much more poignant to me than any statue ever could be.

The names of all those who had died were memorialized. There were plaques, dolls, flowers, toys, flags,hats, shirts, etc. All of these had been left here with inscriptions of love and hope. It was very moving and emotional.

We got to Cleveland late and were excited to meet our newest nephew and cousin-Harrison (Harry for short).

Malcolm and Maddie had the time of their lives playing together. They loved all the same things-baking, playing in the dirt, coloring, dancing, animals, and the outdoors.

My sweet, beautiful, and very talented sister-in-law Sarah. Thanks again for taking care of us and for the great time we had.

The hammock was a source of fun and relaxation that all of us took advantage of. The weather was beautiful and we loved their fun backyard.

It was fun for Dan to celebrate his birthday with his brother Dave, and for them to get to watch a little football together.

Such a sweet family.

The cousins taking one last swing on the hammock together.

Saying farewell to my handsome little nephew. Madison gave Aunt Sarah a big hug and sadly pronounced, "I promise that I will really miss you." We love you guys and miss you!

Days 2 & 3- Washington DC

2009-09-25T08:59:00.005-05:00

After finishing at Jamestown we jumped in the car and drove to DC. We were able to get there in time to get to the National Archives before they closed.

In the Archives we were able to see the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and many other historical documents. I haven't included any pictures because there is no flash photography in the very dim viewing room.

The next morning we were able to go to the Smithsonian of Natural History. Maddie was head over heels for the elephant. Her exact words were, " Momma its Gizgirl, she ate some food and grew up." Gizgirl is her beloved stuffed elephant.

Madison was very in to all the buttons and information boards they had throughout the museum. We kept reminding her to look at the actual exhibits.

I couldn't resist a little teasing with the T-Rex head.

Ahh, the metro-our home away from home in DC. It is a good thing all the museums and galleries are free in DC because the transportation cost will more than make up for it. We were grateful that we could hop on and off to see the sights (however there is still a lot of walking to do with this cheaper means of getting around).

After lunch we headed over to the Capitol where we had reservations for a tour.

Dan was grinning like a schoolboy when he saw this statue of Philo T. Farnsworth in the Capitol. Philo was an Idaho native and inventor of the TV (apparently I should have known this).

I did recognize this man. He is in the Hall of Statues in the Capitol, representing the great state of Utah.

On our 2 mile trek to the white house from the metro drop we found this water wall and Maddie was enchanted with it. It brought some much needed laughter to help us forget our aching feet.

The Washington Monument

The White House

My cuties in front of the White House. Gotta love those bars and barb wire.

To finish off our trip to DC we stopped by the National Zoo. The main purpose was for Maddie to finally see her first real panda bear. So worth it.........she is adorable.

Birthday Road Trip Day One

2009-09-24T09:58:00.002-05:00

Dan decided that for his 30th birthday he wanted to take advantage of our location and take a road trip to see the sights. We loaded up the car and drove to Williamsburg, VA. We crashed in our hotel at a very late (am) hour.

The next morning we drove over to Jamestown, VA. They have a living history museum that depicts the the arrival of the European settlers in America and their interactions with the Native Americans.

Cute Picture of Dan and Madison

Pointing to Georgia on the map

This is a replica of the Jamestown Fort. It was incredible. The actors wandered around in costume and talked to you as if they were from that era. It was all very real right down to the brooms made out of twigs, the spears and bows, swords, cannons, and chickens running around.

We were able to try on the very heavy armor and chain-mail.

We were able to see the process of creating canoes from fallen trees.

This is a replica of the original ship that sailed from England to Jamestown.

We were able to go all over the ship and see the tiny bunks, huge ropes, latrines, riggings, even the type of games they would have played down below.

This is a replica of the homes that the Native Americans lived in. Maddie's favorite part was the pestles where they ground the corn to make"tortillas." The huts were filled with furs and tools that the Native Americans used in their daily lives. The tools were made out of bones, feathers, hides, and rawhide. I must admit that I was a little grossed out by the bones that served as the the base for most of the tools. They also had a huge indoor museum that we were not able to take pictures of but was truly amazing.

What I Have Been Doing Lately

2009-09-01T17:17:00.003-05:00

Meet Buttercup. She is my first attempt at making a stuffed animal. Madison loves her and is so glad to have a "monkey princess who likes jewelry and dancing."

