Mafercason: the Madness and the Merriment

Sweet Caleb

2010-08-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

Caleb has been having some attitude problems lately, so it's nice when he comes up with a sweet comment once in a while. Here are some recent ones:

"Madi is a pretty little girl with a pretty smart brain."

And, in response to our Pastor's question asking him to name his sports hero,

"My dad!"

Fancy Nancy's Newest Adventure

2010-07-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

I wasn't feeling so well, so Madi kindly offered, "I'll give you adjustment and read you a story." Unfortunately, the story that she "read" involved Fancy Nancy getting poisoned.

Zip Line Fun

2010-07-30T16:29:00.000-07:00

Caleb and Madi were so excited to zip line!

Fourth of July Fun!

2010-07-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

Our Little Elf

2010-07-30T16:23:00.001-07:00

I asked Madi what she wanted to drink and didn't get an answer. That's when I discovered that she was drinking maple syrup from the bottle.

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2010-07-30T16:22:00.001-07:00

Caleb's wisdom of the evening: "It's a bad idea to do a somersault in the shower."

Space Center FAIL

2010-07-30T16:19:00.000-07:00

Space Center FAIL: Madi referred to the astronauts as "space aliens," and said of John Glenn, "That looks just like Obi Wan Kenobi."

A Dousing of Orange

2010-07-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

Madi's first trip to Austin! When she called a longhorn "that moose" we knew that we had best get the indoctrination under way. After all, she was born during a Texas football game. Can she go to school anywhere else?

A Friendly Afternoon

2010-07-30T16:13:00.000-07:00

The kids spend a fun afternoon with some old (young) friends.

Sleepy Girl

2010-07-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

For a while, Madi needed an ice pack for the slightest bump or bruise. Here, she somehow fell asleep with the ice pack on her head.

Dickens Quote

2010-07-30T16:09:00.000-07:00

‎"I love these little people; and it is not a slight thing when they, who are so fresh from God, love us." Charles Dickens

Don't Cross this Girl!

2010-07-30T16:08:00.000-07:00

We are apparently raising quite the little feminist. She just told me the story of her "pretend soccer team" where the coach posted a sign that said "No Girls Allowed." The coach then fell into a lake, was eaten by an alligator, and had his eyes poked out by a knight. An unfortunate situation, really.

Ode to the Watermelon

2010-07-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

Apparently Mark Twain and I share a fierce love for a certain fruit "The true Southern watermelon is a boon apart, and not to be mentioned with commoner things. It is chief of this world's luxuries, king by the grace of God over all the fruits of the earth. When one has tasted it, he knows what the angels eat. It was not a southern watermelon that Eve took; we know it because she repented." -Mark Twain

So Long Panthers

2010-07-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

A few pics from Caleb's last soccer game of the season.

Little Babywearer

2010-07-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

Both children insist that they're big enough to carry the baby. Here's Madi practicing with her baby doll in the mei tai.

Nighttime Friends

2010-07-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

Instead of just cuddling with one stuffed animal, Caleb decided to take it a step further. I found him asleep one night with his socks stuffed full of stuffed animals! Creative way to keep those little critters close.

Matt's Dream Come True

2010-06-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

Madi dressed herself in this outfit and said, "I'm a sports girl!" Notice the "soccer socks." And no pom-poms in sight. Not to worry, she asked me to put a headband in her hair so that she would look "beautiful" and when I complied, she said, "Thanks coach!"

The Best Brother

2010-05-14T19:34:00.000-07:00

I think that every irrational, screaming 3 year-old needs an incredibly kind-hearted big brother. She screams, "I need more love!" (oh the drama) and he builds a pallet beside her so that he can cuddle her to sleep.

Look Closely...

2010-05-03T12:42:00.000-07:00

Little Storyteller

2010-04-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

Madi, reading to her babies...

Blue Bell

2010-04-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

No trip to Brenham is complete without a stop at Blue Bell. The kids had a terrific time sampling the ice cream and playing on the sculptures.

