The birthday craziness!

Well, the party came and went. It was a bit insane, but the kids had TONS of fun! The house is a disaster, but I'm happy about it, means everyone had a great time! All of the kids seemed to love the cowboy boot sandwiches, sheriff badge and cowboy hat Jell-O jigglers, and sheriff badge, cowboy boot and cowboy hat ice cream sandwiches!

I apologize to those who were here for a bit of the chaos when it came to opening presents. It was a good lesson learned that we need to sit down with the kids and focus on one present at a time. I am sorry that the kids didn't get a chance to thank everyone individually (one of those after the fact moments).

Anyway... I was thoroughly impressed that the majority of guests showed up in cowboy/cowgirl gear! Of course I didn't get around to taking pictures of everyone, but it was VERY cute! Thanks everyone for coming! And a special thanks to my wonderful sister for helping Friday and Saturday with the cake and decorating the house (she thought of the lasso around the numbers... so cute)!

Here are a few pics of the craziness! (poor Madisyn had a fat lip :( )

Can you see Landon's interest in getting into the cake?! Moments after this, he dug into his #2 :)

I completely forgot to buy candles! These were the only ones (besides beer can candles) that I could find in the house!



Aunt Shell with the birthday cowgirl

Cousin Levi - look at those eyes and eye lashes!

Cowgirl Madisyn and Cowboy Landon

It took a really long time to burn the edges, but I like the way they turned out!

AND... I was going to buy Madisyn some new cowboy boots online, but I found some that look like they'd never been worn at my friend's 'Think Spring' party, which included a garage sale (with a lot of different people selling). They were only $3!!! I couldn't believe they were her size and that they're actually cuter than anything I'd found online! I love a good deal!

Our BIG little girl!

One day old

One year old

Two years old

Three years old

Four years old

Madisyn Grace, you are such a blessing to us! I still can't believe that you've blessed us with your presence for four whole years! It seems like days ago I was holding you for the first time and in awe of what God had entrusted us with. You continue to amaze us daily! You are such a wonderful daughter and big sister!!! We love you with all of our hearts!

Love, Daddy, Mommy & LD

Breaks My Heart

Madisyn had a tea party at school last week Friday, where they get to dress up in their church outfits and practice their manners. The girls just love it!

I let Madisyn wear her fancy Christmas dress and did her hair up to look like a "princess." After the kids were off to school, I noticed that my note on my calendar said something about a "Teddy Bear Tea Party." OOPS! I completely forgot to send a teddy bear with her. I called Rob to confirm. He said that, "Yes, all of the other kids had a teddy bear, but that they also had... their pajamas on." OH NO! I forgot that it was a PJ and teddy bear tea party.

I quickly got PJ's and teddy bears together and drove to school. As soon as I arrived, Madisyn ran over to me and hugs my legs SO tight... and started crying! At that moment I felt so terrible. I realized that I had completely embarrassed her. The teachers even told me that for a while she wanted to be in Landon's room and that the director was going to go to the store to buy Madisyn some PJ's. Talk about just feeling awful!

I finally got her changed and apologized numerous times for making her feel embarrassed, gave lots of hugs and kisses and she was on her way back to playing. She reached for the door, turned around, looked at me, and asked, "Mommy, can I have one more hug."

I'm pretty confident that I won't make that mistake again!

Spring Cake

An answer to prayer...

I started working as an intern at Deloitte in the fall of 2003. Later that year I was offered a full-time position as an actuary. I was ecstatic! I took the job and continued to work there full-time until after my 15 week maternity leave with Madisyn, upon which I started working part-time (60%, three days per week). I continued working part-time until I was given the opportunity to take a new position (I felt I was much better suited for), which was offered full-time starting November 2007.

With mixed emotions, I took the position. I was thrilled, but a little concerned about going back to full-time. Until last fall, I think I was handling it fairly well... trying my hardest to balance work and family. Then it seemed like something hit me and made me realize how quickly our kids are growing up. Madisyn is going to be entering kindergarten next year (fall 2010) and I have hardly had any time home with Landon since I started working full-time when he was seven months old.

To make a very long story short, I have been given approval of going back to part-time (60% again) starting March 9th. I really am so grateful that things have worked out as well as they have and I feel like I can finally have a better work/life balance that I've been longing for!

Who needs a bed when you have a linen closet?

Rob found her sleeping here today. I heard little footsteps after she went "down" to bed, but little did I know that she was making herself a bed in the linen closet :)

First real haircuts!

Yesterday I was blessed with an unplanned day with the kids (our nanny had the flu). Since their pictures are coming up, I decided it would be best to get their hair trimmed by someone other than myself (for the first time ever for both of them!). Others suggested that I bring them to Snip-it’s since it’s for kids and would be worth the extra money. On our way we went… 25 minute drive there and the kids were really excited. I’ll try to make a long story short…

My words, "I want to leave all of the curls, so please just give him a little trim around the ears and in the back so it doesn’t look so shaggy."

Apparent interpretation, "Please cut off all of his curls, cut his bangs ridiculously short, and cut nothing in the back so that it looks like he has a mullet."

Did I mention that Landon was upset the entire time, the girl cutting his hair didn’t seem to care or be patient with him, instead insisted that she gets kids worse than this and rushed through his cut? I didn’t really have a chance to look at it until after his nap, and I nearly cried. I’m not the emotional type when it comes to these things, never saved the first locks took pictures of their first cut (by me). Now I have to move their picture date back, just hoping that his hair will grow out enough to look as cute as it did… and I know Madisyn’s won’t look nearly as nice by then.

Against all of my non-confrontational nature, I called to tell them that I had a poor (very underestimated) experience, I was nearly in tears again! She said she was sorry and offered for me to bring him back, but I politely declined and said that I’d rather not go back. Seriously, you can’t make his hair longer. I don’t know what I expected her to do, maybe refund my money? But she couldn’t refund my nearly hour long drive round-trip, the fact that I’m not going to have the kids two and four year pictures (or proofs) at their birthday party, which was the plan, or the fact that I wasted the kids first real haircut on an overpriced bad experience. Oh, and did I mention that the girl was asking Madisyn to tilt her head in directions that she didn’t really understand and she just kept asking her to do it?! Are you serious? You’re supposed to specialize in kids haircuts, don’t you think that you can cut it as long as she holds her head still? I know I can.

Kelli, I should have had you do it… why didn’t I think of that before?!

Melissa, thanks for rescheduling!

Thanks for reading my rant.

Before...

During...

After...

Before...

During... (notice that neither one really enjoyed the process)

Recent cakes

I loved doing this cake, with all the bright colors, especially the orange!


Although the cake turned out, I wasn't real fond of how the cupcakes turned out :( (the 88 and 79 were for grandparents of Nolan who also had a birthday close to his)

Valentine's cupcakes (these were last minute, so they didn't get the detail I would have liked, but I still liked them)

Practice cake... I love the colors!

Like father, like daughter

Madisyn was with me when I brought Landon to his room at church the other day and the teacher asked Madisyn, "What grade are you in?"

I looked at her and said, "She wants to know how old you are."

After Madisyn told her she was three, the woman said, "Wow, you're tall for a three year old!"

The picture says it all! (taken at her Christmas program with girls her age from school)