A quick quilted play mat for a friends sweet baby boy. It was fast, fun, and I still feel like I am seeing yellow everywhere. I was going for super brights as that is about all newborn babies can see.

Scrapbook pages- these pictures are mostly for my Momma who has been asking to see them.

Felt clips that I made for Madison.

The Soccer Match

2009-08-28T12:43:00.003-05:00

Maddie vs Wesley

A blatant example of traveling. She pulled this off quite frequently with a truly intimidating scowl and a don't mess with me glare.

She shoots -she SCORES!

Contemplating the glory of her ball in the net.

Our Weekend in Alabama

2009-08-28T12:27:00.003-05:00

We went on a road trip last weekend to attend the temple and to see family. With the Atlanta temple closed the closest one is in Birmingham. Dan's brother lives in Montgomery, so we drove three hours to my sister-in-law's place and dropped Maddie off. Then we drove two hours to the temple did a session and drove two hours back. We were pretty exhausted but very grateful that we had someone to watch Madison so we could go.

The next morning we headed over to the pool and had a blast. Maddie was cold and needed to sit down and "get sun".

They had a splash pad and Madison was loving the buckets that dumped large amounts of icy water on you. "Mommy, you need try this-its cool," it was literally cool!

My nephew Matthew and his most awesome swim goggles!

Kristy and Megan.
James and Wesley in the age old battle of palm splashing (that's what I call it anyways). Not sure who won the battle.

Saturday Adventures

2009-08-24T13:37:00.003-05:00

One of my regrets about leaving Texas was all the things I never got around to doing. I always thought that we would have all the time in the world, but 5+ years went by very fast. I know we are on a very short time window in Atlanta so we are trying to take adventures every Saturday. This is our latest- a hike through Atlanta's historic covered bridge district.
Madison hiding from the camera. Whenever we ask her to smile she puts her head down and looks at the ground. Clearly she is confused (or sick of me constantly waving the camera in her face).
Nothing beats rock hopping in a nice cool river.
She has become obsessed about skipping (throwing) rocks in rivers, lakes, sinks, whatever.
Marking her territory. The land of Maddie-friend to kitties, puppies, caterpillars, and heffalumps.

First Day of School Pictures

2009-08-24T13:07:00.002-05:00

Madison started school three weeks ago (I know I have procrastinated blogging). These were her pictures as we were walking out the door. She goes to a preschool MWF from 9-12. Her teacher is so wonderful and she really has a great time. Their are nine other kids in class and Maddie likes playing with "Callie on the twirly-whirly the best."

Stonewall Confederate Cemetery and War Memorial

2009-08-13T09:07:00.003-05:00

We decided to take a drive and see some Civil War history. We want to take advantage of the rich southern culture we have all around us before we leave the South for good.Yes, she is asleep. She can sleep through a brass band playing outside her door.
This is the Confederate graveyard in our County Seat.
Madison just thought they were a lot of really cool rocks. We tried to explain the whole grave thing but she just looked at us like we were nuts.
This flag is one that we see flying all the time in just about every place you go.
Dan was trying to find the oldest gravestone in the cemetery.
I was right next to her in this picture Mom-I swear. I was pretty nervous and we only took one shot because -well because of the obvious.

Daddy - Daughter Photo Shoot

2009-08-03T09:02:00.000-05:00

She Earned her Laces!

2009-08-03T08:49:00.002-05:00

This move has been a really big change for our family. Madison has really struggled to adjust to all the changes. We were used to a very big social life and lots of kids to play with. The area we live in is pretty much devoid of children. Maddie really started acting out and struggling to control frustration. She was throwing so many tantrums that I couldn't count them all.
In an effort to keep my sanity I came up with this chart (it was a spiritual inspiration). It has sections for each part of the day and tells Maddie just what she should be doing everyday. When she completes a section without tears or tantrums she earns apples. When she has reached a certain amount of apples she gets a special treat. It is a miracle worker. We went from countless meltdowns to no meltdowns. In the last couple of weeks she has given in to a tantrum only once or twice. Can I just say how grateful I am to the this brainchild!
She earned her first prize-animal lace-ups! Way to go Madison!