Bluebonnets

2010-04-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

We took a trip to Brenham and were rewarded with gorgeous fields of wildflowers. The tricky part is finding a safe field for photo taking (most of them are on the side of busy highways). So, we were pleased when we found this beautiful field. The kids were somewhat cooperative...the Blue Bell bribe helped a lot.

Go Panthers!

2010-04-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

Caleb joined the fearsome Panthers for his second season of soccer. Actually, when I first saw the team, I thought they might have trouble winning even one game. But then Raul, soccer extroadinaire, stepped onto the field. With Raul (whose status is questionable due to an injury last game) the Panthers pretty well roll over most opponents. Of course, this league has rules about fair playing time and such so everyone get a chance at the ball. Caleb really stepped up his game this past week, taking 3 well-aimed shots. No goals for Caleb yet, but he's well on his way. And he has had a phenomenal run at goalie...he plays that position quite often and has never allowed a goal. This team has been an interesting experience because the Panthers are coached by an elderly couple. Coach Nick, who has to be pushing 70, cannot remember Caleb's name and so he frequently calls Caleb (as well as several of the other boys) "old man." Caleb is a little sad about this, but he's having a great time on the field!

Easter

2010-04-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

Easter...I hope they got enough eggs :) This definitely made up for the church egg hunt where they got only 2 eggs each.

Madi the Fashionista

2010-04-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

Just another example of the exotic costumes that Madi clothes herself in daily.

Symphony

2010-04-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

Caleb and Madi at their first symphony

Odyssey of the Mind

2010-04-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

Caleb participated in a cool program called Odyssey of the Mind. For OM, the kids have to write their own scripts and build all their own costumes and props. Caleb's team performed quite an interesting skit involving dinosaurs (Caleb was a dinosaur), Pompeii people, and a volcano. Then (as the first picture shows) they had a terrific party after the competition.

Battleship Texas

2010-04-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Further fueling the kids' obsession with battle, they visited the San Jacinto Monument and Battleship Texas with their GaGa Karen, Papa Ricky, & Uncle Kevin. Caleb thought it was absolutely terrific to pretend to fire the big guns on the ship.

Better not sin

2010-04-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

Madi has upped the requirements for getting Christmas presents (yes, the children have a Christmas countdown going already). This morning she was singing, "You better not pout, you better not sin." Those are some tough standards...looks like Jesus is the only one getting presents now.

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2010-04-13T17:05:00.000-07:00

Jen: "I don't feel so well."
Caleb: "Why? You've done nothing today. Nothing at all!"

No Jesus Allowed

2010-03-09T05:21:00.000-08:00

Caleb noticed our pastor making the sign of the cross in the air. He was asking me why the pastor did that, and I tried to explain. Then he asked, "If people go to a church that doesn't believe in Jesus, does the pastor draw a circle with a line through it in the air?" Like a no-smoking symbol...a no-Jesus symbol. I bet some people would be happy to use that one Caleb!

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2010-03-02T19:07:00.001-08:00

We were reviewing the kids' behavior for Matt when he got home. Caleb said, "I've been some naughty and some good. Half and half make a whole." LOL

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2010-03-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

We were on our way to vote in the primaries today. Caleb, recalling the last election in which we voted, asked, "Last time did you vote for the guy in the black suit with not much hair?" I guess that's as good a description of John McCain as any.

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2010-03-02T19:02:00.000-08:00

Caleb just explained their current dramatic pursuit: "We're fighting World War I. Sam Houston and his guys are helping us. Peter and Susan and Aslan are fighting too. And a Longhorn is fighting." Hope I can help them figure out historical context at some point.

p.s. A few minutes later, Sam Houston was killed in action during WWI. At least he lived a long life...about 120 years.

More Family Photos

2010-02-21T18:03:00.000-08:00

This time our friend Mandy gave us a free photo shoot - hooray! It was a very bright, very windy day, but we managed to get some nice shots nonetheless. And the kids were startlingly cooperative.

