Summer 2009

Well the summer has been great so far. We have already had a couple trips in this summer including going back home for a wedding and going to visit my sister and her kids in North Carolina. We have been having a blast and staying cool. We have another trip planned at the end of July and end of August which we are excited about too! Madden and McCallister are really good boys when we travel which I am very thankful for. Maybe it is because they have been traveling since they pretty much were weeks old.
The boys are getting so big so fast. I love watching them play with eachother and how protective Cal is over his baby brother. It is just so sweet the bond they share. Cal always takes a break from sports during the summer because its hot and we travel a lot. Starting in the fall, he will begin flag football again which should be fun! He is getting to be such a big boy and there are times I just stare at him and think I can't believe he is mine! Wow, I have a 7 year old boy. He is such a good and kind hearted little boy. I am so proud of him and so proud of how good of a boy he turned out to be. Being a parent for the first time is always a little scary because you always wonder if you are making the right decisons and the best decisions for your kids. I just pray to God everynight that please don't let him get mixed up in drugs or anything bad like that.
Madden is going to 14 months at the end of July and is as cute and lovable as ever. He is doing new things and just lovin' life and lovin' his big brother!! They have an amazing bond with eachother and I love it! He is still a lazy bug though and not walking. I am not concerned because Cal didn't walk until 15 months. It's funny because he will let go of things and stand alone but, once he really realizes that he is really standing alone he sits down ans atarts crawling! Little stinker. He walks like a champ from object to object and with my hands but, just not ready to do it solo I guess.
As for Chad and I, we are just staying busy! Chad with his business and me with the boys!! I feel so blessed to be able to spend my days at home with the kids and I never take it for granted. I know with these tough times there could come a point where I would have to go back to work so I really cherish these days. For now, the Lord is really blessing us in so many ways and we are so thankful for that.

Quick April Update!

So it has been a long time since I updated my blog....not too much new going on! Madden is a couple days away from turning 11 months old :( I can't believe how fast the year went by! He isn't walking yet but, he does cruise around all the furniture and whatever else he can get his hands on. He is always on the go and his new thing is crawling back in the playroom by his big brother and "helping" him with his crafts and legos. Cal loves his baby brother but, he doesn't like when he messes with his "stuff". This keeps me very busy bc I am constantly chasing the baby down to make sure he doesn't tear apart all the stuff that Cal has built out of Legos. We are currently looking to move into a bigger house (bc we have soooo outgrown this one) and I can't wait so that I can make some changes of where the Lego collection is going to go. It isn't fair for the baby not to be able to play in the "playroom"!! I guess this is what happens when you have one child for 6 years!! The whole room is consumed by Cal's toys and such which leaves no room for poor Madden and his stuff. Hopefully, the problem will be solved soon!!
Madden has 4 teeth now and eats everything and anything! This kid LOVES to eat and that's no joke!! I might be putting him on a diet when he is older! ha ha ha He is so fun now with his cute little personality!! His most recent thing is he started to clap. It was so cute bc we were in church and after the choir sang he started to clap!
McCallister is keeping busy with sports.... he is playing baseball right now and then will start flag football in the fall. His big thing right now is making arts and crafts he makes a huge mess but, it makes him happy so that makes me happy!
I feel so blessed to have two such beautiful and healthy boys!! Live doesn't get any better then that!! When I am having a bad day I just look at them and it makes everything ok!!

Madden is 10 months old!!

Hard to believe that my baby is going to be a year soon!! Man, did time fly by!! He is cruising all over the place, all over the furniture, getting into everything and eating like a pig!! He now has 3 teeth and working on his 4th one. He loves, loves, loves to eat. I can feed him a full meal and he will see me eating and STILL want to eat! I guess he is making up for his big brother who eats like a bird! Madden loves attention and is a very happy baby when he is getting it. He doesn't like to be ignored though so if you think you can set him down and walk away think again! ha ha I love watching him and McCallister together! Madden just adores his big brother and Cal absolutely loves his baby brother. He tells me all the time, I just love Madden, he is the best little brother anyone could have! So cute....just melts my heart! Madden will just stare at him when he is talking to him and (it is so cute) Cal will sing him to sleep. I love the bond my boys share and am looking forward to it growing stronger and stronger as the years pass!

Australia...

Sorry I know it has been weeks since we have returned from Australia but, I have been so busy and then got a bad sinus cold. I am finally feeling better and found the time to quickly write a little something!! Australia was awesome!! So beautiful!!! We went to 3 different states within AUS Sydney, Cairns, and Brisbane. Sydney was really cool, it reminded me a lot of New York, very big city!! Lots of business people walking on the streets, lots of cars on narrow roads, etc. We went on a harbor cruise, toured some neat naval ships, went to a museum, etc. Next we went to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, it was so amazing!!! We took a sky rail up into the rain forest to the town of Kuranda. It was soooo cool!!! Hot and sticky but very neat!!! Then we took a train ride back down to the city! There was lots of good shopping here and a neat night market that we went to a couple times. We took a cruise out to the Great Barrier Reef and went snorkeling, rode on a semi-sub, and glass bottom boat and the list goes on. The resort we stayed at here was awesome. It was such a beautiful place and the best part it had a sandy beach pool with swim up bar!!! Last place we visited was Brisbane which is where the Australia (Steve Irwin) Zoo is. Cal LOVED IT! This is the whole reason we even took this trip was to go here!! There is too much to say so I can't write everything but, the bottom line is Australia was AWESOME!!!! We had a blast!!! I will post a few pics from the trip on here. I took a lot so I can't post them all but, if you look on Facebook I posted most of them!!

Updated pics of the Boys!

McCallister's 7th bday Party!!

McCallister's 7th birthday was Feb. 13th he turned 7!! We had his party on Valentine's Day! If was a blast lots of food, fun, family, and friends!! We had a bounce house, snow cones, spin art, and more!! He got so many wonderful presents and I think all but one or two were legos! Argh... LOL This means more things for me to trip over and to keep the baby way from. ha ha ha NO really, I am happy for him! It was a lego themed party and we all know how he LOVES legos!! Thanks to all who came and made it a great time!!

Finally his 1st tooth...

So Madden finally cut his first tooth at almost 9 months old (he will be 9 months on the 28th)!! It is on the bottom and it is finally thru but, not all the way out so you can't really get a pic of it or I would show you all! He has actually been a VERY good boy considering the pain he must be going thru!! He just has been really clingy to me and cries if I walk away! It's cute yet, stressful at times! It looks like the other bottom one isn't far away!!! I hope he isn't too crabby on our trip to Australia! Well I will post pix as soon as you can see it more clearly! My baby is all grown up.....ok so not really but, it seems like it to me :)

Also, coming soon I will post some pix from Cal's 7th Birthday Bash!! We had a blast!! I am trying to find the time it is just hard with the baby. He doesn't seem to want to entertain himself long enough for me to upload all the pix! :)