Happy Birthday Madeline!

Last week Maddie turned 1 year old. I just cant believe it, a whole year has gone by since my little Mooshu came into our lives. I remember bringing her home she seemed so tiny and fragile. Now she is so rough and tumble and independent. I had no idea that night that we went to the hospital to have our little baby just how much love I could feel for another person. I dont know if adults truly know the meaning of love until they have a child. The past year has been fantastic and I can't wait to see what this year has in store. I cant wait til she starts walking and talking. For Maddie's birthday we had a small family dinner with my sister and her family and then opened a few gifts and sang happy birthday. I made a lasagna and Daniel made a wonderful two layer chocolate cake with cherry filling and cream cheese icing. There also was Funfetti cupcakes with green icing. When it was time to open the gifts, Maddie was too preoccupied with her cousins cell phone to open the gifts. It took her awhile to realize that she was supposed to open the paper and there were gifts inside, it was cute. When we sang her Happy Birthday, she had her hand on her forehead the whole time. I think she was overwhelmed. I dont know if it was because the lights were dimmed and we were singing or because this giant cake with a flame on top was in front of her or what. It was a very nice little celebration, I couldnt have asked for a better time, well actually there was one thing missing, her family in Oregon, but we will be seeing them soon for Christmas, yeah!


Here is the birthday girl riding on the rocking snail that Daniel and I gave her. We bought her that adorable hat thinking it would look really cute in the photos, but she hated it! She would only let it stay on her head for a second, thats why her cousin Hailey is holding it on while we snap the photo.



Here she is eating cake, she made quite a mess with the cupcakes and cake, it was cute but she had to go right in the bath tub afterwards.

Fall Outings

In between all the rain this fall, we have been getting out and enjoying some of the fall festivities. This past weekend we went to the Fall Stockley Art Festival. A few weekends ago we actually went down to the beachfront, for the Virginia Beach Neptune Art festival. I think that was the first time we ventured out to the beach this year, which is a shame. I always enjoy going to the beach and I am hoping one of these weekends we will get to the Sandbridge beach area. It will be nice to put Maddie in the sand. Maybe even take the dog. We also went to the Acoustic Music Festival in Norfolk and rode the ferry from Surry to Williamsburg. I never even knew we had a car ferry. So here are some pics from those adventures.


When we went to the Acoustic Music Festival, we walked around downtown Norfolk. I always love the Chinese Pagoda and garden. Right past that is this retired battleship Wisconsin.



The above photo was taken at the Neptune Festival in Virginia Beach. Along with the photo of Maddie and her eldest cousin Katlyn below.





Oh no! Its Maddie times 3! I just love the above picture of Maddie at the MacArthur Center Mall. Daniel was trying on clothes and we were having fun in the mirror. She was quite taken with herself in the triple mirror. I would love three Maddies!



And these two photos were taken on the car ferry that goes from Williamsburg to Surry. I was surprised this even existed! I always thought car ferries were only in cool places like Seattle and NYC. Who knew!

rain rain go away....

I forgot how rainy fall is around here. It was like a monsoon last week and this upcoming week is supposed to follow suit. Friday got like 7 inches in six hours. You practically needed a boat navigate all of Norfolk and various spots of Portsmouth. Its funny because we finally have a break in the heat to go outside and enjoy some mosquito-free days and now its like Noah's Ark out there. Maddie and I are for the most part staying in and trying to stay dry and warm. But we do go out onto the porches and enjoy the showers now and then. The rain brings out a lot of frogs, one was up on the porch the other day, by the time I got my camera he had jumped off. I did get a few pics of him in the flower bed. I love to see the frogs but unfortunately Cooper loves them too. He likes to mess with them and he won't listen to me to leave them alone, its too tempting. Often times he licks them and he foams at the mouth for like an hour afterwards. He is so silly.