I love this layout that I did. Madison looks so cute. Oh...she wanted to take model shots tonight so I put up a white sheet to use as a backdrop. I was sooo bummed out because all the photos turned out blurry so I had to improvise and use some different settings to make them useable. Guess I am not using them for anything other than my blog, but this is better than showing you a whole bunch of blurry objects.



Is she a model or what? I finally had to put away her fashion show thingie that Nana bought her because it was just sitting in our living room for about 2 months and all her toys started piling around it. I'll put it back up for her one of these days. She has fun with it.
Oh...HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA GRACIE! When you wake up you will be reading this! I hope you have a great birthday today!
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear grandma gracie...
Happy Birthday to you!
I am actually going with grandma gracie tomorrow to a play thing called the Eagles Nest in New Brighton. I'll bring Madison and then she'll bring Kayla and Hayile. Oh my gosh...am I spelling Haylie's name right even? Is it Haylee? I can't remember. How wierd that I can't remember! Haylie or Haylee or Hailey? Now I am really confusing myself. I think it's Hailey. I should call up Kim and ask her how to spell it. I'll just ask my mom tomorrow. Anyways, the whole point of the story I was just telling is that we are going to go to the indoor playground thingie! It should be fun. I love those parks. It's just a lot easier when her cousins go with because then I don't need to worry about going through all the tunnel stuff. I actually am chlosterphobic so I can't go through all the stuff and Steve usually needs to do it.
Well, Madison is going to put on a show for us in the middle of the living room right now so I gotta go.
Happy Birthday Mommy!

Hee hee, look at Madison having a meltdown on her trike. It was so funny. She was really tired and of course that's when she spazes out. She couldn't turn her wheel or something and she went into meltdown mode. I shouldn't laugh but it was funny.
Yesterday was really fun. We went walking around Lake hyland. I kept complaining that we were stopping too much and my heart rate was going down. But I got a couple cute shots in! Here's Maddie standing at the bridge. I had a scary dream last night that she fell into this river/pond. Very scary. I still feel shaken up about it and it was only a dream.
There's the pretty waterfall. I always think this is such a hidden paradise right in Bloomington. Looks like we are on vacation or something. This is the 2nd time we stopped and I had to get in a little more complaining. Couldn't help it...I NEEDED to get my walk in. To go around the lake is 1.9 miles. That's a whole mile short of what I am use to walking so I couldn't afford for my heart rate to slow down. But I got a few pictures in again so it was worth it. None of the other photos turned out.
Then at 2:00 we went to the jazz festival. It was pretty fun. Madison found a little friend right away and they would run up on stage and dance a little. Steve and I just sat back and watched.
Here we are, the lovely couple.
Not up to too much today. I decided that I am going to go back to Hyland park and get my walk in today. Except I'll go around the lake 2 times to make up for yesterday. Fun stuff. It's pretty nice out. I am trying to keep up my tan so the longer I stay outside the better. Got some errands I have to run also and that's about it. I will try to clean. I said TRY. That's about my whole day! Boring, huh?

Okay....so we went out on the boat today...me, Steve, Madison, Grandma Gracie and Auntie Lynnie and my mom had on her famous sunglasses. You, the reader get to vote on what looks best....
A. Her large sunglasses down on her face.....OR

B. Her large glasses sitting up high on her face (this is how she usually wears them)....ORC. My stylish, yet inexpensive sunglasses sitting regular on her face....OR

D. El Natural. No sunglasses at all.

You, reader get to vote on this! Look over to your right hand side and cast your vote!

We had a lot of fun out on the boat! Steve wins the prize for the biggest catch of the day...

Nice looking bass, eh? No, you know what? Actually the biggest catch of the day was the snapping turtle that refused to let go of my large minnow. That was fun. Steve casted it out and then reeled 1/2 of it in and let me finish reeling...we didn't know what it was until Steve was going to reach down to grab it. That was fun!Here's a layout I did of Lynnie and Madison. Today Madison whispered in Lynnie's ear that she was her best friend. I think she whispered it so I wouldn't hear it because she always tells me that I am her best friend. That was so cute!