All Hail Aslan

2010-02-21T16:25:00.000-08:00

Caleb & Madi are absolutely obsessed with "The Chronicles of Narnia." They are constantly enacting scenes from the books and movies. Unfortunately, one of Madi's favorite scenes is when the White Witch grabs Edmund by the face and squeezes his cheeks; Madi likes to do this to me often. They refer to Matt as Peter, me as Susan, Caleb as Edmund, and Madi as Lucy. And they have designated Richard as Aslan. The other day Caleb decided that Richard needed a mane. He gathered some supplies and created a mane all on his own. Then he put it on Richard, who was not a completely willing Aslan. The mane did not last long.

Happy 100s Day!

2010-02-21T13:45:00.000-08:00

We celebrated the 100th day of school this year (we followed along with the pace of Steph's kindergarten class). Apparently 100s day is all the rage in schools these days, so there were plenty of ideas for 100s day activities. First, we made a trail mix that consisted of 100 items (10 each of 10 different foods). This was a big hit! Then we made a paper chain with 100 links (10 of each color). Caleb really got into this, but it was a little complicated for Madi and her friend J. Later, Caleb raced to write his name as many times as possible in 100 seconds. And to cap it off, we popped 100 kernels of popcorn (turns out that this is not much popcorn). It was a fun day and hopefully the kids learned to count a little better in the process.

Caleb the Hero

2010-02-21T13:40:00.000-08:00

Caleb did a great thing recently. While I was in the shower, I overhead him shouting, "Stay in the chair Madi! Just stay in the chair!" When I came out, I found a barefoot Madi sitting in a chair that was surrounded by shards of broken glass. She had been "exploring" in the kitchen and had broken a glass. Caleb had ensured that she sat in the chair until I could clean the glass, thus saving her from a near certainty of bloody wounds. Meanwhile, Caleb stayed out of the glass himself. Good boy Caleb...THANK YOU!

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2010-02-21T13:38:00.000-08:00

Madi, accustomed to many handmade goods, asked me who made her sweater. I looked at the tag and informed her that someone in China made it for her. At this point, Caleb started shouting, "Oh! Madi, stop tugging on it! It can break easily...things made in China can break easily!"

Another Round of Merry Christmas!

2010-02-15T19:19:00.000-08:00

Caleb and Madi enjoyed celebrating Christmas with GaGa Karen and Papa Ricky over New Year's.

Gingerbread House Decorating

2010-02-15T19:15:00.000-08:00

They are really beginning to do well with the Gingerbread House decorating. The only problem is that they want to eat it as soon as they finish decorating it.

Madi the Manipulator

2010-02-15T15:05:00.000-08:00

Along with pouty lips and pathetic whines, Madi has now added religion to her toolbox of manipulation. She ate her entire bag of crackers and then expected Caleb to share his. When he refused, she said, "Jesus wants us to share."

Warning: Disgusting Potty Humor

2010-02-12T18:38:00.000-08:00

I walked into the bathroom and found Madi sitting on the toilet. She started singing, "Happy Birthday to You" and when she was finished with the song, jumped up and said, "Tada! Here's your presenent!" as she pointed to the contents of the toilet. Gross!

Feliz Navidad

2010-02-03T19:02:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning at home...what a rare treat! The stocking photos are not staged. Have you ever seen 2 people more excited to get toothbrushes? We had a lovely Christmas.

Christmas Stockings

2010-02-03T19:00:00.000-08:00

I cannot recommend making your own Christmas stockings. These took me most of the Advent season, and you can probably find similar ones at Hobby Lobby for $5.

Early Christmas

2010-02-03T18:47:00.000-08:00

Early Christmas with GaGa Brenda, Papa Jerry, aunts, uncles, and toddler Christian. Madi attempts to put on a record number of accessories.

2010-02-02T17:01:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas photo session courtesy of our sweet neighbor Chantal. Two of the kids' friends hopped in for some pics at the end.

2010-02-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

We toured a historic home that was decorated for Christmas. The kids were surprisingly into it, though Madi was terrified of the giant Santa and Gingerbread Man that roamed the grounds. On the plus side, they served wassail, hot cocoa, and cookies.

Christmas Play

2010-01-27T19:17:00.000-08:00

Caleb was a lamb and Madi was an angel in the Christmas play this year. They did so well! Madi really enjoyed the singing and the hand motions. The congregation seemed to really enjoy watching their performance.