Olympic Park

2009-08-03T08:43:00.002-05:00

Downtown has a lot of fun things to do and Olympic Park is one of our new favorites. It is a beautiful park full of playgrounds, splashing fountains, monuments, and space to run. Even though it was a very hot day the shaded park areas were full of kids playing.
This park had some very cool equipment that we had never seen before.
They had a huge climbing area that Madison really loved. I can't wait for it to cool off so we can enjoy it even more.

Georgia Aquarium

2009-07-29T14:37:00.002-05:00

When we moved here we got a membership to the Georgia Aquarium. It is fantastic!!! It is the largest aquarium in the world. They have some beautiful fish and other sea life. We finally got a chance to show Daddy just how cool it is.
A Whale Shark. These are the biggest fish in the ocean. They are gentle plankton eating sharks. Maddie loves them! They have a pattern of stripes and spots all over them. This is the only place you can find them outside of Asia.
Madison loves touching everything they have available to touch. She likes the rays, sea stars, and urchins best. She really loves how the fishes like to hide inside the anemones.
This giant ray is seriously big. He is not to full size yet but he is like a couple Dan's put together. We really love hanging out with all the ocean life.

Ballerina Princess

2009-07-25T11:36:00.000-05:00

I just can't get enough of watching my ballerina princess!

Forgive the Massive Update

2009-07-17T09:01:00.002-05:00

I have procrastinated my blog for a couple of weeks and so there are a number of new posts. Sorry about the massive update. Enjoy your Summer!

Cousins Come to Play

2009-07-17T08:50:00.002-05:00

We were so excited to have my sister-in-law come to visit with us for the weekend. Maddie loved having cousins to play with. They must have played every game on our shelves (and we have a lot of games). Most of the free time was used in bowling tournaments, golf, and Hula Hooping on the Wii.
We did find time for a trip to Ikea for some things Kristy needed in her new house. What would a trip to Ikea be without meatballs and apple juice?
Matthew quickly became a kindred spirit for Maddie. She finally met someone who liked to draw, color, paint, and just generally create as much as she does. I love their looks of intensity as they create paintings.
Maddie also liked hanging out with Megan. They would spend hours upstairs playing and hiding in the tent Dan put up in her room. We sure miss them and are glad we will get to see them again in a few weeks. Thanks for coming to see us!

A Month Long Quest

2009-07-17T08:32:00.002-05:00

I really love fresh hot bread-who doesn't? My Dad and my oldest brother are amazing bread makers. I mean like mouth watering, craving it all the time, wonderful bread makers. My favorite breads are rustic artisan breads-crunchy on the outside and soft and thick inside. So, about 5 or 6 weeks ago I began my quest into the world of sourdough bread. In order to make sourdough bread you need a starter. In order to have a starter you need to create a seed culture - sounds complicated right-you have NO IDEA! I will make a long story short by simply saying that after many tries and failures, endless phone calls with my saint of a father, and more patience than I thought I had......I did it!
My first two loaves of hot delicious sourdough bread. They were not as good looking or tasting as my Dad's bread- but it is a start. You have never enjoyed food until you have sweated, prayed, and slaved over it. Come to Atlanta and I will make you some.

Summer Classes

2009-07-17T08:19:00.002-05:00

We are lucky enough to live a few minutes away from a recreation center that offers VERY inexpensive classes for kids. This is a picture of Maddie's ballet class. She is in classic stranger mode. She is trying to keep herself from getting to close to anyone. I love the attitude on the oldest girls face and her stance. Poor girl really needed a more advanced class.
Madison loved learning all the ballet moves and especially loved to leap and spin.
This is her gymnastics class. They were learning to do bridge-ups. Maddie was pretty much lost in this class. She was the youngest in all her classes and wasn't sure at first what was going on. She is catching on pretty quickly though.

Latest Project

2009-07-11T14:48:00.002-05:00

This is my most recently finished project. I made this little outfit for one of my best friends. It was so fun sewing for a newborn baby boy. I am always doing girl stuff and it was a great change. I thought it turned out pretty cute.

Wipeout

2009-07-05T19:35:00.003-05:00

Do you ever have one of those moments as a parents where you realize that you have made a huge mistake-a wipeout if you will. I don't know if you have ever seen this show but its pretty funny (if you enjoy pithy commentary and people looking like complete dweebs). I made the mistake of not turning it off when Madison wandered in one night. She settled down next to me and was soon laughing along with me as people fell off giant bananas, giant balls, and well just about everything. The next night instead of requesting Backyardigans or Blues Clues for her bedtime show she begged me for Wipeout. "Those balls are really funny momma!" I have always had a strict no TV in front of our child policy with the exception of American Idol (I know it is a sickness that I have). What to do? I realize that I am perhaps teaching her indirectly that it is funny to laugh at people when they fall down. I can picture her first day of Kindergarten when some kid falls off the slide and Maddie points her finger and starts laughing. One must hope that everything else I have tried to teach her counteracts the need to laugh when someone falls in a big old pile of mud.