We had a really fun day. Then we ended it with giving Grandma Gracie her birthday presents (her bday isn't until Tuesday) and Steve made steak and potatoes. Yum. It was good!

You know....I just don't have any pictures of Ty! It's so hard to scrap him because I just don't have the photos! Poor TyTy! Well, gotta go to bed-e-bye now. I finally got Madison to sleep about an hour ago. Night!

Aren't these cute layouts that I made? They are 2 of my favorites! Can't type much this morning because we are going out on the boat. I've been up since 6:30 this morning....had a really bad dream and then couldn't fall back asleep. But I am excited to go out on the boat this morning. Grandma Grace and Auntie Lynnie are coming with. I hope we catch some fish today. I still have hope that I am going to reel in the big one (again!). I'll blog later on and post some pictures if I remember to bring my camera.

There...this is more my style. I can't sleep so I did this layout. It's 5:07 am and I am going to go try and sleep. I have to drive Steve in to work today because he's working on the window still of the truck. Maybe I won't try to sleep...should I make some coffee? hmmmm. Not sure what to do with 1 - 2 hours to spare until I have to get up anyways.

Did you know that I am whittening my teeth? It's an old package that I 1/2 used up so I am not sure if it's going to get them their whittest. It makes my teeth very sensitive. I mean, my teeth are already sensititve but this is making it more. Next time you see me, look at my teeth and tell me if you notice a difference.

We finally got madison into her own bed tonight after having to try every tatic under the book. She screamed, pleaded, cried and the only way we got her in was for me to say that I wanted to watch "the little mermaid" in her room and Steve said he wanted to watch the twins out in the living room with her....the little mermaid won and off we went happily into her bed. I am sure we will be going through this every night for awhile.

I best be off and go get my teeth stuff ready!

Here's some layouts that I am doing for another designer (I am doing a creative team guest spot for the next month)...not really my style with her papers/elements but it's kinda cute and it's fun to get some free stuff.

This picture is so awesome of Madison suntanning out in the middle of the lawn. She was so cute out there. She's acutally eating some strawberries. That was this morning. She has since wanted to come in and watch cartoons. I on the other hand want to be outside because it is so nice out. I am MAKING her leave her cartoons in 1/2 hr so we can go on our walk.

Did I mention that our blower went out in the truck? They wanted about 500 bucks to fix it so Steve had a junkyard get the piece needed and then yesterday he and I (yes, I helped fix it!) went out after work and put in the piece. No wonder why they charge so much for it...it's in an impossible place and you need very small hands to get the screws off. That was my part! I am all impressed that we fixed it. Now he's working on getting the window fixed because it doesn't roll down. So, Madison and I have been stuck without a car for 2 days now. Which would be fine if my child wanted to play outside like every other child. I did a layout while Madison is watching her cartoons...

Oh..it's Wednesday so I weighed myself and lost 1 more lb. I am so excited. I guess I am so excited that I broke thorugh my plateau! Now I probley won't post anymore on this until I am down to my goal weight. God knows how long that will take. Actually hopefully not too long. I have to say that drinking my water seems to have helped. Oh who knows....I am sure the working out 2 times a day helped too. That's so excessive but I had to do what I had to do. I'm trying to only do one work out a day. You know...normal stuff. Anyways, I am excited because this has been so hard to lose this weight. Jeepers...you'd think that I was an unactive person who sat around and ate fastfood or something. Steve thinks it's age. I say it's the meds. My doctor thinks it was the meds too. Oh who cares why as long as I get it off me. The sooner the better, then I can quit bitching about it. And blogging about it.

Don't you just love this photo of Madison playing at the park today? We were there for hours playing! Gotta get to bed cuz I am super tired. Madison finally got her big girl bed and mattress now (thanks to Linda from Steve's work) and last night she slept in it until about 3 am. Tonight she is back in bed with us. Well, with Steve right now. I told her she could sleep in our bed tonight and then that's it! My famous last words. This is serious business though because she needs to sleep in her own bed. Actually Steve and I just sleep so crappy because she's in bed with us still. Bad, bad habits. I still swear that I went through all the pain to keep her in the crib and not once did I ever bring her into bed when she was a baby and NOW we created a monster. Yes, we are the parents that you just want to shake! Enough of our bad parenting skills cuz the rest of the stuff we rock on! hee hee. I'll leave you with a little layout that I did of her down at the park today. I think I took over 100 pictures and only got a few good ones. Oh well...I guess I use the good ones and just ignore the bad ones.

