in the spirit of change...

The blog has a new look! In the spirit of voting for change today (fingers crossed.... Im so excited!) ... we've decided to change up our blog background. Hope you like it!

In Maddie news. She's cute as ever and WALKING! Yup! She's walking. She started taking steps on her own last week. She hasnt quite gotten to the get-into-everything kind of walking but she can definitely toddle from point A to point B. Its awesome.

She's also teething like CRAZY. I think she's getting her molars because she's constantly trying to stick things back there and chomp down on them. Fingers, Tylenol bottles, you name it. And the runny nose and drooling is back. Poor baby. She's been pretty miserable. Let's hope it doesnt last too much longer.

Sorry for the lack of videos lately. She's doing lots of video-worthy things that Im sad Im not capturing. Our digital camera decided it was done working and we've had to dig up our old one and dust it off. Its amazing how different the quality is of the two cameras which were about the same price but 5-6 years apart in age. The video on the old one is dark and blurry. No fun. I'll keep working on it and see if we can't get something figured out soon.

Take care... and if you haven't voted yet. Get off the computer and GO VOTE!

happy halloween!

Maddie was Tinkerbell for Halloween. We just visited a few of our friends around town and of course Ms Miller next door and called it a night. We had a costume party this morning with our playgroup so its been a long day! She was a doll all day and just looked good enough to eat in her fairy costume! We'll always remember how cute she looked on her first 'real' Halloween (last year didnt count since she was just a little peanut and was asleep at 6pm).

The picture below is what happens when Daddy has to put on fairy headbands... it looks a lot more like Olivia Newton Johns headband in Let's Get Physical. Daddies just do NOT get fairies!!! I dont think Maddie minded... I think she kind of liked it.

And here are our jack-o-lanterns from the front porch. I have to say our Halloween decorations paled in comparison to other houses in the neighborhood. People just go ALL OUT around here! Lights, skeletons, cobwebs, graveyards, you name it! We might have to kick it up a notch next year.

Hope you all had a great Halloween! Can't wait to see all your Halloween pictures on your blogs!

PS: We just had our last round of trick-or-treaters here. When the teenagers come out in French Maid costumes... thats when I turn off the light! :)

pumpkins pumpkins and we found nemo

Im home from my crazy three weeks stint in the Lone Star State (yes, I blogged from Texas because I know you guys needed your Maddie fixes while I was gone) and I am SO GLAD to be home. I missed my little pookie so much. I know she was having fun with Daddy because she always does... but it was just tough to be away from her. Its over now so all is good. Im excited to have a nice 4 day weekend with her!

So we are so excited for fall here!!! The weather is cooling down, Mommy has a few Pumpkin Lattes under her belt and Maddie is getting ready for her first "real" Halloween (last year she was just a little peanut for Halloween. Now she's all growed up)! This weekend we carved the pumpkins we got from the pumpkin patch a few weeks ago and just tonight we had our fall festival at church. Maddie's having fun!

Posing with them on the porch before the carving.

Lookin cute

Getting down and dirty

Helping Mommy

Trading pumpkin seeds

I flew in from Houston this afternoon just in time to pick Maddie up from school, dress her in her costume and head to the front lawn of the church for our Fall Festival. The festival was great once again. The church does an amazing job. There were ponies, rides, a climbing wall, face painting, you name it. Maddie had an okay time. Im not sure if she didnt get enough sleep today or if she's teething... but she was a little cranky but she looked pretty cute as Nemo.

Practicing her steps... she's ALMOST there!

Not too happy with the hat on

Walking with Mommy

Hangin with Tyler... the cutest little bee you've ever seen

maddie and daddy

There's no denying that Maddie looks like her daddy...she certainly doesnt look like me! Grandma did an amazing job documenting her kids childhood so we have been looking thru Jims old one year old photobooks and found some pictures of Jim doing some of the same things as Maddie! You'll have to let me know if you think they look similar.

