Vacation, and now we are home

Whew! What a week! It was nice to get to go down to my parents for a week off. Mostly it was nice not to have to go to work for a week! It amazing how much changes in a year... this time last year Madalyn was a few weeks old and we were down there and I think she ate, pooped, and slept if I remember correctly. Oh yeah, and spit up on Mommy! Now here it is a year later and she is walking, talking, trying to swim, playing with the dogs, and getting into lots of TROUBLE! As Gigi says so lovingly, she doesnt think she has ever met a baby who is as busy as Madalyn is!

While on vacation we went to the beach, took a girls trip (myself, Mom and Madalyn) to Bradenton to see Auntie Amber graduate from nursing school, had a cookout with some friends from Gigi's work, as well as spent a night hanging out with Brad and Jenna with the kiddos. We did some shopping (got to love Kohls for baby clothes!) and just overall had a great time. My husband took down the "old" celing in my parent's kitchen (dome lights from the 1980s) and discovered a beautiful tray ceiling underneath. (Well it was beautiful once he patched the holes and took down the fluorescent lighting.) He painted it white and the tray part dark blue, with crown molding and a new white light fixture- it looks awesome. He is so talented!

Madalyn is quite the little shopper (she comes by it naturally, trust me!) We took her and Savannah to Kohls on Saturday afternoon. She lasted about seven minutes in the stroller, then wanted out. She let Jenna carry her, then Gigi, then Mommy, then realized she could get down and practice walking. (Which she is getting very good at!) I let her down since I was pretty much done spending money and could just follow her around. She kept walking over to different racks and flipping through the clothes and saying "ooohhh! ooohhhh!" Like she is oooohing and aaahhhhing over the different clothes. I would be broke if I bought her everything she liked! It was the cutest thing. Not to mention Savannah, who was a lot better behaved when it came to staying in the stroller, kept saying "oh that's cute!"

We had a great week, but boy it was nice to be home last night! I think we were there for five minutes when Shawn was thinking about what project to work on next.... the man never stops moving! I think we are going to finish out back porch, which used to have glass windows that were broken so we took them out and have had half screens, half completely open panes. Shawn bought some screen and is making some screens tonight for this open panes, and we have salvaged some concrete pavers from underneath what used to be our sheds (that he tore down with great pleasure and a metal sawzall blade!) The pavers have been relocated into our porch to raise up the slab, and he will fill them in with sandmix and then we will most likely tile over them. It will be nice to have an enclosed porch. We are also making a wetbar out there (well an outside sink at least! Not sure about how much of a bar it will be.) And we will probably get some cheap patio furniture for the room and will try to eat meals out there this summer. I told Shawn I really wanted the patio done for my Mother's Day present, and I think we are doing irrigation for his father's day present. (Such practical people we have become!)

Whew this is a long post!


Give a baby a box... it will entertain her for hours (okay, well maybe a few minutes!)

Maddie and Mommy at graduation

All wrapped up after the pool

best sunglasses shot yet!

Pooltime with Auntie Jenna


All ready for bed in her new jammies/

Kick kick kick with Gigi!

Savannah and her Gigi

All dressed up in her summer dress

Savannah in Madalyn's "boat" for the pool