Just some photos and a layout for you. We are going to go have a picnic down at the park. Already went on our walk this morning. Very productive so far! Have a good day.

We had so much fun yesterday out on the boat. Jimmy and Steve both surfed behind the boat. Different times of course. I never knew you could actually take a real surfboard and surf. Here's a little layout of Steve surfing.

Oh, and then Steve and Madison TRIED to go on the innertube but they lost their balance and into the water they went. Poor little Madison. She cried so hard and was so scared. We even felt worse because she was being such a big girl waiting her turn. She wanted to go so bad on the innertube and then disaster struck. I felt really bad for her. Alexis went on the tube then and it was so funny watching her try to keep her balance. I was laughing my ass off! We are going to buy a new tube so Madison can go on it.

Here are so more photos of yesterday. We had a good time...

We hardly caught any fish. I didn't catch any. I was sooo bummed. I was going for the big guys again and was very bummed out that I didn't catch anything. Steve, Jimmy and Alexis caught some fish but nothing major. Of course I was going for the major ones. Hopefully we'll get back out on the boat the rest of the summer now. It just doesn't seem like we'll go much now. We are hopefully going to go down to their farm in the next few weekends if we can find a babysitter for overnight and then we'll bring down the boat and store it in one of the buildings on the farm and Steve will have to get it winterized then. Anyways, we need to get down their because their is only about 5 more weekends that Alexis will be here before she heads out to Iraq. I am so sad that she is going. She'll be gone for a year. That's a long time to be away. Poor Alexis:(

Well, I had best get going and go walking before it starts to rain. It looks so gloomy out and it's humid as hell. Maybe we'll have some big storms out! Scary but kinda fun at the same time if you know what I mean. We keep on missing the big storms that happen at our house because we've been away while they have hit. As long as nothing major happens to our house or neighborhood then the storms are kinda fun.

We are off to go boating this morning! FUN! Jimmy and Alexis are up and coming on the boat with us. Can't wait to catch my big fishies again! FUN! I'll post pictures later on when we get back. Should be fun. We are going to take the tube out.

hi! Much better today than yesterday:) Guess I can't always be in a good mood, huh? This morning we went to the Bloomington Farmer's Market. Steve bought some little cucumbers/pickles so he can can his famous pickles. He is so happy canning his foods. It's cute. I am in the midst of cleaning our house. Just got done with the bathroom...ick. Of course I had to stop midway and come to the computer. I think inbetween cleaning I'll make a layout. This drives Steve absolutely nuts. But it's just too much hardship trying to clean without taking a break. Oh, you know those flowers that they always have at farmer markets? The ones that cost 5 bucks and look gorgeous? We got some and put them on our table. Looks very nice. Guess I should go clean Madison and my rooms now. Ta Ta!

