Down on the Farm

Today started we took a field trip to Tolmachoff Farms. It was "Family Fun Day" down on the farm. They had activities set up, vendor booths, and a "u-pick" area of the farm.

First up, our admission stamp. Cows! Madilyn was quite pleased with this.

Next up, bouncing ponies!

Followed, of course, by a bouncy castle.

Grammy even participated in a corn shucking race. She didn't win, but still gets an "A" for effort!

In lieu of a "ball pit" they had a "corn pit" where kids could play in dried corn. Mads wasn't too sure as first, but warmed quickly to the idea.

After the corn pit, we took some time to bet the little animals. Madilyn LOVES petting them and was very gentle.

Grace was quite the trooper too. Here she is hanging out in the stroller while Madilyn visits with more animals.

We sure had a fun day, but we were all tuckered out by the end!

This farm had the largest produce I have EVER seen. Incredible, really. Here's a zuchinni from the grocery store, next to the one we hand picked today.

For a better example, here it is compared to my hand.

And what better way to end a day at the farm picking yummy fresh veggies than with a vegetarian dinner. It was delicious!!

What a fun day. Can't wait to hit the next farm for some peach picking in a few weeks!

Seven Months

Grace is seven months old today! She's has the brightest little spirit and is so much fun!

At seven months, Grace is:
-Sitting up all by herself
-"Inchworming" her way around the house (She really wants to crawl!!)
-Eating 2-3 meals a day
-Drinking 24-28 ounces a day
-Babbling often
-Has learned how to squeal in a very loud and high-pitched voice (This is not my favorite sound. It makes my ears ring)
-Has one tooth and another one just around the corner
-Weighs 18 pounds, 15 ounces!!!

It's been a bit of a rough start to the week. Grace caught pink eye from her big sister and wound up in urgent care Monday night with an ear infection as well. But, it's only Wednesday and our littlest trooper is already feeling leaps and bounds better :)

Congratulations Matt!

 Today Matt had his promotion ceremony. He is now a Captain. Way to go Matt! We're all so very proud of you!!!

One Month Down

Well, we've officially survived the first month of this deployment! It's been quite the ride so far, but I'm certain there are many other challenges ahead too.

The girls and I have been keeping as busy as possible to pass the time. We're in a pretty good routine, and that seems to help all of us!

Since Matt left one month (and one day....but who's counting?) ago:

There have been lots of naps in the car on trips to and from Phoenix

Our little helpers been to Costco a time or two and love riding next to one another in the cart. They sit and giggle together. I wish I could have gotten a better picture. Oh well, there's always next time.

Madilyn has discovered a love for singing. This is her dog, Violet, who she loves to sing with at home. In the car, she's been loving her new Praise Baby CDs. (Frankly, I like them too. They're much better than the VeggieTales!)

Grace has started eating solids on a regular basis. She really doesn't care much for the fruits or veggies yet, but sure does enjoy her oatmeal each night.

Grace has almost mastered sitting alone. Here she's doing a pretty good job while big sis takes a much needed tubby.

But sometimes, when you hear all that super fun splashing behind you, you get pretty curious. So, you just have to check it out yourself!

Really, these photos are just the tip of the iceberg. We are out and about nearly every day doing something. But hey, we're in Los Angeles and the weather couldn't be better. We're seriously blessed to be able to play outside every day!

A little fun in the bath

Six Months

Well, it's official.....Grace is now closer to one than to being a newborn! She's growing and changing every single day and is so much fun to be with.

Here's what she's up to right now:
-Weighs 17.4lbs on our home scale (official weigh-in isn't until May 12)
-Just moved into 12 month clothes!
-Rolls all over the place. This gal gets where she wants to go!
-Loves to eat. Seriously. She's a very happy baby, but don't mess with her food.
-Is sitting unsupported for 1-2 minutes at a time.
-Likes oatmeal, peas, and is still contemplating sweet potatoes
-Is nothing like her older sister. Really. She's so calm (and we really appreciate this)!

Happy Birthday THREE Year Old!!!

A little late, but always better than never!

How is our little lady three years old already? Where do the years go? I'm sure there are many of you who understand exactly what I'm talking about here. The years just go by faster and faster. Has life really gotten that busy? (Yes, actually, it has.)

We had a mini celebration in early April of course, so Matt could be there to wish Miss Madilyn a happy birthday in person. On her actual birthday, we made pink cupcakes and sent them to preschool with her. He teachers said she had a BLAST passing them out to all the kids and telling them she was turning three :) That evening, after school, I brought her In-N-Out and greeted her with her very first chocolate milkshake ever! It was an absolute win. That's a girl after my own heart right there!

After dinner, I took a chocolate cupcake and lit a candle for her. I sang to her and she blew out her candle. Then I handed her a few more gifts Grace had picked out for her big sister. Even though it was small, I think she still had fun.

Easter weekend we drove out to Phoenix where we had another (much bigger) birthday party. Her requests? Pink ponies and a pink cake. Think this gal likes pink a little bit? I think the party was a hit. Madilyn had a wonderful time celebrating with family from both sides (How blessed are we to have so much of our families nearby?!?). She got more presents than she could possibly know what to do with and is having lots of fun with everything!

(I will work on photos later. For now, I'm just trying to get caught up!)

Los Angeles Zoo

What a wonderful day!

When I got going this morning, I thought maybe we had picked a bad day to go to the zoo. It was overcast, foggy, and downright chilly outside. But, I knew how much Madilyn was looking forward to seeing all the animals, so we continued on our way. By the time we got to the zoo (near Burbank) it was nearly 20 degrees warmer! What a difference heading inland makes.

At the zoo we met up with my Aunt Kathleen, Uncle John, and Kathleen's mother, Allwyn. We're so blessed to leave near family in both directions during this assignment!

Madilyn loved the petting zoo. She enjoyed the soft fur of the sheep and brushing the goats.

Here we are checking out the elephants! Madilyn talked about these elephants all week long.

See the mud and dirt on his back? Even on her way to bed tonight she was still saying, "that elephant was throwing mud and dirt all over him! He needs a bath!"

We couldn't take a trip to the zoo without her puppy (leash that is). She was thrilled to have someone walking her around the park :)

The stroller is so easy to push when empty!

We stopped to catch a bit of shade and even Grace hammed it up for the camera.

Thank you everyone for a fun filled day. We had a great time!

Jerusalem Marketplace

Today we had to opportunity to attend a fun little function at the church some friends of ours. They had the church grounds set up to resemble a marketplace in the time of Jesus. There were pottery stands, drumming stations, etc. Madilyn really liked getting to make a cross necklace and listening to the worship band sing. She talked about the band the whole way home! It also makes me feel great when she sings along. I know at this age their little minds soak up everything and try to be very conscious about what she watches and listens to.

We were quite busy going from station to station, but I managed to get a few shots of her dancing along with our neighbors, Ann and baby Lydia.

As usual, Grace was on her best behavior as well!

Early Birthday Fun

We had a small pre-birthday celebration for Madilyn last weekend. We had a fun present for her we wanted to let her open before Matt left for Afghanistan. Thankfully, Matt's parents were also here and Don was able to help Matt with the assembly! It was quite a project, but they got in done perfectly.

Madilyn has spent the last week LOVING to jump outside. Here's a short video of her on her new trampoline :)