St. Lucia Day

2010-01-27T19:12:00.000-08:00

We celebrated St. Lucia day for the first time this year. Our little Lucia did a terrific job, and it was handy that we had her angel costume for the Christmas play. We decided on a paper crown, due to the hair-catching-on-fire hazard. It was my first try at homemade cinnamon rolls, which the kids were quite excited about.

Wedding

2010-01-27T19:01:00.000-08:00

A family wedding meant lots of people for the kids' to play with. Caleb and Madi were polite during the ceremony, but they were mostly concerned about the food. Caleb repeatedly asked me, "Will there be snacks?" He was very relieved when it came time to eat the yummy food, and he kept sneaking to the punch bowl (non-alcoholic) when no one was looking.

Snow Day

2010-01-27T18:55:00.000-08:00

Remarkably, it snowed again this year. It didn't really stick, but the kids found enough to make some snow balls and have a little snowball fight. Plus, we drove through the pouring snow on our way to see the Nutcracker, which seemed quite festive.

Madi's Birthday Again!

2010-01-27T18:40:00.000-08:00

Madi squeezed in another birthday celebration with her GaGa Karen, Papa Ricky and Uncle Kevin during Thanksgiving.

cousins

2010-01-27T17:58:00.000-08:00

Renaissance People

2010-01-27T17:44:00.000-08:00

We took the kids to a Renaissance Festival. Caleb wore his knight costume (unfortunately, someone stole his hood while we were there) and Madi wore her princess costume. Excepting the thievery, all was well until the kids decided to try out some of the rides. The first picture shows Caleb on the bungee trampoline which frieked him out! He immediately started crying to be let down. Madi requested the milder pony ride, but when the time came to saddle up, she frieked out as well. So, Caleb took over her pony ride, and this soothed his injured pride a little. Watching the jousting was a big hit as were the ice cream and chocolate covered bananas.

Madi Quote O' the Day

2010-01-20T19:53:00.000-08:00

We were looking at a book with pictures of many different animals. Madi was trying to guess the name of each animal. She got most of them right, but two of her guesses were quite amusing.

Madi, pointing to a picture of an eagle "Is that an angry parrot?"
Next, pointing to a picture of a fox "Is that a warewolf?"

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2010-01-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

"I think that Daddy works so much because the days are getting longer."

Enough about the Shepherds!

2009-12-25T19:25:00.000-08:00

So, maybe we overdid it on Luke 2 readings this year. As we were reading a picture book before bed that included the Luke 2 text, Caleb said, "I've heard about the shepherds telling people so many times! Why do they have to put that in every Bible?"

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2009-12-25T17:18:00.000-08:00

Two of our favorite Christmas movies are "A Christmas Story" and "Elf." Matt commented that Peter Billingsley plays both Ralphie in "A Christmas Story" and the head elf in "Elf." Caleb (who still has trouble with acting vs. real life) asked, "So when he grew up, he turned into an elf?"

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2009-12-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

I never thought to ask this when I was younger. But as we were getting ready for church last night, Caleb asked, "Will Santa be at church?" I'm glad that he expects every knee to bow.

Matt Quote O' the Day

2009-12-25T17:13:00.000-08:00

Matt, commenting on Madi's clothing style: "Madi, you make Pipi Longstocking look like a prep."

Goodness Creche-ous

2009-12-01T04:42:00.000-08:00

As we set out our Christmas decorations, we discovered that storage has not been kind to the little Creche. The key player, Baby Jesus, is missing! The kids suggested that we substitute a lamb, but that seems kind of theologically backwards.

In other Creche news, Joseph has been decapitated.

Madi couldn't resist playing with the figures in the nativity scene...after all they look like small dolls, I suppose. I warned her several times that she was not to touch them because they were breakable. When I caught her playing with them again, she said, "You put them up high."

Naughty or Nice?

2009-12-01T04:40:00.000-08:00

Caleb is using the "all have sinned" thing to his advantage. "Everyone does naughty things," he said, "So why does Santa have a naughty and a nice list?" This revelation happened to come on the heels of a day of atrocious behavior.