Happy Fourth of July!

2009-07-05T18:17:00.002-05:00

We had a wonderful weekend! Friday we went to a lake about an hour from us that had a beach and swimming. Maddie had never been to the beach (although she has imagined herself there many times) before. She was so excited and the look on her face when she stepped into sand the first time was priceless. She loved everything about the beach. We swam and built sandcastles and took a paddle boat out to a little island complete with an old bridge that spanned the lake. As we went under the bridge I couldn't help but feel a "kindred spirit" to my childhood hero Anne of Green Gables as she held on under the bridge waiting to be rescued.

Saturday we played soccer, Mario Galaxy, hung pictures, had a wonderful BBQ (thanks to Paula Dean for the fresh strawberry cake), relaxed and enjoyed life. We shot off fireworks on our patio and than Dan and I watched the fireworks in boston as we listened to the Pops play the Stars and Stripes. All in all it was a fantastic holiday weekend.

A Creative Outing

2009-06-26T14:01:00.001-05:00

What are Madison's outdoor essentials? A purse full of markers and her faithful cat.

The New Do

2009-06-26T08:33:00.002-05:00

The battle is over and I lost. I hate, hate, hate cutting Maddie's hair. I am always so sure that her beautiful curls will mysteriously disappear if scissors come near them. However, Maddie was done with curls in her eyes. She wanted to wear clips at night to keep it out of her face. So, I gave in and gave her some bangs. I still am sad but she loves them. What do you think????

Rainy Day Picnic

2009-06-23T09:55:00.002-05:00

What could be better on a gloomy rainy day than a picnic. Maddie has been obsessed recently with picnics. She has pretend picnics with her animals every day and so we decided to have real picnic today. We put out all the sandwich stuff and enjoyed a rainy day picnic.

Father's Day Recap

2009-06-23T09:45:00.002-05:00

We had a great time with Dad this weekend. We played games, ran around, visited a museum, and cooked yummy Father's Day treats. Madison loves to help bake anything.

Classic picture of Maddie doing what she does best when we bake-sneaking the chocolate chips in to her mouth. We had a great dinner of traditional feijoada over rice and finished it off with Tiger Butter bars and ice cream.

Dan was very happy to get the new Tiger Woods golf game for the Wii. He didn't have a clue that this game was coming his way.

The Center for Puppetry Arts

2009-06-23T09:31:00.004-05:00

This weekend was a really fun one for our little family. We have not had a chance to do anything but just deal with the craziness of our new lie in GA since we got here. We decided to take a break and have some fun. We went to the Center for Puppetry Arts Museum in downtown Atlanta.

It was really quite amazing. As part of your admission (which is not super cheap) you get to see the museum, special exhibits, and a show. I was expecting some kind of cheesy little puppet show. I was seriously wrong! It was amazing. Think about the Sound of Music puppet show-times 50.

The kids got to go upstairs to a puppet workshop and make their own puppet. Madison was over the moon with all the craft supplies at her finger tips. She is just like her Mom and Grandma Ludlow - she loves to create artistically.

The finished project!

Madison was so happy to be able to have her Daddy at her fingertips for an entire day. It has been a while since she just got to be with him and play.

Say Hello To the Newest Addition.....

2009-06-18T08:05:00.003-05:00

Here she is in all her glory...(a moment of silence please). After years of devoted shopping and patronage to Apple I finally have an iPod. It is not just any model but an iPod Touch. Dan has had several versions and we use one as our car stereo but I have never had one of my very own. You might ask what merits such generosity? I have no idea to be perfectly honest. I was more than willing to wait until Christmas but my sweet husband insists that I should get one. I swear this was all his idea. The benefits of Dan being gone 12+ hours every day (job=money) and not having any adult conversation are finally starting to pay off. Let me hear a whoop whoop!

