Madeline's First Christmas

So, I uploaded the pictures in order, but it flips them around. (Does it do that for everyone?) So, instead of taking the time to switch it all, I'm just going to tell you about our day in reverse order!

We ended the night at Melissa's for a lovely time of desserts and singing carols. She has hosted this the past few years, and it has become a really nice tradition. I love ending the day by focusing on what Christmas is really about...dessert! Haha. But really, she has some scriptures for people to read, we sing and worship, and the highlight is Becca singing "Oh Holy Night". Melissa is an amazing hostess. She made four wonderful desserts last night! And, her tree is combination of store bought and homemade ornaments. She has popcorn strings, dried apples and oranges, and a few other things she did herself as well. I was very impressed. The next several pictures are of our night at Melissa's.








I just have to mention here that when Becca is around, I don't see much of Madeline. She wants to do everything, and I don't mind at all. I love that she loves Madeline so much!




These next pictures are from earlier in the day. We went to my parents around ten to have breakfast and open presents. Madeline's pile was HUGE, and 90% of her gifts were from my mom and dad. I think my mom is a little out of control, but she is having fun, so I won't complain. They bought her a high chair(much needed), toys, books, and clothes, etc. She also got books and clothes from her aunties, including a really cute Roxy dress from Lissa, and sparkly silver Converse from Becca. So fun!!Of course, we got her some things as well. Her main present from us was a new Britax, cowprint carseat. She has totally grown out of her infant car seat! She is much more comfortable in her new one, and she'll be in it until she's about 6!

This is her in front of her pile of presents. Her face in the first one is very funny. She's saying, " Quit taking pictures of me and let me open these presents!"






The rest of the pictures are random pictures from the day. A picture of me and Madeline for you Diane. My sweet grandparents. Jon and Madeline, Madeline in her Christmas dress, etc. Enjoy!







I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

We are leaving Sunday for Utah. We will be at a ski resort with Jon's parents for about 5 days. So, stay tuned for pictures of Madeline's first snow!

Date Night, A Victory, and No We Do Not Want to Buy a Calendar

We went on a date night last night, and it was really nice. We went to ESPN Zone at Downtown Disney to eat, and then walked around and enjoyed the Christmas hustle and bustle. It was a fun night, except for one little thing.

Jon was in a particularly cheery mood because:
1. His Bucs were playing MOnday Night Football. (They are rarely shown on regular tv.)
2. We were watching the game on a HUGE movie screen.(ESPN Zone, a man's paradise.)
3. He could boast that he had just kicked Diane out of the playoffs in Fantasy Football .(Sorry Duckygirl! :))
4. He noticed that his wife was looking particularly stunning in her red scarf.(Ok, not really, I just added that for my sake.)

And, I was in a great mood because it was a momentous day for me. I discovered that, with a little bit of sweat and tears, I can wear my wedding ring again! Hooray for me. Sorry $20 Target ring that gets more compliments than my real diamond. You are now banished to my rights hand ring finger...that is, until the next time my husband knocks me up(can I say that here?) and I need you once again.

Yes, it was a night to be celebrated.

So, there we were, enjoying our dinner, Jon in his glory and me in mine, when someone tapped Jon on the shoulder. We turned around to see who it was, and there stood a gorgeous, naked, blonde girl. "Hi! I'm a Charger Girl for the San Diego Chargers, and we're selling our 2009 calendars to raise money for..." Blah blah blah, I didn't hear the rest. I was too busy staring at her perfectly tan, toned, naked belly that was eye level with us. Oh yeah, she wasn't really naked, but she might as well have been. She was wearing come kind of sparkly bikini, posing as a cheerleading outfit. ( I tried to paste a picture of her, but here is a link if you care to see out uninvited friend. Yes, that's what she was wearing. http://www.chargers.com/charger_girls/2008-2009-squad/kiirsta.htm )

"No, we don't want a Chargers Girl Swimsuit Calendar. Now please go away so that my husband can get the image of your perfectly sculpted abs, and everything else too, out of his mind, and I can go back to celebrating the fact that I managed to squeeze my wedding ring back on my pudgy little hand today." Ok, I didn't say that. But I did turn back around and continue eating without saying a word, as my husband politely told her no thank you.