Well, I am back from the dentist. Did I happen to mention that I go to a sedation dentist? Except this time I didn't get sedated because it's too expensive and I wanted to give it the "big girl" try with just getting gas and novicane. Should of taken the sedation. Another reason I don't is the drug they give you to sedate you is HORRIBLE to come out of. Anyways, even the dentist suggests me doing sedation because it's just to tramatizing for me. I am sure it's hard to work on someone when they have tears streaming out of their eyes. They stated this time that the gas they had was the highest they go. BS. I have had higher. I KNOW my strength of gas that I get from the dentist and they weren't giving me the full amout. I just know it. Anyways, it's done and over with and I don't have to go back for awhile, thank god. I don't even want to talk about it anymore. The novicane is wearing off finally. I had it in both sides of my mouth. Which reminds me, my normal dentist who does the cleaning stated to me that to put novicane in both sides of the mouth is unethical. So, someone is lying here. They're all lying. Oh, I forgot to tell you that while I was being worked on the dentist and the hygenist were talking and she asked him if he had ever had a toothache and he said no. She said she's had a little bit of a toothache. AND THESE PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON ME, SOMEONE WHO HAS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF PAIN. I mean, they can't even relate. Damn people. How in the hell are they suppose to work on someone, telling them that it doesn't really hurt that bad and then state they have never felt pain in their tooth. How do they possibly think they can relate? Jesus.
Okay, enough of that, I just got myself all worked up over it. Anyways, I came home from the dentist and went on my 3 mile walk and then cleaned up abit. I am in too bad of a mood to really clean up. What he sees is what he gets. He meaning Steve. Can you tell that I am a bit bitchy right now? The dentist appointment just got me going. Okay...I'll calm down.
Not sure what we are going to do tonight. We might take Madison to the big park. I told Steve we could go to another big park by our house so he doesn't have to always be the one to go through all the tunnels and mazes with her. He said he doesn't mind and that he needs the exercise. I just sit there with my magazines and read. I guess if he doesn't mind.
Tomorrow we are going to go to the farmers market because Steve wants to pickle stuff from the garden. Then we are going to go golfing with Tim and Michaela and then bbq over at the house. It should be fun. We haven't gotten together with those guys in a long time. Steve is going to make his famous ribs. He's making them for Tim and their daughter who is babysitting anyways. Me and Michaela are going to have Chicken. Oh, that reminds me...I weighed myself today and I lost a few lbs. THANK GOD. I didn't know what the hell was going on and I was so frustrated so it's nice to see that some progress has been made. That was hell getting a few lbs off. I hope it just keeps going now. I guess I won't weigh myself until next wednesday. So stay tuned people. Like you really care. It made me happy. I was happy until I went to the dentist. I just hope it's not a fluke. I just can't think postive right now. I am being a debbie downer. hahaha, that made me laugh at least.
Okay, I have ranted and raved long enough. I have to go pick up Madison from daycare now.

Here I go off to the dentist. Eeks. Oh how I hate doing this. I acutally have to drop off Madison first at daycare and then I'll go do something (not sure what yet) before I have to go. Poor me again, having to go to the dentist. The only other person I know that has this type of reaction is Kim. Her teeth are worse than mine so she's got more to fear. We have bad teeth. Poor us.

Just a couple of layouts for you today. Well, actually I should say tonight...let me rephrase that and say this morning. It's 2:00 am and I can't sleep. I have a dentist appointment tomorrow morning and I am nervous. I always am for the dentist because it hurts so much. Even with gas and novicane, I am a wreck. I am always bracing myself for pain. Anyways, it's very stressful for me to go to a dentist. I am a big baby, but it's painful.
We went to Ikea tonight to find a mattress for Madison's bed. We didn't find one really. Well, we did but I want to go look at regular mattress places first. Then maybe she'll sleep in her own bed. I doubt it, but she says she will.
We didn't do anything at all today. It was actually a very boring day for us. It was raining out this morning when we got up and then Madison wanted to go back to bed which is rare. Who am I to say no, so I layed down with her and feel asleep too. We woke up really late and the sun was shining. But we just hung out at the house today. She watched movies and I mowed the lawn and then we went for our 3 mile walk. Shortly after that Steve came home from work and we ran to Ikea after dinner (I made spegehtti). It's been a short day but I guess with me still being up at 2:00 am it evened out! Maybe I should try to get some sleep. Good night!

Ty's Play

We went to go see Tyler in "Grease" last night! Man, was he funny. He acutally did have a big part in the play. At least one of the most memoriable ones. I thought as a "t-bird" he wouldn't of had a big part, but that wasn't true. He is really a funny actor. I know he seems serious on the outside but the kid has a ton of humor in him that he can transpire on stage! Mom...sorry about forgetting to tell you that we were going. The fact that we didn't need a babysitter cuz we brought Madison (I'll tell you about that in a second) made me totally not think that anyone else was going to come along. Sorry. I guess I could of invited everyone else too. Sorry family! I wasn't thinking because this is also a work week. We drove up there yesterday and drove back too. That was tiring. We got back about 2 am. Anyways, the little rascal was really super good watching the play until 3/4 of the way thorugh when she screamed out "I wanna go home!" and both Steve and I were frantic to get her outside the autoruim doors before she could cause anymore of a tantrum. I couldn't get mad because she truly did a good job. She was singing and dancing in her seat. I think it's neat that she finally got to see Tyler act in person instead of on his tapes of the shows. I wonder how much influence Ty is having on her. We know she totally loves musicals on the dvd/vcr. Ones that I think are too old for her, but she loves them anyways. As long as there's singing and dancing she'll watch it! Now we have to go get the movie Grease. That will be her next obsession!