A Quick Summary of our Happenings

2009-06-04T09:22:00.004-05:00

We have been pretty busy trying to get our house put together. We had a week before Dan started working and we were able to buy our first couch and love-seat, hit Ikea for some help with organization, buy a lawn mower, buy a garden hose, weed part of the backyard, unpack all our stuff, organize our storage, and except putting up the frames we are doing pretty well.

We encourage child labor in our house. Madison had a fantastic time helping to put together some of the new shelves we bought at Ikea. She really loved using all of Daddy's tools.
This is not a forest-well yes it is a forest, but it is also our backyard. It is so beautiful and green here. We live in a very rural area and we are surrounded by forests, streams, lakes, and beautiful trees. It is going to be a challenge to keep the forest from taking over the house.
When we started the process of moving we promised Maddie that if she would help out and let us get things done we would reward her with a pool. Ta-Da (As Maddie would say)!
We got a pretty good deal on this pool. It hooks into the hose and sprays water under the arch that you can climb through. It also has a little slide that she can play on. Best of all she can play right outside the kitchen while I am making dinner.
No, really she isn't spoiled-I swear!
Here is the aforementioned lawn mower. Thanks Daddy for all the advice on buying a new mower. Also, thanks to my sweet husband who worked hard all day and endured the commute to come home and mow our lawns. I swear it was his idea entirely-I told him to relax!
Maddie is in super imagination mode. She is always imagining herself and her animals and me into some super cool place. The last couple of days we have spent all out time at the "beach". The table cloth is the water and you will notice the goldfish crackers swimming in the water where she can easily fish for a snack. Kitty really likes fish. The real challenge has been getting her to take the bathing suit off so she can sleep.

Things I learned from this move

2009-06-01T08:38:00.002-05:00

Here she is in all her 30 plus foot glory. Here is a short (not so short) list of things that I learned from this move:

1. Having people come and pack you and load you is not as restful as it sounds.

2. Using an independent packer/loader is not a brilliant idea after all.

3. Just because the company assures you that they have packing experience does not guarantee packing experience.

4. You must monitor every move that the movers make or you will end up with broken things, scratched furniture, and a huge mess.

5. Driving a huge U-Haul while towing your car behind you is NOT FUN.

6. Shoving your entire family into the front of a U-Haul is also not highly enjoyable.

7. Blown out trailer tires can bring endless fun as you wait on the side of a busy highway for several hours while waiting for U-Haul to send someone to fix it.

8. Just because you provide Mattress bags and furniture pads does nit ensure that the movers will actually use them.

9. Bring cleaning supplies with you in the car because even though the house is supposed to be clean upon arrival it might be a utter pigsty.

In summation when you think you are making life cheaper and easier by avoiding using a real moving company-you should think again. Thank you for listening to me grumble, complain, whine, and vent. On the bright side it is all over and the company is picking up the tab-Hurray!

Catching up on vacation

2009-06-01T08:15:00.003-05:00

We spent a little less than a week (not long enough) in the Beehive state with my parents. My Dad made this amazing cake for a party. It was so adorable and it tasted pretty good as well.
It was so wonderful to get to spend Mother's Day with my Mom. My Mom is the hardest working, most talented, most generous woman I know. She is my best friend, my coach, confidante, and inspiration-I love you Momma.
Dan and Maddie got me two new games for Mother's Day. One of the games I have been requesting for the last three years. I was pretty happy. Not to mention that my gourmet Mother's Day was catered by my incredibly talented Father. Seriously the man is a genius in the kitchen. I love my hubby but there is no real comparison in the cooking department.
Beautiful princess is modeling the amazingly cute skirt that my Mom made for her. My Mom also made me a really lovely skirt as well. I will have to take a picture wearing it sometime.
It was so beautiful in Utah. The weather was perfect and we had a great time. We helped plant the garden, played at the park, smelled the flowers, fed the horses, sheep, and cows, and had a great party with some of my Dad's co-workers. We were sad to go but with the move looming less than a week away we knew it was time to go.

Moving Day

2009-05-19T23:16:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow morning the packers come and we say good-bye to our home of five years. I can't believe it is here. I am very excited to start this next adventure but sad to leave behind my dearest friends. Wish us luck and off we go -see you on the other side.

Is that okay?