Jon found the whole thing humorous. He kind of smirked and said, "Well, that's the last thing you expect to see when someone taps you on the shoulder." What he was really thinking was, " Football, beer, Chargers Girl. I LOVE this place."

Whatever. Next date night we're going to Mimi's.

The Mom Song

Someone sent this to me on Facebook, and I thought it was really cute! I think everyone can relate to this in one way or another, whether you are a mom or have a mom. Enjoy!

Tribute to a Friend

Last night I spent the afternoon/night with a very special family. I have only known them for about two years, but they have become very dear to me, and they really are family now. Priscilla Tyree is an incredible woman who I am blessed to call my friend. Her husband George passed away just over one year ago, and she is now raising their four, beautiful children, without her high school sweetheart and best friend of 25 years. She is an amazing mom, and although it is difficult, she is doing a phenomenal job. She is committed to her God, her children, her family and her church family. She is joyful and loving and puts others first. She is honest about her challenges and pain, yet never complains. She trusts God even though her life is not how she would have imagined it, and her faith is strong. I can see why George waited nine years for you to make up your mind, Priscilla. You are an amazing woman, and I know he is proud.

On a much lighter note, we went to Hotel Del Coronado last night in San Diego for their Family Holiday Celebration. It was great! It is a gorgeous, old hotel, and it is especially beautiful and festive at Christmastime. It had an outdoor ice skating rink, right next to the ocean. They had fireworks, games, and Santa too. We mostly enjoyed the ice skating and peppermint mochas. I hope this becomes a Christmas tradition for us.

 Nope, it's not a ski, it's a skate! There's nothing funny about size 11. 

Miles was too little to skate, but he had fun watching.

Sophia, me, and Makenzie tearing it up on the ice. The picture does not do justice to our mad skills. 

Camille took a little break...it was hard work making everyone else look bad. 

Sophia discovered a new love. She was awesome!

This is my buddy. I love this little girl. 

The elves love her too!

The future US Olympic Ice Skating team...

I love you, Tyrees! You are an amazing family. Thanks for letting me be a part of your lives. 

Just call me Martha Stewart!

Today I decorated the Christmas tree, made brownies and cookies(Jon's favorite recipe passed down to me from his grandma) for the Hope dorms Christmas party, made chicken tortilla soup for my husband and parents, and kept Madeline happy(for the most part). I'm pretty impressed with myself. 

Now, Madeline is alseep, Jon is at the Christmas party, and the kitchen is FULL of dirty dishes. 

I wonder if Martha Stewart ever washes the dishes? I seriously doubt it.  

The Many Hairdo's of Madeline Grace

Madeline's hair is out of control. It's cute, but it definitely has a mind of its own. I am always trying to figure out what to do with it, and lately I've come up with a few new looks.

This one is the "I just woke up and I don't care what my hair looks like" style. It's very easy to achieve. Basically, she wakes up, and we go. I think she pulls it off really well. And I love that it looks like it took us NO time at all. Because it didn't. 
Now this next look is a little more "done." It's basically a really high pony tail using all of the top hair and leaving the bottom hair down. It's great for a day at the park, church, even a casual birthdy party. One of the best parts is the opportunity to use matching bows. This takes an ordinary outfit and gives it a little something extra. As you can see, Madeline is especially proud of this look. 

For this look, we just make high pigtails instead of a ponytail. It is imperative to use two matching bows. This is not an every day do, but can be pulled off once in a while with the right outfit. 

This last hairdo is a new one. It was discovered while shopping at Kohl's yesterday. It's an older style, but pigtail braids are a classic look that will never go out of style. 

Does anyone have any other suggestions that we haven't tried? We are always open to new ideas...

