More Holiday Fun 2015

As usual - we went to Festival of Trees in downtown Davenport. The boys LOVED watching the choo choo trains around the train tree.

The best group shot we could get.

Madison and I made a gingerbread house. She LOVED decorating it.

And, of course we did some holiday baking together. First we made her Daddy's favorites.

Madison wanted to decorate sugar cookie cut outs.

And, we made my favorite holiday cashew cookies.

Reindeer ears!
Cooper and M.

Carter and M. Carter would ONLY wear the white antlers.

Tucker and M.
No picture. He refused to wear the antlers. He also did not want his picture taken!

Special Baking Day

Today was one of those days that memories of my mother just kept sneaking up on me. Her chocolate chip cookies were always a family favorite, and a tradition that I have continued since she's been gone.

Today was the first day M and I really baked together...just her and me in the kitchen. (Sorry for the so-so pictures since we were by ourselves and I only had my cell phone.)

Adding the 'secret ingredient,' Jell-O instant pudding mix, to keep the cookies soft and chewy!

Mmmm-Mmmm! Chocolate Chips!

Waiting for them to bake.

After lunch, little M enjoyed her cookie for dessert!

I miss my mom everyday. When she died, I was just 15. Now, going on 30 and being a mother myself, I think about who my mother was with such a different perspective. I also think about Madison and how I will keep my mother 'alive' in our hearts together. I hope I will be able to balance my sadness regarding her leaving this Earth with the happiness of having her as my mother. I'm a private person and more comfortable keeping my thoughts of her to myself (I almost didn't publish this last paragraph of this post)...but I know I must change...at least around Madison, so that M will 'know' her Grandma Jan, too.

Oh, and it's not really a 'secret recipe' or anything...it's from a Jell-O box. But, if you want it...just let me know! :)

VDay Cookies w/ Cousins

Last Saturday my cousin, Erin, and 3 of her kids came over to bake and decorate some sugar cookie cutouts for Valentine's Day. (Josh had to work...boo!)

Anyways, M and I were having SO MUCH FUN that I didn't take as many pictures as I wanted...and I burned like 4 sheets of cookies because I got too busy chatting! But, I did manage to capture one of my favorite pics of M of all time (the last pic posted)!

Enjoy!

Here's Erin, and Lydia helping Luke.

Luke (w/ Lydia's help) took this picture of me...he did pretty good, huh?!

Beautiful cookies...all decorated by Lydia!!!

I managed to hastily decorate two cookies.

Madison and Grant had a great time playing! They didn't do much decorating, but loved eating their cookies!

It was a fantastic afternoon of baking, laughing, decorating, chatting, playing, hugs, and memories!

As they were getting ready to leave...I tried to take a picture of Grant and M on the steps...here's what I got!

Grant looks cute...and of course M is squinting...

M tries to escape my second shot.

And, here's my SASSY M...arms crossed and annoyed that her Mama asked her to sit for one more picture! Grant, of course, was a perfect angel during all this!!!

So glad they could come over and spend the day with M and I!

A Day In Our Life

Wanna know our every move this past Monday?

Then, check me out over at:

I'm the guest post on Ashley's blog today! :)

2nd Annual Holiday Baking Day

With M's G'ma Tracy and Great G'ma Bev of course!

Last year we baked at Tracy's. This year at Bev's. It was a day filled with love, sugar, lots of laughs, great memories, more sugar, oh, and cookies. I'm so glad M has two wonderful G'mas that have started this tradition with her.

On another note...I need to become a better photographer. But with that said...I'll let a few of my favorite shots do most of the talking.

M started her afternoon making G'ma Tracy's Chocolate Covered Cherry cookies.

Dry ingredients first!

She discovered she could dip her spoon into the sugar!

Mmmmm!

Then, it was time for some Gingerbread cut outs with Great G'ma Bev.

She even rolled her own dough!

Back to finishing the CCC cookies with G'ma.

And...ending her (very busy) afternoon with helping GG'ma Bev decorate a gingerbread house for her Daddy.

Giving GG'ma Bev a hug after she gave her a piece of the candy to eat.

Clearly, M's favortie part of the day was all the SUGAR! :)

Christmas & V-Day...in March...Oops

So, I was a bad blogging Mommy, and I never even documented Madison's first Christmas celebrations...or her first Valentine's Day. Oops. I think I put some pics in FB, but I want to be sure to have it here, too.

How cute is she?! I love this picture because she looks so mischievous! I can't believe she was only about 4.5 months here...

BAKING

Anyways, Madison started her holiday season off baking with Grandma Tracy and Great Grandma Bev. Bev bought M her first apron. Isn't it SO cute?!

She enjoyed looking at everything and watching how things worked...

She really wanted to eat the cookie I'm pretty sure.

Although, in the end, I'm pretty sure G'ma Tracy and Great G'ma Bev had even more fun than Madison! :)

CHRISTMAS EVE

We celebrated Christmas with Josh's side of the family on Christmas Eve as we always do. We started off at Grandma Tracy's house for snacks and presents. She got an awesome jumper seat and a super cool Cadillac walker.

This picture cracks me up because we all look so happy while poor M is SO sad. In her defense, this was about 30 minutes past her usual nap time...

Madison LOVED the wrapping paper the best!

After this, we headed to Great Grandma Bev's for dinner and then church, and then a visit from Santa!

It was a fantastic night. She was great during church, and only let out one squeal of excitement during the singing at the end of the service since she loves singing and was entranced by all the candles. We had a great day, and of course M was spoiled by all our wonderful family with lotsa clothes and toys!

CHRISTMAS DAY

The next morning, we spent Christmas Day at home with Grandpa Dave and Uncle Brandon. The day started off with the Grandpa Dave getting dinner in the oven. He was making ham and scalloped potatoes...with help from Josh and Brandon peeling potatoes...and Madison 'helped' too. Of course I wasn't in the kitchen. :) Of course Josh thought it was funny to put a knife in her hand...

Once dinner was in the oven, we opened presents.

Grandpa read a book to Madison that got from Santa.

Grandpa got Madison an awesome high chair, and Uncle Brandon put it together. Thank you, thank you!

Of course, she also got some awesome toys and clothes from Grandpa as well, and her first amazon gift card from Uncle Brandon. It was a great day of being with family and just relaxing. :)

Madison was certainly very spoiled this holiday season...as expected. :) It was wonderful to be with family and friends and celebrating with our baby girl certainly brought back some magic to the holiday season for us.

VALENTINE'S DAY

Our little sweetheart on her first Valentine's Day in an adorable outfit from G'ma Tracy!

She got her first Valentine from Daddy. It was so cute, and I had no idea Josh did that.

So sweet!

And then she discovered her tutu, and the photo session ended shortly after.

Ok, holiday updates are done.