2009-05-18T21:00:00.003-05:00

We have been working with Madison a lot on her evening prayers. She usually races through them so Daddy will tell her a story. She always throws in a "bless my food" even though we remind her before the prayer that there is no food to bless. Maddie has been getting a little better at remembering to be thoughtful. Here is her latest prayer:

M-........Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and Papa and Grandma......bless my food (pause) for my animals...is that okay for my animals momma?

T-Yes baby that is okay.

Even stuffed animals need blessings.

Maddieisms

2009-05-15T20:16:00.002-05:00

For journaling purposes I want to jot down some funny things Maddie has been saying lately.

-While putting her to bed

T-Good night Baby Girl

M-Good night Daddy girl

-Saying her prayers

M-Bless my play-doh that daddy will play it with me.

-Eating Food

M- But Kitty (code for Maddie) doesn't like to eat that and he would be sad.

-Giving Time Outs

T- What is Heffy (stuffed elephant) doing in the corner?

M- Heffy has time out because he took Kitty and Doggy's toys and not share.

T-Did he say he was sorry?

M- Yes, but he make them sad so he need time-out.

-Playing in her Room

M-Momma go away I no need you right now.

-Speaking Spanish

M-I speak Spanish

T-You do? Can I hear some Spanish?

M-Matato-that is Spanish for potato

T (laughing) really?

M-med is Spanish for bed mama.

M-(What can I say to this?) Good job Sweetie! (Apparently putting a m before any word will guarantee you perfect Spanish)

-Dinner

T- Maddie come in to dinner please.

M-Sorry Momma I need a minute.

T-What are you doing?

M-I gotta feed all of my animals first.

(Upon investigation she has like twenty plastic plates with play food lined up on the floor with an animal on each one. I guess I shouldn't complain about feeding just three.)

Vacation in Boise

2009-05-08T10:22:00.005-05:00

We have been having a great time in Boise. Here are a few pictures of what we have been up to.

A little family bowling. Madison loves to bowl and her favorite part is waiting for the ball to pop back out after she has thrown it down the lane. She is not the center of attention or anything.

She is a lot stronger than she looks. When we would try to help her she would give us a look and tell us that she would do it herself. We had a great time!

We also took advantage of the cool springtime weather for a nature walk with the grandparents.
The nature center that we visited had areas where you could see the fish in their natural environment. It was a refreshing change to the standard aquarium.
They really did a great job of allowing us to appreciate the beauty of nature while still preserving the individual ecosystems.
Madison and I fell in love with this beautiful dogwood tree that was blooming across the street from Grandma's house.
A little trampoline time with Daddy was probably the highlight of the trip for Madison. At first she was a little nervous to be going so high but by the end of the trip she had changed her tune.
Maddie would beg Dan to "please do humungous jumps Daddy." We need to invest in one of these someday.

Welcome Home Aunt Alicia!

2009-05-08T10:15:00.002-05:00

We were really fortunate to be able to make the trip to see my sister-in-law come home from her mission in Paraguay. She looks beautiful and it is easy to feel the sweet spirit she brought with her. Maddie had a great time reading books with her and playing Mario Galaxy.

Madison was tiny last time she saw Alicia so she wasn't really sure who she was holding this sign for. She looked a little lost.
Alicia getting her first hug from her Daddy.
Alicia's nickname with her sister is fatty-don't ask me why since she is anything but. It was fun to welcome her home. I haven't been to a homecoming since I came home myself. We are glad you are home Alicia.

Choices

2009-05-04T10:32:00.003-05:00

The other night we were sitting around the dinner table eating dinner. Dan was trying to get Maddie to eat some food that she simply didn't want to eat. He had tried several different games/enticements to get her to eat when she looked at him and said, "Daddy that bite is not a good choice." I couldn't help myself I started cracking up. If you had any idea how often we use the phrase "that is not a good choice "you would understand how funny it was to have our words turned against us.

We are leaving the Lone Star State

2009-04-28T20:29:00.003-05:00

It is hard to believe that our time here in Texas has come to an end. We moved here five years ago, newly married and anxious to start our lives together. At times I thought that we would never finish up school but before I knew it the time was here. I have had a wonderful, crazy, fantastic, and bittersweet time here. I have made friendships that have brought so much joy and growth to my life. I have had jobs and callings that have stretched me and made me cry and laugh and give thanks. It was here that we were able to welcome our sweet Madison into this world. I will cherish my memories of the place where our little family started its life together.