Faith Like a Child

2009-11-22T15:59:00.000-08:00

Oh, to have the confidence and enthusiasm for telling others about Jesus that little children seem to naturally possess.

Today Caleb and Madi had some friends over. They were listening to the cd from VBS. "We don't go to church anymore," one little friend said. "You don't go to church?!?" Caleb asked, incredulously. "Our Sundays are busy," the little girl responded. "You should go to church," Caleb said, "It's great! You learn about Jesus!"

Farewell to Football!!!!!!

2009-11-08T15:41:00.001-08:00

Do you sense my excitement as I announce that Matt's regular season football games are over? Woohoo! And Matt's team is the district champ. Playoffs start this weekend, and if the team does well, we could be dealing with playoff games for a while longer. Here are Caleb and Madi at their preferred viewing spot (just outside the endzone) of the last regular season game.

Happy Birthday dear Madi!

2009-11-08T15:28:00.000-08:00

Our baby girl is 3! On her action packed birthday, she chose to have a picnic in the sculpture garden and visit the Children's Museum and the Art Museum. After that, we attempted to have cupcakes at a posh little cupcake boutique. But someone announced that an armed robber had just hit some stores down the street and was still on the loose. We said that we'd take our cupcakes to go. At home, Madi requested hamburgers for her birthday dinner, followed by the cupcakes and presents. Fun day!

Many Cakes for Madicake

2009-11-08T15:13:00.000-08:00

Sometimes there are perks to having your family spread out across the state...in this case, it meant that Madi got to celebrate her birthday many times (and she still has one more birthday celebration to look forward to at Thanksgiving). The top cupcake is at Steph and Bobby's with Bobby also celebrating his birthday, the middle one is at GaGa Brenda and Papa Jerry's, and the bottom cupcake is at home.

All Saints' Day

2009-11-08T15:10:00.000-08:00

Caleb and Madi's Sunday School teacher asked them to wear white for All Saints' Day so Madi got another opportunity to wear her flower girl dress. She was definitely the most elegantly dressed person in church that day! And thankfully they didn't do finger painting in Sunday School!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-08T14:52:00.000-08:00

Sir Caleb and Princess Madi made their way around our neighborhood and collected quite the bags of loot. Props to the candy givers in our neighborhood...we got quite a bit of delicious chocolate. I say "we" because Matt and I are assisting with the consumption of the loot.

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2009-11-08T05:49:00.000-08:00

Early Sunday morning, I walked out into the living room to find Caleb sitting on the couch, watching an unusual television program.

"I'm watching a church service," he said, "Lowly Worm comes on next."

LOL...he was patiently sitting through the church service (though he would attend another one in a few hours) while he waited for his favorite cartoon.

Spooky Children's Museum

2009-11-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

Our love for the Children's Museum has not waned. This time when visited during their Halloween festivities...the entire museum was decorated for the occasion. The kids had fun with all the spooky creatures and spiderwebs hanging about.

A Noisy Weekend

2009-11-07T08:07:00.000-08:00

Living only a couple of miles from a civil/military airport, we have plenty of military aircraft fly over every day. But this weekend was special...it was the airshow. It made for a VERY noisy (as in deafening, can't even have a conversation) weekend, but it was spectacular. Even more fun was the fact that we didn't have to buy a ticket to the show...we could just watch it from our front porch. The first picture shows Caleb putting on his own air show.

Little Gymnasts

2009-11-07T05:56:00.000-08:00

Here are Caleb and Madi at their first day of gymnastics. The top picture shows Madi after gymnastics...you can't really tell from the picture, but she took a pretty good whack to the eye. We're not exactly sure how it happened...it seems that she was having too much fun to notice.

Tinkertoy Rock Stars

2009-11-07T05:51:00.000-08:00

GaGa Brenda and Papa Jerry gave Madi Tinkertoys for her birthday. Both Caleb and Madi love the toy! Here, they built a double microphone (with a little help) and are putting on a concert.