First Bites and Big Decision

   Madeline has just started eating rice cereal. Here are some shots, in NO particular order, of one of her first times tasting anything but milk/formula. I'm still not sure how she feels about it. 

 

In other news, I wrote a few months ago about not wanting to go back to work full time.  As it got closer, I felt more and more strongly about that. We(I) looked things over and realized we can make it work if I just do something part time like tutor or sub once a week. So, I gave my district notice of my leave and it's now official.

I love being a mom, and I am so happy that I can continue to be "home" with Madeline each day. 

I am still adjusting to the new budget. It is a whole new thing for me to look at prices at the grocery store and not just buy whatever looks good! 

Of course, it's totally worth it. I know that I will look back on this time with joy and thankfulness. Because that's what I feel now. 

Not-So-Sincere Gratitude

Dear Purse Thief,

I would like to thank you for stealing my purse off the back of my chair while I was on vacation this past week in Palm Springs. That was very sweet of you and I truly appreciated it. I don't know if  you realized how much you were helping me by doing this, so I wanted to write you this letter to let you know. 

First of all, I bought that purse and wallet at LEAST two weeks ago, so they were really starting to look worn down anyway. I mean, who wants a two week old purse and wallet that match?! Not me! Thank you for taking care of that for me.

Also, thank you for giving me the opportunity to catch up with SO many people who I have not talked to in SO long. When I called the bank and chatted with Barbara about closing my account, ordering new checks, identity theft, etc, I realized I would never have had that conversation if you had not taken my purse. Then there were my friends at Target, Banana Republic, and Chase credit cards. I hadn't realized that it had been years since I had even spoken with them, but thanks to you, we are all caught up now.

Another thing I want to thank you for is giving me the opportunity to visit some places that I have not been in a while, but have really been wanting to go. First, the DMV. I have had my hands full with a new baby, and have not made the time to go there in quite a while. And, if you hadn't stolen my purse, then I wouldn't need a new license, and who knows when I would have made the time to go down there. I had almost forgotten how much fun waiting in line there can be! So, thank you! Another place I have neglected for quite a while is the social security office. Some people say you should not keep your social security card in your wallet, but I'm so glad I didn't listen to them. Thanks to you, I get a new social security card, and I might even get a new number! How exciting! I don't think I had been to the social security office since Jon and I got married and I changed my name..I guess I've just allowed myself to get so busy. Thank you for leading me back...

I can't forget to thank you for remaining anonymous. Life is so boring when you know everything that's going on, like who has your drivers license and keys. I much prefer this mystery. Every day is a surprise, not knowing if someone is applying for a credit card in my name at that very moment...wondering if my car will still be there when I go outside...it's like a fun game that I'm playing with an invisible person. You know who I am, yet I have no idea who you are. You have all of my information, yet I have none of yours. It's so fun and exciting. Thanks for keeping me on my toes!

As you can see, you stealing my purse meant more to me than you could have possibly known. You may have thought it was just a small thing and I didn't even notice, but know that it wasn't small, and I did notice.  Though I don't know who you are, I will never forget you.

Thanks again,

Stephanie

I hate to brag, but...

Madeline is reading. I know, it's hard to believe, considering she is only four months old. It's only one book so far, and it's pretty short, but she has read it several times now. No one even taught her, but I guess "brains" do kind of run in the family. (My little sister skipped first grade actually!) If your baby isn't reading yet, don't worry. I'm pretty sure she's advanced for her age. 

I've attached some pictures...because I know it's hard to believe!

Warning: Confessions and Controversial Issues Ahead

Confession #1- I am pro-life.

Confession #2- I am voting for McCain. 

Confession #3-One of the main reasons that I'm voting for McCain is because he is prolife. 

Yes, it's true. I am basing my vote not completely but largely on a "single issue." But this does not make me uneducated, naive, or judgemental. I am none of those things. I'm actually pretty educated and accepting of others and open to change. But, I hate that (I feel like) it has become "uncool" to be someone who feels strongly about abortion, even strong enough to let it affect your decision of who our next president should be. 