After dotting all those I's and crossing all those T's we are officially moving to the beautiful city of Atlanta. We are heading that way in a little less than three weeks. The pictures above are of our new place. We are renting this house for the next year and than the company will be letting us relocate to the Salt Lake area. We are really excited for this new phase of our life. Dan's new company is fantastic. He was really impressed with all the people he will be working with. The company has been unbelievably generous and welcoming to our little family. We are so very blessed. So- Georgia here we come!

Bed Party

2009-04-28T10:54:00.002-05:00

Madison is a great cleaner. She loves to vacuum with me, dust, clean toilets, and be my helper. I went in to her room today and was thrilled to see that she had cleaned up without being asked until I looked at this......

When I asked Maddie what was going on she said that there was a party in her bed. Looks like a party to me!

Loving the Green

2009-04-28T10:32:00.002-05:00

We took these pictures at a friends swim party. Madison and Rebekah truly love each other but I think that these hugs were more the result of being really cold and excited that their moms have such good taste in clothes.

With or without talking to each other Susannah and I end up buying a lot of the same clothes for our kids. Great minds shop alike-right?
Classic picture of Madison awed by the fact that her hair can look somewhat straight when it is wet.

Anniversary Roses

2009-04-23T12:47:00.004-05:00

Dan brought these home today. He is so thoughtful and kind. It is our five year anniversary tomorrow. I can't believe how quickly the time has flown by. He is without a doubt the most wonderful man in the world. He is always willing to listen to me (even if he has already heard it a thousand times). He is such a good Daddy- Maddie adores him and can't wait for her special time with him each night. He is is so smart and patient and funny. Dan helps me to have a deeper knowledge of the Saviour and has helped my testimony to grow. We get to go to the temple together on Saturday, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate our life together. I love you babe!

Discovery Green Park

2009-04-22T15:33:00.003-05:00

Playgroup today was at the Discovery Green Park. They have an area where the kids can run around through splashing jets of water. Isaac was kind enough to share his lap for the stroll over to the park.

Can you sense the anticipation? The water periodically turns off and the kids would sit at the edge of the splash pad and wait for it to come back on.

Madsion got to pick out her bathing suit this year. "I will have the alligator please Mama." What can I say -I think she has pretty good taste.

I think that they ran around for at least 30 minutes non-stop! I am glad we finally got to check the park out but it makes me a little sad that it will be the first and last time we will get to enjoy Discovery Green.

Keeping Cool

2009-04-21T17:19:00.002-05:00

I know to a lot of you out there the title to this post may seem a little silly. However, it is already warming up here in the Lone-star state. There is a wonderful garden right next to our local library that has beautiful fountains, rivers, and flowers everywhere. We stopped by after a sweaty bike ride to dip our toes in the water and cool off

The splashing got pretty intense. Maddie was having the time of her life.

Biker Babe

2009-04-21T17:10:00.002-05:00

The weather this week is in the low 8O's so we decided to work on our bike riding skills. Madison is getting a lot better at being able to make full rotations with the pedals on the "big girl bike". She gets so excited when she can pedal all on her own for long periods of time (like 3 minutes). After which she looks at me and asks for a little push and the removal of the itchy offensive knee pads (don't worry Mom I am not actually removing them while she is on the bike).

What Could Make Easter Eggs More Fun?

2009-04-21T17:01:00.003-05:00

Why princesses of course. Didn't you know that princesses make any event ten times more exciting. Check out the look of utter happiness on Maddie's face. This is the look that makes the utter domination of princess stuff in our place totally worth it.

She could hardly stand to wait the three minutes for the eggs to get some color.

The finished product.

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-21T16:52:00.002-05:00

We had our annual Easter Egg Hunt in the grassy lawn area of our condo. Madison was really into it this year. Unlike past years she was totally prepared for the hunting and knew exactly what was inside the eggs. She just kept saying, "Mom, I am ready to find my eggs now please."

Let's Go Fly a Kite

2009-04-21T16:37:00.003-05:00

In Between sessions of General Conference on Saturday we decided to dig out the kite that has been sitting in our garage for almost five years. Maddie was super excited until she realized that it was going to take awhile to get the thing up in the air.

My favorite moment of the whole kite flying experience was when Dan was trying so hard to get the kite up in the air that he ended up on his backside. Seriously, it was funny!

After a number of tries Dan and Ade got the kite up to what they considered to be a respectable height.