Here are some cute pics of her while we were waiting for the play to start. She was so smiley because she got to sit on a huge rock. That's what I need for her to smile...props!

I don't think I have posted a few days and I can't think what we have done...hmmm. Anyways, today we are going to go over to my friend Lisa's house who has a little girl named abby. Abby is 7, I think. We are going to go swimming in their apt. pool. It's nice outside so it should be fun.

Oh, today is my weigh in day for following Weight Watchers. For crying outloud I only lost 1/2 a pound. 2 weeks of following WW and that is all. I am beyond frustrated. All I can do is keep following it. It has always worked in the past for me. I am pretty sure my metabolism is messed up due to my meds that I am on. Ohhh, that is so frustrating! I just don't get it and I am acting like a big baby when it comes to this, but I just am frustrated! Poor me. Poor, poor me.

Enough of that. I can only stay on my little tantrum for so long. Steve hears about it enough so I'll leave my viewing audience alone so you don't have to listen to me. But jeeze! Okay, enough of that! Here are some more photos. Here's a cute one of Madison and Steve peeking behind a tree! hee hee

Oh, here is a photo that Madison took of me and Steve. We laughed hard over this. Maybe no one else thinks it's funny, but it's totally our sense of humor....Speaking of sense of humor...Madison was in the bathroom being quit a little too long yesterday and I walked in and she totally had the entire roll of toilet paper unrolled on the floor. It was so funny. She saw me and yelled out "sorry!" and then again said "sorry mom" before she bursted out crying. She knew she got busted! It was so funny. She was crying so hard. Steve said she did the same thing last week where he walked into the bathroom and she had soap in her hair. Funny kid stuff which I am sure you're all rolling your eyes over!

Here are 3 more layouts that I made. I bought another kit online. I could just make the stuff too but it's so time consuming plus I like other people's stuff.
Below is the gingerbread man I made out of play-doh. I went out of the room for awhile (probley went to the computer) and Madison yelled for me to come see her play-doh guy...she copied what I did for the eyes and mouth. Isn't that cute? Is this another "only a mother would think is cute"? Probley. I just think her guy is really cute. hee hee

We went down to the park last night. Trying to make time fly by a little faster with Steve being gone. When she gets tired playing she always has this look on her face.
I went and picked up Alexis from the airport today. She was done with her 2 weeks of duty for the navy. She told me that she is getting deployed to Iraq. I almost started crying. She was crying. She'll be there a year and she doesn't want to go. I feel so bad for her. A year is a long time. I couldn't make it. Then again, that's why I am not in the reserves or gaurds because I am too much of a baby. I told her I'd have to buy some good ole' stationary so I can write her now. She probley won't have computer access. I am really bummed that she is going. Scary.

We got back Madison's results from her blood test. Her levels are elevated so they said we could put her back on medication if we want OR we can still wait out the 3 months of testing her. We decided we are going to wait the 3 months out to see what her levels do because we haven't noticed anything different with her moods and her level being high(er). Hopefully the level will go back down because I just hate to see her have to take medication that rest of her life. That's sad.

Oh, she got back her little report card from ice skating. She has to repeat snowplow 2. No kiddin'. All she did was lie down on the ice. I hope next session isn't like that! I think I found a dance class for her to be in. Classes start in the beginning of September and run through May. So that is when they'll have their dance recitel. How cute. Also, how expensive. I checked a few different places and they all run about the same. I think I'll like her being in dance more than being in gymnastics which would start about the same time. Dance class and ice skating is good to keep her (us) busy. I can't wait to see her in her little dance costume for their recietals. God, what if she decideds to just lie down on the floor in dance class like she does in ice skating. Well, her dance class consists of 3 and 4 years old so they have to be use to that type of behavior....right? Or is it just Madison that acts like that? eeks...how do we correct that type of behavior? You can only have so many charts.