I recently read an article that inspired me to write this post. I was going to put it on my blog, but my husband beat me to it. It affirmed for me my belief that all political issues are not equal. I care about the economy, but I do not feel that unemployment or high gas prices or health care  are on the same level of importance as the legal killing of unborn children. 

I am not writing this post to convince anyone that abortion is wrong or to vote for McCain(not that I could even if I wanted to.) I am simply stating my opinion in a time when it's not the most popular opinion to hold. And that's ok. If you feel similarly to me at all, then at least you now know you are not alone, though it may feel like it!

Our Little Lamb

Madeline got to wear her Halloween costume early because the theme for GYRAD this year(Get Your Roommate a Date) was Noah's Ark. So, I made Jon and myself sheep costumes out of sweatshirts and Madeline was a lamb. Jon and I looked too silly to post. Just picture big, fat, fluffy sheep, among about 100 college students wearing animal costumes in which they still managed to look good, like black leggings and and a black shirt with a cat tail and ears. That's not a costume, if you ask me!! (Or maybe I'm just bitter that I didn't think of it.) But, that's ok. At least my baby is adorable! 

Btw, Jen, notice her tongue is out like in several of Sydney's pictures. Don't you just love it?!

Name Change

I just couldn't resist...I thought of this name a few weeks ago, and thought I couldn't change my blog name again, but I'm going to anyway.  It's just too perfect! So, I'm keeping my blog address the same, just changing the title. And in honor of having my blog named after her, 

Madeline insisted I post some recent pictures to go with it. Enjoy!

Walk/Run for Cancer

My aunt and uncle invited us to participate in a fundraiser for cancer research this past weekend in Santa Barbara. We had a really nice time. It was just a 5K, and you could walk or job, so I walked the first two miles with my aunt, then jogged the last mile by myself. The past mile was a lot of hills, and kind of difficult, and I found myself thinking about the people in my life who have been affected by cancer. I became emotional as I ran, but it inspired me to push myself. I thought about my grandma, who battled breast cancer twice, and had both breasts removed eventually. I thought about my dad, who also had breast cancer. He underwent intense chemotherapy, which thankfully helped fight the cancer, but left him with severe nerve damage and pain, called neuropathy. He was in a wheelchair for about six months, and was unable to walk or work. He is now able to walk and he works full time as a chaplain for hospice care. He is still in moderate pain all the time and takes a lot of medication to help with that. He rarely, if ever, talks about it or lets you know he's in pain unless you ask. It was so hard to watch both my dad and my grandma go through these battles, but I am so thankful that they both survived. I realize what a blessing that is. Last year, a friend of ours from church passed away suddenly. He didn't even know he had cancer. He left behind his beautiful wife and four children, all of whom I love dearly. His only son was six months old at the time. He will never get to know his amazing dad. 

I'm sure that everyone reading this has been touched or affected by cancer in some way, directly or indirectly. It is a terrible disease, and it just seems to be getting worse. I know that cancer research has come a long way, and I hope and pray that someday, cancer is not something to be feared, but a thing of the past. 

On a MUCH lighter note, it was a beautiful day in a beautiful place. After the race there was a complimentary breakfast, and we had a great time.  I felt especially thankful for my family and the fact that right now, everyone is healthy. That is not something I take for granted anymore! 

Here are some pictures...

Jon was a volunteer, so I stopped to give him a little love. 

My mom and my aunt Beezie, my mom's best friend. This was the first time my mom has done anything like this, and she did a great job. She has lost 45 pounds in the past 6 months. Yay Mom!!! I am SO proud of her.

Madeline had a great time being pushed in her awesome jogging stroller. 

Check out the hair. It does that all by itself. :)

My sweet grandparents with their first great-grandchild. They love her so much, and I am so thankful that they are able to know her.

My adorable dad...a survivor

My aunt and uncle who invited us to do the race. They also gave up their house and went and stayed somewhere else so that we would all have somewhere to stay!