Three degrees...

Yep, it was only THREE DEGREES in Pullman, WA but I knew Madi was going to freak out if I didn't take her outside to play.  So we bundled the kids up and went to play in the SEVERAL inches (a couple feet) of snow.  Erin and Ava went first!  Ava looks like she is loving it!

 Madi enjoyed a couple rides down but really just wanted to be outside, walking around.

 Here is Parker.  He got cold pretty quick but didn't seem all that excited about sledding anyway.

Poor Brenton... He couldn't even see.  He's a trooper though and played for a while.

Little Miss Ava... She had so much fun sledding with her cousins, Whitney and Caitlin.  It is really fun for them to be so close to each other.  They are in the same apartment complex.  It made it nice for me to be able to see Nicholas and his family too.

Caitlin followed the sled down the hill.  She is fearless.  She was going down the steepest parts of the hill like it was no big deal and laughing the whole way down!

I can't believe how grown up Whitney is.  I remember her being born!  I always thought adults are so weird and they say the dumbest things about how fast kids grow up but now I understand it!  Where does the time go?

Madi found a trike and took it for a spin.

She played out there until I couldn't stand the cold anymore and then we went in to warm up.  

Washington or bust...

My younger brother, Daniel, had a tonsillectomy and a uvulectomy last Thursday so Madi and I flew up to WA for a week to help them out.  We have had lots of fun so far playing with family.  It has been fun for Madi to get to know her cousins better and I have enjoyed spending time with Daniel, Erin, Nicholas and Christina.  It is so fun to see my nieces and nephews.  They are all growing up WAY too quick!

Madi got to play with Play Dough and really seemed to like it.  I am going to have to get some fun toys to go with her dough.

Here is Miss Ava playing with her sweet little brother, Colson.  She is such a good sister and really enjoys her brother.

Madi has enjoyed having friends around although I think she is missing her daddy and is a bit overstimulated.  (Hopefully Daniel and Erin will let us come back.  I'm not sure with her screaming! :D)

We never bought Madi a Bumbo.  With everything else we had we didn't think it was needed.  She has LOVED theirs.  I think she thinks it's hers because Erin said she wasn't thrilled about Colson sitting in it.  I tried to get a picture of Madi with Parker.  This is the best the two would give me. :D  Silly kids!

I did get one of Parker by himself that is really cute though!  He has the most beautiful eyes!  Such a cute kid!

Date night...

Derrick's work gave him four tickets to the Grizzlie vs. LV Wranglers game last Saturday.  They were front row, center ice!  It was so fun to go and we had great company!  My brother Christopher, and his wife, Annie, came with us.  (Blogger is being weird so I will put their pic later.)  We went to Olive Garden and we ( I mean I) ate way TOO much and then went over to the game.  I love spending time with them and always have so much fun with them. 

 I LOVE going on dates with Derrick.  We don't do it enough so it makes nights like Saturday even better.  It seems so weird to be away from Madi but it is good for us to be able to spend some alone time together.  The Grizzlies played great until the last two minutes and that's when they lost it.  It was still fun though.  Thanks baby for a great night! 

More crafts...

Last Friday I played around with some extra fabric that I have and made some flower clips I had been wanting to try.  Here's how they turned out...

 

 I am in love with corduroy lately.  It is in Easton's quilt and since I had some extra I made Madi a bow.

 and a few girly clips...

 Yesterday I needed to make something so I found an old black frame and covered it for Easton.

 I like how it turned out.  I am also working on another project for him.  (He needs more than just pink in that room :D)

Madi's Valentine...

Derrick got Madi a balloon for Valentine's Day.  She was SOOO excited!  Tuesday we went outside to play and she had to bring it with her.  She is a funny little one...  now that the snow is gone (oh wait, we got some last night) she has decided she LOVES the sled.  (We will be sledding today.)

 And that she needed to bring that with her on our walk too.  I let her drag the sled to the edge of our yard and then told her we needed to leave it.  I didn't want to drag that around the block.

 I LOVE this picture of Madi.  She is so in love with her balloon and carried it around the block.  I have tried to go on a walk everyday since the weather has been a little better (until last night).  Madi has done great and really enjoyed it.  I love to see her get excited and look around when she hears a dog bark or a truck coming.  She points to things and says what they are, especially trees.  She loves to point those out.  It is such a fun age!  I love it!!!

Happy Valentine's Day...

We had a perfect Valentine's Day!  The best part is that Derrick had a meeting in Ogden so he got to come home when it was done.  That meant he got home TWO hours earlier than normal.  He brought me these beautiful roses!  I love the purple on them. 

 I made him a Lion House Cheesecake.  And, to my surprise, the top didn't crack!  It always does on my cheesecakes, so I was very happy about that.  He loved it!