A Visit to the Forest

2009-11-06T13:55:00.000-08:00

We visited Steph and Bobby's new house for the first time. When we were driving into their neighborhood, which includes plenty of trees, Caleb announced, "They live in a forest!" (it is actually a far cry from a forest). Obviously the boy needs more time in nature. The kids had a fabulous time. Madi loved helping Aunt Steph cook, and Caleb loved playing the Wii with Bobby. Steph and Bobby gave Madi a glamorous dress-up ensemble for her birthday, which she wore to go garage sale shopping the next day :)

Bat Cave

2009-11-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

At our homeschool co-op, we had a lesson on bats. I made Madi's group gingerbat cookies and fruit cups, and the little ones crawled into their bat cave (blankets over a table) to eat their snack. This was a very popular activity! Also popular was the game "Bat, Bat, Bird" (aka duck, duck, goose).

Pumpkin Patch

2009-11-06T13:41:00.000-08:00

We took a field trip to a little pumpkin patch with our homeschool group. Caleb was fascinated with the gourds...he found one that looked like an umbrella, one that looked like a swan, and of course (as pictured) one that resembled a gun.

Madi - the Fashion Diva

2009-11-06T13:34:00.000-08:00

Madi insists on dressing herself, and she definitely has her own unique sense of style. We compromise on clothing that is worn in public, but I let her put together her own outfits to wear at home. Here is a recent example...

Caleb's musings on our new 3-year-old

2009-11-04T19:32:00.000-08:00

Caleb congratulated Madi on turning 3 today, but he quickly discovered some problems with the situation:

"Her voice doesn't sound any different," he said.
"She doesn't look any taller," he added.
Finally, he concluded, "Madi, I think you're still 2 1/2."

Later this evening, as the events of the full day wore on Madi and she melted into a tantrum, Caleb said, "I thought 3 year olds were supposed to be less cranky."

We can only hope, Caleb, we can only hope.

Caleb Antic O' the Day

2009-11-03T10:45:00.000-08:00

Today, as the children and I were enjoying the latest chapter of Little House on the Prairie (which I am thrilled that the kids love), I felt a painful tugging of my hair. At the same time, Madi shrieked. Turns out, Caleb had tied our hair together.

"I was just chaining us," was his logical defense of the action.

Madi Quote O' the Day

2009-11-03T10:38:00.000-08:00

Madi is very opinionated, to say the least. It can be difficult to sing songs to her, because of course, she is the only one who knows the proper lyrics. Here is a recent example.

I was reading a nursery-rhyme book, and one of the poems was "Michael Row Your Boat Ashore." I began to sing that to her.

"Row Row Row!" she said, so I began to sing "Row Row Row Your Boat."

"NO! NO! No! NO!" she interrupted, "Row row row Row! Down the river." I tried to sing the traditional lyrics again, but this time she interrupted with another version:

"Row, row, row down the street. Merrily, merrily Tom & Jerry"

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2009-10-05T19:26:00.000-07:00

"Was Moses one of the goodest guys in Bible world?"

Interpreter Needed

2009-10-02T07:09:00.001-07:00

Madi's vocabulary is rapidly developing, and most of the time she readily communicates whatever she's thinking. Sometimes, however, there's a little confusion in the mix. Caleb is our go-to guy for interpreting...he understands her better than anyone. Here's a recent puzzle that he deciphered:

Madi: "I want to go on Charlie Brown"
Caleb: "She wants to go on the trolley again."

After thinking about it for a few moments, I actually figured this next one out. Madi loves listening to Sunday School type songs, and here are the lyrics that she was singing:

Madi: "I'm going to the bakery table!"
which is actually "He brought me to his banqueting table!"

and Madi: "We are the bushes!"
actually "He is the vine, we are the branches."

A Day in the Garden

2009-10-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

Our homeschool co-op took a field trip to a rose & herb garden. The kids had a terrific time running around with their friends. Lunch in the pagoda was definitely their favorite part.

Toddler Christian

2009-10-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, Caleb and Madi had the rare opportunity to play with their cousin Christian. Caleb says we can't call him Baby Christian anymore because he's walking. Caleb says that now we must call him "Toddler Christian." The hotel where they were staying was right on the water with an absolutely fabulous view.