Here they both are relaxing at Myrtle Beach

Maddie and Daddy with similar cake eating styles

Again... similar eating styles

Cute, huh? Those double-dimples are hard to deny! Jim has about 10 more photo albums with pictures of him from his childhood so there are bound to be more pictures like these to come. I have a few of him wearing a dress and carrying a purse but I figured I would save that one for a special occasion.

duke weekend 2008

The 5th Annual Weekend O' Beer (which is now more like baby bottles or Bojangles), Weekend O' Fun was another roaring success.


We successfully tailgated and attended almost all of a Duke football game with 3 one year olds and a 4 year old (pretty impressive, huh?). Our group has grown as we've all coupled up and are starting to have kids now and its so much fun to see how the event changes and grows every year.

We had lots of fun with our friends... and Maddie and I were especially excited to meet Baby Vivy for the first time. She's too cute for words and is already walking! She also waves like a pro.

Em and Vivy

Maddie looking for some milk


Playing in the leaves with Daddy

Baby Evy

Maddie with new friends Amy and Jeremy

The guys

Little Dukie

Maddie checkin out whats going on with the babies

Cheering at the game

That night we decided to get a babysitter at the hotel and go out like the good ole days. HA! It was fun. Jim and I never get a babysitter so it was a real treat for us - even if I only stayed out til 11pm (hey- babysitters are expensive these days!) We went out to dinner in Durham and then for drinks at our regular spot - Satisfactions. I didnt get any pictures from the night but I did steal this one from Michael.

Me, Michael and the Finks

Jeremy is an actual photographer with a big fancy camera so Im excited to see his pictures from the weekend. I think he captured some good ones of the kids. I'll post them when I get them!

another fun visit to grandma and grandads

Maddie got to see her Grandma and Grandad this weekend and had so much fun at their house. She really enjoys it there and just loves her Grandma and Grandad so much. Theyre so much fun to play with and their house is perfect for learning to walk!

Grandad worked with Maddie to practice her walking but she much preferred just sitting on his lap instead.

I love this next picture. She's so happy!!! And I can't believe how long Maddie's hair looks! She will not, I repeat... will NOT let me put a barrette or bow in it. She's going to look a little shaggy until she tolerates barrettes I guess!

Playing peekaboo with Grandma in the kitchen. Grandma is so fun.

Here they are posing in the new sunroom. Maddie loves playing in this room and looking outside at the birds, trees and beautiful landscaping. Its perfect for her.

Maddie misses them already. We're counting the days til our next trip up to Apex.

nc state fair

Maddie had her very first visit to the NC State Fair this weekend and although the weather was cold and rainy - we made the most of it and had a great time! Jim and I have gone 2-3 times in the past and I was so excited to take Maddie. There's just so much to do and see and I was excited for her to see all the animals.

We were lucky enough to get to go with our friends the Linkers. Here's Campbell and mommy. Trust me, Campbell was having a lot more fun than it seems in this picture!

Here we are contemplating the deep fried Snickers bar. And yes, Jamie did get one. And Im pretty sure it was VERY good.


We had to hit the Apex Lions Club booth to see if we knew anyone working. We didnt. Turns out Granddad worked the day before.


And here is Maddie meeting a VERY LARGE GOOSE! She wasn't sure what to make of it but was happy he was behind bars.

Checkin' out the itty bitty baby chickies!

And a trip to the fair just wouldn't be complete without a ride, right? Maddie, Campbell and I took a ride down the Fun Slide. Campbell and I had fun. Im not sure about Maddie. She was pretty stonefaced. I think she'll like it more next year.

We spent the rest of the weekend up at Duke for our Fifth Annual Weekend O Beer, Weekend O Fun (aka: WoB WoF 2008) with friends. Maddie did great tailgating and LOVED the game. Too bad Duke didn't pull out a win... but we still had a good time. Pictures of WoB WoF 2008 to come!

mmm, mmm, mmm...

I guess now that Maddie's one - she feels like she needs to eat like grownups eat. Jim and I had picked up burritos today for lunch and were giving Maddie some bits of tortilla, meat, etc. but she wasn't happy with that. She kept pointing at Jims burrito and making grunting noises... so he eventually gave in and gave it to her. Although a little big, she handled it pretty well.

Glad to see she likes burritos since we get them all the time!