We went to Winger's for dinner and then took Madi to the park for a few minutes.  It was so nice to have him home early and to be able to spend a couple extra hours with him.  I love you Derrick!!!

First, but probably not the last...

Madi is all girl!  She loves to watch me put makeup on and do my hair (the few days a week I actually do those things:D).  Sunday I left my makeup on the floor in my room after I was done.  I was in a hurry and figured I would worry about it later.  Monday it still hadn't gotten put away, so Madi decided to help herself.  The only thing she could open was the lipstick so... viola!

 I am actually pretty impressed at how well she did.  I would have thought it would be all over her face and on the carpet and maybe the wall given her age but I think she did pretty well.  How can you get mad at a face like this???

A short story...

Madi got up from her nap today and I changed her diaper.  While I was changing her she was whining "stuck" and trying to pull off her pants.  I finished and went to wash my hands.  In walks Madi with a pair of polka dot shorts that were hanging in the back of her closet.  She refused to wear shoes too.

 Of course, Madi wanted to play outside.  Every car that drove by must have thought I'm crazy for letting her run around barefoot in shorts when it is in the fifties outside.  (I was barefoot too and the concrete was actually warm from the sun.)

She didn't love how the grass felt on her feet though!

Where's Dada???

That is the first thing that Madi asks me in the morning.  I have started saying "I don't know, where is he?"  She will answer "at work".  It is so cute.  Every night, around 5:45, she goes to the window.  She peers out, looking for dada to come home.  I don't know how she knows what time it is but it is almost without fail.  It is so sweet.   

Spring...

Spring, spring, come today.

Spring, spring, come to stay.

Little Madi wants to play.

Spring, spring, come today.

Madi says "outside".  She points outside.  She stands at the door and cries.  She takes your hand and walks you to the door. She says "park" and "walk".  She wants to be outside all day, every day.  I would love to be out there with her all day, every day, but some days it is just too COLD!   

We do take advantage of the days that are in the forties and definitely the days that are in the fifties.  We had one of those days on Monday so we enjoyed a couple hours out in the chilly sunshine.  We walked around the block and to my surprise, Madi actually walked almost the entire way!  I thought I would end up carrying her after about half way. 

 I know I say it in just about every post, but I just can't get enough of her sweet little face!  She is such a sweetheart!  She knows just what to do to get what she wants.  She has so much personality.  She is becoming her own person.  She thinks she rules the house.  She has opinions on what she wants to wear.  Really???  You are eighteen months kid!  You already want to pick your clothes!?!?!?!

 "Where's Madi???"

 "Peek-a-boo" 

This is Madi's favorite game.  She plays it all day.  I love it!  Especially when she says "peek-a-boo".

Thank you Madi for making my life so fun.  Thank you for being so adventurous, for being such an angel.  You make my heart melt!  I love that you cuddle with me, that you are FINALLY calling me "mama" instead of "dada".  I love hearing you talk and seeing the signs you do.  You are so smart and so fun to have in our family.  Daddy and I love you so very much little lady! 

Sundays...

Sundays are a struggle this year.  Our church moved to 1 to 4.  Madi usually goes down for her nap between noon and one.  She refuses to nap during church so by the end of church we have a overly tired little lady. 

Madi is adjusting to nursery.  She liked it a lot better last year when church was earlier.  We have awesome nursery leaders though and I now that she is in good hands.

 

Paper bags...

Derrick made Madi a fun little bag costume.  She thought it was great!  She wanted to wear it the next day too!

Easton's rag quilt...

 I finished Easton's rag quilt.  Now I just need to finsh his quilt for his bed.  I am almost done with the top and then I need to find someone that has a quilting machine that will do it for me that isn't super expensive. 

St. Patty's Crafts...

I still need to find or make a few clovers to stick out of the buckle.

 

 My clover is double sided.  I am in LOVE with the chunky glitter!  It is so fun!

I still have a pot of gold to finish but I still have a few weeks! :D

Eighteen months...

Madi is eighteen months and two days.  She is always going.  She favorites... BOOKS, Signing Time, babies, green beans, her bottle (only if it is milk), milk (only if it is in her bottle), her daddy, her lovey, anything soft and silky, music, friends, especially Kyah, Jaxon and Guire, shopping, bath time and ANYTHING that is outside.

She has become a little more picky about what she will and won't eat and she does NOT want any help eating it. 

She is picking up so many signs.  Her latest favorite that I love is BOOK.  She will say the words as she signs them.  It is so nice to know what she is wanting. 

My favorite phrase of hers... "I want that!"  and it is so cute the way she says it that it is really hard to say no.  [Of course I have to say no a lot or else I would be buying everything from sheets to towels to garbage bags.]  She doesn't care what it is... she wants EVERYTHING! 

I love being her mom and am so glad to have her in our family.  I can't even remember what life was like without her.  I love you sweet baby!!!