A Verde Bright Day

2009-10-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

So, we chose what was apparently the brightest day of the year to attempt a photo session. I thought it was fall now...cloudy, cooler temps right? I wanted to get some photos before it was too cool out for Madi to wear her sundress. We were sweating and the kids were squinting. At least we got a picnic in the park out of the deal.

Friday Night Lights

2009-10-01T19:31:00.000-07:00

What do you do on Friday nights when you're married to an Athletic Trainer? You go to football games. Caleb and Madi LOVE going to the games, especially after they got to run around on the field after the first home game. Here they are in their black and teal attire. As you can see, they were eager to get to the game and none too cooperative for photos.

Big Sam

2009-10-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

Surprisingly, the Big Sam statue was a huge hit with Caleb and Madi. They keep requesting to go back to the monument. It's quite impressive...next time you're on 45 passing through a monotonous procession of small towns, take the time to pull over and get acquainted with Sam. Oh, and I love his quote, "Govern wisely, and as little as possible."

Costumes Galore

2009-10-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

Halloween warm-up? No, it's just always a dress-up fest around here. This time, there was a transformer and a zebra loose in the house.

Madi Quote O' the Day

2009-10-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

After Madi rejected a muffin for breakfast, I asked her if she wanted butter and honey toast. "Just butter!" she said. "Just butter on your toast?" "No!" she demanded "Just butter!" Butter...the breakfast of champions.

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2009-10-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

As we're driving down a busy road during rush hour, Caleb asks, "Mama, can you turn around and look at this action figure? Just look at it, and then you can get back to driving."

Beach Trip

2009-09-13T18:27:00.000-07:00

When Steph came to visit this summer, we just had to spend a day at the beach. And thanks to Aunt's magical influence, Madi overcame her fear of the ocean! In fact, she loved it and was upset when it was time to leave. The first picture shows Caleb drawing his very long line. He drew a continuous line with his toe through quite a length of the sand. He was very pleased when I told him that he was an excellent line drawer. If you have any lines that need to be drawn, give Caleb a call. He'd be glad to help.

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2009-09-13T18:25:00.000-07:00

"Madi is chaos and dramatic!"

Yes, Caleb, yes. Those vocabulary words are absolutely in the proper context.

Madi Quote O' the Day

2009-09-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

Madi was engaged in one of her favorite activities, drawing. I asked her what she was drawing.

Madi: "A ghost."
Jen: "Oh! Is it scary?"
Madi: "No, it's a drawing ghost not a real ghost."

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2009-09-08T16:49:00.000-07:00

Caleb recently asked Steph, "Why do they call Spongebob Squarepants?" He went on to explain, "His pants are NOT square. They should call him Spongebob Rectanglepants."

disclaimer: Caleb is not allowed to watch Spongebob Squarepants or Spongebob Rectanglepants

Matt Quote O' the Day

2009-08-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

"No weapons at the dinner table."

Caleb Quote O' the Day

2009-08-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

Caleb asked if he could get another baby sister in the fall (inspired by Franklin the turtle getting a baby sister). I asked him what he would name a new baby sister. Apparently, he possesses a Victorian sentimentality because he replied, "Would you like Isabelle or Rosaline?"

Happy Birthday Caleb!

2009-07-29T18:41:00.001-07:00

As unbelievable as it may seem, Caleb recently turned 5!!! Here he is on his big day, enjoying his presents. The massive device on his arm is called a Ben Ten watch, which he coerced from his GaGa and Papa. It was a big, big hit! Can you believe that he favored such a thing over the "Too Much TV" book?

Arboretum

2009-07-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

The shade of the tree-filled Arboretum makes it one of the best outdoor play options during the summer. The giant sandbox is always a hit. And this time, Caleb worked up the courage to walk the tight rope!

Aquarium

2009-07-29T18:22:00.000-07:00

We visited the Aquarium with GaGa Brenda, Papa Jerry, Michael, Kristy, and Christian. The bottom photo shows the kids looking at stingrays. Christian had no fear...he wanted to dive in with the stingrays. They all enjoyed posing in the scuba divers costume as well.